Location: Zanzibar, Tanzania
Recommended by Alina of World of Lina
How do I know it’s ethical?
Spotting the endangered red colobus monkey in Jozani Forest is an amazing and – luckily – 100% ethical experience. The monkeys are allowed to roam completely free and neither the staff nor the visitors are allowed to feed them. You’re also not allowed to get too close to the monkeys, only watch them from a safe distance.
Because they’re an endangered species, they’re under protection which led to the great result that the number of monkeys in Jozani Forest has doubled since the founding of the national park.
Description of the Experience
Nowadays, there are only about 20,000 red colobuses in Africa of which around 5,000 can be found in Jozani Forest. Unlike many other monkey species around the world, red colobus monkeys are neither very shy nor do they attack people or want to steal something from you. They’re just totally relaxed and don’t bother being observed or photographed. They’re seriously so cute, you could spend hours just watching them jump from tree to tree or delouse each other.
Besides the red colobus monkey, you may also spot the Syke’s monkey, another very rare monkey species in Africa, and other small mammals such as the Ader’s duiker or the suni antelope.
Be aware that Jozani Forest is also home to some of the most venomous snakes in the world including the green mamba and the cobra. They can only be found very deep inside the park so you shouldn’t encounter one if you don’t go too far.
Company/ Cost:
Zanzibar’s only national park is open all year round from 7:30 am to 5 pm. It’s recommended to go there between June and September during the dry season.
Although you can go to Jozani Forest on your own, it’s not allowed to enter without a tour guide. The entrance fee is quite affordable and includes the charge for the guide already. A ticket for one person amounts to 25000 TSH which is roughly $11. If you pay in USD it usually costs a bit more so make sure you carry the local currency to save a few bucks.
There are a lot of tour companies offering excursions to Jozani Forest. The easiest way to get to the national park is with an organized tour. Most hotels around the island offer guided tours and especially from Stone Town, there are many options available.
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This is one post on a series of ethical animal tourism posts by travel content creators. The experiences cover all seven continents and a variety of animals. Ensure that your animal experience is an ethical one.
Learn More About Ethical Animal Tourism
10 Questions to Ask to Ensure the Encounter is Ethical?
