homepage   |    about mafia   |    history & culture   |    nature   |    kinasi   |    activities   |    excursions   |    doing nothing   |    logistics & services Home :: Kinasi :: Welcome to Kinasi Lodge on Mafia Island   Welcome to Kinasi Lodge on Mafia Island Opened January 1996   Location South-east coast of Mafia Island at Utende, overlooking Chole Bay and the islands of Jibondo, Chole and Juani. Mafia is 160 km south of Zanzibar and the same distance east of the Selous. Kinasi is located on a hillside, overlooking the south-western part of Chole Bay and the islands of Jibondo, Juani and Chole. Chole Bay - a brief orientation Kinasi faces to the south-east. Looking out from Kinasi you will see Chole Island in the left foreground, with Juani island behind - separated by a narrow channel that is not visible, and Jibondo island in the distance, to the right of Juani. You can see the geography of the Bay and disposition of the islands on our map next to the Cocktail Bar. Chole Bay and the outer reefs from Kifinge (Forbes Bay) in the north-east to Kitutia in the south and Ras Kisimani and Bwejuu island in the west are now encompassed by the Mafia Island Marine Park, gazetted in 1995. The beach at Kinasi is tidal so check the tide tables in the Cocktail Bar for best swimming times. Swimming is possible at all times at Utende Beach visitors need to, about 400 metres from Kinasi along the foreshore.   Logistics: how to get there Mafia Island is 40 minutes from Dar es Salaam by light aircraft; one hour from Selous Game Reserve or Zanzibar by light aircraft.   The lodge is 15 km from the Mafia Airport on Mafia, which is located at Kilindoni, the only town on the island.   There are no regular boat or ferry services to Mafia.   Seasons: when to come Kinasi is closed at the end of March until 1st June each year during the "long rains". The visitor seasons can generally be classified by the wet/dry periods and monsoons: June Cool and dry July Cool but windy (S-E monsoon, the kusi, which sometimes extends in to August) August-October Cool, dry season with pleasant temperatures and usually excellent weather November Short rains (unreliable) Dec-March Hot season, mainly dry with some showers and increasing humidity (N-E monsoon, the kaskazi) April/May Long rains with little wind and heavy downpour   Style: what to expect Kinasi is a small lodge catering for guests who really do want to 'get away from it all' and be completely looked after for by friendly, caring staff.   We have taken great care to develop Kinasi in the form of a home and it is intended that you should feel this love and dedication to Kinasi from the moment you arrive. There is an eclectic mix of design and furnishings influenced by our experiences and association with Zanzibar, India, Morocco, Italy and the rustic surroundings of Mafia and Tanzania.   The services in diving and snorkelling, excursions and other activities are all personalised for maximum enjoyment while guests are with us. Two dive instructors take care of the water activities, there is a full-time guide for walks and excursions to villages and the nature trails, and a Hospitality Manageress looks after all the finer points of your stay.   Our chefs will make sure you remember our cuisine which is based on fresh ingredients from the sea, as well as poultry and meats from the mainland. We alot of herds spices and vegetables in a unique blend of "island cuisine". Dishes such as crab and coconut soup with coriander, grilled calamari fingers with sesame seed, prawn silotto with tender mchicha (local spinach), lobster lasangne with lemon grass are Kinasi originals and have helped to give us an excellent reputation from omi cuisine.   Atmosphere Our desire is that guests should have fun so there is a lot of laughter around Kinasi. Our management is very experienced and most of our staff have been with us since we started, so there is an informal though professional atmosphere.   Relax and feel part of the family, leave all shyness behind, and just feel at home from the moment you arrive and we will be content that we are doing things the right way. [ Top of page ] sundowner terrace [+]   the sitting room [+]   informal and friendly [+]   Where is Kinasi Gallery CONTACT US Prices and Special Offers Enquiries & bookings Useful Web Links SIte Map