Tanzania · PRISON ISLAND TOURS

The 15 Best Prison Island Tours

40 tours  ·  from $35 a head

Changuu is a twenty-minute boat ride off Stone Town, with giant tortoises, a ruined quarantine station and snorkelling off the jetty. These 15 compare the standalone trips with the combined sandbank and spice-farm days, priced per head.

Zanzibar: Stone Town, Spice Tour, Prison Island with Lunch - Stone Town: coral-stone lanes and a difficult past
Lunch Experiences, Prison Island Tours, Spice Farm Tours, Stone Town Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Zanzibar

Zanzibar: Stone Town, Spice Tour, Prison Island with Lunch

1.Stone Town, Spice Tour, Prison Island with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,219 reviews · 6 - 9 hours · from $68Our pick

You’ll walk Stone Town with a local guide, taste spices and tropical fruit at Jambo Spice Farm, enjoy a Swahili lunch, then boat to Prison Island to see giant Aldabra tortoises. Guides such as Hasan, Ibrahim, and Ussman are praised for clear storytelling. The day is busy, sunny, and best for active visitors.

“The spice tour was the best. You enjoy to see and hear about many details related to Zanzibar spices and nature. The Prison island and Stone town tours are ok, but not something fantastic. Lunch was simple but pretty god. All staff were welcoming and taking good care we enjoy the day. Our guide, Abdullah, shared many interesting details always checking if we are having good time or need anything. I would recommend this tour as a nice day in Zanzibar to learn many interesting facts about local culture.”

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Zanzibar: Prison Island and Nakupenda Boat Trip with Lunch - Prison Island’s cells and Aldabra tortoises
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Zanzibar: Prison Island and Nakupenda Boat Trip with Lunch

2.Prison Island and Nakupenda Boat Trip with Lunch

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

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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Zanzibar: Prison Island, Stone Town, & Spice Farm Tour - The morning pickup and road to the coast
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Zanzibar: Prison Island, Stone Town, & Spice Farm Tour

3.Prison Island, Stone Town, & Spice Farm Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 579 reviews · 8 hours · from $70

Spend about eight hours exploring Zanzibar with hotel pickup, an English-speaking guide, boat transport, Stone Town walks, Prison Island’s giant tortoises, and a spice farm visit with lunch. Guides such as Abdul and Isaac are praised for clear explanations, while the main caution is a late lunch and long hours in the sun.

“Der Guide Samiri was a very nice guy. All in all it was worth it.”

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Zanzibar: Prison Island & Nakupenda Boat Tour with BBQ Lunch - Prison Island’s tortoises and colonial ruins
BBQ, Cruises & Boat Tours, Lunch Experiences, Nakupenda Sandbank Trips, Prison Island Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Zanzibar

Zanzibar: Prison Island & Nakupenda Boat Tour with BBQ Lunch

4.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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Zanzibar; Prison Island, Nakupenda, StoneTown Tour with BBQ - Getting to Stone Town and finding the boat
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Zanzibar; Prison Island, Nakupenda, StoneTown Tour with BBQ

5.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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Zanzibar: Stone Town, Spice Tour, Prison Island with Lunch - Stone Town: coral-stone lanes and a difficult past
Lunch Experiences, Prison Island Tours, Spice Farm Tours, Stone Town Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Zanzibar

Zanzibar: Stone Town, Spice tour & Prison Island with Lunch

6.Stone Town, Spice tour & Prison Island with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 453 reviews · 5 - 8 hours · from $55

Spend a full day moving from Zanzibar’s fragrant spice farms to historic Stone Town and Prison Island. You’ll taste Swahili food, meet giant tortoises, ride a boat, and learn from guides such as Fahad, Ali, Mazi, Haji, and Hasan. The $55 price includes transport, lunch, soft drinks, and most listed entrance costs, but check your exact option before booking.

“The trip included a visit to the Spice Farm, a tour around Stone Town, and Prison Island. It was absolutely beautiful and extremely enjoyable. Our tour guide, Fahad, made the experience fun, engaging, and full of interesting information. I highly recommend this tour everything was easy, well organized, and enjoyable.”

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Zanzibar: Prison Island & Nakupenda Sandbank Tour with Lunch - Prison Island and its enormous tortoises
Lunch Experiences, Nakupenda Sandbank Trips, Prison Island Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Zanzibar

Zanzibar: Prison Island & Nakupenda Sandbank Tour with Lunch

7.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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Full-Day Private Stone Town Spice Farm and Prison Island Tour - Stone Town, from old streets to present-day life
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Full-Day Private Stone Town +Spice Farm and Prison Island Tour

8.Full-Day Private Stone Town +Spice Farm and Prison Island Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 216 reviews · from $100

Spend about eight hours with a private guide exploring Stone Town, Prison Island, and Jambo Spice Farm. Expect hotel pickup, air-conditioned transport, a boat ride with snorkeling gear, giant tortoises, tropical fruit, and spices such as cloves, vanilla, cinnamon, and cardamom. Guides including Amina, Amira, Ibrahim, and Ali have earned strong praise, though service can vary.

“Amina [sp] was our guide and she was excellent. Very knowledgeable, very personable, and great company for the day. It was a full on day and definitely worthwhile.”

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Zanzibar: Prison Island and Nakupenda Sandbank With Lunch - The 1.5-hour hotel transfer to the coast
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Zanzibar: Prison Island and Nakupenda Sandbank With Lunch

9.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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Zanzibar: Mnemba Island, Prison Island and Salaam Cave Tour - Starting with Mnemba Atoll
Kuza Cave & Maalum Tours, Mnemba Island Trips, Prison Island Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Zanzibar

Zanzibar: Mnemba Island, Prison Island and Salaam Cave Tour

10.Mnemba Island, Prison Island and Salaam Cave Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 150 reviews · from $150

Spend a full day seeing Zanzibar by road and water. Your private guide and driver take you to Mnemba Atoll for dolphins, snorkeling and a sandbank, then to Prison Island and Salaam Cave for giant tortoises and sea turtles. The Rock Restaurant adds a memorable coastal stop, though lunch is extra. Guides include Abdallah, Regalo and Mohammed.

“Both our guide and driver were very welcoming, polite, happy and knowledgeable about not only the excursions but also the area in general and they were very forthcoming in informing us.”

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Prison Island: Private Half-Day Tour - Giant tortoises up close
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Prison Island: Private Half-Day Tour

11.Prison Island: Private Half-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 132 reviews · 3 hours · from $50

Take a private boat from Stone Town to Prison Island with a guide such as Mohammad, Musa, or Babu Tours and Safaris staff. Explore old prison buildings, hear the island's layered past, meet giant tortoises, and snorkel or swim in clear coastal water. The boat ride takes about 30 minutes each way.

“Overall, we had a great experience. We communicated with the company via WhatsApp and they were very responsive and helpful. Transportation was arranged for us through our booking. We reached out to Babu Tours and Safaris the day before via WhatsApp and exchanged information regarding our hotel, time of pick up, etc. Mohammed was our tour guide. He was very knowledgeable, kind, patient and took a lot of pride in sharing the history and culture with us. I asked many questions and he answered me with enthusiasm every time! Unfortunately, the weather was not great, but Mohammed did not let that dampen his spirit or ours! Very important to note:…”

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Spice Tour + Stone Town Tour + Prison Island - Stone Town begins at the Old Fort
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Spice Tour + Stone Town Tour + Prison Island

12.Spice Tour + Stone Town Tour + Prison Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 130 reviews · from $140

Spend 7 to 8 hours seeing Zanzibar’s major sights with a private guide. Walk Stone Town, learn about the slave trade, visit Jambo Spice Farm for fruit and a spiced lunch, then boat to Prison Island to see giant Aldabra tortoises. Guides such as Mady, Abkar, and Masoud are praised for patient, engaging explanations.

“Mady was an amazing tour guide! We had such a great time at all the activities. We got to taste the spices and fruits, had an amazing time exploring stone Town, learned so many facts about the slice trade and got to feed the tortoises in prison Read more”

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Stone Town: Stone Town and Prison Island Private Day Trip - Museums, forts, and the difficult story of slavery
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Stone Town: Stone Town and Prison Island Private Day Trip

13.Stone Town and Prison Island Private Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 104 reviews · 6 hours · from $90

Spend six hours with a guide such as Hamdu, Haji, or Hassan exploring Stone Town’s markets, monuments, slave museum, and Freddie Mercury’s former home before taking a boat to Prison Island. Expect a small group of up to 12, hotel pickup in Stone Town, time with giant tortoises, and a chance to swim.

“Could not have been better. Our guide (Haji?) was excellent, informative and gave us time to look at the different surroundings. Would recommend booking this excursion, had the best day!”

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Zanzibar: Stone Town Guided Tour with Prison Island - Prison Island’s old buildings and giant tortoises
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Zanzibar: Stone Town Guided Tour with Prison Island

14.Stone Town Guided Tour with Prison Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 103 reviews · 6 hours · from $90

Spend six hours with a guide such as Abu, Musa, or Abubakr, combining a Stone Town walking tour with a 30-minute speedboat ride to Prison Island. Expect coral-stone lanes, the former slave market, Old Fort, local markets, giant tortoises, peacocks, and time for snorkeling. Hotel pickup, entry fees, boats, and equipment are included.

“The tour went very well, the guide was very friendly and engaging.”

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Zanzibar: Nakupenda Sandbank and Prison Island Tour & Lunch - Prison Island’s cells and tortoise sanctuary
Lunch Experiences, Nakupenda Sandbank Trips, Prison Island Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Zanzibar

Zanzibar: Nakupenda Sandbank and Prison Island Tour & Lunch

15.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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New in Prison Island Tours

★ 4.3Prison Island, Nakupenda, Stone Town Trip with BBQFrom $4125 reviews
★ 4.7Half Day Trip on Nakupenda with Prison IslandFrom $5527 reviews
★ 5.0Nakupenda SandBank & Prison Island (Changuu Island)From $25026 reviews
★ 5.0Prison island toursFrom $12024 reviews
★ 4.5Full-day Prison Island, Nakupenda and Stone Town Tour with Lunch BuffetFrom $13626 reviews
★ 4.5Full-Day Private Stone Town Spice Farm and Prison Island TourFrom $10024 reviews
★ 4.5Full-day Prison Island and Nakupenda Sandbank with Lunch buffetFrom $14925 reviews
★ 4.4Prison Island With Nakupenda TourFrom $16023 reviews
★ 5.0Stone Town Tour + Prison Island Tour in Zanzibar with Pick UpFrom $13030 reviews
★ 5.0Unique private Stone Town tour & Prison Island tour in ZanzibarFrom $6028 reviews
★ 4.0Prison Island Half-Day Tour from ZanzibarFrom $9533 reviews
★ 5.0Full Day Holiday Package (Prison Island-Stone Town-Spice farm)From $14033 reviews
★ 3.5Super Zanzi, Nakupenda, Prison Island & Stone Town – ZanzibarFrom $4247 reviews
★ 5.0Private Stone Town, Nakupenda Beach and Prison Island TourFrom $14740 reviews
★ 4.0Stone Town and Prison Island from ZanzibarFrom $8543 reviews

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