Zanzibar History: Explore Stone Town & Nakupenda

Explore Stone Town’s rich history, meet giant tortoises on Prison Island, and snorkel in crystal-clear waters at Nakupenda. Enjoy a seafood lunch on a stunning sandbank.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Stone Town - This historic district in Zanzibar’s capital is a treasure trove of history and diverse influences, including British, Portuguese, Indian, Omani, and Swahili. It is the only tour that allows exploration of Zanzibar’s Old City, which holds the oldest historical significance in East Africa, as Stone Town was the first town in the…
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • Tour guide
  • Bottled water
  • Lunch
  • All Fees and Taxes
  • Use of snorkeling equipment
What's Not Included
  • Alcoholic beverages
Additional Information

The traveler will explore the historic district, the capital of Zanzibar, known for its rich history and diverse influences, including British, Portuguese, Indian, Omani, and Swahili. This unique tour offers the opportunity to discover the oldest historical area in East Africa, as Stone Town was the first town established in the region.
Following the…

Location
Stone Town
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.7
(77 Ratings)
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Usrvp
Sep 12, 2025
An amazing experience in every way! - This tour was the best we've had during our stay in Zanzibar! Rajune was excellent in every way! 👌 Our driver and captain were also very accommodating and professional! THANK YOU! Celia & Maria
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Burwellscanada
Sep 11, 2025
Exceptional experience - This was a great experience the driver was punctual and very friendly and the guide was exceptionally well informed during tbe stone town tour fresh food cooked right on the beach was incredible highly recommended them.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Renata_k
Sep 8, 2025
Our guide Sherrif was... - Our guide Sherrif was funny, interesting and helpful. We enjoyed every minute. Nakupenda is so beautiful, the seafood lunch and fresh fruit were excellent.
Review provided by Viator
Mukta_m
Sep 8, 2025
Good experience - Great experience overall. We went to Prison Island first, then Nepukenda Island, and then Stone town. Our guide Khalid was knowledgeable in the history and provided excellent guide. Few things to note, Nepukenda Island can get a bit crowded unlike seen in the picture. Clear water but occasional seaweeds. Water tides are quick to change from low to high. Overall, we saw plenty but because there is a lot to see, I would advise maybe two sites in one day trip to enjoy maximum time in each places. Our tour seemed a bit fast because of pick up and drop off from distance location. But trip was good.
Review provided by Viator
Joby_lake
Sep 5, 2025
Great day out despite the weather - We were picked up from our hotel by our guide Nayla and driver, Fazili, aka Giggerboy. Unfortunately, the day we decided to do this tour was the worst day ever for weather. It was absolutely pouring with rain all the way to Stone Town. Upon arrival, we sat in the car for a short while and waited for the rain to subside a little before we boarded our boat. First stop was the Nakupenda sandbank. It was too early to stay here for lunch as I think we did the tour in reverse order so we spent some time walking to the end of the sandbank looking out for starfish and other rockpool fish. Snorkelling sadly was not an option but the rain had finally subsided. After boarding the boat once more, we were taken to Prison Island. Nayla was very knowledgeable about the island explaining each section as we walked around. The giant tortoises are obviously the highlight of the island and you can get up really close to them. The tide had come in and we had to wait our turn for the boat to moor by the steps to get back to the mainland. Our crew had provided us with some lovely fresh fruit and water/soft drinks for our journey back to Stone Town. Once the crew had put down the anchor, we stayed on the boat and had lunch, which was fantastic and very filling. Nayla then gave us a guided tour of Stone Town pointing out historical buildings and answering any questions we had. Stops included The House of Wonder, the Old Fort, Freddie Mercury's House (which you can pay extra to go into) and the Slave Market (where a different guide took us around whilst Nayla waited for us). Our tour ended via a walk through the general market. It was a very long day and very tiring. We crammed a lot in, however, I wouldn't have changed a thing. The weather didn't spoil the day, it just enhanced it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Climber253281
Sep 4, 2025
Great professional tour - Hassam and an excellent guide, knows everything about stone Town and answered all my questions. Prison Island is interesting and finish in the crystal clear water of the sandbank with a delicious dish of seafood was the cherry on the cake.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mariia_k
Aug 31, 2025
Amazing tour! - Unexpectedly to me I was the only person on tour so it was definitely a VIP experience. Khalid was very welcoming, sharing details about history and other bits of information about Zanzibar. There was no rush so I could explore and enjoy every step of the tour. He was also very helpful when I asked to help me get a sim. I really had a great time on this tour. Shopping in stone town was great too, I found some locals artists that were selling their amazing works! The only part I would skip is Nakupenda as in my opinion it’s just a tourist trap and really not necessary
Review provided by Viator
Sevgi_1207
Aug 30, 2025
Great experience with great food! - Great experience! The prison island was a great highlight especially due to the giant turtles. The visit to the sandbar was also very nice, the water was wonderful, warm and turquoise! The food that was prepared for us was also very delicious (including fruit plate). Our guide was very nice and has always taken care of our well-being, overall highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alina_m
Aug 26, 2025
Great Zanzibar Tour - Great day trip with a very good guide. He spoke English well, made everything feel safe and comfortable, and explained a lot about Stone Town and Prison Island.
Review provided by Viator
Fabiheilman
Sep 5, 2025
It’s just okay. - Prison island is packed and just average. Nakupenda is absolutely gorgeous but also crowded, full of tents and locals harrasing you to buy their arts and crafts and even offering drone videos. Dozens of boats. The picture you see is extremely deceiving. Maybe those who came during end of the pandemic experienced that. Nowadays, it is a mess. Stone town has great history, just unfortunately poorly conserved. I enjoyed walking around, learning the history and seeing the market and the way the locals live.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $145
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).