Eco & Culture Tours
Eco & Culture Tours
4.5
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Full view
About
A responsible Tour Operator company, Eco & Culture Tours is deeply committed to providing world-class travel adventures for discerning, caring travelers. Founded in 1998 Eco & Culture Tours Zanzibar, is a Tour Operator Company owned and managed by a non profit making local organization called Eco + Culture NGO, registered under Societies Act of 1996, with a registration number 59. We are registered and licensed Tour Operator Company by the Commission of Tourism Zanzibar,Zanzibar Revenue Board (ZRB) and has a Tax Payer Identification number (TIN) no 101-109-320, and a member of Zanzibar Association of Tour Operator (ZATO). Eco & Culture Tours is a pioneer of conservation development and community empowerment, and the company’s philosophy of caring for the land, its wildlife and its people is evidenced in everything we do.
Zanzibar Island, Tanzania
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingSimilar Experiences
Eco & Culture Tours
Booking unavailable on Tripadvisor
Want other options you can book now?
Show optionsTravelers talk about
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
186 reviews
Excellent
126
Very good
30
Average
11
Poor
14
Terrible
5
Sarah R
Seville, Spain14 contributions
Jun 2021
My husband and I booked a personalised tour to Prison Island, Nakupenda and Stone town, stopping close to Bawe Island for a little of snorkeling on the way to Nakupenda. We had an amazing day exploring this piece of paradise.
I made all the arrangements with Robert via email, he was very flexible with what I wanted to do and was able to meet all expectations.
Our guide Hamad was very knowledgeable, professional and friendly. We really enjoyed his company, he made us feel welcome and safe everywhere we went with him and was able to answer all of our questions. We had a great time with him!
The driver's name was Ali H Matata, the best driver in the island!! Very reliable, professional and friendly! (he will get his own review, as we used his car services few times more while on the island)
We highly recommend Eco & Culture, the experience was unbeatable in every way!!
I made all the arrangements with Robert via email, he was very flexible with what I wanted to do and was able to meet all expectations.
Our guide Hamad was very knowledgeable, professional and friendly. We really enjoyed his company, he made us feel welcome and safe everywhere we went with him and was able to answer all of our questions. We had a great time with him!
The driver's name was Ali H Matata, the best driver in the island!! Very reliable, professional and friendly! (he will get his own review, as we used his car services few times more while on the island)
We highly recommend Eco & Culture, the experience was unbeatable in every way!!
Written July 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
robbinreads
Bellefonte, PA620 contributions
Oct 2020
We booked a combination Jozani Forest Tour and Spice Tour for two adults, and had a really excellent time. Pickup was on time (early actually) in a comfortable vehicle with a friendly driver, and our guide, Rasheed, shared lots of information with us en route from once place to another, and answered all of our questions with a smile. Our visit to Jozani Forest was good, with a close encounter with some red colobus monkeys.
Lunch was a Swahili lunch at the home of one of Rasheed’s colleagues. We had requested a vegetarian meal and they were able to accommodate. Honestly, this was the best meal that we had the entire time we were in Zanzibar: there were six different dishes all made with local produce and local flavor, and we were blown away. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a photo, but suffice to say, it was fantastic, and the servings were ample.
In the afternoon, we did a spice tour, and got to see all sorts of different spices and fruits growing while learning about the agriculture industry. Next, we got to try a number of different fruits; some were unfamiliar, others we’d seen before, but they were all infinitely more delicious than what we can get in the US. Before we left the spice farm, we saw a coconut tree-climbing demonstration and got to enjoy fresh young coconuts. On our way back to town, we stopped at a historic Persian-style bath and got to go inside and take a look around.
Rasheed and our driver (whose name I, regrettably, did not catch) were helpful and friendly, and made this tour day such a treat. They went out of their way to make sure we enjoyed ourselves and learned a lot, and even stopped briefly before dropping us off at our hotel so we could run a personal errand. This company was excellent to work with, and we would absolutely recommend it to friends and family.
Lunch was a Swahili lunch at the home of one of Rasheed’s colleagues. We had requested a vegetarian meal and they were able to accommodate. Honestly, this was the best meal that we had the entire time we were in Zanzibar: there were six different dishes all made with local produce and local flavor, and we were blown away. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a photo, but suffice to say, it was fantastic, and the servings were ample.
In the afternoon, we did a spice tour, and got to see all sorts of different spices and fruits growing while learning about the agriculture industry. Next, we got to try a number of different fruits; some were unfamiliar, others we’d seen before, but they were all infinitely more delicious than what we can get in the US. Before we left the spice farm, we saw a coconut tree-climbing demonstration and got to enjoy fresh young coconuts. On our way back to town, we stopped at a historic Persian-style bath and got to go inside and take a look around.
Rasheed and our driver (whose name I, regrettably, did not catch) were helpful and friendly, and made this tour day such a treat. They went out of their way to make sure we enjoyed ourselves and learned a lot, and even stopped briefly before dropping us off at our hotel so we could run a personal errand. This company was excellent to work with, and we would absolutely recommend it to friends and family.
Written October 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gill W
London, UK21 contributions
Jan 2020
We highly recommend this trip. Our guide, Abdallah, was superb - his English is excellent, his local knowledge unbeatable and his respect for nature self-evident. He was charming and courteous, and generous with his time and attention from start to finish. He is ably supported by the company owner, Robert, who answered emails promptly in advance of the trip. Commendations also to chef Omar, who cooked us an amazing seafood lunch, and to the captain of our dhow, who made for a safe trip and kept watch while we snorkelled to make sure all was well. I won't spoil the surprise by giving away too much of the detail, but take it from me, this was a truly magical day!
Written January 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sanne Aakermann Ø
Copenhagen, Denmark52 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
We made arrangements with Robert for a dhow sunset trip and a Unguja Ukuu boat trip. And we absolutely enjoyed both of the trips. The sunset trip was peaceful and beautiful as we where sailing with sails most of the time. And the trip to the island was outstanding. Money well spent.
Written February 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
nap1hawaii
Hawaii9 contributions
Oct 2022
I spent 14 hours in Stone Town with Eco Tours - Stone Town Walking Tour, Spice Farm w/lunch, and Dhow Sunset Cruise. I have travelled the world for 48 years and have never experienced a top-notch tour better than what Robert and his crew provided. From the moment they retrieved me from the airport, escorted me throughout the day and night and delivered me back to the airport, everything was perfect. The tour guides and driver had been with the company for 15 years and they acted as though this was their first exciting time to show me parts of their island. Every tour was educational and professional; however, the Spice Farm Tour was my favorite. Thank you everyone at Eco,
Written October 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wiebke K
8 contributions
Feb 2022 • Solo
I went on an exclusiv Princes Salme tour and it was great! Since I was the ony person the tour was changed according to my wishes, no dhow, no donkey ride, no lunch, no coffee to cut costs but a lot of time at the other locations. I especially enjoyed the time at Bububu because the guide managed to get us into the Villa Gardens with the Palace Ruins. The guide had a good knowlege about the history of Princess Salme.
The spice farm was also interesting and I was not pressed into buying spices at all.
If you intend to go on the Prince Salme Tour I can recommend Eco Tours wholeheartly. Robert answered to my enquiery within a couple of hours and managed to set up my tour for the next day!
The spice farm was also interesting and I was not pressed into buying spices at all.
If you intend to go on the Prince Salme Tour I can recommend Eco Tours wholeheartly. Robert answered to my enquiery within a couple of hours and managed to set up my tour for the next day!
Written May 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lena M
1 contribution
Jul 2022
Robert and his team organized our wedding on Niemembe Island for us. He was very friendly and answered all our questions patiently. I was a bit worried when I had to send an amount of the total prize to a Tanzanian bank account, but everything worked out well. Rashid came to our hotel one day prior to discuss some details and answer some questions. On the day of the wedding everything was organized very good. We were picked up by a driver, who brought us to the west coast. There we went on a 1 hour boat ride to Niemembe.
This island is absolutely stunning and beautiful. The only people who were there were the ones who prepared everything for our wedding. They decorated everything so nicely. The registrar was nice, the sea food barbecue was very tasty and the atmosphere was beautiful. It was not a luxury wedding, it was a intimate, small and bare foot wedding, Just like we wanted.
After receiving our documents the marriage is acknowledged in Germany as well.
We really enjoyed the day, there were just two things that could be improved:
1. The photographer that they organized was not the best. The photos turned out to be okay, but he didn‘t edit any of the photos, although he told us he would. Also he didn‘t send all of the pictures. He didn‘t even reply when we asked him about it.
2. The process of legalizing the wedding in Tanzania took longer than expected. We had to rush the team to hurry up and send us the documents. In the end it arrived, but it took approx. 3 weeks.
All in all I would recommend Eco and Culture, but they could improve one or two things.
This island is absolutely stunning and beautiful. The only people who were there were the ones who prepared everything for our wedding. They decorated everything so nicely. The registrar was nice, the sea food barbecue was very tasty and the atmosphere was beautiful. It was not a luxury wedding, it was a intimate, small and bare foot wedding, Just like we wanted.
After receiving our documents the marriage is acknowledged in Germany as well.
We really enjoyed the day, there were just two things that could be improved:
1. The photographer that they organized was not the best. The photos turned out to be okay, but he didn‘t edit any of the photos, although he told us he would. Also he didn‘t send all of the pictures. He didn‘t even reply when we asked him about it.
2. The process of legalizing the wedding in Tanzania took longer than expected. We had to rush the team to hurry up and send us the documents. In the end it arrived, but it took approx. 3 weeks.
All in all I would recommend Eco and Culture, but they could improve one or two things.
Written August 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Caroline E
3 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
We went on the princes Salme and spice tour and payed 180 $ for two people. As there was a boat trip included, I asked the night before if it was possible based on weather and tide. No problem, the day of the trip it was a problem, we had to go by car instead. Because of that there was too much time in between activities. We were offered a sundowner with Dhow instead. That was good, we believe we did pay way too much overall. Do not forget that people are still expecting tips. The lunch after the spice tour was poor. Some years ago we had a spice tour with a guide who approached us on the street, the lunch was with local people sitting on a mat under the trees and food was much better. The explanation by the guide was done well. The ruins of the Persian baths on the private property were not accessible. The night before I was told they were.
Written January 22, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
adelasia d
27 contributions
Apr 2022 • Solo
Highly recommended local agency based in Stone Town. After spending a month looking for a tailor made trip of Unguja, I came across Eco&Culture Tours. Robert replied in two hours to my email and my specific requests with a detailed 12 days plan. He took care of me from when I landed to when I left, which is a plus for a solo traveling woman.
Robert was extremely supportive when my luggage was lost. Not only he took me to shopping for basic stuff, but he wad persistent in calling the handling company for the following 4 days, until the luggage was delivered to me.
Everything was according to plan or adjusted when needed.
I could not recommend their services more.
Robert was extremely supportive when my luggage was lost. Not only he took me to shopping for basic stuff, but he wad persistent in calling the handling company for the following 4 days, until the luggage was delivered to me.
Everything was according to plan or adjusted when needed.
I could not recommend their services more.
Written May 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks so much Adelasia for your positive reviews, Eco & Culture Tours makes sure that guests enjoy their holiday and make it memorable.
Robert
Written May 4, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mark F
6 contributions
Sep 2022
Wonderful, educational, eco-friendly and personalized tours by local residents. I booked four tours in advance of our trip to Zanzibar; stone town walking tour, spice tour, Josani Forrest, and a snorkeling excursion to our own private sand bar / island. A friendly knowledgable driver picked us up and returned us to our hotels and accommodated all of our needs during the excursions. This is not just another tour but a personized and highly memorable experience.
Written October 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi! I am trying to get in touch with Eco & Culture tours through email but I am not getting any answers. What email did you use?
Written November 13, 2017
Seems good - bit nervous about paying so much money before getting there ...
Written December 26, 2016
We found them quite honest and trustworthy. Charging upfront seems a standard practice with all of the tour organizers there. You should be fine with the payments and services
Written December 27, 2016
Showing results 1-5 of 5