Highlights
Prison Island
Take a boat trip to Prison Island, once used to quarantine Yellow Fever sufferers. The island is a great place to snorkel and to see giant Aldabra Tortoises − some of whom are around one-hundred years old. Perhaps you fancy exploring the island’s interior woodland, as you keep your eyes peeled for birds, bats, various butterflies and Duiker Antelope.
Wildlife Encounters
Great for wildlife-lovers, Jozani Natural Forest Reserve is home to the Red Colobus Monkey, offering a wonderful opportunity to see and photograph these rare species. Furthermore, experience an unforgettable dolphin safari from the village of Kizimkazi, on the southern coast of the island, as you spot the majestic Bottlenose and Humpback Dolphins.
Anglican Cathedral
The Anglican Cathedral is a must-see in Stone Town. Building work started in 1873 and lasted ten years, under the vision and contribution of Edward Steere, third Anglican Bishop of Zanzibar. The tall spire and yellow-grey walls blend in with the surrounding streets of Stone Town, whilst the dark-wood pews and stained-glass windows reminded the British visitors of churches back home. With the history of the slave trade in Zanzibar, there is a monument that remembers this dark period of history.
Old Fort
Located on the main seafront, discover the impressive ramparts of the Old Fort in Stone Town, overlooking the beautiful Forodhani Gardens and the ocean beyond. The forts were constructed by the Omani Arabs to defend the island from the Portuguese in 1698. Today, the Old Fort is still an impressive sight, complete with souvenir shops for those little keepsakes and a pleasant café for refreshment. Local shows in the open-air amphitheatre (located next to the Old Fort) are also a brilliant accompaniment to visiting the Old Fort.
House of Wonders
Whilst visiting iconic Stone Town, do visit the extraordinary House of Wonders, which rises in impressive tiers of lean steel pillars and large open balconies and overlooks the waterfront. Built in 1883 for Barghash bin Said, second Sultan of Zanzibar, it is the largest and tallest building in Stone Town. The origins of the name, ‘House of Wonders’ comes from it being the first building in Zanzibar to have electricity and running water, along with being the first building in East Africa to have a lift.