Prison Island, Stone Town Tour and Spice Plantation

Changuu Island, also known as Prison Island, is about a 30-minute boat ride from Stone Town. The island once belonged to an Arab and was used for the confinement of refractory slaves, but no prisoner has ever been housed there. The island has become a quarantine station for yellow fever outbreaks. It was purchased by General Lloyd Mathews and the prison (goal) which still stands was built in 1893, hence the name “PRISON ISLAND”. In 1919, the British governor of Seychelles sent a gift in the form of four giant Aldabra tortoises to Changuu. Currently, this species is considered vulnerable and has been placed on the IUCN Red List. It exists on the island a specialized foundation that monitors the well-being of turtles. This tour includes a visit to the historic Prison Island with its giant tortoise. On the island, you can observe and feed the turtles, swim, sunbathe and snorkel.

You will be picked up from your hotel and taken to the tour location. The Aldabra Giant Tortoise Sanctuary is a major tourist attraction and the oldest tortoise is 192 years old. Turtles are not native and are masterful creatures, weighing an average of 200 kg; some are over 100 years old (4 turtles are 150 years old). You can feed them for a fee paid on the island, but watch out for their snapping beaks. Other marine life is also reasonably rich and Changuu offers good snorkeling. It is by no means the most extensive or varied snorkeling site off the coast of Zanzibar, but being so close to Stone Town and so easily accessible makes it ideal for those who want to see a little “under the sea” during a city break. The restaurant on the island, Matthews, is good and reputable. This is all the more true as the atmosphere of the restaurant is charming and it offers a beautiful view of the sea. You will then be dropped off at the hotel after the excursion.

Zanzibar Spice Tour

Spice tour in Zanzibar is a 3 hour private tour that is considered the best 2 day trip in Zanzibar, tropical fruits, herbs, spices, and other rare species of other plants are among the different vegetation to be seen on this tour. This is not just a day trip, but a real experience that proves why Zanzibar is called the spice island. Over the centuries, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper and many other spices were brought by the Sultan of Oman across the Indian Ocean by dhow on the seasonal trade winds. The guide gives detailed descriptions of the uses of the various plants, although not all of them are for food. The leaves of the neem tree were once used as a remedy for malaria and indigestion, the iodine tree produces a deep red sap used to fight infections, while the foaming berries of the unnaturally named soap tree have been used for centuries as an alternative to soap. Other spices include nutmeg, ginger, vanilla, tamarind, menthol and clove.