Amboni Caves

The Amboni Caves are the largest limestone cave system in East Africa, a labyrinth of around ten major caverns hollowed out of the cliffs above the Mkulumuzi River about 8 km north-west of Tanga. Only a small portion of the system has been mapped; the deepest reaches are said to extend several kilometres inland. Guided tours take in the most accessible chambers — domed halls hung with stalactites, narrow passages, a cathedral-sized vault with daylight filtering through a sinkhole — in around an hour.

Take a torch, wear shoes you do not mind getting muddy, and use a guide (informal guides are available at the entrance for a modest fee). Combine the visit with the small Galanos Hot Springs about half an hour further along the same road. Easy half-day trip from Tanga.

things to do sight
A story
The local Mbugu name for the caves is "Mabavu" — "the bats" — and the legend that runs through every village around them is that of Mzee Tongo, an early-20th-century herbalist and healer who was said to live in the caves and treat patients from across East Africa. His altar and a small shrine of offerings — coins, cloth, a few photographs — are still maintained by the cave guides, who will show you the spot near a small underground pool. Locals from the surrounding villages still come to make wishes.

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