Searching a gateway to Mecca

We grab a wonderful guide, jump on an authentic Dhow sailing boat and find on Kilwa Kisiwani (Kilwa Island) what we are searching for. The first East African mosque was erected here on this very island, allegedly. Arabic ruins from different decades are intermixed with historic evidence from Portuguese colonisation activities. Most of the remnants are mosques and each ruin features at least one intact Mihrāb – a recess in the wall indicating the direction of prayer towards Mecca. The perfect playground!Les mer