Kilwa

Kilwa Kisiwani

Kilwa Kisiwani is the former Islamic city-state, located on an island off the coast of Kilwa Masoko. The city was founded in the 10th century by settlers from Arabia and Persia (now Iran). It became one of the most commercial centers on the east coast of Africa.

Kilwa Kisiwani is the most important historical site in the South of Tanzania. Here are the best preserved buildings from the golden age of Swahili culture. The ancient Swahili ruins have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981.

The island experienced its prosperity from controlling Indian Ocean trade with Arabia, India, and China between the 13th and 16th centuries, when gold and ivory from mainland Tanzania and Congo were traded for silver, carnelian, perfumes, Persian pottery and Chinese porcelain. The Husuni Kuwa palace dates from the 13th / 14th century.

Most attractive are the mosques built in the 13th and 18th centuries, and a Portuguese fortress from 1505. The Great Mosque of Kilwa was the largest mosque of its kind in East Africa. According to the great Muslim traveler Ibn-Battuta, who visited and stayed at Kilwa Kisiwani between 1331 and 1332, the island was one of the most beautiful cities in the world at the time. From the 11th to 14th century, Kilwa Kisiwani even minted its own coin.

The decline begins with the domination by the Portuguese (1505-1512) that kept Kilwa Kisiwani short. A Portuguese fort was built to punish rebellious Africans who opposed their occupation on the east coast. But the importance of Kilwa Kisiwani waned and eventually deserted. The Portuguese fort was later also used as a garrison by the Arabs and Germans.

Trade resumed in the 18th century when Omani Arabs settled on Kilwa Kisiwani. The renewed prosperity came from the slave trade, the rice, chewing gum and tobacco trade.

Songo Mnara

The island of the port city of Songo Mnara is located 8km south of Kilwa Kisiwani and is also called its twin island. The UNESCO World Heritage rating applies to both islands, and because of their rich history and Swahili cultural heritage, it is mixed with African and Arab cultures.

The ruins of Songo Mnara, on the north side of the island, consist of the remains of five mosques, a palace complex and about thirty-three walled dwellings made of coral stones and wood.

Kipatimu caves

The Kipatimu caves are unique. Fascinating limestone formations, sculpted by nature over the centuries and in many colors. They have been inhabited by humans for thousands of years, long before humans started building houses above the ground.

In addition to housing early humans on Earth, these caves were a haven for local residents (Matumbi) during infamous tribal wars against Germans that rocked all of southern Tanzania over 100 years ago. The caves are miles long, interconnected and can house thousands (4000 – 5000) people. A thick natural forest covers the topsoil.

Now these caves are home to millions of bats that are there during the day, as well as snakes and other nocturnal animals. But as a miracle beneath the earth, these caves (Nang’oma cave and the larger Lihimalyao cave) are well worth a visit.

Kilwa Kivinje

The quiet town of Kilwa Kivinje became the terminus of the southern slave caravan in the early 1800s. The mainland port of Kilwa Kivinje is a wide sandy port, which is still an ideal landing beach for wooden boats. By 1850, Kivinje had grown into a settlement of 12-15,000 inhabitants, including many wealthy families of Indian descent, and the regional center of the slave trade. Towards the end of the 19th century, Kilwa Kivinje became the German administrative center. With the abolition of the slave trade and German wartime defeats, Kilwa Kivinje’s short heyday came to an end.

Kilwa Kivinje is now a small atmospheric village with a Swahili village feel and an intriguing mix of German colonial and Omani Arab architecture.

Lindi

Lindi is located on the Indian Ocean. Once upon a time, Lindi belonged to the Sultan of Zanzibar and was the end point of the slave caravan route from Lake Nyasa. At the time, Lindi was the most important city in the region.

Lindi is now a lively and fun place to wander. Some attractions include the small but bustling dhow harbor, the beautifully carved doors and some ruins from its prosperous past.