Gede ruinsKilifi, Kenya
Gede ruins, remains of a mosque1
The remains of a small coastal town, that dates back to as early as the 12th century.
It was once a thriving town, reaching its peak in the 15th century, before being abandoned in the 17th century.
Some of the reasons include a decreased availability of fresh water, raids from other tribes and moving of the Portuguese to Mombasa.
Among the ruins are several mosques, a palace, and houses spread out over a large primeval forest.
The surrounding indigenous forest is a sacred ritual site for the surrounding community.
What to do thereLearn more about the town's inhabitants, their lifestyles, architecture and pre-colonial Kenya.
You may need a guide to get a good history of the place
Best time to visitAny time of the year
Location of Gede ruinsGede ruins are near the Arabuko Sokoke forest, a short distance off the Mombasa - Malindi road.
They also are near the town of Watamu on the Kenyan coast.
How to get thereBy vehicle, about a two hour drive from Mombasa through Kilifi.
There aren't any airstrips nearby, but there are daily buses from Mombasa and Malindi.
References1. By I, Mgiganteus, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2493655
It was once a thriving town, reaching its peak in the 15th century, before being abandoned in the 17th century.
Some of the reasons include a decreased availability of fresh water, raids from other tribes and moving of the Portuguese to Mombasa.
Among the ruins are several mosques, a palace, and houses spread out over a large primeval forest.
The surrounding indigenous forest is a sacred ritual site for the surrounding community.
What to do thereLearn more about the town's inhabitants, their lifestyles, architecture and pre-colonial Kenya.
You may need a guide to get a good history of the place
Best time to visitAny time of the year
Location of Gede ruinsGede ruins are near the Arabuko Sokoke forest, a short distance off the Mombasa - Malindi road.
They also are near the town of Watamu on the Kenyan coast.
How to get thereBy vehicle, about a two hour drive from Mombasa through Kilifi.
There aren't any airstrips nearby, but there are daily buses from Mombasa and Malindi.
References1. By I, Mgiganteus, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2493655
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