Great trip, very informative and child friendly. Nice long walk along all of Znz for 2 hours. The best part was the end at the night food market! Asante Hamad.

Mady was great! He met me at the port after getting off my ferry from Dar es Salaam. He gave me a thorough overview of the history of Zanzibar before embarking on our tour that made the experience that more enjoyable! He was knowledgeable about all facets of the history and answered all my questions.

This was a scam. We were sold a guided tour with lunch in the Masingini forest. Turned out no guide on the spot as it was Sunday and apparently the guides aren't there on the Sundays. So the staff were trying to call the guide and get some information about the forest. We saw a map at the spot and asked which one of the hikes we were going to take. They didn't know. We ended up walking back and forth in the forest and were not served a lunch at all even though we paid for it. The company did not grant a reimbursement even though we asked for it. So we were robbed by Zan Archipelago Tours & Safaris, please everyone avoid.

Abkar was an excellent tour guide, showing me all the interesting plant spices at the spice tour and giving me interesting facts about Stone Town. Additionally, he allowed the tour to run slightly over to ensure an excellent experience. Lastly, he picked me up and dropped, ensuring that I wouldn't get lost.

We really enjoyed the Spice Tour, and learned a lot about the plants and trees where spices grow. It was not what we expected (an actual farm), but we loved it anyways. Our guides were very knowledgeable and friendly, and very accommodating to our older family members with limited mobility, especially in the rain. The traditional Zanzibari lunch was really delicious as was the fruit tasting (the best pineapple we have ever eaten!). It was a bit crowded and touristy, but you'll learn a lot and enjoy the Zanzibari hospitality and fun.

**Safari Blue Zanzibar** Our experience with this trip was far from what the sellers had promised us. The price-quality ratio was extremely disappointing. We paid 90 dollars for two people, which turned out to be far too much. After a one-hour bus ride, we arrived at a location where we boarded a boat with about 20 other people for another one-hour boat ride. Once we arrived at a sandbank, we were given a fruit breakfast, but we weren’t the only ones there: around 25 boats arrived, making the sandbank overcrowded with tourists. There was nothing else to do on or around the sandbank. After a 45-minute break, we continued to the snorkeling spot, a 20-minute ride. There were about 20 boats, and everyone was dropped into the water at the same time. The crew fed the fish, but there was no real snorkeling tour. It was far too crowded, and we constantly bumped into other tourists. We ended up snorkeling for just 10 minutes before getting back on the boat. We then took a short boat trip to a lunch spot, where we had a one-hour break. The lunch was well-prepared and there was plenty of food for everyone. After lunch, we visited a mangrove forest, where we could swim for just 10 minutes. Due to the tide, the mangroves were barely visible, so it wasn’t very impressive. After that, we endured a 1.5-hour boat ride and a one-hour bus ride back to the hotel. In short, while the trip was beautifully described and the photos looked amazing, it turned out to be a highly commercialized experience. You pay way too much for an experience that offers very little. NOT RECOMMENDED!

This was a slightly different tour than the description provided. Ours was done in a different order. First we were picked up on time by a nice driver who took us to the “Jambo Spice Farm”. Very interesting and lovely people run this place. Our guide was a young man who knew his stuff but it was a wee bit difficult to understand him due to his heavy accent. We tasted and saw many varieties of plant life that are spices made for many uses. Then there is a lunch that was excellent!! Of course there were spices for sale! After that we headed back into Spice Town for a boat ride to Prison Island; Home of the oldest Tortoises alive. One was 200 years old. Our Guide Hassan was very informative and friendly. Then back on the boat back to spice town for a walking tour which ended up in the very large public market of Zanzibar. Outrageously large. By that time we’d been sightseeing for close to 8 hours and were getting tired. We were taken back to the area near our hotel. I highly recommend this tour for first time visitors to Zanzibar. You won’t regret it!!

Absolute rubbish and not worth the US$35 cost (boat and entry fees). 10 minute boat ride each way in a dingy, with about 1hr on the island viewing a few broken down ruins, and turtles kept in disgraceful conditions. My guide spent 90% of the time talking on his phone and still expected a tip at the end. Absolute waste!!

Mady is absolutely the best. If you book this tour, I recommend requesting him. He is knowledgeable, and so personable! Spice Farm Tour Our visit to the spice farm was a delightful sensory experience of both smell and taste. I was greeted by the lush greenery, scents and tastes of various spices. My guide, Mady, was incredibly knowledgeable and made the tour engaging with his insights about vanilla, cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom (to name a few). I enjoyed a hands-on experience, of smelling & tasting fresh spices and learning about their uses in cooking and traditional medicine. The highlight was the lunch, which was hands-down the best meal I had the entire trip! The tour was educational and fun, suitable for all ages. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes. There are fresh, organic spices, tea, coffee, soaps, and oils for sale. Bring plenty of schillings so you do not miss out on the opportunity to take these wonderful spices home! Stone City Walking Tour The Stone City walking tour was a journey through history. Wandering the narrow streets of Stone Town, we marveled at the stunning architecture influenced by Arab, Indian, and European cultures. Mady shared fascinating stories about the island’s rich history, including its role in the spice trade and the slave market. We visited key landmarks like the Old Fort, each with its unique charm and significance. Prisoner Island Tour The Prisoner Island tour was both a historical and natural highlight of our trip. The boat ride to the island was scenic and fun, with beautiful views of the coastline. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the iconic giant tortoises, some over a century old. Feeding them was a memorable experience, and I learned about the conservation efforts in place to protect these remarkable creatures. The island also has a history as a former quarantine station for yellow fever, which added an intriguing layer to the visit. We explored the remains of the old prison. This tour was a great blend of history, nature, and relaxation. The water can be choppy on the way back to the mainland, so take something for motion sickness if you don’t enjoy the ocean. Personally I enjoyed it, however I am a fish in water. I highly recommend these tours to anyone visiting the island! Additionally, Mady was exceptionally accommodating; he was flexible with my schedule and adjusted the pace of the tour to suit my preferences. This made the experience even more enjoyable and personalized. Ali, our driver, set the perfect tone with his music—definitely ask him to put on the DJ Lyta mix for an unforgettable vibe!

Good tour but I felt like it was slightly overpriced for a solo traveler. Two of the main attractions--House of Wonders & People's Palace Museum--were advertised as "admission included"; however, these sites are currently permanently closed because the buildings are dilapidated. We did visit the Darajani Market instead which was a highlight. Also, the tour started a little late and ended a little early even though it was advertised as 9 hours.

Communication was very timely and clear. The guide suggested we start later so we could see the night market. They picked us up from our hotel on time which was way up north for an extremely reasonable rate, much lower than some of the others. Our guide Mady was very knowledgeable on the history of Zanzibar and the tour was very interesting. I stopped at a bank ATM to get cash and the ATM held my card because I took too long to figure out how much to withdraw so Madi helped us speak to the manager and to email a copy of my passport and waited with us for close to an hour until they gave us my card back. The tour went on more than the booked time because of that and we were very grateful for his help. I would love to take the tour again and see more of the city next time but we ran out of time and energy. They were very friendly and helpful and patient as I was traveling with my mother who was getting tired. I would recommend using this company for all their excursions!

My tour started off with Abkar at the spice farm and he was very kind, enthusiastic, and answered my questions with humor and patience. I really appreciated his expertise and thoughtfulness. I continued my tour with Mady in Stone town, and Prison island and he was terrific! He was very knowledgeable about the islands history, and gave me a lot of interesting information during our walking tour. He guided me to nice shops, and was very helpful when talking to locals. I deeply appreciate his well researched knowledge, thoughtful responses, great conversation, patience and professionalism. I could not recommend this guided tour enough, especially as a woman solo travelled I felt very safe and comfortable.

Nothing went terribly wrong, but the all in all experience could even better. The guys who accompanied us tried their best, but the the all trip was a bit rough and ready. Nakupenda is magic place and worth going while in Zanzibar.

Hamad (Mado) our guide was knowledgeable and very nice guy to take us around the stone town. It was indeed a fun and informative tour with Hamad and i do recommend him highly.

The land portion of this tour was quite good. The guides were knowledgeable and engaged. The problem is the last part of the tour is a boat ride to the Prison Island . We got into a small 17 foot skiff with the title Mr. Cheaper and I assumed it was going to ferry us to a larger boat for the 5 mile journey to the Prison Island across open ocean. Instead the skiff ( think large aluminum canoe) took off for the island directly and it was too late to turn them around. I am a Licensed Sailing Captain and know the boat safety rules well. This skiff had ONE life jacket for seven people. The boat was totally open with no storage .I doubt the skipper ( a kid) was licensed and there was no safety equipment what so ever on board. On the way back we hit 3 foot waves and we were all drenched by the time we reached the dock . Had the boat hit a wave wrong it could have easily flipped and sunk. No life jackets were available.This service would have been closed down by the Coast Guard in the US. In the US all participants would have been required to wear life jackets. I asked the Guide if this was normal not to have life jackets and he said yes- sheepishly. I expect Expedia to require its tour operators to meet basic safety standards and frankly they are ask risk legally if they don’t. I have been on dozens of boat tours around the world through Expedia and always check for their safety procedures which although often not as rigid as US Coats Guard are still acceptable. This operation was not. It’s not worth risking your life.