Trip Descriptions
Situated 5.6km northwest of Stone Town, Unguja, Prison Island is a small island in the Indian Ocean which can be visited as part of a Zanzibari adventure. The island is also known as Changuu, the Swahili name for a fish which is abundant in the surrounding waters, and its total length is 800m.
Beneath its pristine beauty, Prison Island has a sinister history. Prison Island was uninhabited until the 1860s when the first Sultan of Zanzibar, Majid bin Said, gifted it to 2 Arab slave owners who used the island as a prison for rebellious slaves.
In 1893, British First Minister, Lloyd Matthews, acquired the island and planned to build a prison on this tranquil outpost. Although the building work was completed in 1894, the prison never housed any inmates.
In the 1920s, Prison Island was transformed into a quarantine island that served British territories in East Africa. The prison buildings were converted into a hospital, and patients were monitored for 1-2 weeks before they were permitted to leave.
Prison Island is famous for its population of Aldabra giant tortoises. In 1919, the British governor of Seychelles gifted 4 tortoises to Prison Island. The tortoises thrived on Prison Island and it contained a population of 200 tortoises by 1955. Unfortunately, during the late c.20th, many tortoises were stolen for sale as pets or meat.
Thankfully, conservation efforts have saved the tortoises from extinction, and their population is beginning to recover. Visitors can feed the tortoises and observe their social interaction.
What's Included
- Professional Tour Guide.
- Bottle of mineral drinking water per person.
- Return transfers to/from the hotel/airport or Seaport.
What's Not Included
- Free Coffee stop at Jafferji House or have a lunch paid directly on the rooftop of Jafferji House.
- Any items of personal nature.s
- Tips.
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