Guided tour

From Stone Town: Spice Tour of Zanzibar

4.4  / 555 reviews
Media collage
Media collage
Media collage
Guided tour
From Stone Town: Spice Tour of Zanzibar
4.4  / 555 reviews

Discover spice plants, herbs, and all kinds tropical fruits on a small spice plantation. Learn why Zanzibar is known as "spice island" and buy spices to take home with you.

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Reserve now & pay later
Keep your travel plans flexible — book your spot and pay nothing today.
Duration 2.5 hours
Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide
English, French, German, Spanish, Italian
Pickup included
Pickup is available from any hotel within Stone Town. Please wait at the hotel reception to be collected.
Wheelchair accessible

Highlighted reviews from other travelers

C
Claire – United States

This was a great tour and I would definitely recommend! It is amazing to see where different spices come from. My boyfriend was supposed to come with me but got sick so I went alone, but I was driven to the spice farm and ended up having a personal guide. The guide was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and was able to answer all my questions. I was able to see a huge variety of spices and was able to see and smell all of them, and to taste a few. I was also able to taste many different fruits. The tour ended off with watching a man climb a coconut tree and drinking fresh coconut water and a stop at the small spice shop at the farm. The only hiccup was my hotel (in Stone Town) was unable to be pinned on the map during the booking so they went to the wrong hotel first but it was easily fixed as Babu Tours was in constant contact with me through What's App and I was able to complete the entire tour and still be returned to the hotel at the expected time. Altogether a great experience!

C
Claire – United States
M
Manon – Netherlands

The tour was great. Proficient communication about the pick-up, lovely guide (from the spice farm itself) and interesting well told information about the farm and local habits. You get to touch, smell and taste (if possible) the spices. At the end, you receive some handmade gifts, some fruit to eat and you watch a coconut climber get a fresh coconut for you.

M
Manon – Netherlands

Experience

Highlights

  • Learn what herbs and spices were originally used for
  • Explore the magic of the "coconut climber"
  • Discover and taste some fresh tropical fruits

Full description

On this 2.5-hour guided tour, immerse yourself in the heady world of the spices of Zanzibar. This tour will clarify for you why Zanzibar is called “spice island”: on this small plantation you’ll see where spices grow, among them cloves, nutmeg, vanilla, Zanzibar’s cardomoms, cinnamon, curry, menthol, pepper, tamarind, and ginger. You’ll also see tropical fruits such as papayas, mangoes, and jackfruit.   You’ll also learn the origins of spice plants and herbs, as well as some uses they are put to. For example, the neem tree leaves were used locally as a traditional cure for malaria and indigestion, while the iodine tree is still used to fight infections in wounds. The tour ends with a visit to the spice shop on the farm, where you can buy fresh spices to use in your cooking at home.

Includes

  • Entrance fee
  • Guide
  • All government taxes
  • Food
  • Gratuities

Not suitable for

  • People with mobility impairments

Select participants and date

Participants

Date

Important information

What to bring

  • Comfortable shoes

Not allowed

  • Luggage or large bags

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.4 /5

based on 55 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.6/5
  • Transportation
    4.4/5
  • Value for money
    4.3/5
  • Service
    5/5

Filter

By star rating

Sort by:

C
Claire – United StatesMarch 9, 2023  – Verified booking
This was a great tour and I would definitely recommend! It is amazing to see where different spices come from. My boyfriend was supposed to come with me but got sick so I went alone, but I was driven to the spice farm and ended up having a personal guide. The guide was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and was able to answer all my questions. I was able to see a huge variety of spices and was able to see and smell all of them, and to taste a few. I was also able to taste many different fruits. The tour ended off with watching a man climb a coconut tree and drinking fresh coconut water and a stop at the small spice shop at the farm. The only hiccup was my hotel (in Stone Town) was unable to be pinned on the map during the booking so they went to the wrong hotel first but it was easily fixed as Babu Tours was in constant contact with me through What's App and I was able to complete the entire tour and still be returned to the hotel at the expected time. Altogether a great experience!
Helpful?
M
Manon – NetherlandsOctober 12, 2024  – Verified booking
The tour was great. Proficient communication about the pick-up, lovely guide (from the spice farm itself) and interesting well told information about the farm and local habits. You get to touch, smell and taste (if possible) the spices. At the end, you receive some handmade gifts, some fruit to eat and you watch a coconut climber get a fresh coconut for you.
Helpful?
G
GetYourGuide traveler – FranceOctober 27, 2024  – Verified booking
This tour, although taking place in a local spice farm, felt quite lacking. We were very excited to learn more about spice cultivation as well as the day to day life in Zanzibar, but we left with few answers. The tour felt too "touristy", with multiple shops spread throughout the journey, where you were strongly invited to give more money, event though the tour wasn't cheap! There were also some other "shows", such as a man climbing a coconut tree. Although impressive, this felt very artificial, like they were putting an act towards us. For us, it wasn't what we were looking for in this kind of tour. It feels like it's wholly made for tourists, and doesn't reflect in anyway the life and activities that take place in a Zanzibar spice farm. The spice shop in the end is well furnished, with a variety of spices. However, the prices were higher than those of Zanzibar Town's marketplaces. We left very disappointed, with a weird feeling that we just been showed a play outside of reality.
Helpful?

Product ID: 275157

Activity provider:Babu Tours & Safaris

Top Attractions in Zanzibar City

Experiences in Zanzibar City

Tours in Tanzania

Things to do in Tanzania

Top destinations

Popular on GetYourGuide

Popular Attractions