Full Day NAKUPENDA SANDBANK and STONE TOWN ( Lunch included )
Recommended by 97% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Zanzibar City, Tanzania
- 4 to 5 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
An immersive experience in Zanzibar, this tour brings you to see the wonders of Stone Town, including a spice tour and a visit to Prison Island. Journey through Zanzibar's fascinating history, from its colonization to landmarks like the old slave market, Daraj ani market, and the House of Wonder. Marvel at the aromatic spices grown on local plantations, visit Prison Island to encounter giant tortoises and delve into its historical past, and enjoy a delicious lunch at a Swahili restaurant.
- Visit a spice farm filled with spices, like cinnamon, ginger, lemon grass
- See the giant sea tortoises that inhabit the Prison Island area
- Enjoy a tasty traditional lunch at a Swahili restaurant in Stone Town
- Spot the House of Wonder, Old Fort, Tipu House, and Freddy Museum
What's Included
- LunchDelicious Sea Food & Vegetarian Lunch will be given at Nakupenda Sandbank, including different tropical fruits with cool drinks.
- Entrance fee - Both Nakupenda Sandbank and Stone Town
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Tips to our guide
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
Pick up start at 08:00 am after breakfast from their hotel, this base on - for those clients who live from east, south and north of Zanzibar, and for those who live in stone town ( west ), pick up will be at 09:00 am however kindly advised to choose morning excursion to get lunch free at Nakupenda Sandbank together with cool drinks
Itinerary
1
Nakupenda Island - The Paradise Island
3 hours • Admission Ticket Included
2
Stone Town
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 60 reviews
Heather_R, Jul 2025
Service of our guide was great! Knowledgeable about the spice farm was great, and invaluable in Stone Town.
However. DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THE DESCRIPTION! We went to the spice farm, then into town, but there was NO WAY we would’ve had time to go out to Prison Island. But the price included the admission AND a water taxi! For my party of 5, that was $105 we paid for something the tour operator never did with us. I reached out to the tour operator AND Viator, for a refund of that portion, and crickets.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Dear Heather.
Thank you very much for opening up to us. We were happy to host you and do our best for you and your family.
We do not to do anything stupidity to our beloved clients. The Tour was planned well for you as it explained. Everything was well prepared and reserved for you and more importantly, we always do our tour as descriptions say to all of our customers.
First and foremost, late show up. The guide arrived at the hotel in time 09:20am as you planned to be picked up at 09:30am and instead you left hotel at 10. So with your itinerary, everything you gave to our guide couldn’t able to finish the tour as you wished.
Secondly : You didn’t not inform us about hurrying to the airport at 2pm. Honesty speaking this is our first experience we ever received since we established our company by not being informed by clients same situation, you had to fill all details in a special requirements to alert us on how your itinerary needed to be tailored, however the tour descriptions say 4 hours Maximum excluding driving time to 3 different spots.
Finally: it’s 100% right for what you paid, we booked all tickets for you, private boat to Prison island for you, and reserved Swahili food for you in Stone Town, we were able to continue the itinerary till the end of excursion, but unfortunately the Tour had to end because of your appointment and this situation was not in our side so it was very hard for us to refund the services.
Kindly regards
Russell_E, Feb 2025
We visited Stone Town, Prison Island and Jambo Spice Farm with our guide Abu. He was very informative and a great guide to show us around. His knowledge of the history of Prison Island in particular was excellent and we had a really fun time.
Response from Host, Feb 2025
Thank you very much for booking us
Andri_J, Jan 2025
I really enjoyed this combo of experiences. We saw all the must-see items and were given enough space to enjoy shops if we wanted to. The food was amazing and the guide was super informative about everything we saw. 100% recommend to others!
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Thank you very much for booking us, hopefully we will get time seeing you again
Hania_B, Dec 2024
Good tour with Abu! We saw Prison Island and Stone Town. The tour states a Spice Farm visit is included, but our guide said they changed this and it’s no longer included. Other than that, everything else was great.
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Thank you very much and apologies for the inconvenience caused, this is because our tour changed from Spice farm to Spice Market to avoid confusion with clients by doing same thing at one place together with long drive.
Again thank you very much for this
Tenaja_M, Jul 2024
Abu was so kind and accommodating. He ensured that we saw everything we wanted and within our time constraints. He was very informative and also personable. We really enjoyed our tour. We had no idea a water taxi was a speed boat thrill ride. We loved it.
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Thank you very much and hope to see you again in here
Rebecca_S, Jun 2024
Abuu, our guide was friendly and knowledgeable, and he adjusted things as we went based on what we wanted to do. The visit to Prison Island was short and felt a bit rushed, but it was a highlight. Abuu knew a lot about the history of StoneTown, so we really enjoyed learning from him and lunch was delicious. We had a different guide at the spice farm, and while our visit was great and very informational, there were parts that felt like they were just seeking money. A huge bonus was that this tour included a ride to and from our hotel (which was a long way!).
Response from Host, Jun 2024
Thank you very much
Kim_P, Apr 2024
Abu and his driver provided a wonderful tour for us. Abu is knowledgeable and very proud of his country and was excited to share it with us. He was very accommodating and tailored the tour to our needs. We had a wonderful Swahili lunch even though Abu could not eat because of Ramadan. He arranged a driver for us to take us to dinner at night. We very much enjoyed our tour with Abu.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you very much Mr Kim for choosing us and spending time with. My team and I had amazing time in fact and can’t wait to see you again
david_p, Mar 2024
Abu was a friendly and informative guide. The tour will benefit from the reopening of the museum. The lunch of assorted carbohydrates was not for the gastronome I am sure there more interesting forms of Swahili food
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you so much for spending time with us Mr David. Hope to see you again when everything is sorted okay in Stone town and I believe will be insane and feeding lots of history
Pedro_C, Jan 2024
My wife and I enjoyed our day visit to Zanzibar. This tour of the Maganga Spice Farm, Stone Town and Prison Island provided an eclectic overview of the island, its history and people. Abu, our tour guide, was engaging, knowledgeable and personable. He provided excellent information and patiently answered our questions. We would recommend the tour.
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Thank you very Sir for trusting us. It was great honor serving you in here
Melva_M, Jan 2024
I requested Abuu as my tour guide because he received such positive reviews. I was looking forward to spending the day with him and enjoying this tour. Unfortunately, it began storming while I was at the spice farm and it rained for a long time. This significantly impacted my time on this tour.
Once I arrived at the meeting place to meet Abuu, we grabbed umbrellas and I was able to see some of Stone Town. I enjoyed walking through the narrow streets with him and learning the history and watching people interact with me and each other.
I was not able to go to Prison Island to see the tortoises, which was a huge disappointment, but beyond our control. I didn't have lunch in Stone Town either, due, I'm assuming, to the rain. The spice tour was okay but was the part of the tour I was least excited about.
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Thank you very much for having short good time with our beloved guide Abu and short experience with him either.
We Marab Tours & Safari apologized for unavoidable reasons caused by storm since it was huge disaster to allow you go to Prison with that whether and regarding the water Taxi is not huge for that storm
We hope will meet you again and experience things with us, i hope Abu will give you unforgettable experiences and huge memories as you wished
Thank you for once again
Hugh_R, Jan 2024
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.
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Thank you very much for getting experience with us - We are happy to hear your guide Abu was perfect
Deanna_M, Jan 2024
I highly recommend this tour. Abu was such an amazing guide! So knowledgeable and kind with a great sense of humor. Traveling alone, safety is a big concern for me but I felt so well taken care of every step of the way. Lunch at the local restaurant gave me the chance to try some new delicious foods I probably wouldn't have discovered on my own. Overall, it was a fun day and a great way to see some highlights of Zanzibar.
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Thank you very much for having such amazing experience with our beloved guide Abu - We Marab Tours & Safari welcome you again to book trips with us
Vincent_G, Jan 2024
It was good to see spices in their raw form, how is grown, harvested, and tastes befit hitting the store shelves
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Thank you very much, we appreciate your support tons
Melissa_A, Jan 2024
This tour included everything that we would want to see on Zanzibar and was very well organized to make the most efficient use of our time. Our guide, Abu, was knowledgeable and well prepared and even brought us to the airport at the end. I highly recommend this tour!
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Thank you very much for choosing us, my team and I appreciate lots for your kindness as well
Markeisha_G, Dec 2023
This tour was an amazing experience! My tour guide, Abu, who happens to be the owner was very knowledgeable, attentive, and just all around fun! I felt very safe with him as this tour was experienced solo. Prison island, the spice tour, and the delicious local Swahili lunch were my top three favorites! Also, shouts out to the awesome assistant whom also was an excellent guide with great sense of humor!
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Thank you very much Markeisha - I also had amazing time with you during your stay In Zanzibar
Hope to see you soon
Demetrius_V, Dec 2023
My tour guide Abu went out his way to meet me at the ferry once I arrived from Dar Es Salaam. He then guide me on a solo tour throughout Zanzibar. We started at a Spice Farm, took a boat to Prison Island and ended up walking around Zanzibar before heading to a local spot for lunch. Overall it was a very impressive tour condensed so I could see everything before the last ferry leaves. I would highly recommend and they suit the tour based on the customer which I appreciate.
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Thank you very much for choosing us, We wish you the best in life
Vicki_O, Nov 2023
Abu was an excellent guide. He was friendly and very knowledgeable. We loved the Spice farm and all the variety of spices growing in Zanzibar. Thank You Abu.
Response from Host, Nov 2023
Thank for so much for trusting us
Tori_G, Oct 2023
Book this tour!!! We had a short stay in Zanzibar and this was definitely the highlight of our trip. Our guide was on time, extremely friendly and knowledgeable, answering the million questions that we asked, and made us feel like a friend! We got picked up and dropped off from Riu Jambo in Nungwi smoothly and enjoyed the rest of the day. Our favorite part was sitting down with our guide at the end for a snack (we booked a later tour than lunch) and just chatted! I would recommend this trip to anyone visiting Zanzibar.
Response from Host, Oct 2023
Thank you very much for choosing us
Chika_A, Sep 2023
The excursion was a wonderful experience. Our tour guide Abu was extremely knowledgeable and customized the trip to our needs. We were picked up from our resort in and extremely comfortable van. When we arrived at the spice farm we were met by a local worker that showed us around and let us sample the fresh spices. We even got to see coconut climb. The boat ride to prison island was my favorite part. It was about a 15 min journey, but completely worth it. At the end we eat lunch in the local market. It had a large array of tasty food you can choose from. Definitely recommend tour to anyone looking for an adventurous, cultural, and educational experience.
Response from Host, Sep 2023
Thank you so much and thank you lots for having good time together
Letlotlo_M, Jul 2023
Really great experience walking around stone town and learning about the town. Enjoyed learning about the spices too
Rebecca_S, Feb 2024
1 Stern für die Fahrt vom und zum Hotel.
1 Stern für die Spice Farm.
Wir wurden pünktlich ahgeholt. Die Prison Island ist eine Touristenhochburg. HORROR. Die Schildkröten werden überhaupt nicht artengerecht gehalten. Uns wurde es wähend der Tour durch die Steinstadt zu warm. Deshalb haben wir um 11.45 gebeten das Mittagessen vorzuverschieben. Wie in der Buchungsbestätigung beschrieben ist Lunch ab 12 Uhr. Leider wurde uns dann gesagt, dass Mittagessen erst ab 12.45/13.00 möglich ist. Wir haben dann gesagt, dass wir dies überspringen. Anschliessend habe ich den Organiser gebeten und den Lunch zurückzuerstatten, da 330 USD ohne Lunch und ohne Getränk doch sehr teuer ist. Dieser stellt sich quer und behauptet das sei nicht möglich und wir könnten das Mittagessen an einem anderen Tag durchführen. Für diesen Preis verlangen wir eine gewisse Flexibilität in den vom dem Organisator genannten Zeiten. Komplette Geldverschwendung!
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Liebe Rebecca, vielen Dank, dass Sie Ihre Kommentare zur Reise geschrieben haben. Ich bin Abu, der am 9. Februar 2024 Ihr Reiseleiter war. Ich bin der Einzige, der weiß, was bei dieser Reise passiert ist, daher nehme ich mir die Zeit, auf Ihre Kommentare zu antworten. Ehrlich gesagt wünsche ich mir nicht, dass dies unseren geliebten Kunden passiert, die diese Reise erleben möchten. Wenn Sie sich Sorgen um das Mittagessen gemacht haben, lautet unsere Richtlinie für das Mittagessen: „Das Mittagessen findet zwischen 12:00 und 14:00 Uhr statt.“ Aufgrund Ihrer schnellen Absage war es daher schwierig, das Mittagessen nach Ihren Wünschen zuzubereiten, und wir entschuldigen uns für dieses unerwartete Erlebnis. Darüber hinaus handelt es sich um ein zuverlässiges Unternehmen, und wir halten uns gegenüber allen an unsere Richtlinien. Daher war es wirklich unmöglich, Ihnen das Mittagessen zu erstatten. Zum Glück haben wir Ihnen verschiedene Möglichkeiten gegeben, um es Ihnen klar zu machen, aber Sie vernachlässigen es. Nochmals vielen Dank und wir entschuldigen uns für etwaige Unannehmlichkeiten
Elodie_L, May 2023
Abu a été un excellent. Très sympathique et à l écoute de nos envies. Il nous a fait découvrir la beauté de l'île et des spécialités culinaires. Je recommande ce tour.
Response from Host, May 2023
Merci beaucoup d'être avec nous, j'espère vous revoir bientôt
From $163.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Full Day NAKUPENDA SANDBANK and STONE TOWN ( Lunch included )
60
5 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$163.00
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Explore Similar Things to Do
- Shore Excursions
- Extreme Sports
- Full-day Tours
- Bus Tours
- Day Trips
- Outdoor Activities
- Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises
- Private Sightseeing Tours
- Zanzibar City
- Shore Excursions - Kizimkazi
- Full-day Tours - Kizimkazi
- Bus Tours - Kizimkazi
- Shore Excursions - Dar es Salaam
- Extreme Sports - Dar es Salaam
- Full-day Tours - Dar es Salaam
- Bus Tours - Dar es Salaam
- Shore Excursions - Diani Beach
- Extreme Sports - Diani Beach
- Full-day Tours - Diani Beach
- Bus Tours - Diani Beach
Attractions in Zanzibar City, Tanzania
More attractions near Zanzibar City, Tanzania