Mangapwani Caves

Mangapwani caves are not of natural origin, but carved from limestone. It is a kind of cellar with square cells.

After the official abolition of slavery, human trafficking in Zanzibar literally went underground: in the caves of Mangapwani, as in a warehouse, “living goods” were stored. One cave is of natural origin, large, with a deep lake, the second is an artificial, man-made damp, dark cage with several vents protruding above the ground. Inside are pillars with boards placed on top so that 50 people fit at the bottom, and they almost got another 50 on their heads. From there, slaves were secretly transported to cargo ships and delivered to slave markets in India and the Arab countries. It's a scary place, but you can't get out of the history of facts.

During the tour, we will have the opportunity not only to feel and realize the extent of the deepest humiliation of people, but also to learn about the courageous resistance of local residents who were often caught and thrown into these caves and were there waiting to be sent from their island to distant unknown countries. The largest cave, used at the time to select slaves, was also used by locals to collect fresh water.