Maruhubi Palace is a set of ruins a few kilometres north of Stone Town, built by Sultan Barghash between 1880 and 1882 according to a Cambridge University archive record, to house his harem. All that remains are columns, foundations and a shaded garden: the visit takes about half an hour to an hour, and it is an easy stop on the way to the beaches or a spice tour. No official site was found: one review gives 12,000 TZS or 5 dollars for entry, but opening hours are not published anywhere we could verify. Confirm on the spot or with your guide.
Highlights
The palace columns
Rows of stone columns that held up the palace's great veranda remain, now in the middle of vegetation.
The garden and the pools
Visitors describe a quiet site with trees and water lilies in the pools, best photographed in the morning.
The harem foundations
The layout of the rooms can still be made out on the ground. A guide, whose price is said to be included in entry according to Lonely Planet, helps place the rooms and tell the sultan's story.
Practical info
Tips
- The prices found disagree a little (12,000 TZS or 5 dollars in reviews, a modest fee with no amount in a guide) and may have changed: bring cash. Allow 2 to 3 hours in all if you come from town with a driver. The site combines well with the Palace Museum for the history of the sultans, and with the Kidichi Persian Baths on the same day.
How to get there
A few kilometres north of Stone Town, by taxi, hire car or organised tour; ask the driver to wait or come back for you, and fix the price in advance. For getting around, see getting around Zanzibar. If you prefer to drive, you can rent a car for the day.
Opening hours
Nearby
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