Private Prison Island Tour from Stone Town
4.8 (73 reviews) from travellers who booked this experience
Overview
Prison Island, known locally as Changuu, is the easiest and most rewarding short trip from Stone Town, and this private version makes it entirely yours. Our driver collects you from your hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle and brings you to the Forodhani seafront, where a private boat and your own English-speaking guide take you across the water in twenty to thirty minutes. On the island you meet the giant Aldabra tortoises, learn how a prison built in the 1890s became a quarantine station, and relax or swim on the white beach before sailing back. The tour lasts about 3 hours, departing hourly from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm; island entry and conservation fees are paid on site. A version without transfers, meeting at Forodhani Park, is also offered.
Highlights
- Private boat and private English-speaking guide for your party only
- Scenic twenty to thirty minute crossing from the Stone Town seafront
- Meet and feed the giant Aldabra tortoises
- Old prison and quarantine buildings from the 1890s
- Time to relax or swim on the white sandy beach
- Hourly departures from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm
- Private hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Bottled drinking water included
Full Description
The crossing from Stone Town
The private Prison Island tour begins on the Forodhani seafront in Stone Town, where wooden boats wait along the beach below the Old Fort. Your private boat casts off and within minutes the whole waterfront of the old city, from the former sultan's palace to the House of Wonders, lines up behind you, which makes the first ten minutes of the crossing the best photo opportunity of the day. Prison Island lies about six kilometres to the north-west, and the ride takes twenty to thirty minutes depending on the sea.
How to get to Prison Island is a common question, and the answer is only by boat; on a private boat you choose the departure hour and there is no waiting for a group to fill. Mornings usually have the calmest water. Your guide is with you on the boat and on the island, and bottled water is provided.
The giant Aldabra tortoises
The reason for most Prison Island day trips is the tortoise sanctuary. Aldabra giant tortoises, a species from the Seychelles, were sent to Zanzibar as a gift in 1919 and have bred on the island ever since; some of the oldest residents are believed to be well past a hundred years old and weigh as much as a grown man. They wander freely inside a large enclosure and are used to visitors.
You can feed them leaves provided by the keepers, watch the younger tortoises in their nursery and take photographs beside the giants, always under the keepers' guidance: do not sit on the animals or lift them. Your guide explains the sanctuary's conservation work and the island's peacocks and duikers that share the grounds. Allow around forty-five minutes here.
The prison and quarantine buildings
Changuu was bought by the British administration in the 1890s to hold prisoners from the Zanzibar mainland, and the stone prison was finished in 1894, yet it was never used to hold a single inmate. Instead the island became a quarantine station for the whole East African region in the early twentieth century, where arriving travellers waited out the incubation period of yellow fever and other diseases before being allowed into Zanzibar.
The old blocks, with their arched verandas and sea views, still stand and now house a small restaurant and shaded terraces. Your guide walks you through the story of the prison, the quarantine years and the island's later life as a picnic spot for the sultans and the colonial officials. It is a short walk on sandy paths, and the whole island can be circled in about twenty minutes.
The beach and the sea around the island
On the Stone Town side of the island a white sand beach slopes into clear, shallow water that is warm all year, with the old city on the horizon. This is where you relax after the tortoises: swim, paddle or simply sit in the shade. A coral reef lies just off the beach, and snorkelling is possible if you bring your own mask, as equipment is not included.
Is Prison Island worth visiting? For couples, families and friends looking for a short, memorable half day close to Stone Town, with wildlife, history and sea in one place, it is one of the best things to do in Zanzibar. The best time to visit Prison Island is the morning, when the sea is calmest and the tortoises are most active; the island visit lasts about two hours before the private boat returns you to Forodhani and our driver takes you to your hotel.
Itinerary
- Private hotel pickupOur driver meets you at your hotel reception at the booked time, confirms your name and drives you to the Stone Town seafront; up to an hour from the north or east coast.
- Boat from ForodhaniBoard your private boat on the seafront and cross to Prison Island in twenty to thirty minutes.
- Tortoise sanctuaryAbout forty-five minutes with the giant Aldabra tortoises and their keepers.
- Prison and quarantine buildingsA guided walk through the historic buildings and the island's story.
- Beach timeAround an hour to swim, relax or snorkel with your own equipment.
- Return to Stone Town and your hotelPrivate boat back to Forodhani, then our driver returns you to your hotel; about 3 hours in total.
What's included
- Private English-speaking guide
- Private return boat to Prison Island
- Visit to the giant tortoise sanctuary
- Time on the beach to swim
- Bottled drinking water
Not included
- Prison Island entry and marine conservation fees (paid on site)
- Hotel transfers
- Snorkelling equipment
- Meals and tips
Not suitable for
- Wheelchair users
- Babies under 1 year
- Travellers over 95 years of age
Meeting point
With the default option, our driver comes to the reception of your hotel at the exact time you booked, confirms your name and booking and drives you to the Stone Town seafront; departures are every hour from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm and the drive from the north or east coast takes up to an hour, so we agree the pickup time with you on WhatsApp. With the option without transfers, meet your guide at Forodhani Park on the Stone Town seafront, below the Old Fort, at your booked hour.
Important information
- Prison Island entry and marine conservation fees are not included and are paid in cash on arrival
- Bring swimwear, a towel, sun cream and a hat; there is little shade on the beach
- Wear comfortable shoes and clothes; the island paths are sandy
- Snorkelling equipment is not included; bring your own mask if you want to snorkel
- Dress modestly in Stone Town and on the boat; swimwear only on the beach
- Do not sit on or lift the tortoises; follow the keepers' instructions
- Pets are not allowed on the island
- The tour may be moved to another hour or day in rough sea or bad weather for safety
- Children are welcome; a youth rate applies between 5 and 15, and children under five are welcome but must be supervised near the water
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to what travellers ask us most, before they book.
Is this a shared or a private tour?
It is fully private: the boat, the English-speaking guide and, on the default option, the vehicle and driver are reserved for your party only.
Can we change the itinerary or the pace?
Yes. You choose the departure hour, and on the island you can spend longer with the tortoises or on the beach; the boat waits for you.
How many people fit on the boat?
The private boat is sized to your party. Tell us how many adults and children are travelling and we confirm the boat.
Is the price per person or per group?
Both options are priced per person with a youth rate; the booking panel on this page shows the current price of each.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes on the default option, with private pickup and drop-off at your hotel reception. The second option has no transfers and meets at Forodhani Park.
What is included?
Private hotel transfers (default option), the private return boat, a private English-speaking guide, the visit to the tortoise sanctuary, beach time and bottled water. Island entry and conservation fees, snorkelling equipment, meals and tips are not included.
How long is the tour?
About 3 hours with hotel pickup, or about 2 hours from the Forodhani meeting point.
Is it suitable for children or people with reduced mobility?
Children love feeding the tortoises. Boarding the boat from the beach and the sandy paths make it unsuitable for wheelchair users, and babies under one year cannot join.
Can we snorkel at Prison Island?
Yes, there is a reef off the beach, but equipment is not included; bring your own mask and snorkel.
What should I bring?
Cash for the island entry and conservation fees, swimwear, a towel, sun protection, a hat and your own snorkelling gear if you want it.
What is the best time of day to go?
The morning departures usually have the calmest sea and the most active tortoises; the afternoon has softer light for photographs of Stone Town from the water.
How do I book and confirm?
Choose your date, option and departure hour on this page and send the request. Our team confirms on WhatsApp within minutes.
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