Explore Prison Island

OVERVIEW

Enjoy a boat ride to once-notorious Prison Island, a lovely beach-rimmed island mainly inhabited by a colony of Aldabra giant tortoises. After departing from the pier, you will enjoy a scenic drive to the beach near Stone Town, a maze of narrow streets that has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its architecture, which reflects centuries of sea trade between Africa and Asia. Upon arriving, you will board a traditional dhow boat and cruise to Changuu, also known as Prison Island, a speck of land where Arab slave traders once held particularly rebellious slaves. Although there is a crumbling prison here, it was built after the slave trade ended and was only used to quarantine people suffering from yellow fever in the late 19th century. Today, Aldabra giant tortoises are the primary residents. The tortoises on Prison Island aren’t indigenous but rather descendants from four tortoises that the Seychelles government sent as a gift in 1919. One of the world’s longest living species, they grow up to four feet in length and weigh as much as 550 pounds. As you stroll about the island, you will spot dozens of Aldabra giant tortoises. They are usually seen resting in the shade, cooling off in shallow ponds, and eating grass or other low vegetation. You are also welcome to enjoy the beach on Prison Island or snorkel in the typically calm, crystal-clear waters. Afterwards, you will retrace your route back to the pier.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Drive through Zanzibar City’s oldest quarter, Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Sail to dazzling Prison Island aboard a traditional, wooden-hulled dhow boat.
• Rejoice in Prison Island’s thriving colony of Aldabra giant tortoises, descendants of four specimens donated by the Seychelles decades ago.
• Wonder at the size of the tortoises, which can weigh up to 550 pounds and reach four feet in length.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.