
Prison Island + Nakupenda Tour
Traveler rating
4.0/5
Based on 6 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Prison Island + Nakupenda Tour worth booking?
Prison Island + Nakupenda Tour is a 7-hour experience in Zanzibar City, Tanzania, from $30 per person. It scores 62 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Solid Choice”, based on a 4/5 rating across 6 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 62 / 100
- Rating
- 4/5 (6)
- Duration
- 7 hours
- From
- $30 per person
This tour again takes you from the hotel to Stone town, where you board a boat out the front of the forodhani gardens. From there the captain takes you on a 20/30 minutes ride to prison island. The island is the home of many giants tortoises originating from the Seychelles. For years this was the door for the slaves to the island of Zanzibar. Its fringed with a lovely white sand beach, at low tide and small coral reefs, making it ideal for sunbathing, swimming and snorkeling. After you will be taken in the boat to an idyllic island where you will have time to relax and sunbathe. After you will resfresh yourself eating fresh fruits of the island. Then you will be taken to a coral reef to snorkel. When you finish snorkeling you will taste delicious seafood, including, octopus, prawns, fresh fish and lobster.fries potatoes,salads and soft cold drinks will be included in this tour.after you will have couple of hours relax, then when the time is up out with our captain takes you back .
What you get
About this experience
This tour again takes you from the hotel to Stone town, where you board a boat out the front of the forodhani gardens. From there the captain takes you on a 20/30 minutes ride to prison island. The island is the home of many giants tortoises originating from the Seychelles. For years this was the door for the slaves to the island of Zanzibar. Its fringed with a lovely white sand beach, at low tide and small coral reefs, making it ideal for sunbathing, swimming and snorkeling. After you will be taken in the boat to an idyllic island where you will have time to relax and sunbathe. After you will resfresh yourself eating fresh fruits of the island. Then you will be taken to a coral reef to snorkel. When you finish snorkeling you will taste delicious seafood, including, octopus, prawns, fresh fish and lobster.fries potatoes,salads and soft cold drinks will be included in this tour.after you will have couple of hours relax, then when the time is up out with our captain takes you back .
What's included
Included
- Carbonated beverages
- Bottled water
- Snacks
- All Fees and Taxes
- Use of snorkeling equipment
- Lunch
What you'll see and do
Prison Island - Changuu Private Island
The island is the home of many giants tortoises originating from the Seychelles. For years this was the door for the slaves to the island of Zanzibar. Its fringed with a lovely white sand beach, at low tide and small coral reefs, making it ideal for sunbathing, swimming and snorkeling
120 minutes here · Admission included
Nakupenda Beach Nature Reserve
Nakupenda beach is a small sand beach where you will have time to relax, snorkel and eat delicious fresh fruits and seafood (prawns, lobster, octopus, fish..)
180 minutes here · Admission included
Where it starts and ends
Hotel pickup
Pickup is included for all travelers. Pickup begins about 60 minutes before departure.
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- de, ru, en, it, pl, fr, es
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Pongwe Tour & Safari
Know before you go
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Photos






What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 6 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
Food and drink
5 mentionsThe tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.
The guide
2 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Traveler reviews
6 verified traveler reviews for Prison Island + Nakupenda Tour. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Nalupenda was pretty, prison island was ok
The communication with the tour company was very good. The tour started a little late so we were left waiting but from previous research we expected that. Boat ride was good, I was impressed when the crew stopped to fish a big piling from the water so other boats didn’t hit it like ours did. Prison island was not a great activity. Our tour guide seemed to know very little about the island and gave some general facts but then veered off about the Portuguese using slaves to build them a resort house with a pool on the island which wasn’t accurate and he couldn’t articulate what diseases people were being quarantined for or what any of the buildings were actually used for. He spent too much time describing images that once hung on the walls. We didn’t come away having learned much at all. I think the tour guide could benefit from a brief history lesson so that the tour makes more sense. Overall, the island was in ruins. It’s a shame because it appears that the overseers are just pocketing the entrance fee money and nothing is being done to restore or upkeep what is Everything is just crumbling away. The tortoise area was overrun with ignorant tourists who all ignored the signs to keep out of the enclosure and were feeding and touching the tortoises. People were tripping over them and probably stepping on their feet. It was very disturbing. There was turtle dung all over the walkways people were slipping in. No one seemed to be in charge of anything. The pier doesn’t exist so you have to exit the boats onto rickety stairs and exit the island from the beach when the tide goes down. Nakupenda beach was beautiful. There were so many boats but it’s large enough to fit everyone-Just a bit too crowded to get good photos like in the ads. The crew set up a shade canopy and a table and chairs and made a delicious lunch. The seafood was a bit overcooked but flavorful and they provided plenty of it including beverages. They also had a big fruit platter which was also delicious. It was a bit annoying that beach vendors kept constantly bugging us with their merch. It was hard to have a conversation without being interrupted every few minutes. The boat ride was again pretty good. Overall the crew were very nice and helpful, it just would have been nice to have had better information about Prison Island from the guide and if the island itself were better taken care of. Would recommend Nakupenda sand bar again,
Response from the operator: Dear [Reviewer’s Name], Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback about your recent experience on our Prison Island and Nakupenda Tour. We appreciate your honest insights as they help us to continuously improve our services. We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed the beauty of Nakupenda beach and found the lunch and service provided by our crew to your satisfaction. It’s wonderful to know that the boat ride and the beach setup met your expectations. However, we’re truly sorry to hear that your visit to Prison Island did not live up to your expectations. We take your comments about the tour guide’s knowledge seriously, and we will ensure that our guides receive additional training to provide accurate and engaging historical information. Your observation about the condition of the island and the tortoise enclosure is also concerning. While we do not manage the island directly, we will communicate your feedback to the relevant authorities and work to find ways we can advocate for better upkeep and visitor management. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the delay at the start of the tour and for the disturbances from beach vendors. We understand how these issues can impact the overall experience, and we are exploring ways to improve in these areas. Thank you again for your feedback and for choosing Pongwe Tour & Safari. We hope to have the opportunity to serve you again in the future and provide an experience that exceeds your expectations. Best regards, Mr Zanzibar. Customer Service Team Pongwe Tour & Safari
via Tripadvisor
Zanzibar holiday
We have carried out several excursions always with Mister Zanzibar whom we thank for the professionalism shown and the friendliness that made our holiday unforgettable.
Response from the operator: grazie mille per il tuo apprezzamento, ti diamo davvero il benvenuto nel paradiso di Zanzibar A la Grande !
via Tripadvisor (translated)
Nice tour but unfortunately not private
Nice tour to Nakupenda Sandbank and Prison Island. Unfortunately we had booked a private boat tour and were still on the boat with a group of tourists. Otherwise trip as described, good food, nice to swim and snorkel.
Response from the operator: Hallo, danke für die Details, wir werden dafür sorgen, dass Sie Dienstleistungen für das erhalten, wofür Sie gebucht haben, entweder privat oder gemeinsam mit Ihren Buchungsdaten.Vielen Dank, willkommen zurück
via Tripadvisor (translated)
Fun islands, but not a good guide
We enjoyed Prison Island, seeing the tortoises, and also swimming at Nakupenda. Lunch was very good. However, we had to send a message to the tour operator when we waited over 1/2-hour for the hotel pickup. The guide didn’t provide much information before or during the trip. He sat with the crew on the boat, smoking and/or drinking a beer.
Response from the operator: Hi kindly we’re very sorry for what happened,but we will make sure that we send you an experience guide that will inform you full details with all information during the excursions with us ! Thanks in advance.
via Viator
Good experience
Excellent experience with Mr Zanzibar, the quality of explanations and food I recommend you to do all the activities with him
Response from the operator: Thank you so much for your time with us we promise to provide an affordable experience during your stay with us! Welcome back to Zanzibar, Tanzania
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 7 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- $30 to $141
- Hotel pickup
- Included for all travelers
- Booked in 30 days
- 2
- Verdict
- Solid Choice
Who runs this experience
Operated by Pongwe Tour & Safari, who run 6 experiences we rank across 2 cities, with an average Outty Ranking of 51.3.
See everything Pongwe Tour & Safari runsWhy this scores 62
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Prison Island + Nakupenda Tour: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Zanzibar City.
How much does Prison Island + Nakupenda Tour cost?
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Prices start at $30 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Zanzibar City usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Prison Island + Nakupenda Tour take?
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Plan for about 7 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Zanzibar City is not rushed.
Is Prison Island + Nakupenda Tour worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 62 out of 100, which we label "Solid Choice". That score blends traveler sentiment (4/5 across 6 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Zanzibar City, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Prison Island + Nakupenda Tour?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Prison Island + Nakupenda Tour suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 7-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Prison Island + Nakupenda Tour?
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Around 2 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Zanzibar City can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Zanzibar City and add a light layer if any part of the 7-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Prison Island + Nakupenda Tour start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Zanzibar City within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Zanzibar City?
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On Outty we rank every Zanzibar City experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include 3 Hours Private Stone Town Walking Tour, Stone Town Heritage Walk with local Guide, Zanzibar Adventure Quad with Sunset and Transfer Included. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Zanzibar City?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Zanzibar City?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
What is included in Prison Island + Nakupenda Tour?
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Included: Carbonated beverages; Bottled water; Snacks; All Fees and Taxes; and Use of snorkeling equipment. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Does Prison Island + Nakupenda Tour include hotel pickup?
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Yes, pickup is offered for every traveler from 23 listed pickup locations in and around Zanzibar City. Be ready about 60 minutes before the start time. You can also enter a custom pickup address when booking.
What languages is Prison Island + Nakupenda Tour offered in?
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It is offered in German, Russian, English, Italian, Polish, French and Spanish. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.
Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for Prison Island + Nakupenda Tour?
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Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.
What happens to Prison Island + Nakupenda Tour if the weather is bad?
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This experience depends on good weather. If it is canceled because of poor weather, you are offered a different date or a full refund.
What do travelers say about Prison Island + Nakupenda Tour?
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Across 6 reviews averaging 4.0 out of 5, recurring themes include food and drink, the guide. The tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.
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