Zanzibar Stone Town Tour - Half Day Excursion

The Activities - the Zanzibar Stone Town Tour

Walking Through Narrow Streets

The Stone Town tour takes you to the old Zanzibar Stone Town where you can see and buy tropical fruits and spices. You will also feel the pulse of Zanzibar and hear different dialects being spoken by the people of the town at the market. From there the tour takes you to the Anglican Church of Christ built by Bishop Steers in 1874 on the site of old slave market.

Zanzibar Stone Town tour photo: A bird view of the old Zanzibar Stone Town.

While in town you will see a tiny and dingy room where slaves were kept before reaching the auction table in the old slave market. Then proceed to the National Museum of Zanzibar (opened 1925) to see many interesting relics from the time of the Sultans and the early Explores in Zanzibar.

Then the tour proceeds along the beach road up to Forodhani Gardens where you will see the Old British Consulate, the Arab Fort built in 1700, the House of Wonders built in 1883, National Museum, High Court Building, Old German Consulate, former English Club and the Old Harbor are among the topic of the tour.

A Visit to the Sultan Palace Museum

One of several royal palaces of Zanzibar. This served as the town house of the Busaidi Sultans, looking out across the harbour. Part of a palace complex was the main official residence within the Zanzibar Stone Town. The museum is furnished in what would have been typical nineteenth century style for members of the royal family. Sultan Said and some of his descendants lie buried in this palace graveyard.

A Visit to the Peace Memorial Museum

Located in Stone Town on Creek Road near the intersection of Kuanda Road and designed by the same architect who designed the High Court (also located in Stone Town but not part or the Stone Town tour), J. H. Sinclair, the National Museum is home to many of Zanzibar's memorabilia including, most notably, Livingstone's medical chest. Also on display are a piece of Zanzibar's (and East Africa's first) railroad, and an old, palm oil-powered bicycle lamp.

For history buffs the tour is a great way to read up on Zanzibar's history as it relates to everything from Zanzibar slavery, the royal families, Zanzibar coins, Zanzibar stamps, Zanzibar local crafts, trade and the many and varied colonial years. Next door to the museum is a small Natural History museum that includes some stuffed and jarred specimens along with a few bones. The only live specimens are the large land tortoises that live outside in a large cage.

However, these are found in Prison Island on our Prison Island tour, not in Stone Town.

Zanzibar Stone Town Tour Rates

Standard Option from

USD 35 p.p.

in a Group of 6 or more. Price increases as the # of people lowers!

This Price Includes

• Excursion fee
• Entrance fees
• Return transport within Stone Town
• A 500mL bottle of water

Budget Option from

USD 25 p.p.

sharing with a different group.

This Price Includes

• Excursion fee
• Entrance fees
• Return transport within Stone Town
• A 500mL bottle of water