Mombasa

Mombasa has a diversity of flora and fauna in and around the city, which, in conjunction with its pure beach appeal and historical, cultural richness, makes this a destination for nature and city lovers alike.

Unique to Mombasa, and sure to add to any experience in Kenya, is the exposure to different facets of the Kenyan culture within the city. Some of the surrounding towns, and in remote villages invite guests to visit and explore the traditions.

There is diversity in the cuisine available to visitors, including a host of quality restaurants offering everything from British, Chinese, Indian and Italian cuisine, to a variety of local and traditional Kenyan dishes.

One of the busiest of Kenya's offshore reserves is Mombasa Marine National Park, which protects mangroves, sea-grass beds, sandy beaches, and coral reef. Guests are encouraged to try snorkelling and scuba diving in this underwater world.

Leopard Beach Resort and Spa has a reputation for excellence after having won the award for Kenya's best hotel in 2010 and 2011. It enjoys a prime position on Diani Beach on Kenya’s South Coast, and has a renowned Spa that offers world-class beauty and therapeutic treatments. This truly luxurious beach destination with top notch service is not to be missed.

Afrochic Diani is the perfect getaway for the discerning traveller who wants to simply ‘flop and drop’ and enjoy the spectacular views of exotic and ancient dhows in full sail. On the premises is an ultra-luxurious beauty spa offering a wellness programme.

Chale Island is a small romantic island situated about 600m from the mainland, specifically built with the environment in mind. It is spread out to offer the utmost in privacy and romance, even when at full capacity one has a tremendous feeling of peace and tranquillity.

How to Get There

Guests travelling to Kenya for a game-viewing holiday will opt for either a ‘fly-in-fly’ or a ‘fly-in-drive’ safari, which will determine whether they make use of air or road transfers to get to their destination.

All guests will enter Kenya at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, the capital city. This airport is the travel portal for Kenya and can get very busy, so guests will often continue with their domestic flights from Wilson airport, which is 18km away.

Depending on the safari destination, guests will either connect with a charter flight from Wilson or Jomo Kenyatta airports to the reserve, or they will embark on a road journey from Nairobi to the reserve.

Mombasa has an international airport (Moi International) and receives a regular influx of guests. Depending on where guests have been travelling in Kenya before Mombasa, they will take a domestic flight to the coastal city.

Mombasa Game Viewing and Activities

Discover this part of Kenya by cycling off the beaten track; see local people in their settlements and traditional African villages, palm and mango-tree forests. Enjoy fantastic views in the Mombasa North Coast area. Haller Park is the largest animal sanctuary in Mombasa. It boasts an enormous variety of mammals, reptiles, and insects, while its botanical gardens are also exceptional.

Fort Jesus, located along the coastline near the Old Town, is a monumental piece of architecture that was built in the 16th century by the Portuguese. The fort has a museum that displays various artefacts from the era that Mombasa served as a transit point for the slave trade and commodities, and which enjoyed regular visits by seafarers and the like. Visit the most historic ruins found in Mombasa, called the Gedi Ruins.

Nightlife in Mombasa is always exciting, and the city offers many dance clubs and casinos that cater to a variety of entertainment tastes. Alternatively, guests can always catch a movie at the cinema, go bowling, or grab a drink at the local pub.