Stone Town & Spice Farm Tour Zanzibar

See the Sultan's palace with the first East African elevator, then smell spices growing

You walk the oldest streets of Stone Town, see the House of Wonders and Old Fort up close, then drive north to a working spice farm where you watch local cooks prepare dishes with fresh spices. The 6-7 hour tour includes both sites, transportation between them, and bottled water. You're back in town by late afternoon.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each2 stops

1. House of WondersEntry included30m
2. Old Fort30m

Explore Stone Town and spice farm

• Visit the House of Wonders
• Explore the Old Fort
• See Freddie Mercury birthplace
• Tour the largest spice farm

The experience

"So this is where Freddie Mercury grew up?" The question lands the moment you step into Stone Town, and it stays with you through the narrow streets of Zanzibar's capital. The House of Wonders sits right there: built in 1883 by the Sultan with doors wide enough for an elephant to walk through, and it held the first elevator in all of East Africa. The Old Fort, older still, anchors the whole district. Your guide walks you through both, and the history isn't something you're told at a distance. It's in the coral stone walls, the carved doors, the way light falls through the upper floors.

After Stone Town, the tour heads north to the spice farm: the largest on the island. This is where the day shifts from architecture to something more sensory. You're walking through rows of clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom plants, and the air changes. The guide shows you how each spice grows, how they're harvested, and then you watch, or sometimes help, as local cooks prepare dishes using what's right there in the soil. It's not a performance. It's the actual work of the place, and you get to taste what comes out of it. The whole thing takes 6 to 7 hours including the drive, which means you're not rushed through either part.

Bottled water comes with you the whole way, which matters in the heat. Stone Town can feel crowded in the middle of the day, so the timing of your stops and the pace your guide sets make a real difference in how much you actually absorb versus how much you're just moving through.

What’s included

Your day includes entry to the House of Wonders and Old Fort in Stone Town, a guided walk through the oldest streets and historical sites, transportation to the spice farm in the north, a tour of how spices are grown and harvested, a demonstration of local cooking using fresh spices, and bottled water throughout.

Information

Lasts 6h–7h, runs every day at 09:00, from US$ 55 per person, with live guides in 8 languages, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00Another time? ›

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Arabic, Polish and RussianOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 4 pickup points.

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Under 10: can't be booked

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Kassim kindness official tour guide

Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want both Zanzibar's history and its agricultural side in one outing without arranging separate transport. The 6-7 hours means you see Stone Town properly and still have time at the spice farm: rushing either one would lose what makes each worth the visit.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Arabic, Russian and Polish.

How long is the Stone Town and spice farm tour?

The full tour runs 6 to 7 hours, including transportation time between Stone Town and the spice farm in the north.

What's included in the tour?

Entry to the House of Wonders and Old Fort, the spice farm visit, and bottled water. Transportation between sites is included.

Was Freddie Mercury really from Zanzibar?

Yes. He was born in Stone Town on September 5, 1946, when Zanzibar was a British protectorate. His birthplace is part of the Stone Town tour.

What can you see at the spice farm?

You see how cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and other spices grow, how they're harvested, and watch local cooks prepare traditional dishes using fresh spices from the farm.

Is this tour suitable for people with mobility issues?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, though Stone Town's streets are narrow and uneven in places, and the spice farm involves walking through planted rows.

What's the House of Wonders known for?

It was built in 1883 as a ceremonial palace and was the first building in East Africa to have electricity and a working elevator. The Sultan had the doors made extra wide so he could ride in on the back of an elephant.

Is there public transport near the tour meeting point?

Yes, public transportation options are available nearby.