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: 1 day learn more
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 and cultural heritage. Originally built as a ceremonial palace for Sultan Barghash in the 19th century, it was the first building in East Africa to have electricity and an elevator, earning its name. While the building is currently under renovation, you’ll still hear fascinating stories about its unique blend of Omani and European architecture, its significance in Swahili culture, and Zanzibar’s history as a major trading hub across the Indian Ocean. Our guide will provide insights from the outside, ensuring you gain a deeper understanding of this remarkable site’s past and its impact on Zanzibar today.

  • Old Slave Market/Anglican Cathedral - The Old Slave Market is a powerful and moving historical site where you will learn about Zanzibar’s role in the East African slave trade. You’ll visit the underground slave chambers, see the chilling memorials, and explore the Anglican Cathedral, built over the former market site. Our guide will share stories of the enslaved people’s struggles and resilience, providing a deep and emotional understanding of this dark chapter in history.

  • Freddie Mercury Museum - As we pass by the Freddie Mercury House, you’ll catch a glimpse of the birthplace of the legendary Queen frontman, Freddie Mercury. Learn a bit about his early life in Zanzibar and his rise to global fame, adding a pop-culture twist to your tour as you continue through Stone Town.

  • People’s Palace Museum - At the People’s Palace, also known as Beit al-Sahel, travelers will explore the former residence of the Sultan of Zanzibar. Now a museum, it showcases the lavish lifestyle of Zanzibar’s royal family, with exhibits featuring original furnishings, historical photographs, and artifacts. You’ll walk through opulent rooms, learn about the island’s royal heritage, and gain insight into Zanzibar’s fascinating past from our expert guides.

  • Jambo Spice Farm - Immerse yourselft in Zanzibar’s vibrant spice culture. You’ll enjoy a guided tour through lush plantations, where you can see, touch, and taste a variety of spices like cloves, cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg. Our knowledgeable guides will share the fascinating history and uses of these spices, and you’ll have the chance to sample fresh tropical fruits, try some local dishes flavored with these spices, and even purchase some to take home as a delicious souvenir.

  • Prison Island - Changuu Private Island - You will explore a historic site with a fascinating past. Originally built as a prison, the island now serves as a sanctuary for giant Aldabra tortoises, some over a century old, where you can interact and take photos with these gentle giants. Walk along the island’s lush paths, visit the remains of the old prison, and learn about its rich history from our knowledgeable guides. Surrounded by stunning blue waters, you can also enjoy some snorkeling or simply relax and take in the serene atmosphere of this unique island destination.

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 own pace. Our exclusive access to hidden gems in Stone Town, authentic interactions at local spice farms, and insider knowledge of the best spots on Prison Island make our tour a truly unique and unforgettable journey that goes beyond the typical tourist trail.

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
(125 Ratings)
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1 star
215rasheedah
Jun 21, 2024
Bravo. - Bravo. Well done. Thoroughly organized from start to finish. Ten stars with highly quality service and attention. The spice farm was a pleasant surprise with great food and inspiring people. Shadow was very knowledgeable and presented with a great Sprit. We will always remember him. The second half of the tour was awesome. Maddi made us feel comfortable and pushed through the tour despite rain. This is a once in a lifetime experience with great people, Food, culture, and love of Africa. Book now.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Roberta_b
Jan 31, 2024
An excellent tour with lots of variety - Ismail was a great guide, we really enjoyed the Spice Farm, and had a very nice lunch. We walked around in the town after our visit to the Spice Farm and were able to visit the Anglican Church and the Cathedral and learn all about the Slave Trade and of course we went to the Freddie Mercury Museum, being huge Queen fans. To top off a great day we went across to Prison Island and saw the huge Tortoises, which was an amazing experience!
Review provided by Viator
Smruti_p
Jan 31, 2024
Zanzibar tour - Our tour guide was excellent, we really enjoyed our tour to Prison island and the spice tour, we arrived in Zanzibar by cruise ship, my mother is 80 plus and they made sure that we both had a great time, the tour giude helped me with getting her on/off the small wooden boat to Prison Island- highly recommended company.
Review provided by Viator
M6353eeannem
Oct 7, 2023
Fantastic day trip to see highlights around Stone Town - Fantastic day with Ismael from Zan Archipelago tours. It was a long day but we loved each part to it. Ismael made the day fun and interesting with his knowledge and good humor. The day was paced just right, starting with the spice gram with a very tasty lunch and great information about individual spices and their uses followed by a visit to seethe large tortoises when the place was less busy in the afternoon. The final hour and a half in Stone Town was then at the end of the day and we particularly found the slave museum very interesting but tragic of course. We were a group of 4 adults and this trip is definitely worth the long day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Karen_g
May 22, 2024
Girlfriends Adventure - The tour guide was well informed about the island. He made sure we understood the history of Zanzibar and its culture. It was a fun and rewarding experience.
Review provided by Viator
Jordan_c
Feb 9, 2024
Excellent walking tour, well worth it! - The spice tour was very interesting. It was awesome to see how day-to-day ingredients are grown - this is true especially for those who are into cooking. Our guide was knowledgeable and made it fun for us. They treated us to a tasty lunch after - glad we did this Prison Island lacked depth. Though, it was nice to be on the water for a bit during the day. The tortoises were fun. And, the island itself is pretty. So, no complaints here The walking tour was terrific. Our guide was super knowledgeable and truly passionate about teaching us. This was particularly impressive. It was just the guide, myself, and my wife. So, we were able to have a very natural dialogue where we were able to ask a ton of questions. This was the highlight of the day
Review provided by Viator
Lenasmu
Nov 29, 2023
Change to sun and bath - A nice trip to see and do something other than sunbathing and swimming. Interesting tour of the spice farm, but knowledgeable guide. On Prison island we went for a quick walk and looked at the turtles. The same guide took us through the alleys of Stone Town. Interesting to learn more about the history of the island. If you are going to Stone Town, a tour with a guide is recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Howard_w
Jan 16, 2024
Spice tour was good others were fair. - Enjoyed spice tour did not get to visit prison. City tour was done with out explination. I was not very hsppy.🤥
Review provided by Viator
Selinaw688
Oct 14, 2023
Convincing in part - The tour itself was OK. Very informative and the people were all very nice. But... About Prison Island: I expected more from it, the turtles were in a large enclosure and could move around freely. However, they were all in one place, right by the entrance (where you were allowed to feed them a lettuce leaf). On the remaining 200m circular walk, you could hardly see any. Then there was also the much too small enclosure for the young turtles. These were kept in a small shed "for protection" and inside there was another small box where the even smaller turtles were locked up and each lay in their own dirt. Both "enclosures" were much too small! Generally very touristy. About the spice farm: The tour was OK here, you got information about the individual trees, leaves and fruits. And you got homemade gifts from the employees. That was pretty sweet. So far so good. At the end you could buy the spices. The prices there were much too expensive. They wanted €7 for a fairly small bag of spice. For the same size spice you only had to pay €1 at the market in Stown Town (of course you have to haggle). Stown Town: The small town impressed me the most. It has many narrow streets and therefore a very unique feel. The traders were not too pushy, which I found very pleasant. The markets (fish, meat, vegetables, fruit and spices) were interesting and you got an impression of the culture of Zanzibar.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bradsimsbury
Aug 2, 2024
Tour not Safe don’t go - The land portion of this tour was quite good. The guides were knowledgeable and engaged. The problem is the last part of the tour is a boat ride to the Prison Island . We got into a small 17 foot skiff with the title Mr. Cheaper and I assumed it was going to ferry us to a larger boat for the 5 mile journey to the Prison Island across open ocean. Instead the skiff ( think large aluminum canoe) took off for the island directly and it was too late to turn them around. I am a Licensed Sailing Captain and know the boat safety rules well. This skiff had ONE life jacket for seven people. The boat was totally open with no storage .I doubt the skipper ( a kid) was licensed and there was no safety equipment what so ever on board. On the way back we hit 3 foot waves and we were all drenched by the time we reached the dock . Had the boat hit a wave wrong it could have easily flipped and sunk. No life jackets were available.This service would have been closed down by the Coast Guard in the US. In the US all participants would have been required to wear life jackets. I asked the Guide if this was normal not to have life jackets and he said yes- sheepishly. I expect Expedia to require its tour operators to meet basic safety standards and frankly they are ask risk legally if they don’t. I have been on dozens of boat tours around the world through Expedia and always check for their safety procedures which although often not as rigid as US Coats Guard are still acceptable. This operation was not. It’s not worth risking your life.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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September 2024
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