Stone Town, Prison Island, Nakupenda With Snorkelling &Lunch

This was a great experience that I had. The guy tour that I had I believe his name was Sultan was great. From walking me around Stonetown and giving me the history of it to taking me to prison Island, where we saw ginormous tortoises, and I finally to our island to where we were able to sparkle. He knew the history he knew everything about prison Island. It was a great experience and I would recommend this towards anybody.

Very nice tour. Good to see the large turtles on the Island. Tour of Stone Town was nice. Nakupenda was nice.

Our driver was Muhammad very nice guy but very quiet. Our tour guide was brilliant he was very informative and always making sure we were OK. The food was beautiful and tasty. A trip well worth doing to understand the country

We booked a relatively expensive tour with Wise Tours to visit Prison Island and Nakupenda Island. We did not mind paying a premium price if the experience justified it, but unfortunately we were disappointed. From the beginning, the owner seemed reluctant to provide transportation for parts of Stone Town. We understand that Stone Town is primarily explored on foot, but there are still distances where transportation would have made the tour more comfortable. By far the worst part of the day was the boat ride from Prison Island to Nakupenda Island. The sea was very rough and choppy, yet we were taken in a small, open boat with very little protection from the water. For approximately half an hour, seawater repeatedly splashed directly into our faces and we became completely soaked. We found the experience extremely uncomfortable and quite frightening. I became very unwell afterwards and vomited after lunch. For the price charged for this tour, we felt that a safer and more comfortable boat should have been provided, particularly given the sea conditions that day. This part of the excursion was genuinely distressing and significantly affected our enjoyment of the entire tour. To be fair, our tour guide was pleasant, attentive and tried very hard to show us as much as possible. He also appeared genuinely concerned when he saw how unwell we had become. The remainder of the tour was satisfactory, but the boat experience overshadowed the day. I would especially caution older travellers, people prone to seasickness, or anyone with medical or mobility concerns to ask Wise Tours in advance exactly what type of boat will be used and what the sea conditions are expected to be. Unfortunately, based on our experience, we would not choose Wise Tours again for this particular excursion.

This tour was amazing and our guide Suta was super helpful! He explained things very well, always made sure we understood, and had a great attitude. We started at Prison Island, then Nakupenda, then Stone Town. The fresh cooked lunch on Nakupenda was also amazing! I would definitely recommend this tour and Suta as a guide.

The experience was excellent. Our tour guide was named Decko. He took us on a great tour of Stone Town and taught us about the history of Zanzibar. This was followed by a trip to Prison Island to see some giant tortoises. One of them was over 200 years old. The final stage of the trip was the Nakupenda sand bar. We did some snorkeling and then Decko and his crew prepared an excellent lunch with fresh local seafood, tropical fruits, and beverages.

This was a great way to spend the day! Our guide, Decko, provided wonderful local insights and interesting historical information during the walking tour of Stone town. He also frequently checked in with us and addressed any needs or questions that came up along the way. Nakupenda was really a treat and our favorite part of the trip. Decko, the boat captain and his helper set us up with snorkeling equipment so we could explore the reef while they prepared an amazing platter of grilled seafood and fresh fruit. Everybody involved in the tour went out of their way to make us feel comfortable and welcome.

Loved the day, great guide, the lunch was amazing. The guys did a great job producing a superb seafood lunch out of nowhere

It is comprehensive and thorough. Deko, the guide, was very friendly and accommodating. The only problem is that his English was somewhat difficult to understand.

An Absolute 5-Star Experience with Ramjun! I had a fantastic time on this tour! Ramjun reached out to us on WhatsApp the day beforehand to ensure we were ready and set for the tour the next day. When Ramjun provided a brief of the itinerary, we asked if we could change it up slightly and skip the Nakupenda Beach Nature Reserve portion since we had already done that tour previously. Because we were quite tired from previous tours, we also asked if we could make the rest of the tour a bit shorter. Ramjun was completely accommodating and flexible with our request! He speaks really good English and is extremely knowledgeable about history, you can truly tell how much he loves it. He even checks in to see whether you prefer long or short historical details while on the tour, easily tailoring the experience to your liking. He was professional from start to finish, and I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Zanzibar!

Everything about this experience was top 10. I traveled solo so I felt VIP the entire time! The transfers were smooth, lunch was delicious, and I was completely informed about each location. Highly recommend if visiting Zanzibar.

The city is intresting the beach was magical and Abdul the guide was wonderfull, funny and patiant, 10/10

We had an amazing day exploring Stone Town, Prison Island, and Nakupenda Beach! Every stop was well organized, and we had plenty of time to enjoy each location without feeling rushed. Our guide, Decko, was fantastic. He was incredibly knowledgeable, funny, and kind, and he shared so much interesting information throughout the day. He made the experience enjoyable from start to finish and was always happy to answer questions and make sure everyone was having a great time. We truly had a wonderful experience at each place we visited. I would highly recommend this tour, especially if you have Decko as your guide!

We had an incredible excursion today to Prison Island, Nakupenda Sandbank, and Stone Town. The whole experience was well organized, and each destination was absolutely beautiful and full of fascinating history. A huge thank you to our tour guide who shortened his name to, Decko, who truly made the day unforgettable. He was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about sharing the history and culture of Zanzibar. He answered all of our questions, made us feel welcome throughout the trip, and ensured everything ran smoothly. What we especially appreciated was that Decko also gave us honest local advice on the best places to buy souvenirs and genuine Tanzanite, helping us avoid overpriced tourist traps. Those recommendations made a real difference and showed that he genuinely cared about making sure we had the best experience, not just during the tour but throughout our stay. We genuinely couldn’t have asked for a better guide. If you’re planning this tour, we highly recommend requesting Decko. Thank you for an amazing day and memories we’ll never forget!

Our tour guide (sorry can’t remember his name) was amazing, always checking if we are enjoying ourselves, and very knowledgable about the locations we visited. We were picked up from Hotel Riu Palace in the north of the island, and were driven to the town to start the tour. We started at Nakupenda beach due to the tides, had a snorkel before a seafood lunch. We aren’t massive seafood eaters, however the food prepared was really nice and was washed/prepared in a way we were happy to eat it. The beach is quite busy with other companies doing as we were, but it wasn’t too busy that is wasn’t enjoyable. There were quite a few sellers on the island, if you politely say no thank you, they will walk away. After was Prison Island, we also enjoyed this. Our guide gave very good information about the island and its history. Seeing the tortoise was a great experience. We finished with Stone Town, it was very hot/muggy when we visited, and with it being at the end of the tour made it hard work. We didn’t personally enjoy Stone Town as much as the other 2 locations, I am not making the guide down for this as it was nothing to do with him, it was just the location itself. There is a lot of history to the town which was interesting, and the guide did a good job of explaining everything. If you will feel uncomfortable having everyone staring at you, it would be advised to be fully covered while in Stone Town.

The guide was great and took us round lots of interesting sites. Prison island and the sandbanks were a great experience. The food was all cooked fresh and were massive portions!

I had an absolutely amazing experience I could not recommend more! They picked me up near my hotel and brought me back in a very nice taxi and I felt safe the entire time as a solo traveler. Decko taught me so much about the history and culture of the area, but not only this he connected personally both learning from each other. Truly a life changing experience, the beaches are beautiful, the tortoises are amazing- but most importantly the human connection and interaction you have from this experience will be life changing. Please book this tour and support a truly amazing local company!!

Was met on time by Harley but had a bit of waiting time at the shore for transport over to prison island , once sorted it was a fabulous day and Harley was very informative and English was excellent . on the sandbank where there was snorkelling available if wanted or just relaxing on the sandbank where a wonderful seafood lunch and fresh fruit was provided with plenty of water and sodas were available and enjoying the water and sun . The walk around stone town was great and interesting. Walking through the markets looking at all the produce etc was interesting. Definitely recommend Harley and Chidi for tour guides.

Amazing guided tour. Everyone was really friendly and helpful

We had a wonderful tour. Our guide Abdul-Majid was so knowledgeable. He was kind, funny, helpful and was genuinely concerned that we were enjoying ourselves. Our driver was also very friendly and a very safe driver in the chaos that is found on the roads. The spice farm tour was full of information from Abdul and the guide at the farm climbed trees to get samples for us to smell. We also were treated to a taste of about 20 different fruits. The prison island tour starts with a great boat ride across to the island. The sea at the island was beautiful and Crystal clear. We got to meet the giant tortoises there. Again Abdul was full of information for us. Stone town is full of history and little streets with shops selling everything you can want. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Wise Tours.

We arrived from a cruise ship and Jacob met us at the gate. Jacob was willing to take it easy and go at our pace. He was always attentive and paused when we requested. He was all about making us happy. We joined a delightful couple for our boat ride to the sandbar. The lunch was amazing under the tent and they took care to ensure my husband had a nice lunch even though he is allergic to shrimp and lobster! We were concerned about arriving back on time, but Jacob made sure we were taken care of.

Stone Town was interesting, especially learning about its mix of cultures and long history, and the boat ride offered nice views of the coastline. Prison Island was enjoyable, with a short history overview and a chance to see the giant tortoises. Nakupenda sandbank was nice with clear water. Unfortunately, it was very windy so we couldn’t snorkel as the sea was rough. We were unpleasantly surprised at Nakupenda because the entire sandbank was packed full of tourists (like us). Our guides cooked us a delicious lunch of lobster, shrimp, calamari, fries, and a variety of fresh fruit. Overall, it was a good experience and a convenient way to see several popular spots in one day.

My guide for the day was a very nice young man called Abdull Majid. A great day out very informative about the history off zanzibar visiting a beautiful beach, stone town and prison island. Being a solo traveller was always asking if everything was ok. I would definitely recommend this trip.

A fabulous experience, and excellent value for money. Great, and knowledgeable tour guide made this a fantastic family day. Very special memories.

Overall good. In terms of history on stone town, we had a better experience on another tour. Prison island was good, i would have hope to have better explanation on the history of how it came to be, where the prisoner were staying etccc. To finish we went to Nakupenda which was for my family and I the highlight of the tour.

I had a fantastic time with my guide Jun - he tailored the experience to what was important to me, and there was plenty of time in each location. Transportation was smooth and easy.

Unique experience indeed 1. Meeting a 139 year old turtle 2. Swimming in love island ( check the details of the trip) and seafood bbq 3. Strolling stone town Special thanks to Abdul

Fantastic Experience! Sultan and his Chef took amazing care of us. He is extremely knowledgable and takes his time telling us all about the Area. 1000% recommend! Definitely do Stone Town first as it gets really busy and hot during the day and it will be hard to keep up and listen. Amazing finish on Nakapenda beach with a great meal and wonderful snorkeling

Amazing time exploring Zanzibar on this private tour we had the best driver and guide who are clearly proud of there country and passionate about letting tourists know how amazing it is. Had the best seafood I have ever eaten for lunch which I would love to have everyday. Tour did not feel rushed spent perfect amount of time in all destinations and felt like o truly got the Zanzibar experience do not hesitate to book this tour

Nakupenda was fabulous. A special experience. Beautiful and the lunch of lobster, shrimp, fish, octopus and squid cooked on a fire pit was great! Prison Island was a little underwhelming. Stone Town was pretty with great history. We were exhausted for the tour. If possible would recommend doing Stone Town first.

The Stone Town, Prison Island, and Nakupenda tour with snorkeling and lunch was absolutely amazing! Our guide, Khalid, was outstanding. We were traveling with my elderly mom, and he went above and beyond to make sure she was comfortable and enjoying herself, she loved every moment of it. Khalid introduced us to the Swahili language, teaching us new words along the way, and shared fascinating stories about the area’s history. Every part of the trip was perfectly planned. I would definitely book this tour again and highly recommend it to my family and friends!

Excellent experience. We were picked up at our rental house and taken to Stone Town with a quick stop to provide water bottles. Our driver was very friendly and experienced. Met our guide on the dock and a quick boat ride found us on the sand bank. They prepare lunch while we swam and took in the sites. Lunch was a seafood feast with prawns, rock lobster, calamari, octopus and tune bites on a mound of french fries with assorted fresh fruit, vegetables and juices. Stopped at the Prison Island to change, visit the museum, tortoises and peacocks. A quick drink at the bar and we headed to Stone Town for a tour of the souk, square, architecture and spice market plus a stop at Freddie Mercury's childhood home. Our guide was very friendly, flexible with the schedule and knowledgeable on the history and customs.

Ramjun was very welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable. Answered all questions and nothing was too much. Would highly recommend so much so that we booked another tour with him again

A brilliant day filled with so much history and so much to learn! We were picked up on time by our lovely tour guide for the day Khalid who was so friendly and approachable from the minute we met him. He was making plenty of conversation with us during our ride to Stone Town as we were a little further out! Once we got there he got us in our boat to take us to Prison Island, from here he showed us around the place, telling us the history of it and left us in the museum bit to learn the history a little more in depth. From here he showed us the giant tortoises which were amazing to see up close. We then head over to Nakupenda Island where a seafood platter was made for us whilst we sunbathed (sadly wasted on us as we don't eat seafood but gave it a go!) and did a spot of snorkelling although not too much to see. We then head back to Stone Town where he taught us so much about the history and culture of this beautiful place and the harrowing slavery history. He was able to answer all our questions proudly and confidently. He was a delight to have guide us that day and if you're able to, definitely ask for Khalid!! He made the day so interesting and made us feel so relaxed.

We had an amazing tour of Stone Town, Nakupenda, and Prison Island! Our guide, Sultan, was friendly, funny, and very professional. He shared fascinating insights about the history, culture, and daily life in Zanzibar, making the experience both fun and educational. Stone Town was magical, and Nakupenda and Prison Island were beautiful and exotic. Sultan also took us to special, less touristy spots where we found wonderful souvenirs at fair prices. Highly recommend this tour!

This tour was absolutely amazing! Ramjun, our guide, was awesome—friendly, knowledgeable, and full of energy. He shared so much about Stone Town, Prison Island, and Nakupenda, and you could tell how proud he is of Zanzibar. The highlight was definitely the incredible seafood lunch right on the beach—fresh lobster, shrimp, and calamari cooked to perfection. Ramjun even helped us negotiate prices throughout the day, which made everything stress-free. From swimming in crystal-clear water to walking along the beautiful sandbank, every moment felt special. Highly recommend this tour, especially with Ramjun as your guide!

This trip was literally our of this world. It covered history, culture and the beauty of Zanzibar. Our guide was so knowledgeable and helpful. Prison island was fascinating and the tortoises amazing. The sandbank was incredible and an experience none of us will ever forget. The tour of Stone Town again gave us the history and cultural aspect of the city. Could not fault this trip on any level.

This tour was the best we've had during our stay in Zanzibar! Rajune was excellent in every way! 👌 Our driver and captain were also very accommodating and professional! THANK YOU! Celia & Maria

This was a great experience the driver was punctual and very friendly and the guide was exceptionally well informed during tbe stone town tour fresh food cooked right on the beach was incredible highly recommended them.

Our guide Sherrif was funny, interesting and helpful. We enjoyed every minute. Nakupenda is so beautiful, the seafood lunch and fresh fruit were excellent.

Great experience overall. We went to Prison Island first, then Nepukenda Island, and then Stone town. Our guide Khalid was knowledgeable in the history and provided excellent guide. Few things to note, Nepukenda Island can get a bit crowded unlike seen in the picture. Clear water but occasional seaweeds. Water tides are quick to change from low to high. Overall, we saw plenty but because there is a lot to see, I would advise maybe two sites in one day trip to enjoy maximum time in each places. Our tour seemed a bit fast because of pick up and drop off from distance location. But trip was good.

We were picked up from our hotel by our guide Nayla and driver, Fazili, aka Giggerboy. Unfortunately, the day we decided to do this tour was the worst day ever for weather. It was absolutely pouring with rain all the way to Stone Town. Upon arrival, we sat in the car for a short while and waited for the rain to subside a little before we boarded our boat. First stop was the Nakupenda sandbank. It was too early to stay here for lunch as I think we did the tour in reverse order so we spent some time walking to the end of the sandbank looking out for starfish and other rockpool fish. Snorkelling sadly was not an option but the rain had finally subsided. After boarding the boat once more, we were taken to Prison Island. Nayla was very knowledgeable about the island explaining each section as we walked around. The giant tortoises are obviously the highlight of the island and you can get up really close to them. The tide had come in and we had to wait our turn for the boat to moor by the steps to get back to the mainland. Our crew had provided us with some lovely fresh fruit and water/soft drinks for our journey back to Stone Town. Once the crew had put down the anchor, we stayed on the boat and had lunch, which was fantastic and very filling. Nayla then gave us a guided tour of Stone Town pointing out historical buildings and answering any questions we had. Stops included The House of Wonder, the Old Fort, Freddie Mercury's House (which you can pay extra to go into) and the Slave Market (where a different guide took us around whilst Nayla waited for us). Our tour ended via a walk through the general market. It was a very long day and very tiring. We crammed a lot in, however, I wouldn't have changed a thing. The weather didn't spoil the day, it just enhanced it.

Prison island is packed and just average. Nakupenda is absolutely gorgeous but also crowded, full of tents and locals harrasing you to buy their arts and crafts and even offering drone videos. Dozens of boats. The picture you see is extremely deceiving. Maybe those who came during end of the pandemic experienced that. Nowadays, it is a mess. Stone town has great history, just unfortunately poorly conserved. I enjoyed walking around, learning the history and seeing the market and the way the locals live.

Unexpectedly to me I was the only person on tour so it was definitely a VIP experience. Khalid was very welcoming, sharing details about history and other bits of information about Zanzibar. There was no rush so I could explore and enjoy every step of the tour. He was also very helpful when I asked to help me get a sim. I really had a great time on this tour. Shopping in stone town was great too, I found some locals artists that were selling their amazing works! The only part I would skip is Nakupenda as in my opinion it’s just a tourist trap and really not necessary

Great day trip with a very good guide. He spoke English well, made everything feel safe and comfortable, and explained a lot about Stone Town and Prison Island.

I had such a wonderful time on this tour. The history on this island goes so deep, it is so interesting to learn about. Ramjun was my guide and he was the best! He is so knowledgeable, takes pride in his work and will take care of you to the fullest. Every stop on this tour was so unique and special in its own way, from stone town, to prison island, to Nakupenda sandbank. And not to mention the delicious fresh seafood lunch which was the best meal I had on the island. Very good company to book with and very reliable.

This activity and tour were really great! From prison island all the information very interesting. Nakupenda island just beautiful crystal clear waters good vibes and great food. If you go on this tour I would recommend Khalid very good tourist guide very knowledgeable and very friendly and patient. Thank you Khalid for this tour

Feel a little bit robbed, the guide made no mention that while we were at Nakupenda that, it was now time to do the snorkeling. Only when I later asked about it did he mention that I had missed the opportunity, which felt intentional and underhanded. Otherwise it was a good day. I think I got stung by a jellyfish at Nakupenda and had a delayed reaction but that had nothing to do with this tour, just a heads up to other travellers to be careful and keep their eyes open.

Our flights were delayed and we would miss the pick up time and half the tour. We had limited time before we joined our safari tour and could not rebook a different. Hassan worked out an alternate itinerary while we were in transit including pick a up at the airport to save time. Our guide, Khalid did a great job making sure we could experience everything with our compressed schedule including meeting us in the morning to show us the slave market museum so we would not miss it.