Nakupenda Sandbank Trips: The 15 Best Boats Out

1.Prison Island and Nakupenda Boat Trip with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 882 reviews · 6 - 9 hours · from $39Our pick

Spend 6 to 9 hours boating from Stone Town to Prison Island and Nakupenda Sandbank. Explore old prison cells, see giant Aldabra tortoises, swim or snorkel, and eat a fresh seafood barbecue with fruit. Guides such as Milano, Abdul, Juma, and Sanghi are known for friendly service and lively local stories.

“Abdul our guide and all the staff made it a very memorable trip and experience. They deserve a bonus.”

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2.Prison Island & Nakupenda Boat Tour with BBQ Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 554 reviews · 3 - 8 hours · from $35Best value

Join guides such as Salim or Bahama for a dhow trip from Stone Town to Changuu Island, where you’ll see giant Aldabra tortoises and old prison ruins. Then spend several hours at Nakupenda Sandbank swimming, snorkeling, and eating a fresh BBQ lunch. Groups can be private, and vegetarian or chicken meals are available if arranged ahead.

“Overall it was an enjoyable experience. The fruits were delicious. The food was enough (some traditional dishes and sea food with fries). The tour itself, I consider, it could have been more informative. The staff was very helpful.”

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3.Prison Island, Nakupenda, StoneTown Tour with BBQ

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 457 reviews · 7 - 8 hours · from $71

Spend 7 to 8 hours visiting Prison Island, Nakupenda Sandbank, and Stone Town from one $71 tour. You will cruise by wooden boat or dhow, meet Aldabra tortoises, swim, eat a seafood barbecue, and walk Stone Town with a multilingual guide such as Muhammad, Yasser, or Suliman.

“At first felt rushed with having to get to the sandbank but on a whole the day was a amazing,we loved it especially the tortoises”

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4.Prison Island & Nakupenda Sandbank Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 265 reviews · 6 - 9 hours · from $83

Spend 6 to 9 hours with a multilingual guide visiting Prison Island and Nakupenda Sandbank by small motorized dhow. Meet Aldabra giant tortoises, snorkel, swim, and eat a generous seafood barbecue with fruit and drinks. Guides such as Jeff, Milano, and Andul are known for keeping the day lively and well organized.

“Amazing tour guide and captain. Nakupenda was beautiful and prison island was great. Snorkeling equipment was provided and lunch/drinks were plentiful. Worth the money and would do it again”

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5.Prison Island and Nakupenda Sandbank With Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 208 reviews · 7.5 - 9 hours · from $75

Join guides such as Milano or Sangi for a full-day Zanzibar outing by van and small dhow. Visit Prison Island’s giant Aldabra tortoises, snorkel in clear water, then swim, relax, and eat a seafood barbecue at Nakupenda Sandbank. Hotel pickup, equipment, fruit, drinks, and vegetarian food are included, though options may be basic.

“The tour was absolutely amazing, and the value for money was outstanding. Our guide Milano (I called him Dr. Milano) was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. He helped in every situation and even went above and beyond by offering tips and assistance beyond the tour, which I’ve never experienced on my many travels before. The organizer Jeff (Mulele) was also extremely helpful and assisted us for free with transportation after the tour. We had plenty of time on Prison Island to see the giant tortoises—an unforgettable experience since these animals are so rare to encounter in other countries. The sandbank was breathtaking, and I had never seen anything so beautiful before.…”

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6.Nakupenda Sandbank and Prison Island Tour & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 89 reviews · from $42

From Stone Town, you’ll boat to Prison Island for old cells and giant Aldabra tortoises, then spend time on Nakupenda Sandbank with snorkeling, seafood, fruit, and soft drinks. The $42 price excludes a $21 cash entry fee, and hotel pickup is an optional add-on. Ask about transfer costs and the day’s timing before booking.

“Fatal el guía vino 2 horas tarde con la excusa que no nos encontraba Tuvimos problemas con todo por que nos obligó a pagar propinas cuando no nos dio el cambio de unos dólares Horrible”

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7.Nakupenda Sandbank & Prison Island Trip with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 69 reviews · 7 hours · from $75

Spend seven hours between Zanzibar’s Prison Island and Nakupenda Sandbank, with hotel pickup, boat transfers, a guide, swimming, snorkeling, and a cooked seafood lunch. Guides such as Haji, Fahad, and Obama have led recent trips. Expect history and giant tortoises first, then several relaxed hours on white sand and shallow turquoise water.

“Amazing day trip today with this crew. Prison Island with its history and tortoises was a nice start and the sandbank with the crystal clear water and fresh seafood was an even better finish. The energy of the crew made it all that much better. Definitely recommend these guys!”

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8.Prison Island Tour with Lunch on the Sandbank

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 66 reviews · from $99

Meet in front of Stone Town’s Old Fort for a boat ride to Prison Island. Explore the old quarantine and prison buildings, see tortoises over 100 years old, snorkel near coral reefs, then eat a seafood BBQ with Swahili dishes, fruit, and cheese on a sandbank. English-speaking guides lead the experience.

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9.Private/Sharing: Snorkeling with Dolphins Sandbank in Mnemba

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 62 reviews · from $120Top rated

Set out from Kendwa at 9:00 a.m. on a traditional dhow to snorkel near Mnemba, watch for dolphins, enjoy a seafood and chicken BBQ, and stop at a low-tide sandbank. Crew members may include Matthias, Mbwana, Yusef, or Musa. Water, soft drinks, fruit, gear, and fees are included. The boat returns at sunset.

“We enjoyed our trip to Mnemba with Dream Dhow. We were picked up on time and we did the private tour, which we were glad we did. We booked directly with dream dhow through WhatsApp which was easy and efficient. The communication was good which is always iRead more”

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10.Super Zanzi, Nakupenda, Prison Island & Stone Town – Zanzibar

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 47 reviews · from $42

Spend about 10 hours seeing three Zanzibar highlights: sail to Nakupenda sandbank for snorkeling and a Swahili seafood lunch, visit Prison Island and its giant tortoises, then walk through Stone Town. Boat transport is included, while the $23 entry fee is paid separately in cash. Hotel transfers depend on the option you book.

“I had an awesome time. The guide picked me up at the exact time he said he would. after the short wait for the group to gather we left for the islands. Both islands were amazing and the guides made sure we had everything we needed and that we were enjoying out trip. Even fed the giants tortoises. The lunch and fruits were absolutely superb and so tasty. The trip around Stone Town was wonderful too. My guide knew a lot of history and facts so I left with a lot more knowledge that what I came with”

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11.Prison Island and Nakupenda Sandbank

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 40 reviews · 6 hours · from $58

From Forodhani in Stone Town, take a 15-minute dhow ride to Prison Island for ruins, Aldabra tortoises, and peacocks. Spend four hours at Nakupenda Sandbank swimming, snorkeling, sunbathing, and eating seafood with tropical fruit. The English-speaking tour includes a private boat, guide, equipment, drinks, and free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

“The trip was okay, prison island was excellent but Nakupenda sandbank guide was not as good.”

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12.Private Stone Town, Nakupenda Beach and Prison Island Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 40 reviews · from $147

Spend 7 to 8 hours with guide Yasco exploring Stone Town, the Old Slave Market, Darajani Bazaar, Prison Island, and Nakupenda Beach. Your private group gets a boat ride, lunch, shopping time, tortoise encounters, and snorkeling, with pickup offered and a return to the meeting point.

“Yasco, our tour guide was absolutely amazing! Such a kind soul and truly made our experience an unforgettable one. He provided so much information about Zanzibar and its history. Traveling this far away from home with best friends can be Read more”

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13.Private Guided Tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, Stone Town

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 38 reviews · from $135

Spend about eight hours with a private guide and driver visiting Prison Island, Nakupenda Beach, and Stone Town. Expect giant tortoises, a boat ride, snorkeling gear, Swahili seafood, and major historic sights. Guides such as Amina, Ibrahim, Hassan, and Rahima have been praised for friendly, clear storytelling. Pickup, transport, lunch, and entry fees are included.

“We had a great time, especially at Nakupenda. We had the best tour guide, Hazam. He made the tour and attended to all our needs and requests. Thank you so much Hazam.”

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14.Nakupenda Beach Day Tour in Zanzibar

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 38 reviews · from $98

Spend about eight hours visiting Prison Island and Nakupenda Beach from Zanzibar. You’ll see giant tortoises, snorkel when sea conditions allow, and eat a seafood lunch with fruit and soft drinks on the sandbank. Guides such as Juma and Alex have earned praise for clear explanations and attentive service, though organization and English ability can vary.

“Endroit magnifique. Activité immanquable. Par contre l’organisation de l’entreprise était plutôt moyenne…”

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15.Full-Day Blue Lagoon and Sandbank Boat Tour from Zanzibar ( Safari blue)

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 35 reviews · from $100

Spend about eight hours exploring Kwale Island, Niamembe Island, a tropical sandbank, and the Blue Lagoon from Zanzibar. You’ll travel by traditional dhow, snorkel with provided gear, eat seafood with fruit, soda, water, and local beer, and have a guide such as Amina, Abas, or Sunnia to help throughout the day.

“Great Safari Blue tour, started with sand bank stop with juicy fresh fruit, snorkelling stop, a wonderful and plentiful seafood lunch and time for a final dip in the lagoon. Abas stayed with me throughout and was a fantastic guide again, attRead more”

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