Stone Town
A UNESCO World Heritage labyrinth of Arab, Persian, Indian, and European architectural layers.
The Stone Town at a Glance
The scale and character of this destination, briefly.
An Stone Town Primer
Everything worth knowing before you visit.
Stone Town is the old heart of Zanzibar City — a dense warren of coral-stone buildings, carved Zanzibari doors, Arab merchant houses, Indian bazaars, Christian churches, and the infamous Old Slave Market.
UNESCO inscribed it in 2000 as one of the finest examples of Swahili coastal trading-town architecture surviving anywhere.
Inside Stone Town
The distinct areas and experiences within Stone Town.
The carved doors
Stone Town has over 500 historic carved doors — Indian, Arab, and Omani styles, each with symbolic elements. A walking tour with a good guide unlocks an enormous amount of the city's history through these doors alone.
The Slave Market and Anglican Cathedral
Built on the site of East Africa's largest slave market. The small museum is harrowing and necessary. The cathedral altar sits directly on the old whipping post.
Forodhani night market
Every evening, the seafront fills with grilled seafood stalls. Zanzibari pizza (not Italian — a local pancake stuffed with egg, meat, vegetables), sugar cane juice, octopus skewers. Casual, busy, essential.
Accommodations in Stone Town
From mid-range classics to ultra-luxury tented camps. Swipe to compare.
Premium
$280 / night
Eleven individually-designed rooms in a restored merchant's house. Rooftop restaurant, heart of Stone Town, deeply atmospheric.
Luxury
$650 / night
Historic seafront building restored to five-star. Pool, spa, premium restaurants. Where most luxury Zanzibar trips start and end.
Mid-range
$210 / night
Restored historic building in the UNESCO core. 51 rooms, seafront pool, good restaurant, walking distance to Forodhani market.
Budget
$120 / night
A 19th-century merchant's house turned family-run hotel. Pool, affordable, excellent location on the seafront.
From the Field
A visual sample of what Stone Town offers.
What You'll Do
The experiences we build into every Stone Town itinerary.
Half-day guided walk through UNESCO-listed Stone Town. Carved doors (500+ historic examples), Old Fort, the Slave Market memorial, spice market.
Half-day · $55pp
Every evening, the seafront fills with grilled seafood stalls. Zanzibari pizza, sugar cane juice, octopus skewers. Casual, busy, essential.
Evening · Walk-upBuilt on the site of East Africa's largest slave market. Harrowing and necessary. The cathedral altar sits on the original whipping post.
1 hour · $10pp
Half-day tour of a working spice plantation outside Stone Town. Local lunch, cinnamon, vanilla, cloves still grown commercially.
Half-day · $45ppWhen to Visit Stone Town
Year-round. Coolest Jun–Sep.
Practical Details
The key info for fitting this destination into your trip.
Safaris That Include Stone Town
Our signature trips that feature Stone Town on the itinerary.
Zanzibar
The Spice Island. Turquoise water, Stone Town's labyrinth, and the archetypal African beach.
Cultural Tours
Maasai bomas, Hadza hunter-gatherers, Chagga coffee farms. Tanzania beyond the wildlife.
Bush & Beach
Five days on safari, four on the Indian Ocean. The quintessential Tanzania combination.