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Established in 2004, Zanzibar Butterfly Centre is the hub of an ecotourism project that helps provide income to communities living on the edge of Jozani Forest. Participating villagers harvest butterfly eggs and hatch the caterpillars into
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netted enclosures planted with suitable food. When the caterpillars become , they are sold to the center and placed safely in a hatchery to emerge as butterflies for release back into the wild. Enjoyable guided tours of the center are a popular add-on to visits to Jozani Forest, and the admission charges provide most of the funding for this admirable project.Guided Tours of Zanzibar Butterfly Centre
Informative tours of Zanzibar Butterfly Centre take 30 to 45 minutes and are led by friendly, enthusiastic local guides. You’ll be told all about the life cycle of butterflies, from egg to caterpillar to to
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colorful winged adult. You’ll also learn about the role the center plays in engaging local communities in forest conservation. Then you’ll be taken through a netted tropical garden where you can see (and photograph) several different butterfly species fluttering around.A highlight for many visitors is the separate chameleon enclosure. Here you can see (the only species found on the island) demonstrate their ability to change color and catch flying insects with their long, sticky, lightning-fast tongues.How To Get to Zanzibar Butterfly Centre
Zanzibar Butterfly Centre lies close to the village of Pete, about 2km/1.2mi from the Jozani Forest reception center. It takes 1 to 1½ hours to drive there from Stone Town or northern resort towns such as
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Matemwe, Kendwa and Nungwi. It is only 25 to 30 minutes from southeastern resort towns such as Paje, Jambiani and Bwejuu. The butterfly center is most often visited as an add-on to a guided monkey trekking tour in Jozani Forest. This can be arranged through almost any tour operator or hotel in Stone Town or elsewhere on the island.Nearby Attractions
The best-known nearby attraction is Jozani Forest, which forms part of Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park. A popular activity here is a guided walk to look for the and explore a wooden boardwalk