Mafia Island Marine Park Information: Safari Activities

Lying in the Indian Ocean, Mafia Island faces the multiple deltas of the Rufiji River, while further inland lies Africa’s largest game reserve, the Selous.  Mafia Island is only 30 minute flight south of the commercial capital  of Dar es salaam and 20km off the Tanzanian coastline, opposite the Rufiji River mouth.

Mafia Island Marine Park was officially declared in November 1994, under the Marine Parks and Reserves Act.  Chole Bay and Kitutia Reef, two of Tanzania’s eight offshore marine reserves declared in 1975, are incorporated into the marine park.

The sea around Mafia has an outstanding mosaic of tropical marine habitats including coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves, and inter-tidal flats.

For the expert and the novice diver or snorkeller, Mafia Island Marine Park offer dramatic underwater viewing with a wide variety of choices.  Over 2,000 species of fish from 150 families exist in the western Indian Ocean and new species are being identified.  The behavior, colours, and interrelationships of marine animals are an endless source of fascination for visitors, whether diving or snorkeling.

Tourism on Mafia is still very low but growing.  Commercial planes fly regularly to and from Kilindoni, and there are also charter planes and slower sea transport.

Historically, Mafia Island was connected to the Zanzibar archipelago, but geographically it is part of Songosongo archipelago.