DETAILS

FULL LENGTH TOUR DESCRIPTION
Ilha de Moçambique (Island of Mozambique) has played a larger-than-life role in East African coastal life over the centuries. Formerly the capital of Mozambique, the entire island is now proclaimed a World Heritage Site. It is an intriguing anomaly - part ghost town and part lively fishing community. The island is a huge open air museum. Every street, every house, every brick has its own, faded history. When strolling around the island one feels like being in a time-warp dating back for centuries.

Besides the colonial architecture one also notices the Makua women. Their faces are painted white, which are both a cultural practice and a beauty routine which helps to protect their faces from the sun.

One also meets the local boys wanting to sell you necklaces made of beads. These beads are hundreds of years old. They were once brought to the island by the Portuguese who used them to trade with the Mozambicans, convincing them that they held great value. Many ships were wrecked off the coastline and so thousands of beads still wash up on the beach today and you will see young boys digging for these beads on the beach.

Today we venture out on foot for this island tour. The island is only one-and-a-half miles wide and one mile long. We will spend most of our time in the most interesting part of the island, called Stone Town, where we will view the following sites:

Palace of Sao Paolo: Its European architecture is an example of incredible faded grandeur from its hey-days in the 1700s. The palace was converted into a museum displaying exquisite furniture, carpets, Chinese porcelain, paintings and other pieces from the colonial period from Goa and India. There is also a Maritime Museum in the basement with a small wooden boat from the Vasca da Gamma's vessels.

Sao Sebastian Fort: This important defence fort was built by thousands of slaves 400 years ago and 400 cannons still point out to sea. Within the walls of the fort is the Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Baluarte, which is the oldest European building in the southern hemisphere.

There is no fresh water on the island and one of the most interesting aspects of the fort is the roof which was designed to collect rainwater. The locals still collect and use water from here today.

The Statue of Luiz de Camoes: This statue was erected couple of years ago and faces the Indian Ocean on the eastern side of the island. Luiz de Camoes was Portugal's great national poet, author of the epic poem Os Lusíada (1572), which describes Vasco da Gama's discovery of the sea route to India.

During our walk we will enjoy a refreshment drink either at Omuhipiti Hotel or Escondidinho Guest House.

Furthermore we will visit Makuti Town on the other side of the island and the waterfront in between Stone Town and Makuti Town which is called Contracosta.

SHORT LENGTH TOUR DESCRIPTION
A walking tour of Mozambique Island, part ghost town and part lively fishing community that lives on like an open-air museum.  See the Makua women with their painted faces and local boys selling beads as you explore several of the Stone Town’s colonial buildings. On the other side of the island you can visit Makuti Town, as the island is only one-and-a-half miles wide and one mile long.

TIMING BREAKDOWN
09h00 – 10h00  Start our walk towards Stone Town
10h00 – 10h30  Viewing of Palace of Sao Paolo, Sao Sebstian Fort and Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Baluarte
10h30 – 11h00  Walk to the Statue of Luiz de Camoes
11h00 – 12h00  Refreshment stop at Makuti Town
12h00  Return to the pier

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