Spice, Stone Town and Prison Island Tour: Experience History, Nature, and Local Zanzibar Spices

Immerse yourself in the rich history, vibrant culture, and natural beauty of Zanzibar with our Spice, Stone Town, and Prison Island Tour. Explore aromatic spice farms, wander through the charming streets of Stone Town, and relax on the pristine beaches of Prison Island. Book now!

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • The Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe) - You will see the place that was used as a prison, you will see an old amphitheater which was used for ladies and without forgetting the tradational handcraft.
  • House of Wonders (Beit-el-Ajaib) - At the House of Wonders, one of Stone Town’s most iconic landmarks, travelers will learn about Zanzibar’s rich history…
What's Included
  • Pick up and drop off from your Hotel (Around stone town only)
  • Professional Tour guide
  • Service Entrance Fees
  • Spice lunch and Drinks
  • Shopping time
What's Not Included
  • Guide tip
  • Expenses of a personal nature
Additional Information

What sets our 3-in-1 Zanzibar tour apart is our commitment to providing a personalized and immersive experience led by passionate local guides who bring the island’s history, culture, and natural beauty to life. Unlike other operators, we keep our groups small to ensure every traveler receives individual attention and the flexibility to explore at their…

Location
Forodhani Park, Zaznzibar
Meeting point is near the house of wonder
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(128 Ratings)
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Alan_r
Jan 24, 2025
Zanzibar fun! - I highly recommend this tou! Abkar was our guide for this wonderful tour. First, we stopped at Jambo Spice Farm, where we were treated with an informative tour of thw farm, but also surprised with authentic local cuisine that included fresh spices amd some hand made gifts. We purchased several spices and tea mixes from their huge selection to take home with us. We then went to Stone Town and weaved through the bustling open market, toured a historic church and former slave trading post. Abkar shared plenty of history for each stop. Although it was not part of the tour, we made a stop to shop for tanzanite jewelry as a surprise for our 3 daughters.. we appreciated Abkar's patience as we compared jewelry at 3 different stores. After that, it was off to prison island, which exceeded our expectations. There were so many friendly tortoises for us to interact with. We had as much time as we wanted to take pictures and interact with these gentle, beautiful creatures, one of which we learned was 200 years old. We also took many pictures of the incredible views from the island looking into Zanzibar City. I'll also note that the tour company was accommodating and responsive prior to our trip. For an additional cost, they were able to arrange transportation to/from Riu Jambo hotel in Nungwi Beach, which was not one of the pickup points. They also allowed us to push the trip back by 2 days due to last minute illness that I notified them about 4 hours before our pickup time. This was much appreciated, since it fell outside Viator's 24 hour cancellation window.
Review provided by Viator
Passport67339614980
Oct 27, 2024
Stone Town, spice town, and prison island sight seeing - Abkar was an excellent tour guide, showing me all the interesting plant spices at the spice tour and giving me interesting facts about Stone Town. Additionally, he allowed the tour to run slightly over to ensure an excellent experience. Lastly, he picked me up and dropped, ensuring that I wouldn't get lost.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hawi_i
Sep 25, 2024
Must try!! - I had such a wonderful day with Ismael on this tour. We started with the spice farm where I learned so much about Zanzibar’s spices and got to eat delicious pilau rice. Ismael was very knowledgeable and explained things very well. We then went on a tour of stone town and learned about the history of the East African slave trade and got to see the markets. Finally ended at prison island and got to spend time with the turtles and other animals on the island. I really appreciate Ismael’s explanations of everything, made my experience 10x better.
Review provided by Viator
Jennacevedo
Sep 10, 2024
Explore Zanzibar with Mady & Ali! - Mady is absolutely the best. If you book this tour, I recommend requesting him. He is knowledgeable, and so personable! Spice Farm Tour Our visit to the spice farm was a delightful sensory experience of both smell and taste. I was greeted by the lush greenery, scents and tastes of various spices. My guide, Mady, was incredibly knowledgeable and made the tour engaging with his insights about vanilla, cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom (to name a few). I enjoyed a hands-on experience, of smelling & tasting fresh spices and learning about their uses in cooking and traditional medicine. The highlight was the lunch, which was hands-down the best meal I had the entire trip! The tour was educational and fun, suitable for all ages. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes. There are fresh, organic spices, tea, coffee, soaps, and oils for sale. Bring plenty of schillings so you do not miss out on the opportunity to take these wonderful spices home! Stone City Walking Tour The Stone City walking tour was a journey through history. Wandering the narrow streets of Stone Town, we marveled at the stunning architecture influenced by Arab, Indian, and European cultures. Mady shared fascinating stories about the island’s rich history, including its role in the spice trade and the slave market. We visited key landmarks like the Old Fort, each with its unique charm and significance. Prisoner Island Tour The Prisoner Island tour was both a historical and natural highlight of our trip. The boat ride to the island was scenic and fun, with beautiful views of the coastline. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the iconic giant tortoises, some over a century old. Feeding them was a memorable experience, and I learned about the conservation efforts in place to protect these remarkable creatures. The island also has a history as a former quarantine station for yellow fever, which added an intriguing layer to the visit. We explored the remains of the old prison. This tour was a great blend of history, nature, and relaxation. The water can be choppy on the way back to the mainland, so take something for motion sickness if you don’t enjoy the ocean. Personally I enjoyed it, however I am a fish in water. I highly recommend these tours to anyone visiting the island! Additionally, Mady was exceptionally accommodating; he was flexible with my schedule and adjusted the pace of the tour to suit my preferences. This made the experience even more enjoyable and personalized. Ali, our driver, set the perfect tone with his music—definitely ask him to put on the DJ Lyta mix for an unforgettable vibe!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kwolannef
Sep 1, 2024
Great Tour as Woman Solo Traveller - My tour started off with Abkar at the spice farm and he was very kind, enthusiastic, and answered my questions with humor and patience. I really appreciated his expertise and thoughtfulness. I continued my tour with Mady in Stone town, and Prison island and he was terrific! He was very knowledgeable about the islands history, and gave me a lot of interesting information during our walking tour. He guided me to nice shops, and was very helpful when talking to locals. I deeply appreciate his well researched knowledge, thoughtful responses, great conversation, patience and professionalism. I could not recommend this guided tour enough, especially as a woman solo travelled I felt very safe and comfortable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ana
Aug 16, 2024
Note 10 - It was a wonderful experience. The Guide presented various information about the history of Zanzibar, was inquisitive throughout the tour. The Spice Farm is a tour delight, all very welcoming.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marty
Sep 17, 2024
Spice farm tour and prison island and central Zanzibar all day excursion - This was a slightly different tour than the description provided. Ours was done in a different order. First we were picked up on time by a nice driver who took us to the “Jambo Spice Farm”. Very interesting and lovely people run this place. Our guide was a young man who knew his stuff but it was a wee bit difficult to understand him due to his heavy accent. We tasted and saw many varieties of plant life that are spices made for many uses. Then there is a lunch that was excellent!! Of course there were spices for sale! After that we headed back into Spice Town for a boat ride to Prison Island; Home of the oldest Tortoises alive. One was 200 years old. Our Guide Hassan was very informative and friendly. Then back on the boat back to spice town for a walking tour which ended up in the very large public market of Zanzibar. Outrageously large. By that time we’d been sightseeing for close to 8 hours and were getting tired. We were taken back to the area near our hotel. I highly recommend this tour for first time visitors to Zanzibar. You won’t regret it!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kaleb_t
Sep 2, 2024
Good tour - I really enjoyed this tour and we got to see a lot. However, my only compliant is that it seemed a little overpriced for what was provided. It was advertised as "9 hours" however the tour didn't start until 9AM and we finished early. Also, two of the sites--People's Palace Museum and House of Wonders--are currently permanently closed (which is NOT mentioned in the itinerary provided), so you can only view the dilapidated exteriors of this sites. However, our guide did take me to Darajani Market instead, which was one of the highlights of the tour. Overall, good tour but overpriced for what I paid as a solo tourist.
Review provided by Viator
490kalebt
Sep 2, 2024
Good tour, slightly overpriced for solo traveler - Good tour but I felt like it was slightly overpriced for a solo traveler. Two of the main attractions--House of Wonders & People's Palace Museum--were advertised as "admission included"; however, these sites are currently permanently closed because the buildings are dilapidated. We did visit the Darajani Market instead which was a highlight. Also, the tour started a little late and ended a little early even though it was advertised as 9 hours.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Patryk_pl91
Jan 20, 2025
Tour ruined by a poorly prepared guide - Overall the program of the tour is good and has the potential for a great day. This is the mindset with which I went on this tour. Unfortunately, the tour was ruined for me halfway. So what happened? The tour description does not mention that you can get wet and I got soaking wet during the boat ride to the Prison Island. The guide did not have anything to help (poncho, umbrella) and on top of that, he seated me in the worst possible spot in the boat. It's really not convenient and comfortable to get soaking wet when you're on a tour and not expect it...
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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