Overview

Explore the narrow alleys and winding streets of Stone Town on this historic look at Zanzibar’s oldest neighborhood. Check out spice bazaars and palaces, see where Rock Legend Freddie Mercury was raised, and pay a visit to a 19th-century church built atop the site of a former slave market.

Named because of its prevalent use of coral as a building material, Zanzibar’s Stone Town is filled with dense roadways too small for most modern cars. Explore the area by foot with your guide, starting at the House of Wonders. Built as a palace for the second Sultan of Zanzibar, this modern-looking residence was the first building in Zanzibar to have electricity and then continue on to uncover the hidden treasures elsewhere in Stone Town.

After lunch in Stone Town, you will take a drive to Jozani Forest. Take a tour through its stunning scenery, experiencing the wonder and delight of your natural surroundings. The forest is home to a number of endemic species, including the Zanzibar red Columbus monkey. The mangrove boardwalk takes you above the swamp, where, depending on the tide, you can see tropical fish flitting between the mangrove roots and crabs scuttling across the mud.

Your park guide will take you on a nature trail, lined with eucalyptus and mahogany trees, and explain the medicinal properties of various plants. As you walk, learn about the animals, birds, and reptiles that make their home in the various habitats of this tropical rainforest and later drive back to the hotel.