Private Stone Town Cultural & Historical Walking Tour - Zanzibar

Recommended by 97% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Zanzibar, Tanzania

Popular pick

Booked 5+ times last week!

2 to 3 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.9

· Lynda_H ·

Oct 2025

Our guide, Ahmed, was a mine of info on the history of the town and showed us the main places of interest including the market, as well as many stories about Zanzibarian culture and customs, he even sang to us at one point! Ahmed’s tour was fun and gave us a perfect introduction to Stone Town and Zanzibar.

· Miriam_O ·

Oct 2025

Alpa is a great tour guide, very informative about the Town and island history. He took us to some great areas in the town, lovely old back streets, beautiful arbic and Indian doors original to the Towns. To a small secret local shop selling dry mango flavoured with Hisbiscus. Great tour

Overview

Embark on a journey through Stone Town's rich history with this walking tour that takes you to a variety of highlights. Discover Mj Mpongwe, the old part of Zanzibar City, brimming with stories from the original local people, Persians, Portuguese, and the Sultanate of Oman. Visit landmarks such as the House of Wonders, Old Fort, Freddy Mercury Museum, Foodchain Garden, Jaws Corner, Daraj ani Market, Anglican and Catholic churches, and even the former slave market site.

Explore the historical parts of Stone Town with a professional guide
Discover the history of the slave trade in East Africa and Stone Town
See the house where Freddie Mercury, the lead vocalist of Queen Band, lived
Visit Daraj ani Market, House of Wonders, Old Fort, and Catholic Church

What's Included

A professional & certified tour guide
Free pick up from any hotel located in a stone town area (But please send us a message in advance).

Personal spendings and souvenirs
Entrance fees of a Former slave market.
Tip for a guide at the end of the service.

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

House of Wonders
R5QQ+JR, Sokoku St, Zanzibar, Tanzania
When you come at the Forodhani garden, you will see the big and tall building is under construction, at the in front of that building you will see one big cannon. That is a tour meeting point (House of wonders).

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Stone Town

3 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers

No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
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

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.9

based on 203 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Excellent tour

Monica_W, Apr 2026

We booked day of and were delighted to have Alfa tours (our guide's name started with a K). He was knowledgeable, warm, and very accepting of our many questions.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Hi Monica, thank you so much for your kind review! 😊 I’m really happy you enjoyed the tour and felt comfortable asking questions — I always love sharing the history and stories of Stone Town. It was a pleasure guiding you around Zanzibar, and I truly appreciate your kind words. You’re most welcome again anytime. Karibu sana!

Amazing city tour

Mariia_M, Feb 2026

My guide Alfa had a deep knowledge of Zanzibar&Tanzania history! He explicitly answered all my questions, showed me all the cites one must see in the Stone town. I traveled alone and I was highly comfortable walking around the streets in his presence. I definitely recommend to book this tour as it covers all the necessary places; the information is given in a memorable and exciting manner, no dry boring facts. The whole tour was like living you favorite YouTube traveling-history video :) Thank you, Alfa, I would recommend the tour to my friends!

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Hi Mariia,, Thank you very much for your detailed and thoughtful review. We are delighted that Alfa was able to provide an engaging and informative experience, making you feel comfortable while exploring Stone Town. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we are thrilled to know the tour left such a positive and memorable impression. We look forward to welcoming you and your friends on future tours of Zanzibar and Tanzania.

Alfa is the best

annie, Feb 2026

Alfa provides an excellent history tour of old town Zanzibar. He is intelligent, compassionate about his country and a great tour guide. I highly recommend Alfa Tours and Safari.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Hi Annie, thank you so much for your kind words. We are delighted to hear that Alfa made your tour of Zanzibar both insightful and enjoyable. Your recommendation is greatly appreciated, and we look forward to welcoming you on future tours.

Professor Rashid was fantastic

Albert_S, Feb 2026

We were told that the original guide had had a motorcycle accident the day before and we would have Rashid instead. His knowledge was fantastic and we were able to cover the sights of Stone Town very efficiently and in a fun manner. Not sure if he really is a professor, but we were highly impressed. (The motorcyclist is gonna have a hard time getting his job back!) We had done Mombasa the day before so it was interesting to compare and contrast the two cities both from a city and a tour perspective.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Hi Albert, thank you so much for your lovely review and for your understanding about the last-minute change. We’re very happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour of Stone Town and that Rashid made it both informative and fun — we will definitely let our “Professor” know how impressed you were 😊 And don’t worry, our original guide is recovering well and will have to work hard to compete with Rashid’s performance!😊 We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you again with Alfa Tours and Safaris in the future.

A wealth of information

Deborah_F, Dec 2025

Very comprehensive history lesson and tour of Stone Town. Alfa was excellent. Extremely accommodating with the rain.

Response from Host, Dec 2025

Hi Deborah, thank you so much for leaving us a wonderful review. Please stay safe and hope to meet you again!.

Great intro to Stone Town and Zanzibar

Lynda_H, Oct 2025

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Hi Lynda, thank you so much for your great review after booking the tour with us. Please stay safe and hope to see you again! Welcome back !

Very enjoyable and informative city tour

Miriam_O, Oct 2025

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Hi Miriam, thank you so much for your Great review, it’s always my pleasure to make sure my clients meet their expectations. I highly appreciate it, please stay safe and hope to see you again!

Wonderful Stone Town Tour.

Bruce_R, Sep 2025

Alta was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot about the city and the island. We Recommended highly!

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Hi Bruce, thank you so much for the great reviews, please stay safe and hope to see you again!.

Great tour experience!

Nidhi_S, Sep 2025

Alfa is super detailed, clear & enthusiastic in sharing about the history & present of Stone Town. We also loved that he was flexible & answered many questions.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Hi Nidhi, thank you so much for your great review, please stay safe and you are mostly welcome 🙏

We were fortunate enough...

Lia_S, Sep 2025

We were fortunate enough to have Alfa as our tour guide. He is a very knowledgeable guide and we had an interesting tour with him, would definitely recommend :)

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Hi Lia, Thank you so much for leaving us a good review after booking the tour and experience the stone town historical walking tour with us. It is always our priority to make sure our clients have the memorable experience and it was an absolute pleasure to have personally been able to take you around the city and I’m pleased to understand that you found the experience interested you. Thank you so much again. Please stay safe and welcome back.

Very Interesting tour. Highly recommended

Laura_D, Sep 2025

We booked this tour as we wanted to find out more about the history of Stone Town and it didn't disappoint. Our guide (Alfa) was really kind and agreed to come to meet us outside our hotel. He then took us around the city and told us a lot about the history of Stone Town and Zanzibar. It was a very interesting tour and we would definitely recommend it to other travellers.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Hi Laura, Thank you so much for leaving us a good review after booking the tour and experience the stone town historical walking tour with us. It is always our priority to make sure our clients have the memorable experience and it was an absolute pleasure to have personally been able to take you on stone town city and I’m pleased to understand that you found the experience interested you. Thank you so much once again. Best regards: Alfa Zanzibar Tours & Safaris

Great Tour!

Lori_P, Aug 2025

Khalfan was our guide and he was great! He took us to so many places we would not have seen otherwise. My husband needed a pharmacy and Khalfan found one for us. He was very nice and we had such a good time, highly recommend!

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Hi Lory, thank you so much for your great review, please stay safe and hope to see you again!.

Good tour in Old Town

Franco_G, Jun 2025

the guide was really nice, he resolved all of our doubts and questions, the tour lasted 2 hours so was enough to have a better understanding of Zanzibar and Tanzania. We would have liked a little bit of more information about nowadays. We selected 4stars because is expansive for this region.

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Hi Franco, thank you so much for your review, please stay safe and hope to see again.

Excellent tour, very knowledgeable!!

Chelsea_B, Mar 2025

Our guide was very knowledgeable and was able to teach us so much about the Old Stone Town! We would highly recommend him!!

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Hi Chelsea, thank you so much for your great review, please stay safe and hope to see you again.

Perfect Stone Town Tour

5twqxkr8dj, Oct 2024

Amazing tour that will provide you with the highlights of Stone Town. Alfan, our guide, was knowledgeable and explained everything clearly and answered all of our questions. He even made sure we met up with our ride back to the hotel before leaving us at the end of the tour. I highly recommend Alan and this tour.

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Hi Carrey, thank you so much for your great review. It’s my pleasure to make sure all my clients meet their expectations. Not only the tour we provide the tour but also the hospitality. Always you are warmly welcome.

Perfect 1st day in Zanzibar

Maureen_S, Sep 2024

We had an amazing experience with Alpha Tours on the Stone Town Historical Walking Tour! Our guide, Alpha, was incredibly informative and helped us gain a deep understanding of Zanzibar's rich history and diverse cultures. His extensive knowledge of the area brought the historical sites to life, and we walked away with a much greater appreciation for Zanzibar’s unique heritage. Alpha’s passion for sharing his knowledge made the tour engaging and insightful. We highly recommend Alpha Tours for anyone looking to explore Stone Town and learn more about the fascinating history of Zanzibar.

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Hi Maureen, thank you so much for your great review and recommendations. We highly appreciate your contribution. Please stay safe and always you are welcomed.

Great private tour, good for families too.

Peter_H, Sep 2024

Great private walking tour of Stone Town. Our guide, Rabik, was excellent. He managed to keep my two kids, ages 7 and 12, engaged and entertained for 3+ hours. He paced the tour appropriately for kids and he made it interesting for them as well as for me. He offered historical insights and really helped us get to know Stone Town in a way that wouldn’t be possible without a local expert. Would highly recommend this tour, and Rabik!

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Hi Peter, thank you so much for your great review. Please stay safe and see you again.

Nice afternoon in town

Maryam_A, Jun 2024

I had a great experience taking this tour! Alpha is a very knowledgable guide who knows a lot about the history of the town and will take you to the top highlights. He has a nice narrative and answered all my questions 😊

Response from Host, Jun 2024

Hi Maryam, thank you so much for your wonderful review, please stay safe and hope to meet you again.

Fantastic way to see and learn about Stone Town!

Kathryn_S, Jun 2024

Alfa was a wonderful guide who answered all our questions! He is an history expert and the tour was very personalized and informative. Mahalo Alfa!

Response from Host, Jun 2024

Hi Kathryn, thank you so much for your great review, please stay safe and see you again.

Badly organised and poor service

Paul_C, May 2024

Booked this for three friends as it had good ratings. The booking link gave a google map location inside a closed construction site. We didn’t have a number so we walked around for 30 minutes and eventually worked out that the meeting point was a different location in front of the construction site. Another guide said he could run a tour for uson behalf of the operator so we agreed. He was very nice but his English caused some confusion over dates and events in history. The tour was shorter than advertised at 1.5 hours. We asked for a 50% discount which was refused by the operator and Viator couldn’t help any further. It was almost £50 for a disappointing tour - you could just buy a lonely planet guide and do it yourself.

Response from Host, May 2024

Hi Paul, thank you for your review, sorry for any confusion you got it’s not our intention. the location is really under construction but it’s still in a Google map and as long as it’s in a Google map and you can find it. My location doesn’t tell you to come inside the construction Building NO. I think the thing you were supposed to do is to reach to the tour meeting point (HOUSE OF WONDERS) regardless how it’s ( under construction or not ) because it’s a safe place although it’s under construction. And I pointed this place as a tour meeting point because the house of wonders it’s one of the most famous historical building in a stone town and Zanzibar generally and mostly native people in a stone town know it and also it’s infront of the famous place and road in a stone town (FORODANI GROUND and MIZINGANI ROAD). So it will be very easy to reach to the meeting point if not by means of a Google map then you will reach by means of asking native people because it’s in a good location and very famous historical building. About the guide it’s really you got the replacement guide and this is because the operator and all the operator’s guides (company guides) were so busy with other staffs to do that’s why the operator had to find the replacement guide for you but still the guide was good and trusted man by the operator because it’s not the first time to host our clients and many came with good feedbacks. I don’t know how he conducted the tour in that day but I can say he is one of a good guide in a stone town. Before touching the guide also you should tell us about your negative feelings to the guide and the tour generally because the guide brought the negative feedback of you to us because you were out of the mood during the tour, and when a tour guide speaks to you, you were chatting and make some talking between you. Shortly you didn’t pay any attention of the tour and him, May be it was a reason why the tour was too short because you ignored him. It’s really the guide cannot speak a strong English like you can And I think it’s because of your accent. He is not an English man he is a Swahili man who learned English. So there is different between native speakers and learned speakers But I’m so sorry for what happened Mr Paul. It’s my hope it will not happen again.

Enjoyable!

Laura_G, Mar 2024

Great tour! Alfa was very helpful, thoughtful, and knowledgeable about the history of Stone Town. He was so friendly with us, and made our experience in Zanzibar very memorable. Highly recommend!

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Hi Laura, thank you so much for your great review. Please stay safe and see you again.

Better than expected

Christine_K, Jan 2024

I enjoyed my tour with Alpha which turned out to be private and was customised to my interests. Alpha has great knowledge of the Island's history and was able to answer my numerous questions. He took me around through alley ways allowing me to experience the towns history and day to day life and was kind enough to take some pictures . Highly recommend

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Hi Christine, thank you so much for your wonderful review. Please stay safe and see you again.

Stone Town Walking Tour

Nigel_D, Jan 2024

Sultan is a highly likeable, knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide who went out of his way to help. We spent a lot of time in the old town just checking out the amazing carved wooden doors. As the House of Wonders is basically falling apart, we went up to the Swahili House hotel which has many of the same features. Forodhani Park, Karajani Market and Freddy Mercury's birth house were also on the list.

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Hi Nigel, thank you so much for your great review. It’s our happiness to see one of our guides (Sultan) does something remarkable for our dear clients.Please stay safe and see you again.

Awesome guide who gave us a memorable stay

Robert_B, Dec 2023

I travelled with my wife and had a very good time with Khalfan (Alfa tours) as our tour guide throughout the entire stay in Zanzibar. He is a very good guide with full knowledge of the Island, the icing on the cake is his patience and letting you soak in and enjoy the island of Zanzibar. He also ensured that as much as we were enjoying, we stayed safe. It was the best experience we had with him. I would recommend not only the Stone Town Historical Walking Tour but for other Zanzibar Island excursions too.

Response from Host, Dec 2023

Hi Robert , thank you so much for your great review, I really appreciate a good time together in Zanzibar please stay safe and see you again my friend.

excellent guide

Howard, Dec 2023

guide was very helpful, telling us history of all locations and advising us on purchase of souvenirs.

Response from Host, Dec 2023

Hi Howard, thank you so much for your great review. It’s our pleasure to help our clients. Please stay safe and see you again.

No fear to plan solo trip in Stone town!

Hanna_Z, Nov 2023

The kindness of the guide was great - he had lent me even his own 5 dollar for an entrance ticket before I managed to change the money!

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Hi Hanna, thank you so much for your great review. It is always my pleasure to help my clients when need. I highly appreciat that please stay safe and see you again.

Super experience

PetraRemijn, Nov 2023

Super experience! I did learn a lot about the city. And all request are possible. Alfa is a really good guide!

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Hi Petra. Thank you so much for your great review. I really appreciate it. Please stay safe and see you again.

Highly recommended

KRISTINA_S, Oct 2023

The tour guide Alfa was very good,was very nice to walk with him and listen stories about Stone Town

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Hello Kristina. Thank you so much for your great review. Hope to see more again.

Stone town walking tour

Monique_G, Jul 2023

We had a knowledgeable tour guide and a great experience of the local markets. We tried Jack fruit and saw the Fish markets

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Hi Monique, Thank you so much for your great review. Always we like to see our clients are happy with our services.

Amazing guide- you have to book with Alfa!

Peris_M, Jul 2023

Khalfan was amazing, he showed a lot of patience showing us around Stone Town. He was welcoming and kind, extremely professional and helpful with useful guides, allowing us to stop for photos and shopping souvenirs as we wished. He even offered to take us to Prison island after at a great price! I highly recommend this tour for a great introduction to Zanzibar!

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Hi Peris, Thank you so much for your great feedback. Always customer satisfaction and showing the smile face are my best priorities. Hope to see you again!welcomed.