Maalum Cave and Mtende Beach with Dining at Usumba Restaurant
Description
Embark on a private tour to three of Zanzibar’s must-see locations: Mtende Beach, Maalum Cave and Usumba Rock Restaurant. This unforgettable experience begins Maalum Cave where you can swim in fresh, healing waters and immerse yourself in the tranquility of the surrounding jungle. Then, you will visit Mtende Beach, a hidden gem on the southeast coast known for its pristine white sands and serene atmosphere. Enjoy the peaceful beauty of this secluded paradise, perfect for a relaxing getaway. Finally, end your adventure at the iconic Usumba Rock Restaurant. It's a special place where you can enjoy amazing views and the freshest seafood.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Welcome to Maalum Cave - A hidden Gem in Paje, Zanzibar. The word Maalum means “SPECIAL” in Swahili language. This is a unique natural swimming pool which is more than a worth having a chance to swim in it, If you have a deep appreciation for natural settings experiences, this tour is an absolute must-visit. This is a very special place to reconnect with nature, explore the underground life, relax and enjoy the peace. During your time in this refreshing natural wonder you can swim, jump from the cliff and snorkel to see how it looks under water. Or just gaze at this hidden gems wonderful and untouched environment. Please note that: In exceptional cases, when the Maalum Cave is not available, we’ll visit the Salaam Cave, an equally captivating enclave that is surprisingly home to a Natural Aquarium of turquoise tones, home to dozens of Turtles.
Also, If you consider yourself a beach person and you plan on visiting Zanzibar, Mtende Beach definitely needs to be added to your list. The main section of the beach is situated between two rock formations, in a big cove. It’s absolutely stunning, and one of the coolest places to watch the tides change on the island. If you didn’t know already, Zanzibar is one of the places with the most drastic tides you must ever witnessed. Mtende Beach is just like most of the other beaches in that regard. Make sure you do your research and look up when the tides will be out and in whenever you’ll be visiting Mtende. When the tide is low you can walk all the way down the beach but when it’s high tide it comes all the way to the stairs.
Finally, end your adventure at the iconic Usumba Rock Restaurant. It's a special place where you can enjoy amazing views and the freshest seafood. It is built on two rocks made of treated wood, and connected with a walkway, where you can relax and enjoy traditional local food, a beer in the bar or the best views of the bay! When the tide rises, you can go down the stairs of our restaurant to swim. They also have a new Viewpoint, from where you can see the restaurant and contemplate the entire bay.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Hotel pickups commence approximately 7 - 75 minutes prior to this time and it depends on the location of the hotel, exact pickup time will be advised on reconfirmation. Times are subject to change due to local traffic conditions.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(2)
So our tour guide told us he was take us to swim in a private cave and Malum cave in the South of the Zanzibar island didn’t disappoint . We came upon the spa in the Forrest and wondered how a cave would be thereabouts. We were taken for a short stroll through the forest and suddenly it was before us….We were truly captivated with the cave and the captivating clear water with blue tinge. It was just intoxicating if I may use that word loosely we swam for an hour the rope suspended from the tree above was great fun and the diving landing also proved to be every adventurers dream. We love every minutes of our 60 minutes and then off to the Rock restaurant which wasn’t too far away. You got to find this cave.
this is a taxi driver taking you to the 3 locations. they changed the time of pickup for 2hours later. this was 2hrs away from the hotel and we were taken by a taxi. the 1st location was the cave and we were told we would have 2hrs there. After 1hr the driver told us we had to go. the next location was the beech. this was only 15miles away but took almost 1.5hrs to get there as the taxi wasn't able to go over the terrain and could only go walking speed to get it it. when we arrived the tide was fully in and we couldn't even go onto the beech.(if we had left at the original time we would have been on the beech before the tide came in) The 3rd location was at the same point, a small restaurant on the hill next to the beech. Again this was a 5min quick drink and away. (both were meant to be 2hrs) then a 3hr drive back to the hotel. All in all, if you are looking to spend the whole day in a taxi for just over 1hr at a cave pool then this is a trip for you. Everyone else, stay well clear of this as it was a disaster.
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations. Regarding the pickup time, it was adjusted due to the availability of the cave, and we contacted you one day before to inform you of the change. We understand your concerns about the limited time at each stop and the challenges with reaching Mtende Beach. Unfortunately, the tide and the rough terrain can sometimes affect accessibility and travel time, but we recognize that this impacted your visit. Your comments about scheduling and timing are very important to us, and we will be reviewing this itinerary with our team and drivers to improve time management and communication, ensuring our guests can enjoy each location as planned. We truly appreciate you bringing this to our attention, as it helps us improve our service for future travelers.
