Rama Zanzibar Prison Island Tour

Prison Island Tour Zanzibar – Boat Trip to Changuu Island & Giant Tortoises

Discover the fascinating history and unique wildlife of Prison Island (Changuu Island), just a short boat ride from Stone Town. Visit the historic prison building, meet giant Aldabra tortoises over 100 years old, enjoy snorkeling around the coral reef, and relax on the island’s beautiful beaches.

This half-day excursion combines Zanzibar’s colonial history, incredible wildlife, and stunning coastal scenery, making it one of the island’s most popular and family-friendly tours.

Duration

Half Day

Tour Type

Boat & History

Difficulty

Easy

Age

All Ages

Wildlife

Giant Tortoises

Ruins

Historic Tour

Guide

Local Expert

Pickup

Available

Overview

The Prison Island Tour is a relaxed guided excursion from Stone Town to Changuu Island, roughly 5.6 km offshore and about a 20–30 minute boat ride away. The island’s star residents are its giant Aldabra tortoises, first gifted from the Seychelles in 1919. Many are now over 100 years old — some close to two centuries — with their ages painted in blue on their shells. You can walk among them, feed them fresh greens, and get remarkably close to these gentle, slow-moving giants.

Beyond the tortoise sanctuary, you’ll explore the island’s historic coral-stone ruins. Despite the dramatic name, no prisoners were ever held here — the complex, built by the British in the 1890s, became a quarantine station during the yellow-fever years. Your guide unpacks the layered history: from a detention site in the slave-trade era to the “prison that never was.”

With free time to swim in the calm shallows and relax on soft white sand, the Prison Island Tour blends wildlife, history, and easy island time in a single half day — ideal for families, couples, and first-time visitors looking for a gentle introduction to Zanzibar’s coast.

Guide: Rama Zanzibar, Guiding Since 2016

Guiding travelers across Zanzibar with a passion for sharing the island’s beauty, culture, and hidden gems. Rama and his local team are committed to delivering authentic experiences, friendly service, and unforgettable adventures across Zanzibar.

Highlights

Giant Aldabra Tortoises

Meet, feed and photograph century-old tortoises in their protected sanctuary.

Historic Prison Ruins

Walk the coral-stone ruins and hear the real story of the “prison that never was.”

Swim in Clear Water

Take a dip in the calm, shallow turquoise water off the island’s beach.

Scenic Boat Ride

Cruise turquoise water between Stone Town and Changuu — a short, calm crossing.

Local Guide & History

A knowledgeable local host brings the island’s layered past to life.

Photo-Perfect Island

Ancient ruins, gentle giants and ocean views — every corner is picture-worthy.

Itinerary

Hotel Pickup & Stone Town Departure
Your day begins with a pickup and a short transfer to the Stone Town seafront, where your guide meets you and introduces the island and the plan for the trip.

Boat Ride Across to Changuu
Board your boat and cruise 20–30 minutes across calm, clear water. Enjoy the sea breeze and the views of Stone Town’s waterfront and passing dhows as the island comes into view.

Giant Tortoise Sanctuary
Step ashore and meet the island’s famous Aldabra tortoises. Feed them fresh greens, watch them roam, and hear about their conservation story — some are well over 100 years old, with their ages marked on their shells.

Explore the Historic Ruins
Walk the atmospheric coral-stone buildings with your guide and learn the island’s real history — from a slave-era detention site to a British-built prison that instead became a yellow-fever quarantine station.

Swim & Relax on the Beach
Enjoy free time to swim in the calm shallows or simply relax on the white-sand beach. Grab a drink at the island café or browse the little boutique before heading back.

Return to Stone Town
Cruise back across the water with a camera full of photos, then transfer to your hotel — or ask to be dropped in Stone Town if you’d like to keep exploring.

Price

Includes

Profesional Tour Guide
Boat
Entrance fees
All government fees
Transfer from and return to your hotel is available only for the additional cost

Best Time to Visit Prison Island

Prison Island runs year-round, and the short, sheltered crossing means it’s one of the more weather-resilient tours on the island. The dry seasons — June to October and December to February — bring the calmest, clearest water, making them the ideal months to sail across to Changuu.

JanExcellent

FebExcellent

MarGood

AprModerate

MayModerate

JunExcellent

JulExcellent

AugExcellent

SepExcellent

OctExcellent

NovGood

DecExcellent

Excellent — calm seas, best visibility Good — occasional showers Moderate — rainy season, still operates

The island stays popular in peak season (June–October & December–February) — booking a day or two ahead is recommended to secure your morning slot.

What Guests Say

    
 
 
       Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Shaikha ahmed a 
 July 27, 2026
 
 
 Verified The Best Travel Team in Zanzibar
This was our first time booking with this company, and it definitely won’t be our last. They took great care of us from the moment we arrived and paid attention to every little detail. They gave us the chance to experience so many amazing activities while always making our safety their top priority. They made us feel comfortable, welcomed, and never like we were in a foreign country. Their hospitality, professionalism, and genuine care made our Zanzibar trip unforgettable. We will definitely book with them again on every visit Highly recommended
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Dream61563114865 
 July 19, 2026
 
 
 Verified A Stress-Free & Unforgettable Zanzibar Experience
أكيد، هذه بصياغة مختلفة تمامًا بحيث ما تبين نفس تعليق صديقتج، لكنها توصل نفس الفكرة: Title A Stress-Free & Unforgettable Zanzibar Experience Review We booked all our Zanzibar tours with Rama Zanzibar Beach Tours & Safaris, and they made our 4-day trip smooth and enjoyable from start to finish. The team was always responsive on WhatsApp, confirmed our plans every day, and happily accommodated any changes we wanted to make. They also recommended activities that suited our interests, which made planning s o much easier. We experienced Salam Cave, the Spice Farm, snorkeling, horse riding, Nakupenda Sandbank, Stone Town, and a private Sunset Cruise. Most of our tours were private, with our own comfortable air-conditioned vehicle, and even our boat was exclusively for our group. As a group of Arab girls, we really appreciated the privacy and the sense of security throughout the trip. Everyone we met was friendly, respectful, and professional. We never felt rushed—they were always smiling and saying “Hakuna Matata!”, which perfectly matched the relaxed atmosphere of Zanzibar. The service was excellent, the prices were fair, and the overall organization was outstanding. We wouldn’t hesitate to book with them again and highly recommend them to anyone looking fo r a safe, reliable, and well-organized tour company in Zanzibar.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Maryam a 
 July 19, 2026
 
 
 Verified Exceptional Service, Safe, Flexible & Truly Memorable!
We spent four amazing days exploring Zanzibar with Rama Zanzibar Beach Tours & Safaris, and everything exceeded our expectations. Booking through WhatsApp was easy, communication was fast, and they confirmed our schedule every day. They were always flexible, helped us choose the best activities, and adjusted our plans whenever needed. We visited Salam Cave, Spice Farm, horse riding, snorkeling, Nakupenda Sandbank, Stone Town, and enjoyed a beautiful private Sunset Cruise. Most of our tours were private with our own air-conditioned vehicle, and even our boat was just for our group. As a group of girls traveling together, we really appreciated the privacy and the high level of safety. The drivers and guides were always punctual, respectful, patient, and never rushed us. We kept hearing “Hakuna Matata!” 😄, which perfectly reflected their friendly attitude. Excellent value for money and outstanding service. We highly recommend them to anyone visiting Zanzibar. We would definitely book with them again!
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Floor v 
 July 19, 2026
 
 
 Verified Amazing Rama Tours
We had an amazing experience with Rama Tours! The entire team was incredibly kind, welcoming, and genuinely friendly from start to finish. They provided excellent service, gave us great local tips, and it was clear that they are very knowledgeable and truly passionate about what they do. After talking with them, we also decided to book their cooking class—and it turned out to be one of the most unforgettable experiences of our lives. Everything was well organized, authentic, and so much fun. We learned a lot while enjoying the warm hospitality. We highly recommend Rama Tours to anyone visiting Zanzibar. If you're looking for professional guides, genuine local experiences, and wonderful people, this is the place to book with. Thank you for making our trip so special!
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Aleksej P 
 October 21, 2025
 
 
 Verified Einfach unglaublicher Ausflug
Mega Tag mit delphinen und schöner Sandbucht. Schwimmen und schnorcheln , das war einfach einzigartig und Delphine haben es noch getoppt
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Saf A 
 September 22, 2025
 
 
 Verified Ramadan
Ramadan took us on three trips to prison island , mikoumi safari and nungwi beach also he was providing taxi services to us too he was pleasant and professional and we felt safe as two girls travelling his prices were reasonable and he provided us with clear advice and help , he sorted everything and made our holiday to Zanzibar easy and safe highly recommended
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   mr H 
 April 30, 2024
 
 
 Verified the best
best service we had from ramdan , he explained to us very clear and toke us to the place we wanted , very nice guy best day we had with him
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Lucy Nyambura 
 August 2, 2023
 
 
 Verified Amazing Experience
Mohammed was very informative in assisting make my Zanzibar trip a success from giving recommendations for stay to airport transfers and the excursions we went to . Always punctual and willing to answer any questions and make sure we had a perfect seamless stay . Would highly recommend him and his team and will be using this company again if I ever travel to Zanzibar .
  
 
  
  
 
 
   Tripadvisor rating score: 4.9 of 5, based on 111 reviews 
 
     Verified by Trustindex  Trustindex verified badge is the Universal Symbol of Trust. Only the greatest companies can get the verified badge who has a review score above 4.5, based on customer reviews over the past 12 months. Read more

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Prison Island Tour?

The Prison Island Tour is a relaxed half-day boat excursion from Stone Town to Changuu Island. It combines a visit to the island’s giant Aldabra tortoise sanctuary, a guided walk through the historic coral-stone ruins, and free time to swim and relax on the beach.

Where is Prison Island and how long is the boat ride?

Changuu (Prison) Island sits about 5.6 km northwest of Stone Town on Zanzibar’s west coast. The boat ride from the Stone Town seafront takes roughly 20–30 minutes across calm, sheltered water.

How long does the tour last?

It’s a half-day experience, usually around 3–4 hours including the boat rides and time on the island. Exact timing depends on your hotel’s location, tides, and how long you’d like to linger with the tortoises and on the beach.

Are the giant tortoises real, and can I feed them?

Yes. The island is home to a protected colony of giant Aldabra tortoises, first brought from the Seychelles in 1919. Many are over 100 years old, with their ages painted in blue on their shells. Visitors can feed them fresh greens provided by the keepers and take photos up close — just mind your fingers, as they have a strong bite.

Was Prison Island really a prison?

Not quite. In the 1860s the island was used as a detention site during the slave-trade era. In the 1890s the British built a prison complex, but it never held prisoners — instead it served as a quarantine station during yellow-fever outbreaks. Your guide explains the full story on the ruins walk.

Is the tour suitable for children and non-swimmers?

Absolutely. It’s one of the most family-friendly tours in Zanzibar. The boat ride is short and calm, the island is easy to explore on foot, and swimming is entirely optional — you can enjoy the tortoises, the ruins, and the beach without entering the water at all. Parents are responsible for supervising young children near the water.

Can I combine Prison Island with another tour?

Yes — because it’s a half day starting in Stone Town, it pairs perfectly with a Stone Town Walking Tour, a Nakupenda Sandbank trip, or a spice farm visit to make a full day. Message us on WhatsApp and we’ll build the combination that fits your schedule.

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Book this tour using the form or contact Rama Zanzibar directly through the contacts below