Gede Ruins

Gede Ruins, also spelled Gedi, are the remains of a medieval Swahili town hidden in about 45 acres of indigenous coastal forest near Watamu in Kilifi County, roughly 16 km south of Malindi. The town first grew in the 12th century, was largely rebuilt in the 15th and 16th centuries and became a wealthy trading settlement before it was abandoned in the early 1600s.

Visitors follow forest paths past the coral-stone ruins of mosques, a palace, large houses with courtyards and deep wells. Pottery, beads and glass found during excavations, some from distant lands, are displayed at the site's interpretive centre, and the forest is home to monkeys and many birds. The forest is also a sacred place for nearby communities, so visitors are asked to follow the posted guidelines.

Gede is a gazetted national monument managed by the National Museums of Kenya and is open daily. Local guides are available, and tickets are paid through eCitizen. See the Gede page on the NMK website for visiting details.