Zanzibar Private Tour: Spice Farm, Stone Town & Prison Island

A spice farm walk ends with tasting cardamom, vanilla, nutmeg and ginger straight from the plant.

A private full-day tour of Zanzibar visits a working spice farm, the UNESCO-listed Stone Town with its slave market and historic doors, and Prison Island by boat through turquoise waters. You walk the farm to see tropical fruits and rare plants, explore Stone Town's markets and architecture at your own pace, then boat to Changuu Island to see the prison ruins and giant tortoises.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit spice farm, Stone Town, and Prison Island

• Walk through spice farm
• Taste fruits and spices
• Explore Stone Town markets and landmarks
• Shop in Stone Town
• Boat to Prison Island
• See prison and giant tortoises

The experience

Your guide picks you up in an air-conditioned vehicle and drives to the spice farm first. You walk through rows of cardamom, vanilla, ginger, nutmeg, pepper and lemongrass, learning what grows where and how it is harvested. After the walk, you taste the fruits and spices if you want to. The farm is working land, not a museum: what you see is what the island actually grows.

Stone Town comes next. Your guide takes you through the slave market, fish market, and past the old fort and House of Wonder, pointing out the carved Zanzibar doors that line the streets. These doors are the town's signature: each one is different, carved by hand, and they tell the story of who lived behind them. You have time to shop if you want, or simply walk and look. Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the narrow streets, the architecture, and the layered history make it clear why.

The boat ride to Prison Island (Changuu Island) crosses the Indian Ocean's turquoise water. On the island you see the prison ruins and the giant tortoises that live there now. The boat journey itself is part of the experience. It is the water and the distance from the mainland that make this island feel separate. Your guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French or one other language, and the tour runs 8 to 9 hours total. Bottled water is provided throughout.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• a guide for the full day.
• and bottled water throughout the tour.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (18 to 50 years) · Senior (51 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (1 to 12 years) · Infant (under 1): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Phenomenon Tours and Safari

Is this one for you?The guide speaks your language (English, Spanish, Italian, French or another), so you follow the commentary comfortably without translation delays or guesswork about what you are seeing.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

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

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (1 to 12 years); Infant (under 1): free.

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 exactly do you see and do at the spice farm?

You walk through a working farm where cardamom, vanilla, ginger, nutmeg, pepper and lemongrass grow, then taste the fruits and spices at the end of the walk if you choose to.

Is Stone Town walkable, or do you stay with the guide the whole time?

Stone Town is navigable on foot and you can explore at your own pace. Your guide shows you the key sites (the slave market, fish market, old fort, House of Wonder and the historic carved doors), and you have time to shop or wander on your own.

How do you get to Prison Island, and what is there to see?

You travel by boat across the Indian Ocean to Changuu Island, where you see the prison ruins and the giant tortoises that inhabit the island now.

How long is the full tour, and what is included?

The tour runs 8 to 9 hours and includes private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle, a guide for the whole day, and bottled water.