Slave Trade Routes Zanzibar Half Day Excursion

Slave Trade Routes Zanzibar Half-Day excursion begins and ends in Zanzibar Stone Town. This guided excursion will transport you back to the 16th century, when Zanzibar was a thriving commercial empire. The Slave Trade Tour in Zanzibar will help you trace our history back to the colonial times when slavery began.

Tracing the history of the East African slave trade is a powerful experience that takes you from the bustling alleys of Stone Town to hidden coastal caves. 

This Half-day excursion (roughly 3 hours) follows a historical route that covers these key locations:

✓ Dhow Harbour (Malindi):  The starting point where enslaved people were brought by ship from Bagamoyo on the mainland to Zanzibar
✓ Tippu Tip’s House, Zanzibar: Explore the residence of the notorious 19th-century Arab slave trader and merchant, Hamed bin Mohammed el Murjebi
✓Anglican Cathedral & Old Slave Market: Built symbolically over the site of the world’s last open slave market. You can still see the original dark, airless underground chambers where people were held before being auctioned
✓ Livingstone House: The home of Dr. David Livingstone, the famous explorer who campaigned tirelessly for the abolition of slavery.
✓ Mangapwani Slave Chamber in Mangapwani:  Located about 20km north of Stone Town, these underground cells were used to hide slaves illegally after the trade was officially banned in 1873
✓ Mbweni Ruins & Gardens (Jungle Paradise): 4-star hotel. Formerly a school dedicated to freed slave girls, providing a glimpse into the post-abolition efforts on the island

Half-day Slave Trade Tour in Zanzibar Highlights

✔ Visit Zanzibar Central Market: The tour starts from Kelele Square and walks along the alleys of Stone Town to the house of former trader Tippu Tip. Then, proceed to the most significant market at Mkunazini, where slaves were cruelly whipped before being auctioned
✔ Visit Dr. David Livingstone’s House: Visit the house of the good slave friend, Dr. David Livingstone, who campaigned for the abolition of slavery, which marked its end in 1873
✔ Visit Maruhubi Ruins, where 99 enslaved women entertained the Arab Sultan of Zanzibar (1870-1888) in the luxurious palace
✔ Visit Mangapwani chamber and caves: The last stop is at Mangapwani chamber, where slaves were kept waiting for monsoon-winded boats to fetch them and to be exiled

Half-Day Slave Trade Routes Itinerary

0900 Hours: Start – Old Slave Market/Anglican Cathedral (1 Hour): Visit the former site of the largest slave market in East Africa. Explore the museum, see the underground chambers where enslaved people were held, and visit the Anglican Cathedral built on the site of the former whipping post to mark the end of slavery.

1000 Hours: Stone Town Historical Walk (1 Hour): Walk through the labyrinthine alleys of Stone Town, focusing on sites related to the trade, including the former auction areas and the Sultan’s Palace (Beit al-Sahel)

1100 Hours: Tippu Tip’s House & Suicide Alley (30 Minutes): Visit the home of one of the most notorious slave and ivory traders, Tippu Tip, located in the Shangani area

1130 Hours: Zanzibar Harbour/ Malindi Area (30 Minutes): Visit the dhow harbor area where slaves were brought from the mainland before being sold or transported elsewhere

1200 Hours: Conclude: Forodhani Gardens (30 Minutes): Finish near the Old Fort and Forodhani Gardens, which were key areas for merchants and cargo in the 19th century 

Half-Day Slave Trade Routes Tour Price 

* Visit the Slave market
* Entry fees to the Maruhubi ruins
* Entry fees to Mangapwani caves 
* Transfer 4 km to the City of Maruhubi
* Entry fees to the Mangapwani chamber
* Transfer 20km: Maruhubi to Mangapwani
* Services of a professional Tour guide (English)

Notes: Pick-up and drop-off costs will be calculated separately, depending on your location

The Slave Trade Routes Zanzibar Half-Day Excursion is a historical guided tour that includes visits to Zanzibar’s slave-trading sites. This guided excursion will take you back to the 16th century, when Zanzibar was a commercial empire.

The tour includes a walk through the caves at Mangapwani, where slaves were kept awaiting their fate, the Dhow Harbor, where slave ships arrived with their human cargo, and the Anglican Church, built on the site of the old slave market.

Until slavery was abolished in Zanzibar in the 19th century, the island played an important role in the Arab slave trade. See some of the historical sites involved in the slave trade on a 3-hour guided tour.

The excursion begins with a pick-up from your hotel to the Dhow Harbor, where slave ships brought their human cargo from Bagamoyo to Zanzibar. You will be walking along the alleys of Stone Town to the house of former trader Tippu Tip. Then proceed to the biggest market at Mkunazini (Stone Town), where slaves were cruelly whipped before being auctioned.

While in Stone Town, you’ll see the Anglican Church, which stands on the site of the island’s largest slave market. You will also visit the house of the good slave friend, Dr. David Livingstone, who campaigned for the abolition of slavery, which marked its end in 1873.

From Stone Town, you’ll be driven to Mbweni to visit Mbweni Ruins, where 99 necked enslaved women entertained the Arab Sultan of Zanzibar (1870-1888) in the luxurious palace. The last stop is at Mangapwani chamber, where slaves were kept waiting for monsoon-winded boats to fetch them and to be exiled.

Slave Trade Routes Zanzibar Half-Day Excursion Prices Include

✓ Bottle Water
✓ Transport by air-conditioned mini-van
✓ Professional English-speaking guides
✓ Entrance fees to museums, parks, and spice farms
✓ Hotel pick-up and drop-off from Stone Town hotels (transfers from hotels out of Stone Town are available on request at additional costs

Notes

*  It’s recommended that you wear long pants and comfortable, closed walking or hiking shoes
* The tour begins at 0900 Hours to 1200 Hours or 1330 Hours to 1630 Hours (time flexible, please inquire)
*  Please note that you should dress conservatively during this tour. When walking through Stone Town, women should wear long skirts or trousers and cover their shoulders

Slave Trade Routes Zanzibar Half-Day Excursion Prices Exclude:

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