Giant Tortoises, Turquoise Lagoon & 20-Minute Boat from Stone Town
Prison Island Holiday Packages 2026
Visit Changuu Island — Zanzibar’s most charming day trip. Giant Aldabra tortoises, a turquoise snorkeling lagoon & fascinating colonial history. Packages from $99.
Our Prison Island Packages
From a quick half-day tortoise visit to an overnight stay on the island — choose the Prison Island experience that suits your Zanzibar itinerary.
Prison Island Half-Day Trip
Half day
from $99
per person
The classic Prison Island experience — dhow transfer, giant tortoises, turquoise snorkeling & history all in one perfect half-day from Stone Town.
- Traditional dhow transfer from Stone Town
- Giant Aldabra tortoise sanctuary visit
- Lagoon snorkel with equipment
- Guided historic quarantine station tour
Prison Island Full Day
Full day
from $149
per person
Spend a full day on Prison Island: tortoises, snorkeling, a fresh beach lunch & unhurried relaxation in the turquoise lagoon. Perfect for families.
- All half-day experiences included
- Beach lunch on the island
- Extended snorkeling in the lagoon
- Relaxation on private beach
Prison Island Overnight Stay
1 night
from $299
per person
Stay overnight on Prison Island to experience the magical atmosphere once day-trippers depart — sunset over Stone Town, star-filled skies & a private dawn beach.
- Overnight at island hotel
- Sunset & sunrise on private beach
- Full day activities included
- Return dhow to Stone Town next day
Stone Town & Prison Island Combo
3 nights
from $499
per person
The complete Stone Town & Prison Island experience — UNESCO heritage, giant tortoises, turquoise lagoons & Zanzibar’s legendary Night Market.
- 2 nights Stone Town heritage hotel
- 1 full day Prison Island trip
- Stone Town guided walking tour
- Forodhani Night Market evening
Why Visit Prison Island from Stone Town?
Prison Island — officially called Changuu Island — sits just 5.6km northwest of Stone Town, making it the most accessible of Zanzibar’s outer islands. The dhow transfer takes around 20 minutes from Stone Town’s main jetty, and the island rewards visitors with a completely different experience to the mainland: crystal-clear turquoise water, a famous sanctuary of Aldabra giant tortoises, and the evocative ruins of a 19th-century quarantine station.
Prison Island is genuinely one of the most enjoyable and varied half-day trips in all of Tanzania. The combination of wildlife (the tortoises are extraordinary up close), swimming (the lagoon is some of the clearest water in the archipelago), history (the quarantine buildings are fascinatingly atmospheric) and the simple pleasure of a tiny island beach makes it suitable for all ages and travel styles. Our packages handle the dhow transfer, entry fees, snorkel equipment and guided tour, leaving you to simply enjoy the experience.
The Aldabra Giant Tortoises of Prison Island
Prison Island’s most famous residents are its Aldabra giant tortoises — a population of over 100 animals originally gifted from the Seychelles in the late 1800s. Aldabra tortoises are one of two surviving species of giant tortoise on earth and can live well beyond 100 years — several of Prison Island’s oldest residents are believed to be among the oldest living animals on the planet. At up to 250kg and 1.2 metres in length, they are unmistakably prehistoric.
The tortoise sanctuary is enclosed within a shaded garden on the island’s northern side. Visitors can walk freely among the tortoises, crouch beside them for photographs, and feed them fresh leaves under the supervision of the resident caretaker. The experience of making eye contact with an animal that may have been alive during the reign of the Omani Sultans of Zanzibar is genuinely humbling. The entry fee of $15 per adult contributes directly to the tortoises’ care and veterinary costs.
The Historic Quarantine Station
Prison Island’s name derives from a period in the 1860s when Arab slave trader Hamad bin Suleiman intended to use it as a holding facility for enslaved people awaiting transport — though this plan was never executed. The British colonial administration later acquired the island and constructed a yellow fever quarantine station in the 1890s, which processed ships arriving in Zanzibar from East Africa and the Persian Gulf. The station’s distinctive coral-stone buildings, with their arched verandas and iron shutters, remain largely intact.
Walking through the quarantine buildings with a knowledgeable guide brings the island’s layered history vividly to life — from its pre-colonial role in the Indian Ocean trading network to its function as a disease checkpoint for one of the world’s busiest 19th-century ports. The building that now serves as the island’s small hotel was the original quarantine administration block. All our packages include a guided tour of the historic site as part of the itinerary.
Snorkeling Prison Island’s Lagoon
The lagoon on Prison Island’s leeward western side offers some of the most accessible and visually rewarding snorkeling available on a day trip from Stone Town. Visibility is typically 10–20 metres, and the shallow reef — starting just metres from the beach — is home to parrotfish, triggerfish, angelfish, sergeant majors and occasional hawksbill sea turtles. The water is warm year-round (26–29°C) and the gentle entry makes it ideal for families and less confident swimmers.
Our packages include snorkel mask, fins and briefing for all snorkeling activities. The best snorkeling is on the north and east sides of the island where coral coverage is highest, though the western beach lagoon is more sheltered and calmer — particularly suitable for children. The island’s entire snorkeling area can be comfortably explored in 60–90 minutes, making it perfectly compatible with the tortoise visit and historic site tour in a single half-day.
Booking Your Prison Island Package
Prison Island packages can be booked as standalone experiences or combined with Stone Town accommodation — our 3-night combo at $499 is particularly popular with first-time Zanzibar visitors who want to maximise their time in the archipelago. The island can be visited year-round, though the best snorkeling conditions occur during the dry season (June–October and December–February). Rainy season visits (March–May and November) are perfectly possible but visibility and sea conditions can be more variable.
Dhow transfers depart from Stone Town’s Forodhani seafront from around 8am, with returns throughout the day. The last return dhow typically departs Prison Island at 5pm, allowing enough time for sundowners at Forodhani market on your return. All our package prices include dhow transfer, island entry fee, tortoise sanctuary access, guided tour and snorkel equipment. Contact our team to book and confirm departure times for your preferred date.
Book Your Prison Island Experience
Giant tortoises, turquoise waters & Zanzibar history — all within 20 minutes of Stone Town. Enquire today for packages from $99.
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