Tanzania · STONE TOWN WALKING TOURS IN ZANZIBAR CITY
The 15 best stone town walking tours in Zanzibar City you can book today, with the price, the length of the day and who each one suits. Number one is there for a reason; start at the top.
Spend 6 to 9 hours with an English-speaking guide visiting Stone Town, an organic spice farm, and Prison Island. Expect hands-on spice tasting, a Swahili lunch, a fast boat ride, and Aldabra tortoises. Guides such as Hassan, Ibrahim, and James are praised for clear local stories.
“Great way to experience The culture activities of Zanzibar! Highly recommend”
Visit Prison Island and its giant Seychelles tortoises, walk Stone Town with guides such as Abdul, Isaac, or Feisal, then taste and smell Zanzibar’s spices at a working farm. Hotel transfers, boat transport, entry fees where selected, and a local lunch are included.
“Very pleasant day full of exciting activities. Our guide had extraordinary knowledge of many landmarks and taught us a lot about Zanzibar's history. We saw many interesting places, giant tortoises, spice farm (really funny and interesting experience) and we bought souvenirs and spices in Stone Town at Darajani bazaar.”
You’ll visit a working spice farm, eat traditional Swahili food, walk Stone Town’s old lanes and take a boat to Prison Island. Guides such as Fahad, Ali, Mazi and Haji explain the island’s plants, trade and past. Expect a full, hot day with some wet boat boarding.
“Fahad is a very good guide. He was so friendly and social. The trip was very interesting. He talks in detail about the history of stone town.”
Spend about two hours walking Stone Town with a private guide such as Mohammed, Imran, or Ally Jape. Expect historic landmarks, narrow lanes, carved doors, markets, cathedrals, and local advice on food and sightseeing. Hotel pickup is available in Stone Town by advance request.
“I wrote to the operator via Viator to ask to reschedule the date by 1 day. I got no reply and consequently missed the tour”
Walk Stone Town for three hours with a private guide such as Khameez, Mau, Kassim, or Sahin. See the former slave market, Darajani Market, Sultan Palace, House of Wonders, Old Fort, Freddie Mercury’s birthplace, Zanzibar doors, and local coffee spots. Entry fees and hotel transfers cost extra.
“I really enjoyed this tour with Maulid. He was very knowledgeable about stone town and it’s history. I would definitely recommend.”
Spend about eight hours with a private guide and driver exploring Stone Town, Changuu, and Jambo Spice Farm. Expect historic buildings, giant tortoises, a boat ride with loaner snorkeling gear, tropical fruit tasting, and spice demonstrations. Guides may include Amina, Ibrahim, Ali, or Amira.
“Great tour! Had a great time learning about the history of Zanzibar. Take extra cash to tip your local guides and driver”
Walk Stone Town with an English-speaking local guide such as Ali, Diamond, Abdalla, or Haidara. Visit the Old Fort, slave market, cathedral, Freddie Mercury Museum, and Darajani Market, with hotel transfers available and a flexible two to five-hour schedule.
“The visit was very nice and the guide gave me lots of details and was able to answer all my questions. Highly recommend !”
Spend five hours with a private guide exploring Zanzibar’s spice plants and Stone Town landmarks. Taste cinnamon, cloves, ginger, vanilla, and tropical fruit, then visit the former slave market, Darajani Fish Market, Freddy Mercury’s house, the House of Wonders, and the Old Fort.
“The Spice tour was interesting. We could have done without the fruit eating session as it gave us both queasy tummies. I didn’t like the fact they don’t display prices when selling their spices. I didn’t buy any for that very reason. The Stone Town tour was also good but my friend is hard of walking so we had to go slowly. She also wanted to buy African masks so we were limited for time. My only complaint is that I would have liked the guide to give us options of what we could see. We missed the Slave Trade area which is a shame. But the guide was very…”
Spend six hours with a live guide such as Abu, Musa, or Abubakr, combining Stone Town’s coral-stone lanes and slave-trade history with a speedboat trip to Prison Island’s giant tortoises and snorkeling spots.
“Abu was great! We had an amazing experience with our guide in Stone Town! He was incredibly knowledgeable, polite, and showed us all the hidden gems we would’ve missed on our own. His passion for the city and attention to detail made the tour unforgettable. Highly recommend!”
Walk Stone Town with a private guide such as Abdalla, Cosmo, Amina, or Issa, visiting the Old Fort, former slave market, markets, baths, cathedrals, and famous doors. The route can follow your interests, with a 4:30 pm start for sunset and the night market.
“A truly amazing experience of stone town, our guide (Abdalla) was amazing and so knowledge. Loved every second and well worth doing.”
Spend a full day with a private guide visiting Jozani Forest, an organic spice farm, and Stone Town. Look for Zanzibar’s red colobus monkeys, walk over a mangrove bridge, taste fresh spices and fruit, and see landmarks such as Freddie Mercury’s former home. Amina is one guide named in recent feedback.
“jozani bos is echt geweldig maar ga zo vroeg mogelijk dab zie je de aapjes bij tientallen. kruidenboerderij is interessant stone town vinden wij niet zo”
Walk Stone Town with a licensed guide such as Abu, Abou, Jack, or Bobby, following narrow coral-stone lanes to the old slave market, Freddie Mercury Museum, Old Fort, and Darajani Market. Expect history, local life, shopping stops, and a flexible pace, with hotel pickup included.
“Great and informative tour. My guide, Abou, was extremely kind and knowledgeable. I learned so much from the tour and highly recommend it to anyone visiting Zanzibar.”
Spend eight hours exploring Zanzibar’s spice farms, Stone Town, and Changuu Island, also called Prison Island. Your private group has hotel transport, entrance fees, bottled water, a boat ride, and a live guide in English, Spanish, French, Italian, or German. Guides such as Abdul and Joseph have been praised for their language skills.
“🌟 Unforgettable Experience – Highly Recommended! I want to express my sincere gratitude for the incredible tour we had to Stone Town, Prison Island, and Tangawizi spice farm. Everything was perfectly organised from start to finish. Our driver was punctual, professional, and very friendly, making us feel safe and comfortable throughout the journey. A special thank you to our guide, who was not only extremely knowledgeable but also passionate, engaging, and genuinely kind. We learned so much about the history, culture, and natural beauty of Zanzibar – and had a lot of fun along the way! The visit to the spice farm was a sensory delight, and exploring Stone Town…”
Spend about 3 hours 50 minutes visiting Prison Island, Stone Town, and Jambo Spice Farm with pickup, transport, and lunch included. Guide Abu is often assigned to this private tour, which can be adjusted for ferry schedules, airport drop-offs, shopping, and your preferred pace.
“This was a fabulous tour but what made it so special was our tour guide Abu. His chasima and knowledge was excellent and he made the tour so enjoyable. I would highly recommend it and ask for Abu. He made all the difference.”
Walk Stone Town with a local English-speaking guide such as Abdul or Mundhir. See the Slave Market, Anglican Cathedral, Old Fort, House of Wonders, Freddie Mercury’s House, and Darajani Market, with time for questions, shopping, and optional street food at Forodhani Gardens.
“Abdul was very friendly with excellent knowledge of the city! He was patient and willing to answer all our questions. We truly enjoyed the tour!”
Pick a park, a reef or a route up the mountain.
