
Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town
Traveler rating
4.5/5
Based on 52 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town worth booking?
Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town is a 8-hour experience in Zanzibar City, Tanzania, from $145 per person. It scores 71 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Strongly Recommended”, based on a 4.5/5 rating across 52 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 71 / 100
- Rating
- 4.5/5 (52)
- Duration
- 8 hours
- From
- $145 per person
This private guided full day tour can begin any time from 9h00 to 17h30. Meet your well-trained guide and boatman as your board your steam-engine wooden boat. Head to the prestigious island and enjoy the 30-minute journey. Listen to the history of the island and discover the past centuries through the historical buildings, which have served many purposes over the years including a prison, chapel, and hiding place for slaves after the abolition. Play with giant tortoises and you may take photographs with these old precious creatures. after that you will have time to Snorkel at the pristine sandbank at Nakupenda Beach. Get chance to watch the birds passing on the sandbank. Enjoy your buffet lunch of delicious Swahili foods. Swim with tidal Indian Ocean water in the Nakupenda then Escape the hustle and bustle of Zanzibar and enjoy a City Tour( Stone town), passing the Darajan Market, house of Wonder and discover the oldest church in the East Africa Visit the Heritage Palace Museum
What you get
About this experience
This private guided full day tour can begin any time from 9h00 to 17h30. Meet your well-trained guide and boatman as your board your steam-engine wooden boat. Head to the prestigious island and enjoy the 30-minute journey. Listen to the history of the island and discover the past centuries through the historical buildings, which have served many purposes over the years including a prison, chapel, and hiding place for slaves after the abolition. Play with giant tortoises and you may take photographs with these old precious creatures. after that you will have time to Snorkel at the pristine sandbank at Nakupenda Beach. Get chance to watch the birds passing on the sandbank. Enjoy your buffet lunch of delicious Swahili foods. Swim with tidal Indian Ocean water in the Nakupenda then Escape the hustle and bustle of Zanzibar and enjoy a City Tour( Stone town), passing the Darajan Market, house of Wonder and discover the oldest church in the East Africa Visit the Heritage Palace Museum
What's included
Included
- Private transportation
- Lunch
- All Fees and Taxes
- Use of snorkeling equipment
Not included
- Alcoholic beverages
What you'll see and do
Prison Island - Changuu Private Island
Stop At: Prison Island - Changuu Private Island. Discover natural beauty of Prison Island on this full Day Tour that includes a Snorkeling on a Pristine Corals. With your Guide, visit the viewpoint at Prison Historical Buildings and a long Jetty with Peacocks. See Giant Tortoises Sunbathe on a beautiful small White Sands Beach. Pickup and drop-off included. Book Last Minutes while in Zanzibar.
180 minutes here · Admission included
Nakupenda Beach Nature Reserve
Stop At: Nakupenda Beach; Pristine Sandbank. Visit and enjoy Nakupenda Beach on a full-day tour that’s all about snorkeling and sunbathing on one of Zanzibar’s most pristine beaches. From the pristine sandbank, swim in shallow waters or simply sunbathe on the beach and enjoy the warmth of the tropical sun. Relax and bask in the sun under the clear Zanzibar sky. Enjoy delicious seafood Lunch with mouthwatering drinks.
180 minutes here · Admission included
Stone Town
Stop At: Stone Town Zanzibar. Discover the iconic sites of an ancient Arab city on a private, full-day tour of Stone Town. Take in the broad Royal Sultans Palace and the 18th-century architecture of House of Wonder, then go deep into the UNESCO-recognized Old Fort. Follow narrow lanes to covered bazaars and an eminent madrasa; pass Hindu Temple and Freddie Mercury House. Get a glimpse of daily life in bustling Darajani Spices Market. Discover Zanzibar art in the Painting Exhibition House.
120 minutes here
Where it starts and ends
Hotel pickup
Pickup is included for all travelers. Pickup begins about 30 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, fr, es
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- mango travel & tours ltd
Know before you go
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Photos






What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 52 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
9 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Food and drink
6 mentionsThe tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.
Knowledge and storytelling
3 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Good for families
3 mentionsReviewers traveling with kids report it landed well with their group.
Photo opportunities
2 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Value for money
2 mentionsTravelers feel they got more than they paid for.
Traveler reviews
52 verified traveler reviews for Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Fascinating city and tour !
Amina was a lovely guide! She was very knowledgeable about the history of Zanzibar. Stone Town was not itself as impressive to us as the history behind it. Prison Island and the beach cookout were also perfect. A great way to experience Zanzibar!
via Viator
Disappointing...what more can I say!
Mango Travel tour rep not very engaging, asked us what we wanted to know rather than 'selling' us the tour. Stone Town disappointing as all historic attractions allegedly closed for renovations ...so saw very little of what we expected to see. The boat rides were a bit like a fair ground rollercoaster...and without life jackets!...but the food and the visit to Nakupenda sandbank was a positive memorable experience
via Viator
Most Awful Experience
Pictures say one thousand words... We were so looking forward to our tour experience with Mango Tours. However, it was worse than what any paying customer should have to endure. ASIDE from the fact that the boat engine broke down leaving from Prison Island to Nakupenda Sand Bar, and a 10 minute trip took almost 90 minutes to reach the sand bar...hakuna matata at least we made it. Then they started setting up the lunch tent...and when we saw the disrepair of their tent and the table we were supposed to enjoy lunch on came, which appeared came from a local junkyard, we respectfully told our guide we wanted to return back immediately as we did not trust the quality of the food we were going to be served. Look at the pics...I'm sure any paying customer would agree. However, they ignored our wishes and kept setting up the tent and lighting the charcoals as if we were going to stay and eat under the shambles of their setup. Now we know this is Africa, but every other tent set up around us was beautiful. We looked like we payed for the no cost tour. But it was over $250!!!! They insisted on continuing setting up until we start enchanting no no no -- take us back. And all during this time they were laughing like little children. THEN they insisted on taking us back on the broken boat 😬🤐😠😧. We said absolutely no, and a fellow boat operator offered to lend them the boat to bring is back to Stone Town...and it took less than 10 minutes to arrive back!! When we departed the boat, we told our guide Amina that we cannot continue the tour as she completely disrespected us...and without apologizing, she just walked away, no apology. We ended up enjoying a wonderful lunch at Cape Town Fish Market at 3 pm, the same time our tour was supposed to continue until 5 pm. We enjoyed the rest of our day exploring safe Stone Town alone, and found out own transportation back to our hotel. For anyone reding this review, please know this Tour Agency should not exist given the extremely nonexistent customer service they offered. STAY AWAY from MANGO TOURS at all cost. P.S. when we were stranded on the water heading to the sand bar from Prison Island, they tried to reach the tour agency with no avail. No one answered! Good thing our boat was not capsized!!
via Tripadvisor
Worse Than Terrible
We were so looking forward to this tour experience today. However, it was worse than what any paying customer should ever have to endure. ASIDE from the fact that the boat engine broke down leaving from Prison Island to Nakupenda Sand Bar, and a 10 minute trip took almost 90 minutes to reach the sand bar...hakuna matata at least we made it. Then they started setting up the lunch tent...and when we saw the disrepair of their tent (torn, with holes, and filthy) and the table we were supposed to enjoy lunch on appeared came from a local junkyard, we respectfully told our guide we wanted to return back immediately as at this point we did not trust the quality of the food we were going to be served. Look at the pics...I'm sure any paying customer would agree. However, they ignored our repeated requests to leave and kept setting up the tent and lighting the charcoals as if we were going to stay and eat under the shambles of their setup. Now we know this is Africa, but every other tent set up around us was beautiful. We looked like we payed for the no cost tour. But this tour cost us over $250!!!! They insisted on continuing setting up until we start enchanting no no no -- take us back. And all during this time they were mocking the situation and laughing like little children. THEN they insisted on taking us back -- on the broken boat 😬🤐😠😧. We said absolutely no, ESPECIALLY SINCE SAFETY WAS AT STAKE. Finally a fellow boat operator approached us and offered to lend them their boat to bring is back to Stone Town...and it took less than 10 minutes to arrive back!! When we departed the boat, we told our guide that we cannot continue the tour as she completely disrespected us...and without apologizing, she just walked away, no apology. Now we are sitting at Cape Town Fish Market about to enjoy a wonderful lunch on our own at 3 pm, the same time our tour was supposed to continue until 5 pm. We will enjoy the rest of our day exploring safe Stone Town alone, and will find out own transportation back to our hotel. We will not mention the tour guides name out of respect, but this Tour Agency should not exist given the extremely nonexistent customer service they offered. STAY AWAY from MANGO TOURS at all cost. P.S. when we were stranded on the water heading to the sand bar from Prison Island, they tried to reach the tour agency with no avail. No one answered! Good thing out boat was not capsized!! P.P.S. we never had a bad but experience on the many tours we have taken through Viator and expect we will be refunded for this terrible experience. Hopefully no one will have to endure such an experience like we had today.
via Viator
Relaxed and fantastic family day trip
It was a perfect day trip for a family. Lots of stunning views, great guide, and a relaxed trip with no rush and time to explore on our own. Seafood lunch was perfect with fries, calamari, kingfish, prawns, octopus, shrimps, lobster and fruits. Loved the swim and lunch at sand island and second part of trip to prison island and stone town. Driver did a good job on picking us up from Mora hotel and brought us back before the sun down. Overall great value for the price!
via Viator
Good to know
- Duration
- 8 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Hotel pickup
- Included for all travelers
- Booked in 30 days
- 18
- Verdict
- Strongly Recommended
Who runs this experience
Operated by mango travel & tours ltd, who run 16 experiences we rank across 2 cities, with an average Outty Ranking of 57.4.
See everything mango travel & tours ltd runsWhy this scores 71
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Zanzibar City.
How much does Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town cost?
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Prices start at $145 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 Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town take?
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Plan for about 8 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 Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 71 out of 100, which we label "Strongly Recommended". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.5/5 across 52 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 Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town?
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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 Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 8-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town?
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Around 18 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 8-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town 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 Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town?
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Included: Private transportation; Lunch; All Fees and Taxes; and Use of snorkeling equipment. Not included: Alcoholic beverages. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Does Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town include hotel pickup?
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Yes, pickup is offered for every traveler from 128 listed pickup locations in and around Zanzibar City. Be ready about 30 minutes before the start time. You can also enter a custom pickup address when booking.
What languages is Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town offered in?
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It is offered in German, Russian, English, Italian, 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 Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town?
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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.
Is Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town wheelchair or stroller accessible?
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The operator notes: Wheelchair accessible; Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller; Specialized infant seats are available; and Transportation options are wheelchair accessible. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.
What happens to Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town 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 Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town?
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Across 52 reviews averaging 4.5 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, food and drink, knowledge and storytelling. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
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