Changuu Island also known as Prison Island lies about 30 min by boat from Stone Town. The island was formerly owned by an Arab and saw use for confinement of refractory slaves but no prisoners were ever housed here instead the island became a quarantine station for yellow fever epidemics. It was bought by General Lloyd Mathews and the jail (goal) which still stands was built in 1893 and hence the name “PRISON ISLAND”. In 1919 the British governor of Seychelles sent a gift in form of four Aldabra giant tortoises to Changuu. Presently this species is considered vulnerable and has been placed on the IUCN Red List. There is a dedicated foundation on the island which looks after the tortoises' welfare. This tour includes a visit to the historic Prison Island with its giant land tortoise. While on the island you will be able to observe and feed the tortoises, swim, sunbathe and snorkel.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
If you cancel at least 3 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.<br>If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.
Prison Island Half-Day Tour from Zanzibar lasts about 3 hours.
Prices start at $95 per person for this Zanzibar experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There are 2 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Yes. Cancel at least 3 days before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Yes, pickup is offered. Pickup points include Kisauni Airport.
The experience is available in EN.
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 15 travellers can book together.
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 4.1 out of 5 across 34 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by ARP Travel Group.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
This was a very pleasant way to spend a couple hours. We enjoyed seeing the tortoises and learning the history of the island. The tide was high so there was no beach or swimming, so pay attention to the tide tables when you book if this is important to you
The guide was really nice and kind. We had the opportunité to do snorkelling and he explained the while historical background of the island. The encountzr with the turtles was magical !
Overpriced — this is a tiny island with not much to see. Our guide didn't even flag the museum. It was definitely underwhelming.
I really loved the entire island. The tortoises were interesting but the museum outlined the history in an interesting and fascinating way. The shop was one of the best I've seen with a large variety of items. The pace was leisurely. We never felt hurried even though the island got a little crowded as the day went by. I would recommend arriving as early as possible to avoid the crowds.
Turtle Island was fascinating. The boat ride out was also an adventure. Our guide was very friendly and excellent. However, Viator Should have notified people that they must Be prepared to walk out in a foot of water to the boat, therefore shorts or raised pants legs are mandatory.. Also, the boat trip out to the island had very rough water which guests should be prepared for.
The French speaking guides have excellent training and you learn a lot. For those we had
Thou I have visited Prison island a few times already, it’s always nice to see it through another’s eyes. The trip through small boats is safe, we travelled with young children under 10 years. What I noticed was the water current is higher toward the end of the day, so perhaps not the very ideal time to travel! The peacock addition makes the place even more interesting!
TOUR to Prison Island together with Nakupenda, a prison that has never really been used as such but as a quarantine place and where giant turtles were important from the Seychelles...many is giant. Then you go to Nakupenda which in local language means "I love you", here I have no words to describe the beauty the colors that there are .. a tongue of sand that appears and then disappears after a few hours, where you prepare the fish cooked at the moment .. delicious fresh fruit, crystal clear sea ... the best experience for me ..
We relied on this excursion to Gianduiotto. Good organization. Unfortunately the weather was cloudy and we could not fully enjoy the beauty of the tongue of sand. Interesting and fun prsion island with its turtles!
Very nice trip to prison island. Great driver and car and our guide was very friendly and informative on what we visited.
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prison Island Half-Day Tour from Zanzibar | 3 hours | 4.1 (34) | $95 | |
 Stone Town,Spice Tour&Prison Island Private Tour | 9 hours | 4.9 (56) | $130 | View |
 Full Day Private Spice Farm Stone Town and Prison Island | 8 hours | 4.9 (44) | $110 | View |
 Private Prison Island & Nakupenda Sandbank with Seafood BBQ | 5–6 hours | 4.6 (26) | $160 | View |
 Full-day Prison Island, Nakupenda and Stone Town Tour with Lunch Buffet | 7–8 hours | 4.6 (26) | $137 | View |
 Zanzibar - Prison Island & Nakupenda Sandbank with Lunch (BBQ) | 6–8 hours | 4.8 (16) | $45 | View |
 Full-Day Safari Blue Island Hopping -with lunch | 7–9 hours | 4.7 (15) | $120 | View |