Mafia Island
Mafia Island, part of the Mafia Archipelago off Tanzania’s coast, is an untouched gem perfect for travelers seeking a peaceful escape. Renowned for its crystal-clear waters, vibrant coral reefs, and rich marine biodiversity, the island is a premier destination for snorkeling, scuba diving, and whale shark encounters. Its protected marine park preserves an underwater wonderland of thriving coral gardens, colorful fish, sea turtles, and rays.
On land, Mafia Island enchants with serene beaches, lush mangroves, and a laid-back atmosphere far from the typical tourist trail. Immerse yourself in the island’s rich Swahili culture by exploring ancient 12th-century ruins and sampling fresh seafood from local fishermen. Nature lovers will also appreciate the diverse bird species and unique coastal vegetation that add to the island’s allure.
Whether you’re a seasoned diver, a wildlife enthusiast, or simply in search of tranquility, Mafia Island offers a unique and unforgettable experience, making it one of Tanzania’s best-kept secrets
Verified Best experience My friends and I did the gorilla trekking from Kigali & I have to say it is one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Our guide Rukundo was exceptional & I would highly recommend him for any guiding in Rwanda. He truly went above and beyond to give us the most unique & wonderful experience. We felt safe & comfortable in his care & I will be referring him to my friends visiting Rwanda next year. Kabira Safaris made our planning seamless & easy & I highly recommend. Thank you Kabira & Rukundo!!Verified Stirring Experience TRIP was in VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK -- not Bwindi. My trip was marvelous. Unforgettable and touching, beautiful, thoughtful and personal. My driver, Olivier, was superb and we created a lovely new friendship. I cherish that. Traveling alone, we had flexibility and time to stop for baskets and textiles. My only comment on that is "Why didn't I buy more?" Rwandan basketry is among the finest I have seen anywhere and each piece is a gem. This could be the entire review but perhaps a few more comments will be helpful to others. The "cultural village" is a debatable excursion but unless someone wanted to rest, what else can one do the day of arrival before the Gorilla Trek. As a cultural anthropologist, I found some meaningful ethnographic information in the "Village" but in general, those settings are not so comfortable for me. Stopping at the tiny "gallery" near the parking was important because it allowed me to support a local artist and is efforts to draw upon nature. There are more ways that one to support the local area.While the Dian Fosse Gorilla Center is an optional visit, it is very much worth the voluntary donation (no fixed amount) to see the exhibitions. Very well done; stories told well, primatology and specifics of the Rwandan research were clearly and beautifully presented. I won't opine on going before or after the hike to the gorillas because both are worthwhile. But yes, see it and donate what you wish. I think there were ways that I could have cut costs on this outing. But travel alone is a premium. When I think about this, I prefer to focus on the splendid times spent with Olivier, our rich conversations, and his understanding of my love of folk art and textiles. Missing the Golden Monkeys would not have been so much to miss but they are a fascinating contrast to the gorilla family. Being monkeys, they have tails and scurry about digging up potatoes and veggies as opposed to leisure dining of their distant relatives. All in all, I'm glad I added it but this was a way to have saved money. Kabira was attentive and lovely to deal with.Verified Thank you Kawira Safari for the experience of a lifetime, especially the mountain gorillas viewing, to me & my wife!! Kawira Safari ( Ian ) Sticked to Promised Itineraries & Accommodations, he even offer us complimentary drop off to the airport when our hotel in Kigali failed to honored the promised free transfer !! Our driver cum guide ( Godfrey ) was very patience and experienced.Would definitely recommend Kawira Safari to anyone looking for the experience of a lifetime in Rwanda / Uganda.Our sincere thank to both Ian & Godfrey.Verified Great Experience / Safari in Rwanda and Uganda FANTASTIC trip! We did a short 7 nights Rwanda / Uganda safari. Everything went smooth. We did reservation only about 50 days before travel, we wondered if that might be an issue. A few weeks before travel Kawira let us know that no Gorilla trekking permits for Bwindi came available on the specific day we were looking for, and instead we were going to Gorilla trek in Mgahinga National Park. This turned out GREAT, as the Gorillas were in full view for us. This change did cause a few changes to our lodging from the initial itinerary, and a slight change in cost. Kinoti Ian (owner, family name comes first, so he goes by “Ian”) did all of the pre-trip planning and communication, which all went smooth. Godfrey was our Kawira guide / driver. He was very kind and helpful, and very willing to engage in conversation and answer our wide variety of questions. Godfrey was very pleasant to spend time with. We flew in / out of Kigali, we visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial (very meaningful 1 – 2 hour stop), then up to Volcanoes National Park (Golden Monkey’s), then crossed border to Uganda (went smooth), then Mgahinga Gorilla trek (amazing), then Queen Elizabeth National Park game trek and boat tour (both GREAT), then short Chimp trek, and then back to Kigali. We did a coffee tour in Kisoro, Uganda, which was great, and also made a short stop at two crater lakes just outside QENP. The scenery on the drives was beautiful. Lots of mountains, and a few FUN bumpy roads. We changed vehicles for one safari drive, and then that vehicle had an issue, but that only lasted 30 minutes and we were back on the road. Godfrey always seemed to have lots of contacts for calling and setting things up. The food and meals were delicious, and the accommodations were all very nice. Remember to bring appropriately sized money / bills for tipping the guides and trackers, and local community members doing demonstrations for you, etc. Money changing in the rural areas can be difficult. They are happy to accept USD, but come prepared with adequate sized bills for your taste in tipping. Tipping is common / expected, but we were advised to just tip whatever we “felt” appropriate. The weather was still nice in late September, beginning of the rainy season, just a few afternoon rainstorms, but nothing disrupted our activities. Everything was turning green, and farmers were starting to plant. I would book again with Kawira, no hesitations. Everything was very professional. …FYI… I will post reviews of specific trip activities and accommodations on their respective Trip Advisor pages.Verified The monkeys are wonderful to photograph! If you are keen on photographing animals this is the trip for you especially if you are not going to stay in Volcanoes NP. The Golden monkeys are wonderful and there were so many that everyone (you join a tracking group) got excellent opportunities for great photos. It does entail an early start but well worth it. Zidane, the driver, is a lovely young man, a good driver and a great companion. The lunch was the best I had had in Uganda and Rwanda!Don’t forget to buy your Golden Monkey permit well in advance!Verified Best driver/guide ever! We stayed in Kigali before we went gorilla trekking in Rwanda and had the best experience and education with our driver/tour guide Denis (with one 'n'). We learned so much from him that we are returning home with the desire to learn more about Rwandan history. Denis also is knowledgeable about the different cultures of people from Kigali to the Volcanoes area. He is a safe and DEPENDABLE driver who know how to navigate the chaos of the roads. We HIGHLY recommend him for any and all tours or driving!Verified Akagera / Muyumbu Camping Camped at Muyumbu overnight and 2 days safari drive. Tents were provided by the park and we brought everything else including blow up mattress and sleeping bags / food , charcoal etc Great experience, hardly any other cars on the road and we were the only ones in the camp site. It’s protected by electric wire fence so animals don’t come into camp, but you can hear them in the distance. So peaceful and quiet . Drives were hot and dusty in the day and temperature did drop at night but not too cold. Overall an amazing experienceVerified Kigali Transfer This company arranged for my pass to the park along with the transport, from Kigali. My driver was prompt, kind and knowledgeable.Verified Perfectly organised safari We contacted Ian on a short notice to arrange for us a trip to Akagera. Being a last minute request, we found him to be very fast, gave us all information we needed and booked the trip.Akagera Nat park is close to Kigali, few hours drive from the capital, spent the day in the park and was amazing.Verified Unpaid refunds Although the transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla NP was good, with our driver Kinote Ian, Kawira Safaris has never paid a refund of $2,000 USD due us primarily from cancelled airline tickets that we purchased through them. We are also out another $600 USD for an unused Uganda Gorilla permit purchased through Kawira. Ian acknowledges the debt for the cancellations but has not been forthcoming with regard to any proceeds Kawira may have received for the valuable gorilla permit.Load more
Your Impact Matters
By choosing Kawira Safaris, you're not just experiencing an adventure; you're contributing to a better world. Your travel dollars make a tangible difference in the lives of local communities and the preservation of our planet's precious ecosystems.
Contact US