Today, ‘Kilwa on the Island’ is a quiet fishing village. Still, in its heyday, it was the centre of a vast trading network linking the old Shona kingdoms and the goldfields of Zimbabwe with Persia, India and China. While these days are now well in the past, the ruins of the settlement, together with those of nearby Songo Mnara, are among the most significant groups of Swahili buildings on the East African coast and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Kilwa Kisiwani was a powerful Swahili city-state that dominated the Indian Ocean trade from the 9th to the 19th century. Sightseeing attractions include the Great Mosque, the Husuni Kubwa Palace, and the Portuguese Fort, remnants of its golden age of trade. Kilwa hosted merchants and traders from across the Indian Ocean, including those from Arabia, India, and China, who exchanged goods such as gold, ivory, and slaves for silver, pearls, and porcelain. The wealth of Kilwa began to wane, eventually leading to the rise of other Omani Arab settlements on the coast in the 19th century.
The only way to visit Kilwa Kisiwani is with a chartered boat (100,000 TZS for both islands, full day) and a guide (30,000 TZS) from the Kilwa Islands Tour Guides Association. The permit cost was 70,800 TZS, and it could only be paid online. We should not forget to mention that this time, it was our first professional guide in East Africa, who was well-prepared for the job and had all the necessary information. Contact Athumani Abdallah Limonga (+255 784 808 250), and for sure, he will be happy to get more clients in these difficult times.
Parking location – Kilwa Masoko: 8.928782S 39.512533E (🚻,💦,🅿️5,000 TZS)