Visit Malindi

Day 1: MALINDI
Depart from your hotel at 8:00am.Drive to Malindi (125kms) north of Mombasa. Malindi is a popular holiday resort consisting of hotels and a local fishing Village with markets and shops in Arab / African style. On the way you visit Gede ruins, an ancient ruined city that was mysteriously abandoned in the 13th century and slowly overgrown by jungle vegetation, but then re-discovered in this century in Malindi. It is now a National Museum, and the ruins are heavily overgrown with beautiful indigenous forest trees, baobabs and tamarind. Well worth a walk and a visit. Look out for Syke's Monkeys, and the Golden Rumped Elephant.

The Kipepeo Project butterfly farm was set up in 1993 to help farmers earn money from the nearby Arabuko-Sokoke Forest and its unique biodiversity.  Kipepeo become economically self-sustaining and was formally handed over to the National Museums of Kenya in 2001. Kipepeo (Swahili for butterfly) is a community based enterprise that supports the livelihoods of people living around the forest in coastal Kenya. This provides an incentive for their participation in the conservation of a forest with high biodiversity. Kipepeo seeks to demonstrate the tangible link between conservation and livelihood. It is located within the grounds of the Gede Ruins.

Then a short drive out of town to a Giriama village to watch the performance of a tribal dancing.

 

 

Arrive at your Hotel in time for Lunch. After lunch you will visit Vasco da Gama Pillar. The pillar is situated on the seafront road near the jetty. It is accessed from Scorpio Villas or alternatively from the Silversands area. The pillar is one of the oldest remaining monuments in Africa and was built in 1498 by the great Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama as a sign of appreciation for the welcome he was given by the Sultan of Malindi. One of the oldest East African churches St. Francis Xavier still stands strong across from Vasco da Gama's pillar, where he carved the Christian cross. Also intact is the Juma mosque, which was misused as a haven for slave trading until mid 1870's.Thereafter you drive back to your hotel for dinner and overnight. (Full Board)

Day 2: Kisite Marine Park
After an early breakfast start your Marine National Park tour at the Kisite Marine Park. This is one of the best diving sites in East Africa and a very safe place, free of Sharks. A fun dive and a normal dive are offered: Fun Dive: a short dive (around 30 minutes), suitable for un-experienced divers and even for those who have never dived before. After a short briefing, you go under water with the instructor. The instructor holds your hand during the dive.

 

You embark on a glass bottom boat for a tour in the marine park to view the colourful tropical fishes and corals (remember to bring swimming suits and beach shoes) Lunch at a specially selected restaurant. 

 

After lunch return to your hotel to refresh and collect your luggage and then proceed to mombasa.On the way you will see Mida Creek,a large tidal inlet extending over 32 square kilometres. The tidal entry is at Temple Point at the southern end of Watamu and the main channel goes inland for about 6 kms. then takes a turn north east towards Gede. The Creek is covered by mangroves, which are a major breeding ground for many of the reef fish. There are numerous tidal inlets through the mangrove forests and it is fun to explore them by boat or just swimming. Mida is a major breeding ground for many species of Northern migratory bird, including the rare Crab Plover. The best time to visit is late afternoon, ideally when this coincides with an incoming tide. Drive on to Momasa and arrive at your coastal Hotel late afternoon.