Mnarani ruins are the remains of an ancient settlement that thrived from the 13th century to the 17th Century. Mnarani was inhabited by various people including the Swahili and Omani Arabs .The name Mnarani comes from the Swahili word ‘mnara’ which means pillar. The pillar refers to a tall white pillar that is erected in one of the Great Mosques found in the area. The pillar was built in honour of an imam who had passed away. During its occupation the area was used as a trading post as well as a religious centre where the Omani Arabs would teach and convert the local communities to Islam. The area had a madrassa where these teachings occurred.

Gede ruins are the remains of a town previously inhabited by the Swahili people from as early as the 11th century. Its name comes from the Oromo word that means ‘precious’. The ruins are near the Kenyan coast and are within the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest. The ruins contain a wide variety of structures including houses, mosques and tombs that are centuries old. At its peak in the 15 century, Gede had a population of about 2500 people. The town was later abandoned during the 17th century. Several theories have been put forward to explain its abandonment including raids, conflicts with neighbouring city states as well as drying up of the wells. Gede ruins was declared a UNESCO world heritage site due to historical significance.