Princess Salme Spice Tour Zanzibar

Princess Salme Spice Tour Zanzibar follows in the footsteps of Princess Salme (daughter of the first Sultan of Zanzibar). Sayyida Salme, daughter of the first Omani Sultan of Zanzibar, stands out as the only known woman in the 19th Century Zanzibari Court, who broke the tradition and taught herself to write, which she did in secret by copying calligraphy from the Quran onto a camel shoulder blade.

She was born at the Mtoni Palace in August 1844. Her mother was a surie (secondary wife) from Circassia, in southern Russia. Salme later wrote Memoirs of an Arabian Princess, from which we learn many interesting details about life at court and the events of the time. The Princes Salme tour starts with an informative talk about the history of Zanzibar & a fascinating look into the lives of the Sultans and of course, Princes Salme.

We start our tour at the birthplace of Princess Salme; Mtoni Palace Ruins. The tour walks you through the ruins of the Sultan’s palace and gives you some insight into how Princes Salme and the Sultan’s other wives lived at the time. You are then transported by boat (prepare for a short walk through some seawater to the boat (a 20-minute boat ride) to your next destination (Bububu), you will see one of the old beautiful Omani houses which once belonged to the nephew of Sultan Said (Salme’s father). Here it is said that Salme rested on her way to her Kizimbani plantations. We take a stroll around the lush gardens and the impressive ruins. (Please note that this house is now a private hotel and not accessible if guests are staying.)

On arrival you will be offered a cup of freshly roasted coffee, prepared the traditional way. From here you are escorted through another heritage building that now doubles as a local school. It’s then onwards to the Spice Farm! Our guide will show you various spices, and you will get to know why Zanzibar is called a spice island, you will smell, touch, and taste spices, and at the farms, you will have an opportunity to taste our exotic fruits.

After the Spice tour we will invite you for an opulent traditional lunch in a local house, we will prepare traditional Pilau, fish masala, stewed bananas, kachumbari salad, several vegetarian dishes, an array of fruits, fresh fruit juice, and spice tea. After lunch, we visit the impressive Persian baths in Kidichi which were built for Sultan Said’s second wife Sheherazade, who was the daughter of the Persian Shah. We now head back to Mtoni Marine by minibus enjoying the sights of Kidichi.

The tour starts about 0800 hours and ends at approximately 1430 hours. It’s fun & informative! Do wear a hat & be prepared for some walking. Princes Salme tour supports a good cause. Part of the tour fee is towards renovating and maintaining historical buildings that would otherwise disappear.

Tour includes:
✔Mtoni Palace entrance fee
✔Boat ride to Bububu
✔Coffee ceremony at Mtoni
✔Extensive Lunch in Kidichi
✔Spice tour in Kidichi
✔Entrance fee to Persian baths Kidichi
✔Transfer back by minibus to Mtoni

Princess Salme Spice Tour Zanzibar allows you to discover a captivating story of the smart and rebellious Princess Sayyida Salme, the youngest daughter of Sultan Said.

Born as a Zanzibar princess in 1844, she was a remarkable woman for her time: she taught herself to write, had a clandestine love affair with a German merchant, eloped to Europe when pregnant, and even converted to Christianity.

Her life was full of color, secrets and adventure. Join a knowledgeable local guide to follow in her footsteps through palaces and plantations, and gain an insight into her incredible life, as well as the fascinating Zanzibar spice trade on a working plantation.

0800 Hours: Starting in Stone Town you will be taken by a private guide to Princess Salme’s birthplace, Mtoni Palace, on Zanzibar’s west coast. The palace, Zanzibar’s oldest, was once home to nearly 1,000 people, most of whom worked on the surrounding spice plantations, and the Sultan’s royal court.

In its heyday, it was a place where gazelles and peacocks strutted in an impressive, arched courtyard, where splendid fountains and palm groves dotted the grounds, and where the sultan admired his fleet in the ocean. But in the 1880s, Mtoni Palace was abandoned and today much of the building has crumbled.

It remains one of the most significant sites and buildings in Zanzibar’s history though, and exploring the ruined bathhouses and atmospheric arches, listening to stories about palace life and Zanzibar’s rich history is fascinating.

Your next stop will be Kidichi Persian Baths. The baths were built for the sultan’s second wife who was the granddaughter of Shah of Persia and were used by the royals when they visited their spice plantations. You can still walk around the bathhouse, prayer room and relaxation area. Keep an eye out for the decorative peacocks and flowers in the stucco render.

Finally, you will be taken to an established spice plantation. Zanzibar, well known as the ‘Spice Island’, has a history of growing and exporting spices, dating back to the 16th century. Spices, originally brought over by Portuguese traders, led to the creation of plantations and trade routes to the Far East.

Today spices form an integral part of everyday life for many Zanzibari, bringing intense flavour to their cuisine and used in medicines, rituals and everyday life. A wide range of spices are still produced on Zanzibar including cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, turmeric, black pepper and ginger – to name but a few!

Take a stroll around the plantations where you can learn about the spices and discover their various culinary and medicinal uses. If the culinary possibilities tempt you, have a look at the Swahili cookery workshop excursion too.

You will round up the morning with a home-cooked lunch at the spice plantation, before heading back to Stone Town.

Start location/time: You will be met by your guide at your Stone Town hotel around 09:00 and driven to the Mtoni Palace to start your tour.

Duration of excursion: This is a half day tour and includes lunch; you will typically arrive back in Stone Town early afternoon. The exact itinerary for this excursion is very flexible, and can be combined with the Life in Stone Town tour.

End location: Your tour will normally finish in Stone Town, however it is possible to drive from the spice plantation on to a beach hotel.

Maximum size of group: This is a private tour, and will be booked exclusively for your party; each guide can take a maximum of six people per tour.

Guide: We work with a handful of enthusiastic and articulate Zanzibar guides to conduct this trip – including Anjam and Rajab, of whom we have personal experience. All of our guides have excellent English, and make fascinating company for the insights that they can give you into today’s Zanzibar, as well as the island’s history.

Princess Salme Spice Tour Zanzibar Rates Includes:

Professional English-speaking guides + All entry fees, service charge,s and taxes + Home-made Traditional Swahili Lunch in Kidichi + Pickup from your hotel in Zanzibar Stone Town and drop-off to your hotel + Mtoni palace entrance fee + Boat ride to Bububu + Coffee ceremony at Bububu house + Donkey Ride from Bububu to Kidichi + Spice tour in Kidichi + Entrance fee to Persian baths Kidichi & Mzee Yusuf cutting cinnamon

Notes
* Do wear a hat & be prepared for some walking
* Please dress conservatively and wear closed walking or hiking shoes
* This is a private tour, and will be booked exclusively for your party; each guide can take a maximum of six people per tour
* All of our guides speak excellent English and have fascinating stories for insights into today’s Zanzibar, as well as the island’s history

Princess Salme Spice Tour Zanzibar Rates Do Not Include:

* Drinks
* Tips or gratuity
* Travelers Insurance
* Communication charges
* Minimum of 1 person required
* Visas, international airfares, and airport taxes; meals
* Sightseeing not included in the package; optional activities
* Personal expenses such as transfers to/ from the airport (supplement airport transfer cost applies for tours starting from the airport)

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WhatsApp: +254-721-242-711
Reservations: +254 718-179-967
Email: info@africanspicesafaris.com
Website: https://africanspicesafaris.com