Snorkeling with Dolphins in Tanzania: Our 14 Top Picks

1.From Kendwa: Mnemba Boat Trip and Dolphin Snorkel Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,043 reviews · 4 hours · from $50Our pick

Leave Mama Mia Restaurant at 8:30 for a four-hour boat trip from Kendwa or Nungwi. You will search for dolphins, snorkel around Mnemba Atoll, and visit a disappearing sandbank when tides allow. Guides including Hassan, Hamis, Ludo, Abra, and Ebra are praised for calm, respectful wildlife encounters and careful help in the water.

“Crew was super nice and they went out of their way to make sure we saw and swam with the dolphins. I would def recommend booking with them!”

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2.Mnemba Island: Dolphin Swim & Snorkeling with Optional Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 591 reviews · 3.5 - 5 hours · from $21

Join local guides such as Khamis, Ali, Ramadan, or Fransic for a half-day boat trip from Muyuni Beach to Mnemba Atoll. You may swim near wild dolphins, snorkel with tropical fish and sea turtles, and stop for fruit on a sandbank. Hotel pickup and lunch are optional extras, depending on the package.

“The most incredible experience!!!! Our guides Ali & Abdul were fantastic - could not recommend enough!!”

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3.Matemwe: Mnemba Island Dolphin & Snorkeling Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 152 reviews · 4 - 5 hours · from $35

Join a shared half-day boat trip from Matemwe to Mnemba Island for dolphin watching, snorkeling, swimming, fresh fruit, and clear sea views. Guides such as Lava Lava, Abdul, Lil Nasr, and Nasor have been praised for friendly service and helping with photos. The $35 price excludes a $10 Mnemba fee, and hotel pickup is optional.

“WORTH EVERY DOLLAR! Pickup and drop off on time, tour guide/staff were all nice and friendly and funny. The boat is huge, clean and comfy. This tour wasnt rushed at all. LIL NASR (our lovely guide) made sure that we enjoy every bit of it. He was so patient and nicely waited for the dolphins to appear and come near us. He didnt care if we want to stay more, we took our time. He seemed to be enjoying his job really well. Often offered cold water throughout the journey and served fresh fruits, too! To make things even better.. Our tour was sooo fun as everyone in the group…”

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4.Private Dolphin Tour and Snorkeling at Mnemba Island reef

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 104 reviews · from $104

Spend about three hours in Zanzibar’s northeast waters with a private crew, looking for wild dolphins near Mnemba, snorkeling among coral and tropical fish, then relaxing at a clear-water sandbank. Ahmed and Msomali are among the guides praised for patience and care. Equipment, fruit, water, transport, and hotel transfers are included.

“I totalement recommand this activité! Perfect . Thank you for our guide Ahmed Who was so patient and kind with us. He gîtes us lots of advice.”

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5.Mnemba dolphin & snorkel: from matemwe, pwani, kwingwa, Uroa

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 74 reviews · 4 hours · from $52

Set out from Matemwe, Pwani, Kiwengwa, or Uroa for a four-hour boat trip to Mnemba. Guides such as Juma, Fau, Isaac, and Bakari lead dolphin watching, reef snorkeling, and a low-tide sandbank stop. Transport, gear, fruit, and water are included, with groups limited to eight.

“Really happy that Fau was our guide. He did a great job and we were lucky to see and be able to snorkel with Dolphins. Important is to be aware that Mnemba is famous. So there are many tourists heading that direction.”

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6.Private/Sharing: Snorkeling with Dolphins Sandbank in Mnemba

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 62 reviews · from $120Top rated

Sail from Kendwa to Mnemba Island on a traditional dhow with your own group. Watch for dolphins, snorkel among coral and colorful fish, enjoy a seafood and chicken barbecue, visit a low-tide sandbank, then sail back with fruit as the sun sets. Crew members may include Matthias, Mbwana, Yusef, or Musa.

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7.FROM NUNGWI; MNEMBA SNORKELING AND DOLPHIN TOUR

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 49 reviews · 6 minutes - 6 hours · from $45

From Nungwi, take a dhow to Mnemba’s clear waters for reef snorkeling, dolphin watching, fruit, and a shallow-water sandbank stop. English, French, Italian, and German guides are available, with hotel pickup offered on selected options. The tour suits confident beginners and experienced snorkelers, but dolphin sightings are never guaranteed.

“Mnemba Island is stunning and the water is crystal clear enabling first class snorkelling, we also got to swim with dolphins”

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8.From Nungwi : Mnemba Boat Trip and Dolphin Snorkel Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 39 reviews · 4 hours · from $50

You’ll leave Nungwi or Kendwa around 09:00 by boat for dolphin watching, then continue to Mnemba’s coral reefs for snorkeling. If the tide allows, you’ll stop at a white sandbank for fruit, water, and photos before returning around 13:00. The English-speaking guide provides gear, life jackets, and conservation fees.

“Buona escursione, buon itinerario, mare stupendo, guida ottima! Da migliorare l'organizzazione al punto pick-up dato che abbiamo aspettato 25 minuti prima che si presentasse qualcuno, oltre ad un ulteriore ritardo causato da altri ospiti. A parte questo l'escursione è andata bene!”

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9.Snorkeling and swimming with dolphins in mnemba island

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 38 reviews · 4 - 5 hours · from $80

From Muyuni Beach or Nungwi, you’ll ride by boat toward Mnemba Atoll to look for wild dolphins, snorkel at two reef spots, and stop for fruit and water on a sandbank. Equipment and a guide are included. Hotel pickup is optional, with English, French, and German support.

“Amazing day overall, highly recommend. From the beginning we had a great driver, good music, good vibes. Our boat captain and his brothers were excellent, very knowledgeable and made us feel safe. The positive energy from the team was infectious. What a life they live swimming with Dolphins everyday. We saw multiple dolphin pods, got a bit of rain, got a bit of sunshine and we’ll be heading back with some iconic pictures and videos.”

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10.Snorkel Mnemba’s Reefs & Swim with Dolphins Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 36 reviews · 3 - 5 hours · from $40

From Muyuni Beach, you take a van and speedboat to the waters near Mnemba Island for guided snorkeling, dolphin spotting, seasonal fruit, and swimming. The English-speaking guide helps beginners, supplies gear and water, and may capture phone photos in the water. Dolphins are wild, so sightings are never promised.

“So much fun and they let you do so much outside of what’s said.. very very nice and waited for us when we were late- such an amazing price for an awesome experience!!! DO THIS!!!”

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11.Mnemba Dolphin and Snorkeling Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 31 reviews · 6 hours · from $15Best value

From Nungwi, you take a dhow or speedboat toward Mnemba Atoll for dolphin watching and guided snorkeling over coral reefs. Expect about six hours, refreshments, equipment, and optional hotel pickup. The island itself is private, so the tour stays on the water. Dolphin encounters are not guaranteed, and boat traffic can be heavy.

“This Mnemba Dolphin and Snorkeling Tour was absolutely amazing from start to finish! The team was super friendly, professional, and made sure everyone felt safe and comfortable. We started the morning with a scenic boat ride over crystal-clear turquoise waters — and seeing the dolphins swimming freely beside the boat was pure magic! 🐬✨ After the dolphin encounter, we went snorkeling around Mnemba Atoll, and the underwater world was breathtaking — colorful coral reefs, schools of tropical fish, and even a few sea turtles! The guides were patient, helpful, and showed us the best spots. It was truly one of the best experiences in Zanzibar — relaxing, exciting, and full…”

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12.From Nungwi: Mnemba Island Dolphin Watching and Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 14 reviews · 4 hours · from $60

From your Nungwi hotel, you’ll ride by van and boat toward Mnemba for dolphin watching, swimming, snorkeling, and time on Mnemba or Muyuni Beach. Guides speak several languages, and one past booking gave special praise to Ghandi. Expect a fast-paced sea trip, spray, and changing beach access with the tide.

“Nous avons vu plein de dauphins, c’était génial. Une expérience hors du temps”

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13.Dolphins & Snorkeling Zanzibar: Mnemba Island Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 10 reviews · 4 hours · from $55

This four-hour Mnemba trip takes you by speedboat from Zanzibar’s northeast coast to dolphin-watching waters and coral reefs. You’ll get snorkeling gear, a guide, bottled water, fruit, hotel transfer in selected northern areas, and time to swim or relax. The island itself is private, so you cannot go ashore.

“l'excursion sur l'ile de Mnemba est très intéressante. Nous avons vu beaucoup de dauphins, mon petit fils a pu nager avec eux. La zone dédiée au snorkeling est restreinte et chargée en nageurs mais on peut y observer une grande quantité de poissons de coraux très divers. Je recommande le transfert en voiture depuis des hôtels assez lointains”

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14.Dolphins tour + mnemba island snorkeling + salaam turles

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 10 reviews · 6 hours · from $150

Spend six hours on a private Zanzibar outing to Mnemba Atoll and Salaam Cave Aquarium. Look for dolphins, snorkel among reef fish, swim near a white-sand island, and see sea turtles. Guides such as Harry and Mohammed have earned praise for patient instruction and friendly service. Pickup, boat transport, equipment, fruit, water, and soft drinks are included.

“Absolutely amazing our driver was in on time very kind and polite the dolphin tour was the highlight of our day we had a guide named harry for this tour that went above and beyond to ensure that we got to see the dolphins he also taught my friend and I how to snorkel properly. The turtles were a beauty overall amazing experience I highly recommend this activity”

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