subject: Africa Safari Travel- East Africa Attractions [print this page] Africa Safari Travel- East Africa Attractions
East Africa is endowed with a variety of historical and cultural sites. Each country boasts rich history dating back many centuries. In Kenya sites like Gedi, Fort Jesus and Kobi fora have been declared as world heritage . Here is a description of a few of these sites for those looking for ideas when planning to go on an African safari. Fort Jesus This landmark within the island of Mombasa was built in 1593 by the Portuguese acting as a guard of the old port found here. The fort changed hands nine times over its control in Mombasa by nations such as the Portuguese, Arabs, and British who used it to house prisoners until 1958 when they converted it to a historical monument. Olduvai Gorge Usually referred to as the cradle of mankind, this vertical sided ravine is located in the Great Rift Valley East of Serengeti plains and measures 30miles long and 295ft deep. This is a pre historic site which enhances the understanding of human evolution. The Gorge was found by a German entomologist named (Wilhelm) Kattwinkel who accidentally stumbled upon the gorge during one of his expeditions. The ravine comprises of an erosion-created rift with layer after layer of fossils, bones and old artifacts. Louis and Mary Leaky pioneered excavation work at this anthropologist's paradise in 1931 with other anthropologists carrying on the work into the 21st century. Gedi Ruins Once a Swahili town between the 13th and 17th century situated at a village known as Gedi near the coastal town of Malindi, the ruins comprise of a palace, mosques, tomb stones and large stone houses. The area was however, reoccupied by the nomadic Oromo tribe of Somalia in the late 16th century and later abandoned it in the 18th century. The name Gedi or Gede is a Galla word meaning "precious" which is thought to be either the name of the town or the name of the last Galla leader to camp there. Koobi fora Koobi forra is located near Lake Turkana vicinity and its name comes from the local language meaning the place of commiphora. It consists of projection of mainly Pleistocene sediments comprising clay stones, silt stones, and sandstones that preserve numerous fossils of terrestrial mammals, including early hominid species and as such has been of great importance in the excavations of fossils significant to the human evolution theory.
