Masingini Forest is surrounded by 13 villages. In order to increase the protection and preservation of Masingini Forest, community conservation groups have been set up.
Through the Tui Forest Project we set up a Forest Protection Unit, where each community group gets two bicycles and a training so that they can patrol the forest borders.
Together with the communities and Bluebikes Zanzibar Masingini we developed several unique tourism experiences. Great opportunities for tourists to experience authentic Zanzibar and for the communities to attract sustainable tourism in the area and increase revenue for the forest and for the communities.
The training programs at Kawa Training Center are catered to engage the youth of these communities in tourism, hospitality, entrepreneurial skills and conservation.
Village tour
Each village has its own stories and every tour is unique. The villages around Masingini Forest are not touristy and that makes a visit authentic. It is an exchange of cultures rather than an attraction. The people in the village are genuinely interested in their visitors and every tour is different.
Duration: 3 hours
Included in the price: Community donation, service of a guide, drinking water
Excluded: Transport to starting point and from end point (depending on your choice of transport and location)
Village and hike – this tour includes a walk through the forest accessible from the village. You pay entrance fees of Masingini Forest, learn about the unique flora and fauna of this part of the forest. Duration: 4 hours
Included in the price: Community donation, service of a guide, Entrance fee to Masingini Forest, drinking water
Excluded: Transport to starting point and from end point (depending on your choice of transport and location)
Cooking Workshop – The Swahili Cuisine is so tasty with all the different spices and coconut curries. Learn how to cook typical Swahili dishes from the mama’s of the village with traditional cooking methods and hearing the news of the day while gathering the food for the dishes in the village.
Duration: 4 hours – can be done as lunch or dinner
Included in the price: Community donation, service of a guide, drinking water, ingredients, fees for the cook
Excluded: Transport to starting point and from end point (depending on your choice of transport and location)
Masingini Village Environment Tour – Most of the villages around Masingini Forest unfortunately do not have a regular garbage collection. Most garbage ends up in the environment.
Through our Environment program we are trying to tackle this problem. We are building waste separation stations and provide information on waste segregation, reduction, alternatives, recycling and upcycling and push the authorities to start picking up the non-recyclable waste more regularly.
We work with the communities to upcycle products.
The progress is slow but steady and herewith we invite you to be a part of this. Join the community clean-up, help with building a waste separation station, help with giving a workshop etc. Every tour is different.
Your ideas and input are most welcome and appreciated.
Duration: 4 hours
Included in the price: Environment Project donation, service of a guide, drinking water
Excluded: Transport to starting point and from end point (depending on your choice of transport and location)
Homestay – How would it be to live in village like this, you can experience this through our home stay program. Families who are joining this program are welcoming tourist to stay in their houses.
You will join the family for dinner, sleep in a guestroom in their house and have a traditional Swahili breakfast in the morning.
Meals are prepared following the hygiene standards, rooms can be locked, have comfortable matrasses and mosquito nets and ventilation and the sanitairy facilities are clean.
Duration: From 4.30 pm until 10.30 am
Included in the price: Swahili diner, accommodation, breakfast
Excluded: Transport to starting point and from end point (depending on your choice of transport and location)
Masingini Villages tour by bike – This tour crosses several villages that are engaged in the project to protect Masingini Forest. We pass the schools where we have planted trees, pass the different villages and see the highlights of the villages enjoying moments in the shade under a big tree in the village chatting with the villagers, watch a local football game, there are so many ways to engage with the people in the village.
Duration: From 8.30 am until 4.30 pm
Included in the price: Village project overall donation, entrance fee to Masingini forest, bike rental, Swahili lunch, Service of a guide, drinking water
Excluded: Transport to starting point and from end point (depending on your choice of transport and location)