Karamba Eco Boutique Hotel

This hotel is set at one end of a white-sand beach in a cove near the Southern tip of Unguja, enclosed in a bay and by a tidal reef and is part of the small fishing village of Dimbani, which is much quieter and less touristy than the neighbouring Kizimkazi Mkunguni. It is a staggeringly beautiful place with crystal clear waters which can be reached either by the beach of steps leading down from the hotel grounds, at least at high water. There is also a pool which has fantastic views out to sea but which offers little shade during the hottest times of the day. It is the perfect place to recover after a long flight or to escape the hassles and hustles of Stonetown. It is self-contained and the food is amazing, especially the seafood. It is easy and reasonably cheap to get a taxi to Mkunguni, which has many more hotels, bars and restaurants and has expanded rapidly through tourists staying there to go swimming with dolphins. At least one operator also runs from Dimbani itself. The resort ticks pretty much every box in terms of the beauty of its location and its peacefulness and even has a semi- resident colobus monkey who appears from time to time in the trees which shade the terrace. My only reservations are that it felt a bit too self-contained after a couple of days and there is very little within easy walking distance apart from two other lodges or hotels and a very small bar and shop in the village. The only real issue I had was with bees which are very keen on joining the guests at breakfast, especially if they were eating the delicious local honey with the equally delicious pancakes.

True feeling of Africa. Perfect location. Excellent meals and service in a warm authentic and joyful atmosphere. Very good for women travelling alone. I will come back for sure and I recommend it. Great spot for diving with one of the few coral reef alive.

We booked as a honeymoon destination after staying a week in Nungwi (amazing) and had a quiet relaxing pampered 9 days in mind. Unfortunately the lodge really needs some attention to the maintenance to warrant the prices charged. Our room’s roof (thatch) was covered in a tarpaulin after being damaged from either rains, wind or monkeys and was nowhere near the level of readiness to accept paying guests. Overall the accommodation and general infrastructure needs a jack up. Food was amazing. Location is great. Service was good but it just didn’t tick all the boxes we needed so we checked out early and found another place that did. Yes, it’s an island of the coast of East Africa and that comes with its challenges. Some places get it right.

The Karumba Eco Lodge was terrific. A wonderful complement to your time in Stonetown, Nungwi or other resorts - it is relatively undeveloped area and of course you get the dolphins. We chose it as it was recommended by the excellent Bradt guide to Zanzibar and appeared to a good location. We had 4 nights which meant we enjoyed the dolphins, snorkelling and also you can walk across to one of the oldest Mosques in East Africa. The food is excellent and much better than the other walkable hotels. The service and team are outstanding. The lounge and bar are a wonderful spaces with couches and shade. WiFi is here too. I saw there were some indifferent reviews on TripAdvisor and unfortunately I suspect these are because people have different expectations. This is a rustic lodge. There isn’t aircon or hot water but there are lovely rooms that all face the ocean and are a step away from a beautiful swim. There are lots of insects but that’s how it should be… it’s wonderful but if you scream every time you see a beetle then maybe it’s just not the place for you. It was just perfect for us! Thank you to a great team. Jane.

I cant praise this resort enough. It's an amazing place the owners are very friendly and accommodating. The rooms are small but perfect for what I needed. The pool is lovely. The best part about it is the food. It is phenomenal, and the beer is ice cold.

This place is amazing, the location the vibe the people are just outstanding. The hotel is an a simple eco, yet well placed to the environment and perfectly adequate for every day needs, so as long as you're aware and appreciative of the restoration a trip to this slice of paradise will give you you're onto a winner. The beach is close, excursions are easy to arrange - simply chilling in the relaxation areas listening to the ocean and absorbing the views is an experience in itself!! All staff from cook to reception to bar to cleaners to the waiters and waitresses were delightful and extremely friendly and helpful. There were Masai on site too, which gave a rare opportunity to understand their culture and way of life. Myself and my daughter had an amazing time, she chose to speak fluent Swahili with the staff, and there were very many moments of hearty laughter. There's a small family of the native red back monkeys that frequent the gardens, which are gorgeous. I look forward to taking more of my family to this treasured place, it's an absolute tonic 🏝️