In the 19th century Zanzibar was one of the world’s leading producers of cloves, grown on plantations established under the Omani sultans. Spices still matter here, and the farms in the countryside north of Stone Town — around Kizimbani and Kidichi — welcome visitors for guided spice tours.
A tour is a walk through a mixed plantation where the guide cuts, crushes and hands round leaves, bark, seeds and fruit for you to smell and guess: cloves, nutmeg with its red mace, cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom, black pepper, lemongrass and turmeric. Most end with a tasting of tropical fruit and a chance to buy spices.
Top things to do at Zanzibar Spice Farms
Take a guided spice tour
Around an hour on foot. Guides often weave palm-leaf hats, rings and ties for guests along the way. A tip for your guide is customary.
Buy spices to take home
Farm shops sell packaged spices, vanilla and oils. Prices vary — compare with the Darajani market in Stone Town if you are going there anyway.
How to get to Zanzibar Spice Farms
- From Nungwi: about an hour by road. The easiest way is a combined day tour with Stone Town and Prison Island or Jozani Forest, with pickup included.
Insider tips
- Wear comfortable shoes; paths can be muddy after rain.
- Bring small notes for tips and purchases.
- Check the customs rules of your home country before bringing back plant products.
Best tours & tickets for Zanzibar Spice Farms
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Zanzibar Spice Farms from Nungwi or Kendwa:
Private tour from $70 Zanzibar: Jozani Forest, Spice Farm, Stone Town Private Tour
A private day that covers the island’s nature and history at your own pace: the endemic red colobus monkeys of Jozani, a spice plantation and the lanes of Stone Town. Excellent ratings, and good value split between three or four people.
- Red colobus monkeys in Jozani Forest
- A working spice farm with tastings
- Your own guide and car, collected from the north coast
Day trip from $55 Zanzibar: Stone Town, Spice Tour & Prison Island with Lunch
Zanzibar’s three classic sights in one day, with lunch included. It is the most efficient way to see the island’s history from a beach base in the north — choose the pickup option when you book and check that your Nungwi or Kendwa hotel is covered.
- Guided walk through UNESCO-listed Stone Town
- Giant Aldabra tortoises on Prison Island
- Taste cloves, nutmeg and vanilla at a spice farm
