Stone Town Budget Travel - Africa Natural Tours ( africanaturaltours.com )
Stone
Town Budget Travel: Africa Natural Tours (For Kilimanjaro, Serengeti and
Zanzibar) Tanzania safari company in Moshi
Specialized
in: Wildlife safaris, Mountain climbing,
Cultural tourism and Beach holidays in East Africa
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Stone Town Budget Travel
Stone Town is the charming capital
city of Zanzibar Island, the main island of the semi-autonomous Zanzibar
Archipelago lying off the coast of Tanzania. As the historical and cultural
heart of Zanzibar, Stone Town has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage
site. Stone Town plays an important historical and artistic role in East
Africa. Zanzibar is quite different from mainland Tanzania, because of its
blend of eastern, African and western influences. Even now the population
of Zanzibar Islands is largely Sunni Muslim, reflecting strong Arabic
influences in the local culture, architecture and the design of Stone Town.
Stone Town Location
The Zanzibar Archipelago consists of Zanzibar Island (locally known as
Unguja), Pemba Island, and numerous smaller islands. Stone Town is centrally
located on the main Zanzibar Island, which are about 90km long and 30km
wide. Situated more or less in the center of the west coast of Zanzibar
Island, Stone lies on Town the small
headland of a peninsula along the Zanzibar Channel. Stone Town is actually
the old section of the larger Zanzibar City, referred to as the "New
City", which stretches into the interior of Zanzibar Island.
Stone Town Attractions
As the ancient Capital of Zanzibar
Island, Stone Town's narrow streets house numerous historical buildings and
places of interest.
Stone Town Attractions include:
•
Livingstone's
House
•
Peace
Memorial Museum
•
Old
Dispensary (Stone Town Cultural Centre)
•
The
Palace Museum (Former Sultan's Palace)
•
The
House of Wonders, the Arab Fort & The Old Fort
•
Forodhani
Gardens & other gardens
•
Anglican
Cathedral & Catholic Cathedrals
•
Shakhty
Temple
•
Meat,
Fish and Fruit Markets
•
Aga
Khan and Malindi Mosques
•
Maruhubi
Palace Ruins
•
Prison
Island (Changuu Private Island)
•
Hamamni
Persian Baths
•
Kilele
Square
The best way to experience the
vibrant local cultures and old buildings (sometimes crumbling) is to explore
the winding alleys on foot.
When to go to Stone Town
Zanzibar Island experiences ideal
weather for beach holidays almost all year round, boasting an average of around
8 hours of sunshine a day! Summers (peaking in December) are hot with cooling
sea breezes, especially along the northern and eastern coastlines. The Zanzibar
Islands lie near the equator, resulting in a warm tropical and humid
climate. The rainy season, called the 'long rains', is from March to May and
sees frequent afternoon downpours, which can be quite heavy. This wet and humid
season is probably the least popular time to visit Zanzibar; it only rains for
a short time in the afternoon however, so conditions are still pleasant enough
for travel. The dry season is from June to October, when clear skies and
sunshine are the norm. This is the best time to visit Zanzibar for beach
holidays. There is another rainy season, called the 'short rains', which lasts
from November to December. As the name suggests this rainy period experiences
less frequent and lighter rainfall than the long rainy season. Outside of the
rainy season the average temperature is around 28°C (82, 4°F), although
temperatures do vary depending on the location and altitude of where you stay.
History of Zanzibar's Stone Town
Stone Town's unique blends of Arabic
and African cultural influences originate from the 19th century, when Zanzibar Island served as a major centre for the trade of
spices and slaves. During this period Zanzibar, also known as the 'Spice
Island', was the most important trading hub along the east coast of Africa. Stone
Town is named after the old houses built of local stone in the 1800's, by
Arabic traders and slaves. As the main port city of Zanzibar, Stone Town
was also used as a base for missionaries and explorers on their way into the
interior of Africa, as well as the slave traders. Several of the great European
explorers, such as David Livingstone and Richard Burton planned their trips
into Africa from Stone Town. In 1873 slave trading was abolished in an
agreement between the British and Omani Sultans ruling Zanzibar Islands. In
1963 Zanzibar gained independence from Britain and in 1964 Zanzibar and
Tanganyika joined to form Tanzania, with Zanzibar becoming semi-autonomous.
In 2000 Stone Town was declared a
UNESCO World Heritage Site due to the old architecture revealing the
diverse cultural heritage of Zanzibar, where Swahili, Moorish, Arabic, Persian,
Indian and European influences come together.
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more information visit www.africanaturaltours.com
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