Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park, known simply as Jozani Forest, protects Zanzibar’s largest remaining stand of indigenous groundwater forest on Unguja island. The park is best known as home to the Zanzibar red colobus, a strikingly coloured monkey found nowhere else on Earth, whose population has been recovering after once coming close to local extinction.
The forest at a glance
- Zanzibar’s largest area of remaining indigenous groundwater forest, on Unguja island
- Home to the endemic Zanzibar red colobus monkey, found only here
- Includes a mangrove boardwalk alongside the main forest trails
- Also shelters blue duikers, Sykes monkeys and a wealth of birdlife and butterflies
The Zanzibar red colobus
The red colobus population at Jozani was once reduced to a small, vulnerable group, but conservation efforts within the park have allowed numbers to recover, and habituated troops are now reliably seen along the forest trails. Guides lead short walks that bring visitors close to the monkeys while keeping a respectful distance, alongside sightings of blue duikers and, very occasionally, reports of the Zanzibar leopard, long thought extinct on the island.
The mangrove boardwalk
A separate raised boardwalk crosses a tidal mangrove swamp on the other side of the main road from the forest entrance, a section many visitors overlook despite it being included in the standard entrance ticket. The boardwalk offers views of crabs, mudskippers and fish moving through the mangrove roots, a contrasting ecosystem to the forest’s shaded canopy.
Things to do
- Guided walks to see the Zanzibar red colobus monkeys
- Crossing the mangrove boardwalk for a different ecosystem
- Birdwatching and butterfly spotting along the forest trails
Practical information
- Located roughly in the centre of Unguja island, easily reached from Stone Town or Zanzibar’s east coast resorts
- A guide is required and included with the entrance ticket
- Best combined with a wider Zanzibar itinerary covering the coast and Stone Town
Jozani Forest offers Zanzibar’s most rewarding wildlife encounter beyond its beaches. Offmap Safaris can build it into a Zanzibar itinerary. To start planning, visit Plan My African Safari, message us on WhatsApp at +256 701 243 304, or email [email protected]. See also our notes on health and safety and responsible travel.