Spiritual Travel and Pilgrimage in Africa
27 sacred sites across 13 countries, for every faith and for curious travelers.
This guide lists 27 sacred sites in Africa , connected to 11 spiritual traditions: Christianity, Islam, Ancient Egyptian Religion, Kemetism, Judaism, Yoruba religion, Prehistoric Religion, Akan religion and more. 17 of them belong to UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 7 are archaeological sanctuaries of ancient faiths. Each guide covers history, what to see, dress code, opening hours and the best time to visit.
Sacred sites in Africa
Abu Simbel Temples
Visit Abu Simbel, Ramesses II's rock cut temples on Lake Nasser, where twice a year sunlight reaches the gods in the inner sanctuary.
Al-Azhar Mosque, Cairo
Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, founded in 970 CE, is one of the oldest centers of Islamic learning. Visit its courtyards and minarets in Islamic Cairo.
Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, Yamoussoukro
The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast, is one of the largest churches on earth, modeled on Saint Peter's in Rome.
Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion, Aksum
In Aksum, the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion is said to guard the Ark of the Covenant, at the heart of Ethiopia's holiest Orthodox city.
Coptic Cairo and the Hanging Church
Visit Coptic Cairo and the Hanging Church, built over a Roman gate, along with churches tied to the Holy Family and the Ben Ezra Synagogue.
El Ghriba Synagogue, Djerba
El Ghriba Synagogue on Djerba is one of Africa's oldest Jewish pilgrimage sites, famous for its Lag BaOmer pilgrimage and blue tiled interior.
Great Mosque of Djenné
The Great Mosque of Djenné in Mali is the largest mud brick building in the world, renewed each year by the whole town in the Crépissage festival.
Great Mosque of Kairouan
The Great Mosque of Kairouan, founded in 670 CE, is among the oldest mosques in North Africa and a model for mosques across the Maghreb.
Great Zimbabwe
Explore Great Zimbabwe, the stone city of a medieval Shona kingdom, with the Hill Complex, Great Enclosure and the soapstone Zimbabwe Birds.
Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca
The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca stands over the Atlantic with a 210 m minaret. It is one of the few mosques in Morocco open to non-Muslim tours.
Ile-Ife
Ile-Ife in Nigeria is the sacred origin city of the Yoruba, where creation began in tradition. See royal shrines, groves and famed Ife bronzes.
Karnak and Luxor Temple
Explore Karnak, the vast temple of Amun, and Luxor Temple, linked by the Avenue of Sphinxes, in ancient Thebes, Egypt's greatest religious center.
Lake Tana Monasteries
Visit the island monasteries of Lake Tana by boat from Bahir Dar, with painted churches, manuscripts and royal relics of Ethiopian Orthodoxy.
Lamu Old Town
Lamu Old Town on the Kenyan coast is the oldest living Swahili town, a center of Islamic learning famed for its Maulidi festival and stone mosques.
Manhyia Palace, Kumasi
Manhyia Palace in Kumasi is the seat of the Asantehene and the Golden Stool, the sacred soul of the Asante nation. See its museum and Akwasidae rites.
Meroë Pyramids and Jebel Barkal
The Meroë pyramids and the holy mountain of Jebel Barkal preserve the sacred heritage of the Kushite kings of ancient Nubia in Sudan.
Monastery of Saint Anthony
The Monastery of Saint Anthony in Egypt's Red Sea mountains is among the oldest Christian monasteries, with medieval wall paintings and a hermit cave.
Moulay Idriss Zerhoun
Moulay Idriss Zerhoun is Morocco's holy town, built around the tomb of Idris I, founder of the first Moroccan Islamic dynasty. A key pilgrimage town.
Nag Hammadi and Jabal al-Tarif
Travel to Nag Hammadi in Upper Egypt, where the famous Gnostic library was found in 1945. A key heritage stop for students of early Christianity.
Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove
The Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove in Nigeria is a forest shrine to the Yoruba river goddess Osun, with sculptures and a huge annual festival.
Philae Temple of Isis
Visit Philae near Aswan, the island Temple of Isis where ancient Egyptian worship continued into the 6th century CE, reached by boat.
Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx
Visit the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx, royal tombs and temples of ancient Egypt built to carry the pharaoh to the afterlife.
Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela
Lalibela's eleven rock-hewn churches in Ethiopia are a living center of Orthodox pilgrimage, especially at Genna, Ethiopian Christmas.
Sankore Mosque, Timbuktu
Sankore Mosque in Timbuktu was the heart of a famed university of Islamic learning. Discover the earthen mosques and manuscripts of Mali.
Temple of Pythons, Ouidah
Visit the Temple of Pythons in Ouidah, Benin, a sanctuary of the snake deity Dangbe, and join the colorful Vodun Festival held each January.
Uganda Martyrs Shrine, Namugongo
Namugongo near Kampala honors the Uganda Martyrs. Millions walk here each 3 June for Martyrs Day, one of Africa's largest Christian pilgrimages.
Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings near Luxor holds painted royal tombs of the New Kingdom, including Tutankhamun's, rich in imagery of the afterlife.