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Bagamoyo Historical Tour: Experience History, Beaches, and Traditional Lifestyle Near Dar es Salaam

5.0

7 Ratings

Bagamoyo

Discover the rich history, stunning beaches, and traditional lifestyle of Bagamoyo, a captivating town near Dar es Salaam. Explore historical sites, visit museums, and immerse yourself in the local culture.

Duration: 8 hours

Cancellation: 1 day learn more

Highlights

Old Arab Fort of Bagamoyo - A prison where slaves were kept before being herded through underground tunnels to waiting dhows at the harbor, marking the beginning of their journey to an unknown world.
Old Boma - This historical building in Bagamoyo was once an old state house built by the Germans at the end of the 19th century. It served as a residence for their leaders in the area but was only used for a few years before the capital was moved to what is now Dar es Salaam, due to the shallow water depth of the Bagamoyo port.
Kaole Ruins - The Kaole Ruins are the remains of the first Arab settlement in Bagamoyo and an archaeological excavation site. The site includes structures such as houses, mosques, water wells, and graves of the foreigners who died there. Originally settled in the 8th century as a trading town, Kaole is a small town and archaeological site in Tanzania, located southeast of Bagamoyo town on the shores of the Indian Ocean. The area features old stone ruins dating from the 13th to the 16th century, including two mosques and 30 tombs.
Bagamoyo Museum - The original Holy Ghost Church, built in 1872, is reportedly the oldest church on the mainland of East Africa and was part of the Holy Ghost Mission, one of the first Christian missions in East Africa. In 1874, David Livingstone was interred for a night at the Holy Ghost Mission. The Livingstone Tower, part of the original church, is named in his honor. The Sisters’ House, built in 1876, was converted into the Roman Catholic Mission Museum and features many emotionally impactful exhibits, including photographs of slaves chained together, exhibits on the history of missionary work and conversion to Christianity, books and booklets on the prehistory of Bagamoyo, Indian and Arab door frames, and shackles, chains, and whips used during the slave trade, as well as many local wood crafts.

What's Included

In-vehicle air conditioning
All fees and/or taxes

What's Not Included

Lunch

Additional Information

Bagamoyo is an enchanting town adorned with spectacular beaches, a Mangrove forest, lasting historical impressions and a range of traditional ways of life. Situated a mere 65kms north of Dar es Salaam on the coast across from Zanzibar, it was once the capital of German East Africa. Bagamoyo, a name derived from the phrase Bwagamoyo meaning “here I lay down my heart”, is a symbol of the utter despair and sorrow of the ‘broken heart’ captives who embarked on their journey into an unfamiliar world from here. In the late 19th century, the town evolved into a prominent trading hub on the east central coast of Africa, with its history shaped by Indian and Arab traders, the German colonial rule and Christian missionaries.

Your journey will comprise of visits to the First German East Africa State House in East Africa, the Old Fort, Kaole Ruins, the Catholic Museum, a Crocodile Farm, the oldest Port in East Africa, the original Cross put up by missionaries on the East African coast, Dr. Livingstone’s Church, and the local fish market among other places.

Location

Old Arab Fort of Bagamoyo

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

5.0

(7 Ratings)

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Pannfam

Jul 8, 2022

Great historical site visit with Dove Adventures - We had a phenomenal day at Bagamoyo thanks to Sadiq who gave us an in-depth explanation of the history of the place. Sadly most of it was dark history. Bagamoyo with Sadiq Should be on every visitors trip to Dar. Thank you Dove Adventures for the day tour, the whole experience was significantly beyond my expectations.