Kilimani is two private units inside one family compound in Jambiani, Zanzibar — a quiet fishing village on the east coast. Built slowly, run by people who actually live here, and meant for travellers who would rather feel at home than be processed through a lobby.
Direct booking · Save ~20% vs Airbnb · Only 25% online, rest in cash on arrival
Haji
Owner · Host · Born in Jambiani
I grew up here, fishing these waters long before the first hotels arrived. Kilimani is my way of sharing the real Jambiani — not the polished version, the one we actually live in.
My family lives on the property. Moody tends the shamba. Morten — a Norwegian friend who first came as a guest — helps us with the online side, so booking direct from Europe feels simple and safe. We answer messages quickly, we help with airport pickup, and we will gladly steer you toward the right restaurant, the honest spice tour, the boat captain who treats his crew well.
You are not a booking number here. If you want glossy and anonymous, there are bigger places down the coast. If you want warmth, character and people who care whether your stay goes well — you will feel it the moment you arrive.
From Haji
Tell us your dates and we'll reply within the hour — no Airbnb fees, no scripts.
One traditional banda with palm-thatched character, and one larger standalone house with a kitchen, lounge and veranda — for longer stays and slower mornings.
Unit A
From $35 / night
An honest, private banda with a traditional makuti (palm-thatched) roof, hot-water bathroom, ceiling fan, mosquito net, stable WiFi and a covered outdoor kitchen. Three minutes' barefoot walk to the beach. Built for couples and remote workers who care more about character than resort polish.
Unit B
From $55 / night
Your own private Garden House, with space to cook, work, relax and enjoy the slower rhythm of Zanzibar.
№ 04
Real rooms. Real light. A place that feels better because it actually exists.
Photographed on site
Two units, one family compound
Both units book up fast in high season (July–Sept, Dec–Feb). Send Haji a quick note — we'll hold them while you decide.
20–50 Mbps WiFi with UPS backup, so the internet keeps running through Zanzibar's power cuts. We test it every week.
Breakfast is built around fruit, eggs and greens from our shamba. Coconut, papaya, mango — whatever is in season that morning.
A barefoot path past neighbours' houses, then white sand and the tide. 3 minutes if you walk slowly. We recommend slowly.
Haji is on the property. We reply in under an hour. We help with pickup, tours and avoiding tourist overpricing in the village.
Haji is a certified guide, born and raised in Jambiani. Beyond a bed, he can take you out on the kind of day most tourists never see — by foot, by dhow, by daladala.
Honest prices, real captains, no kickbacks to mass-market operators. Tell us what you're curious about and we'll build the day around it.
Check out the experiences →№ 01
Guided
The honest one — small family farm, not the tourist circuit. Taste cardamom and clove straight off the plant.
№ 02
Guided
Half a day with the red colobus monkeys in the only forest reserve on the island. With a guide who knows the wardens.
№ 03
Guided
Out on a dhow with a captain who treats his crew well. Coral, reef fish, and sometimes dolphins on the way back.
№ 04
Guided
The lanes, the spice market, freedom monument, sunset from a rooftop. Haji has walked these streets since he was a boy.
Guided by Haji
The experiences are easiest to plan once you're here. Start by securing your nights — we'll build the rest around your trip.
Community
Friday rice, family, neighbours, guests. The kind of meal you remember years later.
Read story →
Spice farm
A small family spice farm — not the tourist circuit. Drink a coconut straight from the tree.
Read story →
On the water
The captain knows where the fish are, and which reefs to leave alone. A good day on the Indian Ocean.
Read story →
Most guests find us through Airbnb first. Once they stay, they book direct the next time — and tell a friend.
“
This is not a resort — it's something better. Haji treated us like family, and the WiFi never dropped even during the big storm.
Sarah W.
Digital nomad · 3 weeks
“
The banda is full of character, and the Garden House feels beautifully calm. You can tell this place was made by real people, not a hospitality formula.
Lukas & Emma
Couple · 10 nights
5.0 on Airbnb
No deposit forms, no pressure. Just send us your dates and we'll reply with what's open.
Anything else? Write to Haji directly — booking@kilimanilodge.com.
Pick your dates, pay a 25% deposit to lock them in, and hand the rest to Haji in cash when you arrive.
Pick a date range to see pricing
From
$35 / night
