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Mombasa has a lot more to offer visitors than just beautiful
beaches. It was a very influential port in the 15th century,
and has played a significant role in laying the foundations
of the nation that it is a part of today. Some of the popular
attractions in the town relate directly to the historical
context, while others seek to complement the tourism industry
that the town thrives on.
"Old Town" is the part of Mombasa that is reminiscent
of the days when the Arabs exerted a heavy influence on
the town and its culture, and especially in the architecture
and language (Kiswahili has a lot of phrases derived from
various Arabic dialects). It is well known for its ancient
buildings, extravagant art designs and curio shops that
sell antique and popular Kenyan souvenirs. Old Town is best
seen when explored by foot with an experienced guide, as
the streets are too narrow to accommodate a large number
of vehicles. The town's inhabitants are mostly of Arab origin
whose forefathers once roamed the same streets of the town.
Fort Jesus is located just a few steps away from where the
town "starts", thus a complete tour of the fort
and the "Old Town" can be done in a single day.
Fort Jesus is Mombasa's most popular tourist attraction.
The fort, 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 artifacts from the era where Mombasa
served as a transit point for the slave trade and commodities,
and which enjoyed regular visits by seafarers and the like.
Its interior comprises of torture rooms and prison cells
where slaves were kept in captivity before being traded.
Weapons such as canons, which were used to defend the fort
from invading foreigners as well as rioting locals, can
be seen both inside and outside of the fort. The fort opens
its gates for viewing in the morning and closes at dusk.
The Mombasa "Tusks" is symbolic representations of entrance into
the heart of the town. The tusks were built to commemorate the visit of Queen
Elizabeth to the town in 1952, as they lay directly on the path from the port
to the town. Ivory was considered to be an exquisite commodity during the time,
and in essence the tusks were meant to embrace the Queen and the British Empire
into the town and within its social structure. Coincidentally the tusks also
spell the letter "M" for Mombasa.
The Hindu temple is a one of the many symbols of Mombasa's cultural diversity.
The temple is a popular tourist spot and a tour can be taken inside the temple,
with a historical background of the temple given by one of the temple gurus.
Extravagant idols and stone carvings of the various religious beliefs are
displayed within the temple and on its walls. It is located near the Railway
Station just outside the perimeter of the downtown area.
Mamba Village, which is situated in Nyali, is East Africa’s largest crocodile
farm. A tour of the farm starts with a movie on the life cycle and behavior
of crocodiles, followed by a comprehensive tour of the rest of farm, and ends
with the highlight of the day: a spectacular scene of blood-thirsty crocodiles
fighting for food during feeding time. Excellent cuisine is available at the
Mamba Restaurant, and the house specialty is superbly grilled crocodile meat.
Souvenirs of your visit can be bought at the Mamba Souvenir shop located within
the village.
The Bamburi Nature Trail is the largest animal sanctuary in Mombasa. Located
in Bamburi next to the Cement Factory, the Nature Trail boasts an enormous
variety of animals, reptiles, insects and botanical gardens. Walking along
the trail is the ideal way to look at the various animals, and on many occasions
holding or feeding a reptile such as a snake is allowed under close supervision
of a guide. Educational videos are also shown, with emphasis on the history
and continuous improvement of the trail. It was previously a barren piece
of land that had been stripped of its resources through limestone mining,
and was redeveloped through reforestation and conservation efforts, and is
now a habitat for a large number of flora and fauna species.
The Bombolulu workshops are located along the north coast
of Mombasa. Founded in 1969, Bombolulu Workshops is a Project
of the Association for the Physically Disabled in Kenya
(APDK). It is a major Tourist attraction, which consists
of a Cultural Center with 8 traditional homesteads. The
Center also runs a traditional Restaurant and entertains
guests with traditional dances throughout the day. The Center
is run by the "Association for the physically disabled"
and employs 150-disabled craftsmen/women who produce jewellery,
hand printed textiles, woodcarvings and leather crafts.
The products are sold in a large showroom and exported to
20 countries. Bombolulu Workshops have grown to be one of
the biggest rehabilitation centers in Kenya and has built
a reputation as one of Kenyans most reliable exporters.
Visit the beautiful bay of Maftaha surrounded by the tropical
flora and fauna situated on the south coast Board our power
cruiser and head south for the Kisite national marine park
where a variety of unforgettable marine life may be encountered
en-route, including dolphins, humpback whales, turtles,
yays and whale sharks.Guests can snorkel amongst the abundant
tropical marine life. With the possibility of swimming with
dolphins, turtles and reef fishes, indigenous to Kisite
coral gardens.
Then cruise to the fishing village of Shimoni where transport
awaits you for return to Maftaha Bay for a magnificent seafood
lunch, served in a unique treetop restaurant overlooking
the bay. Time is allowed for guests to relax over coffee
and drinks before exploring "Bird" Island and
the world-renowned Gazi mangrove forest by canoe. You will
have the opportunity to view a multitude of bird life including
kingfishers, bee-eaters, egrets, fish eagles and pelicans
unique to this rare habitat.
On conclusion of days activities guests are
transferred back to their hotel before sunset.
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Africa
Sights & Sounds
