This private tour included a visit to the Tangawizi spice farm followed by a walking tour of Stone Town.
The Tangawizi “spice farm” was not really a farm in the traditional sense. It was a couple of acres on the outskirts of Stone Town with various plants growing there. That said, we did see examples of nutmeg, vanilla, cocoa, coffee, cinnamon, jackfruit, ginger, turmeric, and lemongrass. It was informative at a basic level, but if you are looking for a true working spice farm experience, I would recommend seeking out a larger, more authentic operation.
After the spice stop, we continued with a walking tour of Stone Town. The route through the vegetable, fish, meat, and spice markets was visually fascinating and lively. Unfortunately, the guide’s explanations were fairly perfunctory. He spent more time greeting friends and acquaintances than explaining the history, culture, or nuances of what we were seeing.
Our guide (Mr. P) was knowledgeable but not very enthusiastic. He had difficulty making eye contact and made little effort to engage with us personally or to learn anything about us, which made the experience feel transactional rather than “private.”
Several practical aspects could have been improved, especially given the heat. Water was not offered (we had to ask), restroom breaks were not proactively suggested, and there were no suggestions to rest during the walking portions.
The van itself was adequate and nicely air-conditioned. The driver’s English was limited, but he eagerly—perhaps a bit too eagerly—engaged us about an upcoming football match. Once football topics were exhausted (and so was his English), he turned on music.
We met the guide at the spice farm, and he returned with us to Stone Town. During the drive, the guide and driver spoke to each other and made no effort to include us. They asked to play “Swahili music,” which turned out to be about 30 minutes of techno rap in Swahili accompanied by videos of gangsters throwing money around. One song featured women singing “who the f*** is the master?” This felt like a poor and somewhat jarring representation of Zanzibar and Tanzania.
Overall, the tour covered interesting places, but the delivery, engagement, and attention to guest comfort significantly detracted from the experience. With more thoughtful guiding and better logistics, this could be much stronger.