Tanzania · PRIVATE TOURS IN ZANZIBAR

Private Tours in Zanzibar Worth the Money: Our Top 15

107 tours  ·  from $20

Trips get planned around one or two big bookings. These 15 private tours in Zanzibar are the ones worth planning around, each with its cost, its length and its traveller verdict.

Stone town Private walking tour - The old slave market and Anglican Cathedral
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Stone Town Private Walking Tour

1.Stone Town Private Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 371 reviews · from $26Our pick

Explore Stone Town for about two hours with a private guide such as Mohammed, Imran, or Ally. Walk through narrow streets to the Old Fort, former slave market, markets, museums, cathedrals, carved doors, and Freddie Mercury’s former home. Hotel pickup is available in Stone Town, and the guide can suggest places to eat and visit.

“I wrote to the operator via Viator to ask to reschedule the date by 1 day. I got no reply and consequently missed the tour”

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Zanzibar: 3 Hours Private Stone Town walking Tour with Guide - Meeting in Stone Town and setting the pace
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Zanzibar: 3 Hours Private Stone Town walking Tour with Guide

2.3 Hours Private Stone Town walking Tour with Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 301 reviews · 3 hours · from $24

Walk Stone Town with a private guide such as Khameez, Mau, or Kassim, learning about Swahili culture, Zanzibar’s slave trade, sultans, architecture, and Freddie Mercury. You’ll visit markets, historic landmarks, and narrow lanes, with time for photos and shopping. Water is included, while museum and slave market admission cost extra.

“Mau was excellent, he's so knowledgeable and he clearly loves what he does. It happened that I was alone in the walking tour although I booked it as a group activity. Mau took me to all the interesting spots of Stone Town and took his time to explain everything to me, while giving me plenty of time to take pictures, visit the Freddie Mercury museum, and was patient with me when I stopped for a couple of souvenirs 🙂. I couldn't recommend him enough!”

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Full-Day Private Stone Town Spice Farm and Prison Island Tour - Prison Island and the boat to Changuu
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Full-Day Private Stone Town +Spice Farm and Prison Island Tour

3.Full-Day Private Stone Town +Spice Farm and Prison Island Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 216 reviews · from $100

Spend about eight hours with a private guide exploring Stone Town, Prison Island, and a countryside spice farm. You’ll ride a boat with snorkeling gear, meet giant tortoises, taste tropical fruit, and learn how cloves, vanilla, cinnamon, and cardamom grow. Guides such as Amina, Ibrahim, and Amira have earned strong praise, though service can vary.

“Our tour guide Ibrahim had no interest in providing tour services. I asked him how long he's been a guide and if he likes giving tours. He said he didn't enjoy providing tours and that this job was only temporary. Such a disappointment. He merRead more”

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Prison Island: Private Half-Day Tour - Prison buildings, chapel, and difficult history
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Prison Island: Private Half-Day Tour

4.Prison Island: Private Half-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 132 reviews · 3 hours · from $50

Take a private 3-hour boat trip from Stone Town to Prison Island with a guide such as Mohammed, Musa, or Babu Tours’ other multilingual guides. Walk through the island’s prison and chapel buildings, meet giant tortoises, then swim or snorkel in clear water. Boarding involves walking through shallow water, so sandals and easy movement matter.

“Overall, we had a great experience. We communicated with the company via WhatsApp and they were very responsive and helpful. Transportation was arranged for us through our booking. We reached out to Babu Tours and Safaris the day before via WhatsApp and exchanged information regarding our hotel, time of pick up, etc. Mohammed was our tour guide. He was very knowledgeable, kind, patient and took a lot of pride in sharing the history and culture with us. I asked many questions and he answered me with enthusiasm every time! Unfortunately, the weather was not great, but Mohammed did not let that dampen his spirit or ours! Very important to note:…”

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Stone Town: Stone Town and Prison Island Private Day Trip - Walking through Stone Town’s narrow lanes
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Stone Town: Stone Town and Prison Island Private Day Trip

5.Stone Town and Prison Island Private Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 104 reviews · 6 hours · from $90

Spend six hours with a small group exploring Stone Town’s markets, Arab Fort, slave market, curved doors, and Freddie Mercury’s former home, then boat to Prison Island. Guides such as Haji, Hamdu, and Hassan add strong local context. Swimming is possible, but weather can change the beach portion.

“Our guide was excellent he paced the tour well, tailoring it to our physical limitations and interests, highly recommended.”

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Private Dolphin Tour and Snorkeling at Mnemba Island reef - A calm finish at the Mnemba sandbank
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Private Dolphin Tour and Snorkeling at Mnemba Island reef

6.Private Dolphin Tour and Snorkeling at Mnemba Island reef

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 104 reviews · from $104

This three-hour private trip from Zanzibar combines dolphin spotting, snorkeling at Mnemba Island Reef, and a calm sandbank swim. Hotel pickup, an air-conditioned vehicle, boat transport, equipment, water, and fruit are included. Guides such as Ahmed and Msomali are praised for patience and personal attention, though timing and communication can vary.

“Excellent experience. Traveled with my mom who has some difficulty swimming. Ahmed and his staff were happy to help her snorkel and ensured we both enjoyed the beautiful underwater sea-life!”

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Stone Town's Hidden History: Private Guided Walking Tour - Meeting at the Old Fort by Forodhani Gardens
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Stone Town’s Hidden History: Private Guided Walking Tour

7.Stone Town’s Hidden History: Private Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 94 reviews · 2 - 4 hours · from $30

Walk Stone Town with guides such as Abdalla, Cosmo, Amina, or Issa, following narrow lanes through markets, old baths, cathedrals, and landmark buildings. Your guide can shape the route around history, architecture, food, or shopping. Book the 4:30 pm start for sunset and the night market.

“Issa was an excellent guide, very knowledgeable and happy to tailor the itinerary to our interests. He was keen to chat and understand more about us and life in other parts of the world too. Great options and a really enjoyable morning. Would recommend you go as early as you can as it gets HOT!”

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Zanzibar:Stone Town & Spice Farm Private Tour Lunch Included - The journey from your hotel to the spice farm
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Zanzibar:Stone Town & Spice Farm Private Tour Lunch Included

8.Stone Town & Spice Farm Private Tour Lunch Included

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 94 reviews · 3 - 6 hours · from $46

You’ll visit a Zanzibar spice farm, taste tropical fruit, and enjoy a Swahili lunch before exploring Stone Town’s Old Fort, Forodhani Gardens, City Market, Freddie Mercury’s birthplace, and the Old Slave Market. Private guides speak several languages, including English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Swahili.

“Un grand merci à Kassim pour Stone Town, sa patience, son érudition et son très bon français !”

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Private Historic Stone Town Tour - People’s Palace Museum and the Sultan’s Palace
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Private Historic Stone Town Tour

9.Private Historic Stone Town Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 79 reviews · from $30

Explore Stone Town privately with Hafidh and Lee’s certified guide, including the Sultan’s Palace and Old Fort. The route adapts to your interests, with Hamadi available as a highly praised guide. Plan for two to three hours, moderate walking, and separate entrance fees.

“Hamadi was THE best tour guide. He was so knowledgeable about the area, and answered all the questions we had. He was patient and super accommodating. He went above and beyond with my husband and I on our tour and even gave some amazing recommendations for restaurants in the area.”

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3 Hours Private Stone Town Walking Tour - Starting at Forodhani Gardens and the Old Fort
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3 Hours Private Stone Town Walking Tour

10.3 Hours Private Stone Town Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 71 reviews · from $20Best value

Walk Stone Town with a private guide such as Rakib or Nasir, visiting the Old Fort, Forodhani Gardens, Darajani Bazaar, former palaces, Freddie Mercury’s birthplace, and the old slave market area. Bottled water and parking are included. Pickup may be available, while museum visits and lunch cost extra.

“I had an exceptional experience with Rakib as our tour guide in Zanzibar. His extensive knowledge and passion for sharing insights made the walking tour both engaging and educational. Rakib’s friendly demeanor made us feel comfortaRead more”

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Private/Sharing: Snorkeling with Dolphins Sandbank in Mnemba - Looking for dolphins on the route to Mnemba
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Private/Sharing: Snorkeling with Dolphins Sandbank in Mnemba

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

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

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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Zanzibar Private Spice Farm and Stonetown Tour(Include Lunch) - A Zanzibari lunch with familiar local dishes
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Zanzibar Private Spice Farm and Stonetown Tour(Include Lunch)

12.Zanzibar Private Spice Farm and Stonetown Tour(Include Lunch)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 53 reviews · from $76

Spend seven hours with a private guide exploring Darajani Market, Stone Town landmarks, the Old Slave Market, and Forodhani Gardens, then visit Jambo Spice Farm for cloves, cinnamon, tropical fruit, coconut tasting, cooking, and a local lunch. Yasser may guide your walk, with timing adjusted to your interests.

“This was a wonderful experience. Walking through Stone Town and listening to the history as well as testing our knowledge of the spices on the spice farm was amazing. Yasser was an excellent tour guide, frequently checking to see if we had any questions and making sure Read more”

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A Private Full Day Tour To Stone Town & Spice Farm - What the private guide adds
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A Private Full Day Tour To Stone Town & Spice Farm

13.A Private Full Day Tour To Stone Town & Spice Farm

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 53 reviews · from $90

Spend about five to six hours with a private guide in Stone Town and at Tangawizi Spice Farm. See the Old Arab Fort, Sultan’s Palace, former slave market, Darajani Market, and House of Wonders, then learn about cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, turmeric, and tropical fruit. Pickup, transport, entrance fees, and bottled water are included.

“it was good tour and good driver and tour guide we saw all the things that we expect to see there thank you so much for your hospitality”

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Private Tour to Mnemba Island with Lunch - The boat trip around Mnemba
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Private Tour to Mnemba Island with Lunch

14.Private Tour to Mnemba Island with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 50 reviews · from $115

Start at 8:00 am with hotel pickup and head toward Matemwe for a private boat trip around Mnemba. You will search for dolphins, snorkel with a guide, relax on a sandbank with fruit and soft drinks, then eat a seafood lunch by the shore. Musa is one guide named in the tour details.

“Lamentablemente muy mal. Estuvimos solos porque el guía que se presentó venía con otra familia que había cogido también guía privado y además no hablaba español. Fuimos solos en la barca a “ver” delfines. Imposible entre tantas barcRead more”

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3-Hour Private City Tour in Zanzibar Island - The Old Fort, 30 minutes of Zanzibar’s military past
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3-Hour Private City Tour in Zanzibar Island

15.3-Hour Private City Tour in Zanzibar Island

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 47 reviews · from $24

Walk Stone Town with Omar, a local guide who explains Zanzibar’s history, culture, and architecture in clear detail. This private three-hour tour visits the Old Fort, former slave market, Freddie Mercury’s house, Darajani Bazaar, and House of Wonders. Bottled water and former slave market admission are included, while Freddie Mercury Museum entry is extra.

“Very good and knowledgeable guide with a focus on details about history, culture and art of the island and old city. For people who wish to visit Stone Town, a clear recommendation.”

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New in Private Tours in Zanzibar

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