Tanzania has many hidden treasures. Here are a few you should acquaint yourself with.

Rubondo – Situated in the southwest of Lake Victoria, the island is a magnet for bird lovers and fishermen looking for game. Four hills formed by volcanic eruptions and submerged in the water create this island which is green and forested. There are different parts of vegetation here, from the evergreen forests to grasslands and sands you can walk on and laze on and swamps. You can climb up to Masa Hills and enjoy the view and whatever you do, you can do it in relative peace and quiet. Untouched by tourism, Rubondo Island also has a National Park, one of two on the Lake. It’s impressive for the sheer number of animals you can see there. In fact, this is the ideal place to spot the Sitatunga antelope, a semi-aquatic creature and more than 300 types of birds.

Mafia – Also known as Chole Shamba, Mafia is an untouched beauty in more ways than one. There are so many things to do here; scuba diving, snorkelling, bird watching, flying fox spotting, sighting and swimming with whale shark. About the last, Mafia is the best place to spot marine life. Visitors come here to get a glimpse of humpback whales, migrating dolphins and other creatures.

The lovely part of Mafia is how less crowded it is. Imagine having an island paradise all to yourself. Well, that’s how it is with Mafia. Chole Bay is a protected marine enclave and has so many treasures including beaches and sandbanks. Mafia Island Marine Park is a protected nature reserve situated along the eastern and southern coast and marine areas of the island. The water here has some of the most spectacular reefs you’re likely to see anywhere. To get to Mafia Island, Flightlink will fly you to Dar es Salaam. From there, Mafia is half an hour away.

Pemba – Flightlink will get you to Zanzibar, from where Pemba is 30 minutes away or to Dar where just an hour away waits paradise. Once at Pemba, you can enjoy some of the best diving in all of East Africa. Pemba is lush, its coast has lagoons to dip your toes in and mangroves and islets to explore. Just like the other two islands, Pemba is also virtually untouched making this an extremely pleasurable place to stay in. Make your way to Ngezi Forest Reserve, the only indigenous forest in the area. It’s a protected space, all 1476 hectares of it and is home to the vervet monkeys and other animals. Pemba also has the Kidike Sanctuary. The trees are covered, sometimes almost completely by the over 4000 Pemba Flying Foxes that call it home. These large bats are the reason why visitors flock to the place.

Tanzania has so much to offer to every traveller. From the safari enthusiast to the scuba diver fan, from the adventure seeker to the romantic at heart, there’s a lot going for this gorgeous country. Flightlink makes it just a little easier for you to see all that it has to offer.