The Amboni Caves are a limestone

cave A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...

complex in East Africa. They are located 8 km north of Tanga City in

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...

off the Tanga-Mombasa road. The reported length of the longest cave is 755m. The caves were formed about 150 million years ago during the

Jurassic The Jurassic ( ) is a geologic period and stratigraphic system that spanned from the end of the Triassic Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period, approximately Mya. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of ...

age. It covers an area of 234 km². According to researchers the area was under water some 20 million years ago. There are altogether ten caves but only one is used for guided tours.

History

Amboni Limited, a company which was then operating sisal plantations in

Tanga Region Tanga Region (''Mkoa wa Tanga'' in Swahili) is one of Tanzania's 31 administrative regions. The region covers an area of . The region is comparable in size to the combined land area of the nation state of Burundi. The regional capital is the mu ...

acquired the area in 1892. The company notified the British colonial government about the caves who in turn declared the caves a conservation area in 1922. It is not known when the caves were exactly discovered but reports indicate that ethnic groups such as the

Segeju The Segeju ( Swahili: ''Wasegeju''; Mijikenda: ''Asagidzu'') are a Bantu ethnolinguistic group mostly based in Tanzania's Tanga Region (particularly Mkinga District) and Kenya's Kwale County. Most Segeju reside in the small coastal strip between ...

, Sambaa,

Bondei The Bondei People ( Swahili: ''Wabondei'') are a Bantu ethnic group based in Pangani District in east Tanga Region in northeastern Tanzania. Bondei speak a Bantu language and are related to the Shambaa ethnic group.. The name "Bondei" was given ...

and Digo who lived near the caves used it for prayers. In 1963, the then government of

Tanganyika Tanganyika may refer to: Places * Tanganyika Territory (1916–1961), a former British territory which preceded the sovereign state * Tanganyika (1961–1964), a sovereign state, comprising the mainland part of present-day Tanzania * Tanzania Main ...

handed over the caves to the Department of Antiquities.

Attractions

The cave attracts tourist as well as students for their geography lessons. The attractions include: *''Popo flight'' - (Popo means bat in Swahili). Many of them live in the caves. Every evening at sunset they fly out of the cave entrance. *Rocks in the shape of: a sofa, a ship, a crocodile, an elephant, map of

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

, Statue of Liberty and a head of a male lion.

Gallery

Amboni caves, Tanga.jpg, Exterior Peering through the vines, Amboni Caves.jpg, Vines

References

External links

The Guardian
Saturday March 4, 2006-->

Tanga, Tanzania Caves of Tanzania Limestone caves Show caves Tourist attractions in Tanzania Geography of Tanga Region Tourist attractions in the Tanga Region {{regional-geology-stub