5-Day Zanzibar Heritage Tour with Prison Island and Spice Plantation

The journey

Trip highlights

• 01 Explore the UNESCO-listed historical sites of Stone Town and the significance of Zanzibar doors
• 02 Take a ferry to Prison Island, one of Zanzibar's uninhabited islets and home to giant tortoises from the Seychelles
• 03 Swim and/or snorkel in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean and relax on a white sand beach
• 04 Discover the history of the Mangapwani Slave Chambers and Natural Coral Cave
• 05 Learn how to harvest spices and tropical fruits at Kizimbani or Kidichi spice plantation

Learn about Zanzibar's rich past on this 5-day journey through Stone Town and beyond. Explore the UNESCO-listed historical sites of Stone Town and the significance of its famous Zanzibar doors, then take a ferry to Prison Island to meet giant tortoises and enjoy the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Continue with visits to the Maruhubi and Mtoni palace ruins, the Mangapwani Slave Chambers and Natural Coral Cave, and a spice plantation at Kizimbani or Kidichi. The tour also includes time to relax at your beach hotel before your departure.

After a delicious breakfast at your hotel, your experienced guide, certified by ZATTOGA, will pick you up from the hotel and walk you through the narrow streets of Stone Town, a town acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 2001.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 5 Days

Tour type Private

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Not applicable

City Zanzibar

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1

Day 01

Arrival in Zanzibar and Check-in at Stone Town

• Upon arrival, meet and greet at Zanzibar Airport, then transfer to Zanzibar Palace Hotel in Stone Town or a similar hotel.
• Check in for three days/two nights in a Palace Suite on a bed-and-breakfast basis.

2

Day 02

Stone Town Historical Tour and Prison Island Excursion

• After a delicious breakfast at your hotel, your experienced guide, certified by ZATTOGA, will pick you up from the hotel and walk you through the narrow streets of Stone Town, a town acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 2001.
• Explore the historical sites of Stone Town and hear the real story behind them, including the roles and significance of Zanzibar doors.
• After lunch, proceed by ferry to Prison Island, one of the uninhabited islets of Zanzibar. The island is a popular holiday destination in Zanzibar and is home to giant tortoises, which Sultan Said brought from the Seychelles Islands.
• On this excursion, you can swim and/or snorkel in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, sunbathe on the white sand beach, and stroll through the natural forest to view various species of beautiful birds such as peacocks and butterflies, as well as small animals such as bats.

3

Day 03

Palace Ruins, Slave Chambers and Spice Plantation En Route

• On your way to Melia Zanzibar Hotel, you will also visit the Maruhubi and Mtoni palace ruins, the Mangapwani Slave Chambers and Natural Coral Cave, and a spice plantation.
• This en-route tour allows you to explore the Maruhubi Palace ruins, which were used as a harem to accommodate the sultan's official wife and his more than 90 concubines while the sultan lived at the palace in Zanzibar Town.
• Visit Mtoni Palace ruins, the home and birthplace of Princess Sayyida Salme, the Sultan's daughter who fell in love with a German merchant in the late 19th century.
• Discover the history of the Natural Coral Cave, with fresh water at ground level and underground man-made chambers with a roof at the top, which were used to hide slaves from the mainland before transporting them to the slave market in Zanzibar Town for resale or allocating them to fruit and spice plantation areas.
• Find spices and tropical fruits at Kizimbani or Kidichi spice plantation, learn how to harvest some of them, and taste and smell various spices and seasonal tropical fruits from the sultans of Oman.
• After the tours, transfer to Melia Zanzibar Hotel in Pwani Mchangani, North Zanzibar, or a similar hotel.
• Check in for three days/two nights in a Melia Terrace Room on an all-inclusive basis.

4

Day 04

Relaxation at Your Beach Hotel

• Enjoy full relaxation at the hotel. The hotel spa offers harmony for the body and mind in an oasis of beauty, grace, and tranquillity.

5

Day 05

Departure Transfer to Zanzibar Airport or Seaport

• Escort to Zanzibar International Airport or seaport for departure.

The route

Where you'll travel

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

• The package includes transfers from the airport/seaport to the hotel and the return transfer for departure.
• Transportation
• Entry fees
• Guiding fees

What's Not Included

• Medical insurance
• Local and international flights
• Visa
• Expenses of a personal nature
• Zanzibar Infrastructure Tax of 1 USD per person per night is not included in the rates and must be settled directly by the client upon checkout.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point

Zanzibar Airport

Tour start

Zanzibar, Tanzania

Tour ends at the same location as the start point.