Zanzibar Butterfly Centre- Travel Tips

What to See, How to Plan & Tours

While the pristine beaches of Nungwi and the historic alleys of Stone Town often dominate travel itineraries, a quieter, more colorful revolution is taking place near the heart of the island. The Zanzibar Butterfly Centre (ZBC) is not merely a tourist attraction; it is a pioneering model of environmental conservation and community empowerment. Located just minutes from the famous Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park, this interactive tropical garden offers visitors a rare chance to walk among hundreds of flying jewels while supporting a sustainable future for local farmers.

The moment you step through the double-doored airlock of the Zanzibar Butterfly Centre, the humidity rises, and the world quiets down. You enter a vast, net-enclosed tropical garden—one of the largest of its kind in Africa. This enclosure is designed to mimic the natural forest floor, rich with nectar-producing flowers, ferns, and shaded pathways. Unlike a zoo where animals are kept at a distance, here the exhibits surround you. Flashy Swallowtails, delicate Monarchs, and vibrant Diadems flutter freely, creating a kaleidoscope of color against the lush greenery.

What makes the ZBC truly unique among Zanzibar’s attractions is the level of interaction allowed. The butterflies here are habituated to human presence. During the guided tour, which typically lasts 30 to 40 minutes, guides will often show you how to handle the butterflies gently. It is common for these delicate creatures to land on your shoulders, head, or outstretched hands, providing unparalleled photo opportunities. If you visit during feeding times, you can witness the butterflies uncoiling their proboscises to drink nectar from fresh fruit or hibiscus flowers held right in your palm.

Beyond the visual spectacle, the centre serves as a living classroom. The tour takes you through the entire metamorphosis process, which is often hidden in the wild. You will see tiny eggs laid on specific host plants, voracious caterpillars munching on leaves, and—perhaps most fascinating of all—the pupa conservation station. Here, visitors can see rows of metallic, gold, and green chrysalises, hanging like jewelry. If you are lucky, you might even witness the miraculous moment a butterfly emerges, pumps fluid into its wings, and takes its very first flight.

The beauty of the Zanzibar Butterfly Centre lies in its backstory. The project was established to solve a critical environmental problem: deforestation. For decades, the forests around Jozani were under threat from charcoal production and illegal logging. The ZBC introduced a solution called "butterfly farming."

Local farmers do not catch wild butterflies to sell; instead, they catch a few females to lay eggs in protected enclosures. They rear the caterpillars on indigenous plants until they turn into pupae. The farmers then sell these pupae to the Centre. This creates a closed-loop system where the forest is more valuable standing (as a source of host plants) than cut down.

This initiative acts as a financial lifeline for the neighboring Pete Village. A significant portion of the butterfly farmers are women, who can raise the pupae in small cages at home while managing their households. The income generated from selling pupae to the Centre provides financial independence and stability. When you pay your entrance fee, you are directly funding this supply chain, ensuring that tourism dollars trickle down to the families who need them most.

By creating an economic incentive to protect the forest, the ZBC has turned poachers into protectors. The farmers now have a vested interest in preserving the indigenous flora of the region because without the specific host plants, there are no butterflies, and thus no income. It is a shining example of eco-tourism where the environment, the community, and the visitor all benefit.

The Zanzibar Butterfly Centre is located in Pete Village, roughly 2 kilometers west of the main entrance to Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park. It is situated on the main road connecting Stone Town to the East Coast (Paje/Jambiani). It is easily accessible by taxi, rental car, or the local dala-dala (minibus) route heading toward Paje.

• Opening Hours: The Centre is open daily, typically from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• Entrance Fee: Prices are subject to change but generally hover around $6 USD (approx. 15,000 TZS) for adults and $3 USD for children.
• Best Time to Visit: Butterflies are cold-blooded and are most active when the sun is warm. Visiting between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM ensures you see the most activity. On rainy days, they may roost in the foliage.

1. Morning: Start with a guided trek in Jozani Forest to see the endemic Red Colobus Monkeys.
2. Mid-Day: Visit the Zanzibar Butterfly Centre for the interactive tour.
3. Lunch: Head to the famous Rock Restaurant or a beachfront cafe in Paje, both just a short drive away.