The 15 Best Nakupenda Sandbank Trips

1.Prison Island and Nakupenda Boat Trip with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 882 reviews · 6 - 9 hours · from $39Our pick

From Stone Town, join guides such as Milano, Abdul, or Juma for a six to nine-hour boat trip to Prison Island and Nakupenda Sandbank. Visit old cells, see giant Aldabra tortoises, swim or snorkel, and eat a beachside seafood barbecue with fruit. Hotel pickup, equipment, drinks, and entry fees may be included depending on your booking option and date.

“We had a really great day on this tour to Prison Island and Nakupenda. At Prison Island, visiting the turtle sanctuary was a wonderful experience. We had enough time to walk around, take photos and enjoy the place without feeling rushed, which we really appreciated. The guides were fantastic, very attentive and always ready to help. They brought great energy to the group and created a friendly and fun atmosphere during the whole excursion. At Nakupenda, the lunch was excellent and very generous. The setting is beautiful and the mood was relaxed and pleasant. Small note: there were some jellyfish in the water. Of course this is natural and not…”

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2.Prison Island & Nakupenda Boat Tour with BBQ Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 554 reviews · 3 - 8 hours · from $35Best value

Join guides such as Salim or Bahama for a dhow trip from Stone Town to Prison Island and Nakupenda Sandbank. See Aldabra tortoises, explore colonial ruins, snorkel in clear water, and eat a fresh seafood barbecue with fruit. The $35 price excludes a $22 conservation and island-entry fee.

“Salim our guide was excellent and gave us lots of information. Lunch was plentiful and tasty. The snorkelling at Nakupenda wasn't great as the water was choppy and visibility was poor, but overall the day was very fun and well organised.”

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3.Prison Island, Nakupenda, StoneTown Tour with BBQ

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 457 reviews · 7 - 8 hours · from $71

Spend 7 to 8 hours visiting Prison Island, Nakupenda Sandbank and Stone Town from a single boat and land tour. See Aldabra giant tortoises, swim, try snorkeling, eat a seafood or chicken BBQ, and hear local stories from guides such as Mohamed, Yasser and Suliman. Hotel pickup is optional, with several languages available.

“We had a wonderful tour today that included Prison Island, Nakupenda Island, and Stone Town. Everything was very, very good! The driver was on time, picked us up and brought us back perfectly on time. The food was delicious. The guides who accompanied us – the driver, the boat crew, and the city guide in Stone Town – were all very friendly and professional. The atmosphere throughout the day was beautiful, and we are truly thankful for this amazing experience.”

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4.Prison Island & Nakupenda Sandbank Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 265 reviews · 6 - 9 hours · from $83

Spend 6 to 9 hours between Prison Island and Nakupenda Sandbank in a small motorized dhow. See Aldabra giant tortoises, snorkel with provided gear, and eat a generous seafood barbecue with fruit and drinks. Guides such as Jeff and Milano are known for lively group hosting, music, and helpful care.

“Absolutely incredible day- there are lots of companies doing these trips so it’s hard to know who best to go with but we can hands down say we had the best day with Jaffa and his team, they were a local company with local knowledge and excellent care so look no further and book this trip!”

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5.Prison Island and Nakupenda Sandbank With Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 208 reviews · 7.5 - 9 hours · from $75

Spend 7.5 to 9 hours visiting Prison Island and Nakupenda Sandbank from Zanzibar. Meet Aldabra giant tortoises, snorkel from the coast, swim in clear water, and eat a beachside seafood barbecue. Guides such as Milano and Sangi help keep the day friendly and well organized, with hotel pickup available.

“It was not very crowded thanks to the season, we were able to visit the island and Nakupenda comfortably. Our guide Sangi and his friends were super helpful and very polite, they explained everything we needed to know and made sure no one left Nakupenda hungry :) the best part was the song at the end, was a big surprise!”

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6.Nakupenda Sandbank and Prison Island Tour & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 89 reviews · from $42

Take a full-day boat trip from Stone Town to Prison Island and Nakupenda Sandbank. You’ll see old prison buildings, meet giant Aldabra tortoises, snorkel with supplied gear, and eat seafood, fruit, and drinks on the sand. The $42 price excludes a $21 cash entry fee and any extra transfer costs.

“The activity was just a visit to the prison island, and the 'lunch' on the sandbank while it disappeared was the best part. We were the last to arrive on the island, and the little island vanished into the sea while we were eating. The food was really disappointing, I think we would have eaten better in prison back in the day.”

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7.Nakupenda Sandbank & Prison Island Trip with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 69 reviews · 7 hours · from $75

Spend seven hours between Prison Island and Nakupenda Sandbank, with boat transfers, a guided visit, swimming, snorkeling, and a fresh seafood lunch. Guides including Haji, Fahad, and Obama have been praised for friendly care and clear explanations. Hotel pickup is available, and vegetarian food can be arranged.

“It was a brilliant day trip, our guides were very friendly and hospitable!”

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8.Prison Island Tour with Lunch on the Sandbank

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 66 reviews · from $99

Meet your guide by Stone Town’s Old Fort, cross by boat to Prison Island, see giant tortoises and the old quarantine buildings, snorkel in clear water, then eat a seafood BBQ with Swahili dishes on the sandbank. Lunch, gear, water, snacks, entry, and boat transport are included.

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9.Private/Sharing: Snorkeling with Dolphins Sandbank in Mnemba

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 62 reviews · from $120Top rated

Set out from Kendwa at 9 a.m. on a private traditional dhow for Mnemba’s clear water, coral reefs, colorful fish, and a seafood and chicken barbecue. You may spot dolphins on the way and can swim if conditions allow. Guides including Matthias, Mbwana, Yusef, and Musa have helped guests snorkel and made the day easy for families.

“This was 100% worth it! Never have I ever seen such beautiful beaches. What I liked about this was it was private, when you're on the water you'll see other boats crammed with people. The lunch was great, 10/10!”

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10.Super Zanzi, Nakupenda, Prison Island & Stone Town – Zanzibar

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 47 reviews · from $42

Spend about 10 hours combining Zanzibar’s best-known day stops. Sail by dhow to Nakupenda Sandbank for snorkeling and a Swahili seafood lunch, visit Prison Island and its giant tortoises, then walk through Stone Town with a guide. Pickup is optional, but a $23 cash fee for island and slave-market entry is extra.

“Ha sido INCREIBLE nuestros guias Adam y Malcom Los mejores!!! Nos han contado la historia de Prision Island y Stone Town muy detallada, se nota que sabian. Nos cierona buscar al Hotel la comid maravillosa, la langosta frente al mar en una isla pradisiaca. Ni un solo pero un 10”

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11.Prison Island and Nakupenda Sandbank

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 40 reviews · 6 hours · from $58

From Stone Town’s Forodhani meeting point, you’ll take a boat to Changuu Island, known as Prison Island, for ruins, peacocks, and giant Aldabra tortoises. Then spend four hours at Nakupenda Sandbank swimming, snorkeling, eating seafood, and enjoying tropical fruit. An English-speaking guide, equipment, drinks, and private boat transfer are included.

“L’activité était incroyable ! Notre guide était adorable et nous laissait le temps qu’il nous fallait pour visiter, apprécier le banc de sable et ses espèces de poissons (il y en a beaucoup surtout du côté où les bateaux s’amarrent), le repas servi était délicieux et bien cuisiné ! Merci encore”

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12.Private Stone Town, Nakupenda Beach and Prison Island Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 40 reviews · from $147

Spend 7 to 8 hours with guide Yasco exploring Stone Town’s old fort, slave market, cathedral, and Darajani Bazaar, then take a boat to Prison Island and Nakupenda Beach. The tour includes boat fare, lunch, shopping time, and private guiding for your group, with pickup offered.

“Yasco, our tour guide was absolutely amazing! Such a kind soul and truly made our experience an unforgettable one. He provided so much information about Zanzibar and its history. Traveling this far away from home with best friends can be Read more”

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13.Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 38 reviews · from $135

Spend about eight hours with a private guide, visiting Prison Island’s giant tortoises and historic buildings, snorkeling at Nakupenda sandbank, eating Swahili seafood, and touring Stone Town. Guides may include Amina, Ibrahim, Hassan, or Rahima. Hotel pickup, transport, boat trips, equipment, and lunch are included.

“Vi hade bästa guiden, Amina från mangotravel. Underbar och duktig tjej. Rekommenderas verkligen. Ovanligt med tjejer som guider.”

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14.Nakupenda Beach Day Tour in Zanzibar

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 38 reviews · from $98

Spend about eight hours visiting Prison Island and Nakupenda Beach from Zanzibar. Guide names include Juma and Alex. Expect hotel pickup, a boat ride, giant tortoises, snorkeling when sea conditions allow, a seafood lunch, fruit, drinks, and several hours on the sandbank.

“The History shared about the Prison Idland was amazing and the Tour Guide understood it and shared it very well.”

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15.Full-Day Blue Lagoon and Sandbank Boat Tour from Zanzibar ( Safari blue)

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 35 reviews · from $100

Spend about eight hours on a shared traditional dhow from Zanzibar, visiting Kwale Island, a sandbank, the Blue Lagoon, and Niamembe Island. You can snorkel, swim, see an ancient baobab, and eat a seafood lunch with fruit, soda, water, and local beer. Guides such as Abas, Amina, and Sunnia have earned praise for attentive help.

“The tour guide was hospitable but can't say the same with the Captain. He caused an unnecessary conflict between himself and the passengers by wanting to overload the boat with passengers from his fellow colleague.”

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