ZanTours

ZanTours is one of Zanzibar's oldest and largest tour operators, describing itself as a destination management company with more than 100 team members and over two decades of experience on the island. As well as excursions on Zanzibar, it arranges safaris on the Tanzanian and Kenyan mainland, but most visitors to Stone Town will know it for its day trips. The company states that its guides are certified by ZATOGA, the Zanzibar Tour Guide Association, and that they are multilingual.

The classic Stone Town tour covers the main sights on foot: the Anglican cathedral and former slave market, the old Sultan's palace, the Old Fort, the house of the trader Tippu Tip, the fruit and vegetable market, Forodhani Park and the town's carved doors. ZanTours also runs an evening version, Stone Town Served at Night, which ends with a four-course dinner. Its spice farm tour is a guided walk among cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla, with the chance to buy spices, soaps and creams and to try traditional weaving.

Boat trips are a big part of the programme. The Prison Island excursion is a 30-minute boat ride from Stone Town to see the giant tortoises and the old quarantine buildings, and the sunset cruise is a two-hour trip on a traditional dhow with live Zanzibari music, snacks and drinks, departing from Stone Town; sailing depends on the wind. Further afield, the company offers Jozani Forest with the Zanzibar Butterfly Centre, a seaweed centre visit in Paje, Safari Blue from Fumba, and a full day on Tumbatu Island by boat from Mkokotoni, which is only possible with the permission of local elders. A Made in Zanzibar tour introduces local entrepreneurs.

ZanTours suits first-time visitors who want reliable logistics and a choice of shared or private trips, and families who prefer an established company. Book directly by email to the address on its website or by phone, and confirm what is included, such as entry fees, transfers, meals and drinks, before paying. Ask whether hotel pick-up is available from your area, as departure points vary by trip.

The company is based on the island, and its team works across Stone Town and the coast. A full first day could combine a Stone Town walk in the morning with a spice farm in the afternoon, finishing with the sunset dhow cruise from the Stone Town waterfront.