The Travels of Ibn Battuta 1325-1354

Between 1325 and 1354, the Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta undertook one of the most extensive journeys in premodern history, traveling across North Africa, the Middle East, Central and South Asia, Southeast Asia, and parts of China and West Africa. He completed the Hajj pilgrimage early in his travels and later served as a judge (qadi) in Delhi under the Sultan of India. Over nearly three decades, Ibn Battuta covered an estimated 75,000 miles (120,000 kilometers) before dictating his famous travel account, The Rihla (“A Gift to Those Who Contemplate the Wonders of Cities and the Marvels of Traveling”).

Ibn Battuta’s Travels (1325–1354)

Early Travels (1325–1333)

1325: Departed from his hometown Tangier to undertake the Hajj to Mecca, journeying across North Africa via Fez, Tunis, and Cairo.

1326: Traveled through the Levant, visiting Jerusalem and Damascus, before completing his pilgrimage in Mecca.

1326–1327: Continued through Iraq and Persia (modern Iran).

1328–1330: Sailed along the Red Sea and visited East African coastal cities such as Mogadishu, Mombasa, and Kilwa, before returning to Arabia.

1330–1331: Traveled across Anatolia (modern Turkey) and visited Constantinople (present-day Istanbul).

1332–1333: Journeyed through Central Asia, visiting the territories of the Golden Horde and the Chagatai Khanate.

Asian Journeys (1334–1346)

1334–1341: Arrived in Delhi, India, where he was appointed qadi (judge) under Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq.

1341–1344: After leaving Delhi, he traveled to the Maldives and Sri Lanka, where he continued his judicial and religious duties.

1345–1346: Sailed through the Strait of Malacca to reach China, visiting Quanzhou and other coastal cities.

Later Travels and Return Home (1346–1354)

1346–1350: Began his return journey westward, visiting al-Andalus (southern Spain) and North Africa.

1350–1351: Crossed the Sahara Desert to visit the Mali Empire in West Africa, including Timbuktu and Gao.

1355: Returned to Fez, Morocco, where he dictated his travel narrative, The Rihla, to the scholar Ibn Juzayy.