Diving and Fishing

For both diving and fishing, Tanzania provides a magical experience. For the Diver. crystal clear tropical water, unspoilt corals. shoals of fish darting through the reefs, sea turtles gliding through the water, school of barracudas circling overhead.

As for fishing, Tanzania can offer superb deep sea fishing all year around with marlin, sail fish. tuna, barracuda and trevally running deep. Fresh water fishing in Tanzania’s stunning lakes and rivers offers the chance to catch huge Nile Perch and Tilapia in stunning surroundings.

If you’re a fishing enthusiastic, Tanzania has everything you could dream of, from fly fishing in crystal clear mountain streams, trolling the flood plains, to the adventure and drama of deep sea fishing. whi1e the dive sites in Dar es Salaam. Mtwara, Mikindani, Zanzibar, Pemba and Ma?a rival those found in the Red Sea and deserve to place Tanzania on the map as a diving destination. There are 25 PADI dive center throughout the country, with skilled instructors and divemasters, and world-class equipment allowing diving of all levels to enjoy their experience safely. A number offer dive trips to Mafia, Pemba and Zanzibar.

Whether you’re a novice or an experienced diver, Tanzania has something for everyone, from the small wonders of colorful nudibranches to giant groupers, sharks and Napoleon wrassc. The best diving is generally between October and February. Zanzibar is home to the world famous Mnemba Atoll, a protected marine park with some of the best diving in East Africa. Hawksbill and Green turtles rest on top of plate corals oblivious to hovering divers snapping pictures. Lion fish hide beneath the reef, Moorish Idols dart through the corals and Clown Fish dance possessively around anemones. Turn to the sky and watch hundreds of fish, schooling and circling through the water, yellow snappers offer a vivid contrast to the blue of the water. It’s not uncommon to see White Tip Reef sharks and divers are sometimes lucky enough to have a pod of dolphins as an escort on the way back to the dive center.

Pemba is a treasure trove of marine life, better suited to experienced divers due to strong currents, making most dives drift dives. Pemba’s corals are pristine. Misali Island, once a hideout of Captain Kidd is now a marine conservation area rich in biodiversity, with over 40 different species of coral, 350 different species of fish and 5 different species of sea turtles. Out on the reefs, black snappers school around Coral Mountain, eagle rays and manta rays glide through the water with deadly grace, while lobsters and octopus peer out at inquisitive divers from coral shelves, Green turtles perch on cabbage coral and hammerhead sharks have been seen coming in with the tide.

With spectacular deep sea fishing in Dar es Salaam, Pemba, Mafia and Kilwa, fresh water fishing in Lake Victoria, and record breaking catches, Tanzania is also a fishing paradise. It is an experience to be savoured. The Indian Ocean is rich in fish, with tuna and pelagics migrating through the Pemba Channel every year. Snapper, grouper and sharks are in residence all year round. Imagine sailing through deep blue waters, the sun on your back as you wrestle a 30kg dorado or yellow fin tuna on board.

There’s a number of private companies and tour operators specializing in deep sea fishing to guide you through the waters, offering fishing safaris for the dedicated angler. Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia are the most popular destinations for deep sea fishing, with Dar es Salaam, Pangani and Tanga on the mainland. Customised boats have light and heavy tackle, electronics. GPS and safety equipment for the serious intemational fisherman. Excursions usually last for a day, with boats bringing you and your catch back to your hotel in time for dinner but liveabroad options are also available. If you’re after an authentic Tanzanian experience, you can head out on the water with a fisherman in a dhow or an ngalawa canoe and see how it’s done by the locals.

For fresh water fishing, Tanzania’s lakes and rivers let you enjoy fly fishing and catch and release. Mwanza, on the shores of Lake Victoria, the world’s second largest fresh water lake, is home to huge Nile Perch and Tilapia. Fishing isn’t permitted inside national parks but there are a number of lakes and rivers in the buffer zone open to anglers and even rainbow trout farms in Arusha, allowing visitors to relax into the tranquility of the truly beautiful surroundings, watch the birdlife and wildlife go by. During the rainy season, rivers and streams swell, reviving the land and waters, teeming with fishlife, perfect for a fishing safari.