Mnarani Natural Aquarium in Nungwi: turtle sanctuary, price and visit
The Mnarani Natural Aquarium (also called the Nungwi turtle aquarium) is a natural pool near Nungwi's lighthouse, where sea turtles are cared for and protected. Visitors feed the turtles seaweed from a wooden platform, and swimming with them is sometimes allowed, with no guarantee. According to guides it opens daily from 9:00 to 18:00 and entry is about 10 dollars per person; these figures do not come from an official website. Allow 45 minutes to an hour.
Highlights
The turtles in the pool
Turtles gather around visitors holding seaweed. The water is clear at times, but the pool remains an enclosed space: it is not the open sea.
Nungwi beach next door
The sanctuary is a few minutes' walk from Nungwi beach, so you can combine the visit with a swim. See the Nungwi beach page.
The entry fee and conservation
The entry fee funds the work of the team that looks after the turtles, according to a travel site. If you choose to swim with them, follow the staff's instructions and do not touch the animals.
Practical info
Tips
- The price is about 10 dollars per person according to one operator and a visitor review, payable in cash; it is not included in many excursions, so ask the agency. Swimming with the turtles is not guaranteed: staff decide depending on conditions. One guide advises arriving about two hours before high tide for clearer water. Avoid sunscreen and repellent in the water. Many excursions combine the sanctuary with Mnemba; for the surrounding village, see Nungwi village and the Nungwi and Kendwa guide. To understand the ethics of such visits, read up before paying: these are captive animals.
How to get there
The sanctuary is at the northern tip of the island, in Nungwi, near the lighthouse, on foot from the beach. From Stone Town, allow about an hour by taxi or minibus, see getting around Zanzibar. From Kendwa it is a few kilometres to the north.
Opening hours
Our guides that feature it
Nearby
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