World Tour Guides to Mombasa

World tour places: One of the few tourist places with good sightseeing city is Mombasa. It is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the center of the coastal tourism industry. Also known as Mombas in colonial times, its name derives from Manbasa. This was the Arabic name of the former sultanate of Mvita, which had its capital here. In modern times the town is the headquarters of Mombasa District, which, like most other districts in Kenya, is named after its chief town.

Mombasa Island is separated from the mainland by two creeks: Tudor Creek and Kilindini Harbor. The island is connected to the mainland to the north by the Nyali Bridge, to the south by the Likoni Ferry and to the west by the Makupa Causeway, alongside which runs the Kenya-Uganda Railway. The port serves both Kenya and countries of the interior, linking them to the Ocean. The city is served by Moi International Airport located in the northwest mainland suburb of Chaani, northwest of Changamwe area. The city is mainly occupied by the Mijikenda & Swahili people. The major religion practiced is Christianity; Muslims also form a considerable number. Over the centuries, there have been many immigrants and traders who settled in Mombasa, particularly from Iran, the Middle East, Somalia and the Indian sub-continent, who came mainly as traders and skilled craftsmen.

Mombasa is a major trade center and home to Kenya's only large seaport, the Kilindini Harbor. Kilindini is an old Swahili term meaning deep. The port is so called because the channel is naturally very deep. Kilindini Harbor is an example of a natural geographic phenomenon called a RIA, formed millions of years ago when the sea level rose and engulfed a river that was flowing from the mainland. Mombasa is the center of coastal tourism in Kenya. Mombasa Island itself is not a main attraction, although many people visit the Old Town and Fort Jesus. The Nyali, Kenyatta, Bamburi, and Shanzu beaches are located north of the city. The Shelly, Tiwi, and Diani beaches are located south of Mombasa. Several luxury hotels exist on these beaches, while the less expensive hotels are located further away. Mombasa's northern shoreline is renowned for its vibrant 24-hour entertainment offers, including both family entertainment (water parks, cinemas, bowling, etc.), sports (water sports, mountain biking and gokarting), culinary offers (restaurants offering a wide range of specialties from Kenya, China, Japan, India, Italy, Germany and other countries) and night life(bars, pubs, clubs, discotheques, etc.).

India Tours - Golden Triangle Tour for 7Days

This is a private trip you can start on any date. You can even request to customize this journey.

Duration : 06 Nights/ 07 Days

Price : Starting USD 400 per person

Destination : Delhi, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Jaipur, Delhi

Region : North India

Validity : Till March, 2012

This trip will allow you to comfortably experience the quintessential Delhi-Agra and Jaipur – which together are famously known as the Golden Triangle tour. Historical monuments, Taj Mahal, Forts and Palaces – this is a quick introduction to India. Comfortably paced this trip allows you to see all the cities. We have the cheap and best India Travel packages.

Day 01 : Arrive Delhi

Arrival in Delhi, As per your flight schedule pickup from New Delhi airport and transfer to Hotel, day at your rest, Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 02 : Delhi

After breakfast, Full day city tour to visit Jama Masjid, Red fort, Rajghat, India Gate, President House, Humayuns Tomb, Lotus Temple, Qutab Minar, Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 03 : Delhi To Agra

After breakfast, transfer from Delhi To Agra [200 Km, 4 Hrs.], arrive and check in hotel, after some rest, full day city tour to visit Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Itmad-ud-daulah, Sikandra, evening free, Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 04 : Agra To Jaipur

After breakfast, transfer from Agra to Jaipur [235 Km, 5.5 Hrs.], on the route visit Fatehpur Sikri, arrive Jaipur and check in hotel, evening free to visit the local markets, Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 05 : Jaipur

After breakfast, Full day city tour, excursion to Amber Fort, City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, Albert Hall, Birla Mandir, Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 06 : Jaipur To Delhi

After breakfast, transfer from Jaipur to New Delhi, arrive and check in hotel, after some rest, evening visit the famous Akshardham Temple, Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 07 : Delhi Departure

After breakfast, as per your flight schedule transfer to New Delhi airport to take your flight for your onward journey.

Package Cost Includes :

1) Accommodation in A/c Room on twin sharing basis in the above mentioned hotels.

2) Daily breakfast in all the hotels.

3) Elephant Ride in Jaipur.

4) All transfers and sightseeing as per itinerary by A/c Indigo Car, including all toll tax, parking and driver charges.

For more India Tours package visit: http://www.idiscoverindia.com

World Tour Guides to Matsumoto Castle

World Tour Guides & Places: World’s Gorgeous Castle Matsumoto ,also known as the Crow Castle, because of its black colored exterior and one of the Japan's premier historic castles. It is located in the city of Matsumoto, in Nagano Prefecture and is within easy reach of Tokyo by road or rail. The keep which was completed in the late 16th century, maintains its original wooden interiors and external stonework. It is listed as a National Treasure of Japan. Matsumoto Castle is a flatland castle because it is not built on a hilltop or amid rivers, but on a plain. Its complete defenses would have included an extensive system of inter-connecting walls, moats and gatehouses.

In 1872, following the Meiji Restoration, the site, like many former daimyos’s castles, was sold at auction for redevelopment. However, when news broke that the keep was going to be demolished, an influential figure from Matsumoto, Ichikawa Ryozo, along with residents from Matsumoto started a campaign to save the building. Their efforts were rewarded when the tower was acquired by the city government. In the late Meiji period the keep started to lean to one side. An old picture clearly shows how the keep looked like then. It was because of neglect coupled with a structural defect, but a lot of people believed the story of Tada Kasuke's curse.

Matsumoto Castle was damaged in a 5.4 magnitude earthquake on June 30, 2011. The quake caused around 10 cracks in the inner wall of the main tower. There is a plan for restoring the outer moat which was reclaimed for a residential zone. The castle's origins go back to the Sengoku period. At that time Shimadachi Sadanaga of the Ogasawara clan built a fort on this site in 1504 which was originally called Fukashi Castle. In 1550 it came under the rule of the Takeda clan and then Tokugawa Ieyasu. When Toyotomi Hideyoshi transferred Ieyasu to the Kanto region, he placed Ishikawa Norimasa in charge of Matsumoto. Norimasa and his son Yasunaga built the tower and other parts of the castle, including the three towers: the keep and the small tower in the northwest, both begun in 1590, and the Watari Tower; the residence; the drum gate; the black gate, the Tsukimi Yagura, the moat, the innermost bailey, the second bailey, the third bailey, and the sub-floors in the castle, much as they are today. They were also instrumental in laying out the castle town and its infrastructure. It is believed much of the castle was completed by 1593–94. The second floor of the main keep features a gun museum, Teppo Gura, with a collection of guns, armor and other weapons.