TSAVO EAST

1 day

An early start from your beach hotel and drive inland to tsavo East National Park, enteing through Bachuma Gate. This is classic elephantcountry and besides various game, you can see water birds on Aruba Dam en route to Voi Safari Lodge for lunch. The lodge is situated high on an outcrop with superb views of waterholes below where plenty of animals come to drink. For good photography, descend through a tunnel to the underground viewing hide located right next to the waterholes. Further game viewing in the park before returning to Mombasa in the evening.

MOMBASA CITY TOUR

Half day

Mombasa is claimed to be the oldest town in East Africa probably dating back 2000 years. A tour of the city starts with its most prominent landmark, Fort Jesus, built by the Portuguese in 1593 guarding the entrance to the old Dhow Harbor. It still stands today as a museum housing a fascinating collection of historic coastal artifacts. Along the narrow alleys of the old town can be found spice and curio carpenter shops where intricately carved Arab doors and brass-studded chests are made. Further on is the jetty where dhows from the Middle East are still unloaded by hand. Towards the newer part of town, the market and bazaars can be found where haggling is the order of the day. Finally, visit the Akamba Handicraft Cooperative where over 1900 members produce a great variety of very reasonably priced woodcarvings.

MALINDI/GEDI TOUR

1 day

Malindi, 125 km north of Mombasa has a character of its own. It is a mixture of modern hotels, a popular seaside resort and a small fishing village. The road to Malindi passes through sisal plantations dotted with bloated baobab trees. Stop en route at Gedi ruins – an ancient Arab city recently rescued from the encroaching jungle. Depending on the tide the tour will include:

a) A trip aboard a glass-bottomed boat in the marine national park, and an opportunity to snorkel at the Leopard Reef with its coral gardens and colorful fish.

A visit to the mosque (old slave market), the Portuguese chapel, a snake farm and the falconry. Since lunch is not included on this tour, you may wish to take a lunch box from your hotel.

SHIMBA HILLS TREE LODGE

1 night

After lunch transfer from your hotel to the Shimba Hills Game Reserve, passing through lush countryside peppered with cashew nuts, mango, citrus, banana, Kapok and palm trees. The tour continues through fine forests of immense trees to Shimba Hills. In the reserve it is possible to see elephant, buffalo, giraffe, leopard, waterbuck, olive baboon and even the rare Roan and Sable antelope. Spend the night at Shimba Hills Tree Lodge. Unique at the coast this lodge is built on stilts overlooking a floodlit waterhole and mud wallow where the animals can be observed after dark. The following morning, enjoy an early morning game viewing drive. After breakfast, transfer back to your hotel.

TAMARIND DHOW SAIL WITH DINNER

Evening collection from your hotel and a transfer to the Tamarind jetty where the Arab dhow is anchored ready to sail. Relax with a welcome cocktail and enjoy the sunset. Listen to the music of the live band as the dhow sails towards the old harbor and Fort Jesus. A sweeping turn and the dhow heads up Tudor Creek as dinner is prepared by the Tamarind Restaurant chefs. After a delicious seafood or barbecued steak dinner, the anchor is dropped as the dance band get into full swing. At the end of the romantic evening, return to the jetty for transfer back to your hotel.

THE FLOATING MARKET

Full day

Clients are collected from their hotel in the morning hours and driven to a jetty on the far side of Mombasa Island, where they are welcomed by the crew aboard an Arabian sailing ship HUSNA. The tour starts with a sail around part of the island, past historic Fort Jesus, the Dhow Harbor, the Old Town, and the new Nyali Bridge to a restaurant at the Tudor Creek. Clients disembark and enjoy a sumptuous, exotic lunch. After lunch a traditional herbalist enlightens the passengers on cures from African herbs and avails the herbs for sale. The dhow sails on in the Tudor Creek with its unique bird life, to visit the “Floating Market”. At the “market” local people with traditionally built canoes approach the dhow with their merchandise of coffee, tea, spices, baskets, fruits, woodcarvings and authentic African jewelry. Afterwards HUSNA sails back to the restaurant and awaiting buses transfer clients to their hotel.