Stone Town

With the flood of tourism that has arrived onto Zanzibar of late, and the fact that there seems to be a new hotel springing up in the town every week, a visit to Stone Town tends to fall into the “marmite” category for many…either you really love it or you really hate it!

With a series of small alleyways, ancient carved doors and a myriad of street sellers, there is no doubt that wandering through the town of a day can be a hectic experience. This being said though, with plenty of history to see and an energy that drives the island, it is still worth considering for a night or two in a trip in our opinion.

Do see our best camps & lodges in Stone Town picks for 2026/27 on this page.

Located right in the heart of the town and is definitely worth taking a look at. Dating back to the 16th century this old fort was built during the Omani occupation of the island and was built over the site of a Portuguese church constructed over a century before. Losing its standing as a means of defence in the 19th century, it is an interesting footnote in the island’s history.

Do see our best camps & lodges in Stone Town picks for 2026/27 on this page.

Located right next door to the Old Arab Fort and, in a similar vein, it is interesting for its relevance to the island’s past. Built in 1883 it was originally constructed as a ceremonial palace and was the first building on the island to receive electricity. Today the impressive balconies and balustrades house the island’s homage to its past and it offers a fascinating glimpse into Swahili and Zanzibari culture.

Directly overlooked by the fort are the Forodhani Gardens which are the main gathering point for the town and, having recently had a facelift, is well worth a visit. The ornate gardens and great views out across the port make it one of the more popular evening haunts for the locals and merchants, selling their wares.

Do see our best camps & lodges in Stone Town picks for 2026/27 on this page.

Due to its UNESCO status, much of the old part of the town has to be left to the elements somewhat. This means that, when the rains arrive in April, May and again in November, the town becomes pretty overwhelmed. For this reason, we tend to opt for the drier months between June and November if given the choice.

Do see our interactive best time to visit Stone Town guide on this page as well as on our parent guide to zanzibar page for more in-depth information on when to go.

Or call us on +44 1525 840 149. That’s what we’re here for.

As much as AI has changed the way we all approach our lives, there is still no substitute for picking up the phone and having a chat through the options with one of us on +44 1525 840 149

This allows us to completely tailor the property choices, costs and itinerary length to your needs…but we also understand that this is not always possible with the busy lives we all lead.

With this in mind, we have also put together a safari finder tool that should help you to narrow down the initial stages at which point we can jump in to “round off the edges” as it were.

Alternatively please feel free to >send us an email with your timings, group size and rough likes and dislikes and we can get the ball rolling.

As much as AI has changed the way we all approach our lives, there is still no substitute for picking up the phone and having a chat through the options with one of us on +44 1525 840 149

This allows us to completely tailor the property choices, costs and itinerary length to your needs…but we also understand that this is not always possible with the busy lives we all lead.

With this in mind, we have also put together a safari finder tool that should help you to narrow down the initial stages at which point we can jump in to “round off the edges” as it were.

Alternatively please feel free to >send us an email with your timings, group size and rough likes and dislikes and we can get the ball rolling.