Ibn Battuta’s travel account, known as the Rihla, records his journeys across North Africa, Asia, and parts of the Silk Road world.
Ibn Battuta was a Moroccan scholar and traveler who began his journeys in 1325 by traveling from Tangier to Mecca. Over nearly three decades, he visited regions including Egypt, the Middle East, East Africa, Anatolia, Central Asia, India, Southeast Asia, and China. His travels followed many connected caravan and maritime routes rather than one single road.
The Rihla was dictated after his return to Morocco to Ibn Juzayy, a scholar at the court of Sultan Abu Inan Faris. It combines personal observation with information gathered from other sources, so historians assess individual passages differently.
The title means “journey” or “travels.” It should not be confused with Marco Polo’s account, which describes a different period and viewpoint. Ibn Battuta’s work is especially valuable for its descriptions of Islamic societies, trade cities, rulers, religious institutions, and long-distance travel in the 14th century.