A red colobus monkey sits on a tree branch in the lush forest of Zanzibar.

{ Tour }

Spice, Sand and Stone Town: Four Days in Zanzibar

A spice farm, Jozani Forest's red colobus monkeys, Prison Island's tortoises and Stone Town's old quarter, over four days.

Enquire about this trip See the day by day

Duration4 Days / 3 Nights

Group size2 – 8 travellers

Best monthsJune – October and December – February

From$890 per person sharing

{ 01 }

The Trip in Short

This is Zanzibar’s greatest-hits itinerary, and it earns the description honestly. A spice farm tour with lunch cooked by your host, an afternoon walk through Jozani Forest among red colobus monkeys found nowhere else on earth, then Prison Island’s tortoises and a Stone Town heritage walk to close things out.

It works well as a four-day trip on its own, or as the cultural half of a longer stay that finishes with pure beach time at Nungwi, Kendwa or Paje.

Official visitor information for Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania is published by the Tanzania Tourist Board.

Highlights

Guided spice farm tour with a home-cooked lunch
Red colobus monkeys in Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park
Mangrove boardwalk at Jozani
Aldabra giant tortoises on Prison Island
Nakupenda sandbank for swimming and snorkelling
Stone Town heritage walk: Sultan's Palace, House of Wonders, Old Fort

{ 02 }

Where You Go, Stop by Stop

Day 1

Arrival, transfer to hotel

Day 2

Spice farm and Jozani Forest

Day 3

Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town

Day 4

Departure

{ 03 }

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Transfer

Airport pickup, a trip briefing, and transfer to a beachfront hotel with the rest of the day free to settle in and adjust to the coastal heat.

Day 2: Spice Farm and Jozani Forest

A guided walk through a working spice farm near Stone Town (cloves, vanilla, cinnamon and cardamom growing in close, fragrant rows), followed by a traditional lunch at a local guide's home. The afternoon moves to Jozani Forest, Zanzibar's only national park, for its red colobus monkeys and a boardwalk through mangrove swamp.

Day 3: Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach and Stone Town

A morning boat to Prison Island for its giant tortoises and peacocks, then on to the shallow, sandy Nakupenda sandbank for swimming and snorkelling. The afternoon is Stone Town proper: the Anglican Cathedral built on the former slave market site, the Zanzibar National Museum, and the Old Fort.

Day 4: Departure

Transfer to the airport for your return flight.

From

$890

Enquire about this trip

{ 04 }

What the Price Covers

Included

Ground transportation throughout
English-speaking guide
Full board meals
3 nights accommodation
Spice farm tour with lunch
Jozani Forest, Prison Island and Stone Town entry fees
All activities listed in the itinerary

Not included

International and domestic flights
Visa fees
Tips and gratuities
Personal expenses
Alcoholic drinks

{ 05 }

Before You Book

How long is the spice farm tour?

Around three hours including the lunch, at an unhurried pace with plenty of tasting and smelling along the way.

Will we definitely see red colobus monkeys?

Sightings are close to guaranteed: Jozani's habituated troops are used to walking trails and rarely move far from them.

Is Nakupenda accessible year-round?

The sandbank is tide-dependent; your guide will time the visit around the day's tides, which occasionally shifts the itinerary order.

Can this trip be extended with beach time?

Yes: adding two or three nights at Nungwi, Kendwa or Paje afterward is the most common way travellers extend this itinerary.

{ 06 }

Where This Trip Goes

Nungwi & Kendwa

Zanzibar · City

Zanzibar's two main beach towns on the island's northern tip, Nungwi lively and tide-affected, Kendwa quieter with swimmable water throughout the day.

Mnemba Atoll

Zanzibar · Island

A small coral atoll off Zanzibar's northeast tip, its protected reef holding the best diving and snorkelling within reach of the island.

Zanzibar

Country

A spice-trade island off Tanzania with a UNESCO old town, beach towns on three coasts and the best diving in the region at Mnemba Atoll.

{ 07 }

Spice, Sand and Stone Town: Four Days in Zanzibar