Zanzibar, the hub of the Arabic trade route is known for its exotic spices. We took a guided group tour to see what all of this spice talk was about.
Our tour left from Stone Town and took us about two hours into the dense mountains of Zanzibar Island.
As an Ayurvedic practitioner, I was so excited about this tour. I couldn't wait to hear about the different spices grown here, their origins and the various ways in which they are used (in a culinary sense as well as healing).
Our guides were knowledgeable and led us through spice and fruit plantations, describing in detail each item as well as the origin and possible uses.
We also got to sample some great fruit.
At the end of the tour, we were welcomed by the people of a local village. We played with the children and did some spice shopping as a group of local women prepared a meal for us that incorporated the spices we learned about on the tour.
Our meal was delicious so amazing. The spices were subtle, not at all overwhelming, and blended together perfectly. This was not a spicy mystery curry moment, the food emanated gourmet goodness.
If you find yourself in Zanzibar, a spice tour is a must. There are many companies that offer these tours which depart from various points of the island. Go ahead, give one a try, you won't be sorry.