Bagamoyo is an ancient town of Tanzania that was discovered in the 18th century and is located approximately 75 kilometres away in the northern side of Dar es Salaam along the shore of Indian Ocean, in the close vicinity of the Zanzibar Island. It was the actual capital of German East Africa and was considered as the significant trading port. Today it is populated with 30,000 inhabitants and is known as a remarkable World Heritage Site which is frequently visited by thousands of tourists annually. You can take cheap flights to Dar es Salaam to have a bird’s eye view of some antiquated sites located here.
Its history is dominated by the trading stories of Arabs and Indians. Some 5 kilometres away in the southern side of the district, you will find the Kaole Ruins-a small settlement and a prehistoric site of Tanzania also called as Pumbuji and is full of old ruins whose history date back to 13th century. This archaeological townhouses 30 tombs and 2 mosques. The posterities of Ali Muhammad Al-Hatim Al-Barawi and the native sultans are buried in these tombs which are made up of Coral rag and consist of heightened pillars.
This place is also very well-known as it owns the very first mosque of East Africa and also a museum which displays various artistic masterpieces that are the reflection of the relationship between the eastern and Shirazi civilization. You will be amazed to visit the German Hanging Place – the spot where the rebellious Africans were hanged by the German government in the 19th century. Also there lies the notable site of German Cemetery which has approximately 20 graves of the German soldiers. Some other interesting sites are Liku House, German Store House, Dunda Tower, Old Bagamoyo Tree House and Caravanserai.
This area is also very tempting because of its turquoise and pristine beaches where you can relax and have an ideal picnic party. You can have an entertaining boat trip on the Ruvu River with the glances of several breeds of birds, mangroves and hippos. Another attractive site is the Saadani National Park which is almost on a distance of 140 kilometres from Bagamoyo- the only sanctuary of East Africa which is the habitat of a large number of flora and fauna.
It has been protected since 1960 and the area was enlarged in 2002 which now covers the land of about 430 square miles. Herds of primates and grazers can be seen here that include buffalo, giraffe, common waterbuck, warthog, reedbuck, wildebeest, hartebeest, red duiker, eland, greater kudu, yellow baboon, vervet monkey and antelope. Besides the flock of leopards, elephants, black-backed jackal and spotted hyena can also be seen running furiously.
Apart from such alluring areas of this fascinating district, there are many other appealing spots and you will certainly be-dazzled by their bewitchment. The best time to have a journey towards Bagamoyo is between the months of July and October and also between December and February when it is pleasant and comfortable to travel around.
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