Zanzibar: Prison Island and Nakupenda Boat Trip with Lunch
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fromUS$18
See dates on GetYourGuidePrison Island Zanzibar: boats, fees and giant tortoises
Day tour
Zanzibar: Stone Town, Spice tour & Prison Island with Lunch
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Prison Island (Changuu)
Photo: Google Maps- Type
- Island
- Time to spend
- Go Smart's Prison Island tour lasts 3–4 hours (half a day).8Holidays To Zanzibar says a visit to Prison Island alone takes three to four hours door to door, which matches Go Smart's 3–4-hour tour.2
- Google rating
- 4.3 (1,443 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026
- On the map
- Open in Google Maps
Google Maps lists no opening hours
The island at a glance
What is Prison Island like?
Prison Island is small and easy to walk: it’s about 800 m long and 230 m wide3. It sits off Stone Town, the historic centre of Zanzibar City, on the island of Unguja4.
About 800 m long, 230 m wide3
The name is a bit of a trick. Wikivoyage describes the island as a former quarantine zone and later a prison5, but Wikipedia says no prisoners were ever held there1.
Tortoises, cells and reef
Things to do on Prison Island
Changuu Island is a tortoise, a prison and a reef, all within a short walk. The full island circuit takes about an hour and a half2 on foot.
Island circuit: about 1.5 hours2
- Giant tortoises: you can see and feed the tortoises3. They bred quickly, and there were around 200 by 19551.
- The old prison: the building still stands and shelters some of the tortoises. Its cells are open to visitors3, so yes, you can tour a prison here, even one that never held anyone.
- Snorkelling: the reef off the beach is shallow and sheltered2, and Holidays To Zanzibar says it’s fine for beginners.
- Holiday cottages: the north-west of the island has 15 holiday cottages3, along with a tennis court, a swimming pool and a library.
Going on your own
How do you get to Prison Island from Stone Town?
You take a boat from the Stone Town seafront, so there’s no need for a car or a tour. Going on your own works like this:
5.6 km north-west of Stone Town1
-
Head to the Forodhani waterfront
Holidays To Zanzibar says boats leave from the Forodhani waterfront through the morning and early afternoon.
-
Hire a boat
Wikivoyage says a solo traveller can hire a whole boat with a sailor from the beach near the ferry.
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Cross to Changuu
The boat ride takes 20–30 minutes each way.
-
Pay at the jetty
Pay the island entry fee at the counter near the jetty; the government levy is collected separately.
Fees and levies
How much does Prison Island cost?
A visit means paying for the boat, the island entry and a marine conservation levy. The sources don’t agree on the figures, so treat this table as a guide rather than a price list.
Levy in force since 1 September 20256
Prison Island fees
| Ticket | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| Island entrance fee | US$3 in Aug 2025, rising to US$10 in Sep 2025 | – |
| Fee charged by the managing company | US$12 (Aug 2025) | – |
| Marine conservation fee, non-East African visitors, per day | US$10 | US$5 (ages 5 to 15) |
Wikivoyage; The Citizen (news)
Zanzibar’s revised marine conservation fees have covered the Chumbe and Changuu-Bawe area since 1 September 20256 (checked October 2026). Wikivoyage adds that other sources give different figures5 for the entrance fee.
Going with a guide
Prison Island tours from Stone Town
A tour takes care of the boat and the haggling for you. Holidays To Zanzibar puts a visit to Prison Island alone at three to four hours door to door2.
3–4 hours door to door2
| Option | Price | Time | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your own boat from Stone Town | US$15–30 per boat | 20–30 min each way | Wikivoyage |
| Go Smart Prison Island tour | From US$60 per person | 3–4 hours | Go Smart Zanzibar Tours (operator) |
| Go Smart Stone Town & Prison Island tour | US$90 solo, US$75 each for two | Half-day tour | Go Smart Zanzibar Tours (operator) |
Wikivoyage; Go Smart Zanzibar Tours (operator)
This trip combines Prison Island with the Nakupenda Sandbank and includes lunch and hotel pickup. For a longer day, a Stone Town, spice tour and Prison Island day with lunch fits all three into one outing.
Families and first-timers
Who Prison Island suits
Prison Island is best for families and first-time snorkellers. Holidays To Zanzibar says the reef suits families and first-timers2 well, and the short crossing makes it an easy trip from town.
Make a day of it
Combine Prison Island with Stone Town
Prison Island fits neatly into a few days in Stone Town. Wikivoyage reckons a day in Stone Town7 gives you plenty of insight, which leaves an afternoon free for the boat.
- Forodhani Gardens visitor guide: the Forodhani waterfront2, where the boats leave from.
- Freddie Mercury House Stone Town guide: an easy stop once you’re back in town.
- Salaam Cave hours and entry fees: another trip to plan on the island.
- The Stone Town area overview: where to wander, eat and sleep before or after the crossing.
For the rest of the island, there’s more on things to do.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons and Pexels. Authors and licences: image credits
Checked against 10 sources · last checked October 2026
- Wikipedia · checked October 2026
- Holidays To Zanzibar (tour company) · checked October 2026
- Wikipedia · checked October 2026
- Wikipedia · checked October 2026
- Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
- The Citizen (news) · checked October 2026
- Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
- Go Smart Zanzibar Tours (operator) · checked October 2026
- Go Smart Zanzibar Tours (operator) · checked October 2026
- Google Maps listings via DataForSEO · checked October 2026
Page history · last changed 21 October 2026
- First written
