Things to do in Mombasa

Mombasa was the first capital of British East Africa, and it is now Kenya's second city. The old centre is an island, joined to the mainland by the Nyali Bridge, the Makupa Causeway and the Likoni ferry. Things to do in Mombasa start at Fort Jesus.

The island on foot

• Fort Jesus. On the south-east shore, built by the Portuguese between 1593 and 1596 to guard the harbour. A UNESCO site since 2011, it now holds a museum.
• Old Town. Seventy-two hectares around the fort, mostly Swahili buildings with Portuguese, Arab and Indian influences.
• Old Port. The harbour the fort was built to guard. Dhows have sailed from it for centuries.
• The Tusks. Two pairs of aluminium tusks arch over Moi Avenue. The monument dates from a royal visit in 1952.
• Mama Ngina Drive. The seafront road above the shipping channel, where people come to watch the ships.

What gets booked

Most tours from Mombasa are safaris. City days and a dhow cruise make up the rest.

• City days. A half-day walk covers the Tusks, Old Town, Fort Jesus and the spice market, with a Swahili lunch. The full day adds Haller Park, a cement quarry in Bamburi turned into a sanctuary with giraffes.
• Dhow cruise. The Tamarind dhow sails up Tudor Creek, at lunchtime or at dusk, with a meal on board.
• Tsavo. One to three days in Tsavo East or Tsavo West, more than 22,000 square kilometres together. One Tsavo West trip offers the train back from Mtito Andei.
• Further afield. The Taita Hills sanctuary, Amboseli, and a four-day beach package at Diani, across the Likoni ferry.

The one-day Tsavo East trip leaves at 5.45 am. It returns near 8 pm. Overnight versions add an evening and a dawn game drive.

Practical

• Weather. January to March reach 33C by day and stay near 24C at night. July and August are coolest, at 28C to 29C by day and 21C at night. May is the wettest month, with about 235 millimetres of rain. February is the driest, at 14 millimetres.
• Getting here. Moi International Airport and the train terminus at Miritini both lie on the mainland, outside the island. The Likoni ferry, a 500-metre crossing of Kilindini Harbour, takes foot passengers free.
• Early starts. Safari pick-ups from hotels in Mombasa and Diani begin between 5.45 and 7 am.
• Park fees. Most Tsavo listings include them in the price.