Old fort Zanzibar

The Old Fort, also known as the Arab Fort and by other names, is a fortification located in Stone Town, the capital of Zanzibar. It is the oldest building and a major visitor attraction of Stone Town.

Big festivals, small festivals, fashion shows, movie nights, weddings, The Old Fort really functions as a great forum for many different cultural events! Check out the music festival Sauti za Busara in February and Zanzibar International Film Festivals in July.

There are small shops at the fort, mostly selling clothes & art. There is also a restaurant near the amphitheater. In the further-most towers you can find an art gallery and in the last one, a Zanzibar Urban Adventures office for fun tours!

The Old Fort front office is open every day from 8 am until 6 pm. For events and bar nights, the entrance is open longer. The shops & offices inside have their own hours, but never past the official opening hours. Old Fort entrance is free of charge.

How to get to the Old fort from stone town

Those using the Benjamin Mkapa road from the city center can take a walk of about 10 minutes to reach the old fort but those on our city tour of Zanzibar will have it all arranged as part of their city tour of the traditional Zanzibar town tour.

Where to stay in stone town

Dhow Palace Hotel

The Dhow, being the heartbeat of the East African culture, has been carrying people, goods, and treasures to and from Zanzibar for hundreds of years. Today, the Dhow Palace serves as a meeting point for people and cultures from all over the world amidst decor and artifacts from a time gone by.

Dhow Palace was originally the home of a rich merchant, Sheikh bin Mujbia. Bin Mujbia and his descendants kept the building for more than three centuries before it was sold. The Dhow Palace building, being right in the heart of the stone town, has bore witness to many events taking place in Zanzibar, before the Dhow building itself became the center of attention back in 1993 when it was transformed from a family mansion to this elegant hotel. In 2005 it again sought the attention when the new wing was added.