3 days · Zanzibar
Stone Town & Spice Short Break
A short, history-led break in Stone Town for travellers who want the island's story rather than a week on a beach.
Is this trip for you?
Trip type
Private departure
Transfers, guiding and rooms are booked for your party alone. The island days themselves are yours — we would rather leave them open than fill them with things you did not ask for.
Ages
All ages
Zanzibar is the easiest part of Tanzania to travel with small children: short transfers, shallow water at most of the east-coast beaches, and no early starts unless you want them.
Fitness
No fitness requirement
Stone Town is walked rather than driven, on uneven lanes and in real heat. Everything else is optional.
Group size: Private transfers and a private guide in Stone Town
Day by day.
-
1
Arrival and Forodhani
Transfer from the airport to Stone Town, an afternoon to settle, and an evening at the Forodhani night market by the waterfront.
- Overnight
- Stone Town
- Where
- Stone Town
- Driving
- About 20 minutes from the airport
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
2
Stone Town and spices
A guided walk through the old quarter in the morning, a spice farm and tasting in the afternoon, and a dhow sail at sunset.
- Overnight
- Stone Town
- Where
- Stone Town and a spice farm
- Driving
- About 45 minutes to the spice farms
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
3
Jozani or departure
An optional morning in Jozani Forest to see red colobus, then your transfer to the airport.
- Overnight
- You fly home
- Where
- None — departure day
- Driving
- About 20 minutes to the airport
- Meals
- Breakfast
Where you sleep.
Comfort
Guesthouses in Stone Town and small beach hotels on the east coast. Air conditioning, hot water, breakfast, and a short walk to the sea.
Classic
Mid-range beach hotels with a pool and a restaurant, and the better-restored Stone Town houses with a roof terrace.
Premium
Small luxury properties on the quieter stretches of coast, and the historic Stone Town hotels. Fewer rooms, more space, and a beach that stays empty.
We book against availability for your dates rather than naming a property we may not be able to get you into. Your written quotation names every lodge and camp before you pay anything.
What is included
- All park entrance and administrative fees
- All meals while on safari
- 1.5 litres of drinking water per person per day
- Transfers from and to your hotel
- 4x4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof while on safari
- Professional English-speaking driver-guide
- Staff fees
- Accommodation where noted in the itinerary
- A walking tour in those protected areas that allow one
Not included
- International airfares and departure taxes
- Visa fees
- All items of a personal nature
- Tips and gratuities for hotel and lodge staff, camp staff, your driver and guides
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
- Laundry services
When to go.
June to October and January to February — dry
The reliable months. Hot, dry and busy, with calm water on the east coast and the best diving and snorkelling visibility of the year.
November and December — short rains
Short afternoon showers between long sunny stretches. Quieter and cheaper, and the sea is at its warmest.
March to May — long rains
The wettest and most humid months. Many of the smaller beach hotels close for part of this window; the ones that stay open are excellent value.
Questions about this trip.
Is three days enough for Stone Town?
For the town itself, yes — it is small and best walked. Three days gives you the guided morning, a spice farm, and enough unstructured time to get lost in it, which is the point.
What should we know about dress?
Zanzibar is predominantly Muslim and Stone Town is a working town, not a resort. Shoulders and knees covered away from the beach is both expected and appreciated.
Is Forodhani market safe to eat at?
Yes, with the usual rule: eat what is cooked in front of you and skip anything that has been sitting out. Your guide will point you at the stalls they use.
On this route
Where you will be.
Compare
Other zanzibar journeys.
Zanzibar Beach Escape
Four nights on the Indian Ocean, arranged as the natural second half of a safari or a climb. We match the coast to how you actually want to spend the days.
- Beach chosen to suit swimming or diving
- Stone Town walking tour
- Spice farm visit
Pricing on request View itinerary
Plan it with us
Make this itinerary yours.
Add days, drop a park, change the pace. This is a starting point, not a fixed departure.