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Stonetown Tour: Discover Zanzibar's Rich History
5.0
20 Ratings
Zanzibar
Join our guided tour to explore the enchanting streets of Stonetown! Uncover its fascinating history, lively culture, and breathtaking architecture. Reserve your spot today and dive into the essence of Zanzibar!
Join our guided tour to explore the enchanting streets of Stonetown! Uncover its fascinating history, lively culture, and breathtaking architecture. Reserve your spot today and dive into the essence of Zanzibar!
Duration:
2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Zanzibar Island - A brief overview of Zanzibar.
- House of Wonders - The House of Wonders stands as the largest and most remarkable building in Stone Town. Explore its intriguing history, from serving as the Sultan’s ceremonial palace to its current role as a museum celebrating Swahili and Zanzibari culture.
- Forodhani Gardens - Forodhani…
- Zanzibar Island - A brief overview of Zanzibar.
- House of Wonders - The House of Wonders stands as the largest and most remarkable building in Stone Town. Explore its intriguing history, from serving as the Sultan’s ceremonial palace to its current role as a museum celebrating Swahili and Zanzibari culture.
- Forodhani Gardens - Forodhani Gardens is a vibrant waterfront location, especially lively in the evenings when the food market is bustling. Discover Zanzibar’s famous street foods, including fresh seafood and Zanzibar pizza.
- The Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe) - At the Old Fort, Zanzibar’s oldest structure, explore its ancient stone walls and learn about its historical role in defending against Portuguese and Omani forces. Today, it serves as a dynamic cultural center, hosting local performances and craft markets.
- Freddie Mercury Museum - Freddie Mercury, the iconic lead singer of Queen, was born in Zanzibar. Visit his childhood home and hear stories of his early life on the island before he became a global rock legend. A must-visit for music enthusiasts and those interested in Zanzibar’s link to one of history’s greatest performers.
- Jaws Corner - A renowned central spot in the city where locals gather to exchange ideas.
- Old Slave Market/Anglican Cathedral - At the Former Slave Market, delve into the history of Zanzibar’s involvement in the slave trade. Witness the poignant memorial and the underground chambers where slaves were once held, offering a powerful reflection on the island’s complex past.
- Darajani Bazaar - Experience the lively atmosphere of Darajani Market. Explore the vibrant stalls offering everything from fresh produce to spices, and learn about the importance of various items in Zanzibari cuisine and culture.
- Hamamni Persian Baths - A premier historical bath monument in Zanzibar, known for its luxurious public baths.
What's Included
- Pick-up from hotels located in Stonetown area
- Professional guide
- Bottle of water
- Shopping (optional)
- Pick-up from hotels located in Stonetown area
- Professional guide
- Bottle of water
- Shopping (optional)
What's Not Included
- Pick-up from outside of stonetown area.
- Freddy mercury entrance fee
- Slave market entrance fee.
- Pick-up from outside of stonetown area.
- Freddy mercury entrance fee
- Slave market entrance fee.
Location
House of Wonders
Sokoku Street
In front of house of wonder at the single cannon.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(20 Ratings)
5 stars
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1 star
Davidvh8835uo
Aug 8, 2025
Ali – Reliable and Knowledgeable Guide in Zanzibar - If you want to explore Zanzibar with an empathetic and experienced guide, choose Ali. During our stay, he organized three full-day trips for us, covering the island’s must-see spots and much more. On top of that, you’ll receive in-depth information not only about the island’s history but also about its present-day situation.
He was always punctual for our meeting points, his driver was always kind, and the taxi was clean — something not so common on the island. I also appreciated his flexibility in planning the trips.
Ali delivered everything we hoped for from our excursions. It would be very hard to find a better guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
731krist_nat
Aug 7, 2025
A wonderful guide and a truly kind person – highly recommended! - We spent three fantastic days with Ali exploring different parts of Zanzibar (3in1, The South and the prison island + salaam cave). He was always friendly, professional, and full of knowledge. Everywhere we went, he made sure we saw the best spots and shared interesting historical and cultural insights, which made each experience even more special.
What really stood out was how much he genuinely cared — even on the days we weren’t with him, he kindly helped us arrange transportation and gave us helpful tips. That kind of support goes above and beyond!
Ali is not just a guide — he’s someone who wants you to feel welcome and enjoy Zanzibar like a local.
We’re so grateful we found him and would absolutely recommend him to anyone visiting the island.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Getaway767486
Jul 16, 2025
Snorkeling w/dolphins is a MUST experience - We went on the “Snorkeling with Dolphins” trip with Ally, and it was a beautiful experience. We saw several groups of dolphins swimming right next to our boat — some people even jumped into the water to swim with them.
On the boat, Ally prepared a tray of fresh fruit for us, which was absolutely delicious (pineapple, mango, banana, watermelon). We snorkeled near coral reefs, where we saw beautiful and diverse fish and sea urchins.
The sea was incredibly beautiful — a stunning turquoise color. Ally chatted with us the whole time and answered all our curious questions; no topic was off limits 😊. The captain even let my husband steer the boat for a bit!
It was a very pleasant experience, and I highly recommend it. 👍👍👍👍👍😊😊😊😊
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Erikamk8884tv
Jul 16, 2025
Great experience - IT’S a MUST - The 3-in-1 trip was incredibly informative. We had the chance to visit a local spice farm, where our guide Ally explained how each spice is harvested and what healing or beneficial effects it has, both in medicine and in cooking. We tasted fresh coconut milk straight from the coconut.
Then Ally took us on a tour of Stone Town — we saw the former Slave Market, bought spices at the local market, visited Freddie Mercury’s birthplace, and had lunch at a great restaurant by the harbor.
The trip ended with a boat ride to the Sand Bank — a stunning place. Ally speaks decent English and answered all our curious questions. It was truly great and I highly recommend it.😊😊😊😊
Review provided by Tripadvisor
778franti_ekt
Jul 6, 2025
Tour with Ally - Just want to thank Ally for a great day on a tour through Zanzibar :) perfect service and lot of information 👌 included The Rock, Maalum Cave and Jozani forest
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kevie
Jul 3, 2025
Stone Town is a MUST visit! - Hiring Ali as a professional tour guide of Stone Town met all of my expectations, while vacationing and exploring the isle of Zanzibar. His historical knowledge and flexible service was impeccable! Highly recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Simonag924
Jul 2, 2025
Your guide to great memories - We had an amazing experience with our tour guide Ali, who took us on a truly memorable trip. Our day started with a visit to a spice farm, followed by a fascinating historical tour of Stone Town, with visiting local markets and ended with a relaxing time on the beautiful Nakupenda sandbank.
Everything was perfectly organized — Ali was quick to respond to our messages, always professional, yet very friendly and approachable. As a local, he shared a lot of interesting insights about the country and culture, and we felt comfortable asking him anything. :)
We really appreciated his knowledge, flexibility, and warm attitude. I would definitely recommend Ali to anyone looking for an authentic and well-organized experience in Zanzibar! :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mareksl8982rz
Jun 14, 2025
Unforgettable Zanzibar with Ali - We had an amazing time exploring Zanzibar thanks to Ali, who organized several unforgettable trips for us. Everything was perfectly arranged – from the spice farm tour, where we learned so much and tasted fresh tropical fruits, to the walk through historic Stone Town full of charm and culture.
The boat trip to Nakupenda was a dream – crystal clear water and white sand, just like paradise. We also visited the beautiful Jozani Forest and met the famous red colobus monkeys, and ended one day with a peaceful swim in the magical Maalum Cave.
Ali was professional, friendly, and always made sure we were comfortable and enjoying every moment. We highly recommend him to anyone visiting Zanzibar!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
E1810cgmartinas
May 24, 2025
Fantastic and knowledgeable tour guide! - Ali is a great local tour guide with excellent knowledge, on our way to Stone Town, he talked us through the whole history of Zanzibar. He was very helpful during the whole tour and we really enjoyed it! Absolutely recommend! We felt safe the whole time and everything went smoothly and absolutely spot on timewise.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rinchentshering
May 24, 2025
Best Zanzibar trip ever with Ally - When i was in Zanzibar, i was looking for tour operators to show us around and i got very lucky to have met Ally.
He was so hospitable, friendly and knowledgeable. He took us to all the spots and gave us detailed information. He helped me buy a tanzanite stone ring as well which is absolutely gorgeous.
Now everytime someone visits Zanzibar, I recommend Ally to them as he is the best..!!..
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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