The Distance from Dar to Kilwa Masoko & More on Visiting Kilwa

Distance From Dar to Kilwa Masoko/Dar to Kilwa KM/Dar es Salaam to Kilwa Distance

Kilwa Masoko, which is where you most likely want to head when you are visiting Kilwa, is located on Tanzania’s southern coast, in the region of Lindi.

Kilwa Masoko is 236 km from Dar es Salaam, as the crow flies, but 324.6 km by road.

Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara are each located 2 km and 15 km from Kilwa Masoko, respectively, across Kilwa Masoko Bay.

See the maps below for a clearer picture.

Kilwa Map Location/Kilwa on Map (Global View)?

Map showing the relative distance from Dar to Kilwa Km

Kilwa Masoko Map: Where Is Kilwa Located?

Nangurukuru to Dar KM

The distance by road from Dar es Salaam to Nagurukuru is 297.7 km.

Dar to South Africa KM

The distance between Dar es Salaam, and South Africa depends on the specific cities you are referring to in South Africa, as the country is quite large.

However, to give you a general idea, the approximate distance between Dar es Salaam and Johannesburg, one of the major cities in South Africa, is around 3,569 km kilometers (2,218 miles) by road.

Please note that this is an estimate and the actual distance may vary depending on the route taken and any detours or side trips along the way. It’s always recommended to use reliable maps or navigation tools for precise distance calculations and directions.

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Kilwa Masoko to Dar es Salaam

The easiest way to get from Kilwa Masoko to Dar es Salaam is to fly there.

Several airlines ply this route including PrecisionAir, Air Tanzania, Coastal Aviation, and Auric Air.

To find out more about flights schedules and pricing on this route, visit the website of each of these airlines.

Kilwa Vacations: Kilwa Hotels & Kilwa Masoko, the Present-Day Town of Kilwa

Kilwa Masoko (‘Kilwa of the markets’), as its name suggests, is the present-day town of Kilwa.

There is not much of historical interest in Kilwa Masoko, but this is where you’ll likely have to stay when you are visiting Kilwa because there is no commercial accommodation on the island of Kilwa itself.

While I was in Kilwa, I stayed at the Kilwa Pakaya Hotel (and recommend it highly). You can find a selection of accommodation in Kilwa Masoko here, or check out the deals below.

Cheap Hotels in Kilwa

Booking.com

Where is Kilwa Located? : Kilwa Kivinje

Kilwa Kivinje, located 25 km north of Kilwa Masoko, is a slow sleepy town whose claim to fame is that it became the main slave trade hub after the fall of Kilwa Kisiwani. Once the slave trade was abolished, Kilwa Kivinje became a colonial German garrison town to suppress an anti-colonial rebellion known as the Maji Maji Uprising.

The ruins of Kilwa Kivinje are of touristic interest because of the mix of Omani and German architecture left behind by the town’s previous inhabitants, as well as historical sites related to the Maji Maji uprising.

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The remains of many of the buildings in Kilwa Kivinje are not in very good condition, though, and do not form part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

German Boma in Kilwa Kivinje
German Boma in Kilwa Kivinje

To get an idea of what you can expect to find in Kilwa Kivinje, watch this short video.


When you think of visiting an old historical UNESCO World Heritage Site located on a Tanzanian island, what comes to mind?

I am pretty sure…Stone Town, Zanzibar!

What if I told you that there is another place in Tanzania that fits the exact same description—a place with a history that goes back further than Stone Town and which, at its height, was of even greater global importance?

It’s true, I tell you. That place, Kilwa, is what I would like to tell you about today.

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Inside The Great Mosque of Kilwa
Inside The Great Mosque of Kilwa

How I First Heard About Kilwa, the Island With the Oldest Mosque in East Africa

I first heard of the Kilwa Sultinate, many years ago in 10th grade African history class. It surprised me to learn of this ancient civilization in Tanzania, my own country.

It surprised me even more to be learning about this for the first time in my mid-teens.

I lived in the Côte d’Ivoire, at the time, so didn’t pursue it further. Instead, I internalized that the ruins of Kilwa were still standing today and made a mental note to find out more one day, when I was older and in Tanzania.

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The perfect opportunity presented itself not too long ago, when a man I was seeing told me about an amazing solo trip he had taken to Kilwa, during his vacations a couple of months before we started dating. A dhow in the Indian Ocean, Kilwa Masoko

He’d had such a great time there that he suggested we go back together so I could experience it too. So, we did.

Before I go on and tell you about my experience of Kilwa, perhaps I should begin by telling you about the ancient Kilwa Sultinate so that  you understand what all the fuss is about.

Photo Credit: Maphill, Robin Chew, Evaneos, Pinterest, Weetjesman, Richard Mortel, LarsPlus

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