Spice & Fruit Tour

Spices and herbs were originally introduced to Zanzibar by Portuguese traders in the 16th century, brought from their colonies in South America and India.

Your tour starts with a walk through a local spice farm (shamba). There, you’ll learn how spices, herbs, and fruits are grown and cultivated. Your guide will explain how these crops are used in our cuisine.

You’ll get to smell and sample spices such as clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, turmeric, vanilla, cardamom, chili, and black pepper; herbs such as lemongrass; and tropical produce such as coconut, papaya, jackfruit, cassava, and oranges. You’ll also enjoy a traditional Swahili lunch at the farm, where you can really taste the different ways of using spices and how they come together in our traditional cooking.

Your tour finishes with a stop at a local spice stand selling fresh packaged spices for you to take home with you (cash only).