Tongoni Ruins Travel Guide: Top Sights in Tanzania, Tours & Travel

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Tongoni Ruins- Travel Tips What to See, How to Plan & Tours: Historical & Cultural; Tanzania; 5 Reviews

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Suggested Duration: 2 hours

The Tongoni Ruins, located around 20–21 km south of Tanga on Tanzania's Indian Ocean coast, comprise the stone remains of a Swahili‑Islamic settlement dating principally from the 14th to 15th centuries. Set amid baobab trees and coastal mangroves overlooking Mtangata Bay, the site features a coral‑stone Friday mosque and about 20 pillar‑style Shirazi tombs—the densest such cluster on the East African coast. Archaeological excavations have uncovered thousands of decorated local ceramics and imported Chinese, Islamic, and Indian wares, as well as beads and coins, revealing Tongoni's vibrant role in medieval Indian Ocean trade. This National Historic Site, still revered by local communities who occasionally hold spiritual rites nearby, offers a rare glimpse into Swahili culture's fusion of African, Arab, and Persian influences.

Operators offering tours in Tanzania

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Reviews of Tongoni Ruins

Vincent Libosso

5
Reviewed: 2023-09-29

Tongoni Ruins About 17 km south of Tanga City lies the Tongoni ruins, the largest collection of Shiraz Tombs in East Africa. There are approximately 40 tombs on site as well as the remains of a Mosque that date from the 14th to 15th Century. We cycled there with Daniel of Ilya Tours after our morning visit to Urithi Tanga Museum. The ruins indicate there was immense prosperity in the area before the Portuguese arrived and disrupted the trading routes on which the coastal towns, like Tongoni, depended. It was a joy to walk through the Tongoni fishing village guided by Glory who was quite knowledgeable and ready to answer our questions. We got to see how the community still lives in line with the socialism Ujamaa virtue. From Tongoni we crossed with the speed boat to the white sandy beach of Tambarani for a quick swim.
Livan Cultural Tourism Enterprise - Tanzania

5
Reviewed: 2020-12-09
The Tanga Times Magazine - Tanzania

5
Reviewed: 2020-10-20
Anthony Abraham

5
Reviewed: 2020-06-27

Great place with rich History dating back to 14 and 15 century.place visited with Vasco da Gama ,and Rich History of Islamic influence in the East African Coast.With a port dating 15 century .site like these can be associated to early ports of Indian Ocean.Its a must visit site for Historian and Archeologists.you might come with the Picture of Rapta.
Ciro Marzio

4
Reviewed: 2020-02-06

Interesting ruins of an old stone built Mosque located in a nice village on the Mrima coast, approx. 12 km south of Tanga