Kondoa Rock Art Sites

The Kondoa Rock Art Sites consist of over 150 natural caves with paintings on granite surfaces scattered across the region. These artworks depict elongated human figures, domestic animals, and hunting scenes created on the rock walls over many centuries.

Excavation at Kisese II Rockshelter began in 1935 when researchers from the early scientific tradition examined the site and uncovered artifacts showing human occupation dating back around 40,000 years. This work established that people had continuously lived in this region across an enormous span of time.

The Sandawe people continue to perform simbó healing ceremonies at these sites, keeping their ancestral practices alive. The Maasai groups gather in the caves for ritual feasting occasions that mark important community moments.

Visitors must register at the information center in Kolo village and travel with authorized guides since the terrain is rough and the painting sites are scattered across the area. Plan for physical activity on uneven ground and allow time to explore multiple cave locations.

The paintings display two distinct artistic styles: red ochre works created by hunter-gatherers and white paintings made by Bantu farming communities. These contrasting styles sit side by side on the same rocks, showing different cultures who occupied the region at different times.