Prison Island & Stone Town Private Tour: Tortoises & History

Boat to giant tortoises, then walk through centuries of Swahili trade

A private guided tour combining Prison Island (Changuu Island) and Stone Town in one day from Zanzibar City. A 30-minute motorized boat ride takes you to Prison Island to feed Aldabra tortoises, snorkel in the Indian Ocean channel, and learn the island's history as a yellow fever quarantine station. Then walk Stone Town's narrow streets, visit the House of Wonders and Old Fort, and explore markets reflecting Swahili, Arab, Persian, Indian and European influences.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Changuu Island3h · entry included
2. Stone Town3h

Prison Island and Stone Town tour

• Boat ride to Prison Island
• Feed giant Aldabra tortoises
• Snorkel among fish and corals
• Learn Prison Island history
• Walk narrow streets of Stone Town
• Visit House of Wonders and Old Fort
• Explore bustling markets
• Try local foods

The experience

How do you see both Prison Island's wildlife and Stone Town's history in a single day? A private guide meets you in Zanzibar City and takes you by motorized boat across the channel to Changuu Island. A 30-minute ride that gets you away from the city and onto the water. Once there, you feed the giant Aldabra tortoises that roam the island, snorkel among colored fish and corals in the channel, and walk through the grounds where the British colonial administrator built a prison complex in 1893 that never actually held prisoners. It became a quarantine station for yellow fever instead. The island itself is small enough to cover in a few hours, leaving the afternoon for Stone Town.

Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site where the narrow winding streets carry the weight of centuries. Your guide leads you through markets, past the House of Wonders and the Old Fort, pointing out the architecture that layers Swahili, Arab, Persian, Indian and European styles: each one a trace of the traders and rulers who moved through here. You'll stop to try local food and get the stories behind the landmarks. The whole tour runs six hours from pickup to return.

Entry to Prison Island, bottled water, the boat, marine conservation fees and a professional guide in your choice of English, Spanish, Italian, French or another language are all included. The guide is yours alone for the day, which means the pace stays yours and the questions get answered without waiting for a group to catch up.

What’s included

Entry to Prison Island, bottled water, marine conservation fees, a private motorized boat for the island crossing, and a professional guide in English, Spanish, Italian, French or another language are included in the tour.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (7 and older) · Under 7: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Charisma_Experience

Is this one for you?Book this if you want one guide showing you both Prison Island's tortoises and Stone Town's streets in a single day, rather than splitting them across separate outings with different guides.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What are the giant tortoises on Prison Island like when you get there?

Aldabra tortoises roam the island freely, and you feed them as part of the visit. They are the centerpiece of the experience on Changuu Island, and the operator describes them as magnificent creatures you get close to while learning the island's history.

Can you snorkel on Prison Island, or is it just the boat ride and the tortoises?

Snorkeling is included in the Prison Island stop. You'll see colored fish and corals in the channel of the Indian Ocean right off the small isle, so the water time is built into the day.

What is the House of Wonders, and why does the guide take you there?

The House of Wonders is one of the iconic landmarks in Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Your guide includes it as one of the historical stops that shows the mix of Swahili, Arab, Persian, Indian and European influences in the architecture and tells the story of the island's past.

How long is the boat ride to Prison Island, and what is it like?

The motorized boat ride takes 30 minutes from Zanzibar City to Changuu Island. It crosses the channel and is part of how the tour combines the island experience with the Stone Town walking portion in a single day.

Do you need to be a strong swimmer or have snorkeling experience to do this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, according to the operator. The snorkeling happens in the channel off Prison Island and is included as part of the stop, so you can participate at your own comfort level.