15 Island Trips in Zanzibar, From Cheap to Splurge

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

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

Spend 6 to 9 hours exploring Zanzibar with a hotel pickup, English-speaking guide, spice farm visit, Swahili lunch, Stone Town walk, and boat trip to Prison Island. Guides such as Hassan, Ibrahim, and Ali are praised for clear storytelling, while the farm adds hands-on spice tasting and local food.

“We had a fantastic time exploring the Spice Farm, Stone Town, and Prison Island. The Spice Farm was fascinating — we learned so much about local spices and their uses. Stone Town was vibrant and full of history, with narrow streets and beautiful architecture to explore. Prison Island was a highlight, with its giant tortoises and stunning views Our guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and made the day smooth and enjoyable. Highly recommend this tour for anyone visiting Zanzibar!”

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2.Zanzibar: Prison Island and Nakupenda Boat Trip with Lunch

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

From Stone Town, you’ll cruise to Prison Island for its old cells and giant Aldabra tortoises, then continue to Nakupenda Sandbank for swimming, snorkeling, fresh seafood, and fruit. Guides including Milano, Abdul, Juma, and Sangi are praised for friendly service. Hotel pickup is available, and private groups can be arranged.

“The seafood lunch was really nice. Very authentic and we loved it. The boat trip was an experience it itself that I feel was worth the money. Seeing the tortoises was personally a highlight also. Very much recommend this trip!”

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3.Mnemba Island: Dolphin Swim & Snorkeling with Optional Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 591 reviews · 3.5 - 5 hours · from $21Best value

Set out from Muyuni Beach, or add hotel pickup, for a 3.5 to 5-hour trip with guides such as Khamis, Ali, or Ramadan. You will search for wild dolphins, snorkel among fish and coral near Mnemba, and pause for fruit, a sandbank, or optional Swahili lunch. Sea conditions and boat traffic can shape the day.

“Fortunately I had the chance to see and swim with dolphins. It was my first time meeting dolphins, and their faces were so pretty. The guides were nice and we enjoyed some fruit together. One thing to improve is that the shop was a bit hard to find since there were many stores, and at first I got confused. But overall, I had a wonderful experience with the dolphins ！”

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4.Zanzibar: Prison Island, Stone Town, & Spice Farm Tour

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

Spend about eight hours exploring Zanzibar by van, foot, and boat. Visit giant tortoises on Prison Island, walk Stone Town with an English-speaking guide such as Abdul or Isaac, then tour a spice farm with lunch and tastings. Hotel transfers, boat transport, and spice farm entry are included. Expect strong sun and a late lunch.

“The pick up from hotel went well and our guide Zaid did his best to make our trip as pleasant as possible 👍🏻 His German was really good, so even our parents with zero English understanding were able to enjoy the knowledge of stone town, prison island and the spice farm. What we all want you to know to improve for the whole tour is, that lunch time around 3.30 pm is much to late, we were all starving ;) Many thanks again and best regards!”

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5.Zanzibar: Prison Island & Nakupenda Boat Tour with BBQ Lunch

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

Sail from Stone Town to Prison Island with guides such as Salim or Bahama, see giant Aldabra tortoises and colonial ruins, then spend several hours at Nakupenda Sandbank swimming, snorkeling, and eating a fresh seafood barbecue. Expect a lively boat day, tide-dependent timing, and an extra $22 conservation and island fee.

“The trip combined the highlights in front of Zanzibar’s stone town and was well organized. The food was very yummy!”

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6.Zanzibar; 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 with a multilingual guide. See Aldabra giant tortoises, swim, try basic snorkeling, eat a seafood or chicken BBQ, and walk through Stone Town. Hotel pickup is optional, and guides such as Muhammad, Mohammed, Yasser, and Suliman are regularly praised for their care and local knowledge.

“We enjoyed the activity it was a very busy day. Shoutout to sulaimab he was great with helping us get on and off the boat, explaining details of stone town and providing food. Thank you”

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7.Zanzibar: 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 Stone Town’s carved doors and Old Fort, then cross by boat to Prison Island. Guides such as Fahad, Ali, Mazi, Haji, and Hassan explain local history, food, and customs. Lunch, soft drinks, transport, entrance fees on selected options, and hotel pickup are included.

“our guide Fahed was excellent, very infornative about the spice farm and the trip to Prison Island and around Stone Town. He spent a lot of time making sure we saw everyrhing. A very good day”

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8.Mnemba Island snorkeling and Swimming with Dolphin

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 412 reviews · from $55

Set out from Mama Mia Beach, Nungwi, or Kendwa at 8:30 AM with Captain Barnaba Excursions. Look for dolphins, snorkel Mnemba’s coral gardens, and stop at a sandbank if the tide allows. Guides including Hassan, Ludo, Ochu, and Barnaba provide gear, transfers, and help in the water. Groups are limited to eight.

“A great experience! We got to see many dolphins, and follow them underwater. The only hiccup was that we would at times be running behind them, which we imagine must not be very good for them. On the other hand, the snorkelling aroRead more”

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9.Zanzibar: Mnemba Island Dolphin and Snorkeling Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 352 reviews · 4.5 - 6 hours · from $40

From Nungwi or Muyuni, you’ll boat toward Mnemba Atoll to look for bottlenose and humpback dolphins, snorkel among reef fish, and stop in shallow water or on a sandbank for fresh fruit. Guides including Rasheed and Fozhill are praised for safety and care. Mnemba Island itself is private, so you view it from the water.

“Good half day out. Found dolphins, stopped at two different places to snorkel and stopped in shallow water for a swim and fresh fruit.”

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10.Zanzibar: Prison Island & Nakupenda Sandbank Tour with Lunch

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

Spend 6 to 9 hours cruising by small motorized dhow from Zanzibar to Prison Island and Nakupenda Sandbank. See Aldabra giant tortoises, snorkel with supplied gear, and eat a generous beach barbecue with seafood, fruit, drinks, and vegetarian choices. Guides such as Jeff, Milano, and Mulele are known for lively group hosting.

“The Nakuoenda Sandbank beach was the best part of the tour. The water was crystal clear, warm and really pleasant! The guides were really caring and supportive.”

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11.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 and driver visiting Stone Town, Changuu Prison Island, and Jambo Spice Farm. Expect historic buildings, giant tortoises, a boat ride with snorkeling gear, tropical fruit, and hands-on spice tasting. Guides such as Amina, Ameena, Ibrahim, and Ali have received especially warm praise, though service can vary.

“Amina was a wonderful guide, she was very patient and knowledgeable with all of our questions. The tours of all locations was a bit long for me as we did a 9 hour day and we ended before seeing everything scheduled. Amina found us a delightful restaurant for lunch and was constantly checking in with us to make sure we were looked after .”

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12.Zanzibar: Prison Island and Nakupenda Sandbank With Lunch

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

Join Milano, Sangi, or another multilingual guide for a full-day Zanzibar outing. You’ll visit Prison Island’s giant Aldabra tortoises, snorkel from the boat, then spend about four hours at Nakupenda Sandbank with a seafood barbecue, fruit, and soft drinks. Hotel pickup, boat transfers, and snorkeling gear are included.

“It was a really great trip. We had a tranfer from Nungwi to Stonetown (50km) in a Brand New car with a really nice driver and the Guide who we talked to us the whole way. It was really well organized. Everything was on time and we felt really good. The boatride was great. We sang songs and took a lot of cool pictures. The prison Island was great with all the big turtles and their tiny babies. On the Sandbank the Team Build up real quickly a sunshade with chairs and cold Drinks. Then we had some fun in the crystal clear water. The Food was freshly prepaired ba…”

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13.Matemwe: Mnemba Island Dolphin & Snorkeling Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 152 reviews · 4 - 5 hours · from $35

From Matemwe, you’ll sail toward Mnemba Island with a captain and English-speaking guide, stopping for dolphin watching, swimming, a sandbank visit, and snorkeling among coral and tropical fish. The crew supplies gear, life jackets, water, and fresh fruit. Guides such as Lava Lava, Nasor, Abdul, and Lil Nasr have earned warm praise for their care and good humor.

“It was such a lovely day and our guide Lava Lava was so great, as well as our driver! I went with my mom and little brother and we all enjoyed the day very much! The most crystal clear water we had seen! Thanks again!”

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14.Zanzibar: Mnemba Island, Prison Island and Salaam Cave Tour

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

Spend a full day exploring Zanzibar by road and boat with private pickup, a guide such as Abdallah or Mohammed, snorkeling at Mnemba Atoll, dolphin watching, Prison Island’s giant tortoises, and swimming with turtles at Salaam Cave. The Rock Restaurant and Paje Beach add scenic stops, but lunch is not included.

“It was a lovely day! Regalo, the guide, and Khalid, the driver have been fantastic the whole time and very professional. We had an intense and beautiful day in some of the most wonderful corners of Zanzibar. We first chased the dolphins, Regalo and the captain were so nice to spend as much as needed to ensure a wonderful view and swimming experience. Then we snorkled in Mnemba. Beautiful spot, wondrous colours. Then we moved to Salaam Cave to have a unique experience with sea turtles. God I'll never forget being surrounded by so many of them, what a blast! Then we visited Paje beach and The Rock and Regalo…”

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15.Stone Town: Stone Town and Prison Island Private Day Trip

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

Spend six hours with a small group exploring Stone Town’s narrow streets, markets, Arab Fort, National Museum, old slave market, Freddie Mercury’s house and Lloyd Mathew’s monument. Then cross to Prison Island for giant tortoises, swimming and beach time. Hotel pickup in Stone Town, entrance fees and a guide in four languages are included.

“Hamdu was the perfect guide. He is very polite social and has a lot of knowledge of Zanzibar history to share, and made my day very enjoyable. Very much recommended.”

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