Mombasa Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Mombasa tours and things to do on Kenya’s tropical coast: safari for the Big Five in Tsavo East and West, explore the historic old town and Fort Jesus, relax on the white sands of Diani Beach, snorkel the coral of Kisite Marine Park, and cruise the creek on a traditional dhow. Compare top-rated experiences and plan the perfect trip.
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Explore Mombasa by interest
Whatever brings you to Mombasa — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Top attractions in Mombasa
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Tsavo Park
Red elephants.
Fort Jesus
Portuguese fort.
Marine Park
Coral snorkel.
Haller Park
Giraffes.
Dhow Cruise
Sunset sail.
Old Town
Swahili doors.
Diani Beach
White sand.
Wasini Island
Dolphins.
Mombasa in 3 days
- 1Day 1: city & Fort Jesus
- 2Day 2: Tsavo safari
- 3Day 3: marine park
- 4Beach
2.5 hr awayTsavo East
Big Five safari.
1 hr awayDiani Beach
White sand.
Day trip awayKisite Park
Snorkel & dolphins.
City awayFort Jesus
Historic fort.
30 min awayHaller Park
Feed giraffes.
Creek awayDhow Cruise
Sunset sail.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Mombasa visitor asks before booking.
Dry (Jan–Feb)
Hot, sunny and dry — great for beaches and safaris.
Dry (Jun–Oct)
Warm, drier and ideal for safaris and the coast.
Long rains (Mar–May)
Hot, humid and wettest.
Short rains (Nov–Dec)
Warm with brief showers.
For safaris
The dry seasons are best for Tsavo game viewing.
Best overall
June to October and January–February are ideal.
One day
The old town and a beach.
Two days
Add a Tsavo safari.
Three days
Add a marine-park snorkel.
For safari
Tsavo East and West.
For the beach
Diani and the marine parks.
With kids
Haller Park and the beach.
Tours & transfers
Guided tours are easiest for safaris and marine parks.
Taxis & tuk-tuks
Taxis and tuk-tuks are handy for local trips.
Likoni ferry
The ferry links the island to the south coast and Diani.
SGR train
The SGR train connects Mombasa with Nairobi.
Where to stay
Stay on the north coast, Diani or in the old town.
Shilling
Kenya uses the shilling; US dollars are also accepted.
Book safaris
Tsavo safaris sell out — reserve ahead.
Sun & heat
It’s hot and humid — bring sunscreen, a hat and water.
Bring swimwear
Wear swimwear for marine-park and beach trips.
Try Swahili food
Sample coconut-spiced seafood, biryani and samosas.
Stay aware
Keep valuables secure in busy markets and use trusted taxis.
Dry season
Visit in the dry months for the best safari and beach weather.
Tsavo safaris
Big Five safaris sell out — book ahead.
Marine parks
Kisite snorkel trips fill up — reserve early.
Diani day trips
Beach and boat trips book out — reserve ahead.
City tours
Fort Jesus and old-town tours fill up in season.
Dhow cruises
Sunset dinner cruises have limited spots — book early.
High season
Dry seasons are busiest — book everything ahead.
Tsavo safari
Around $120–200 for a day safari with transport.
Marine park
About $60–100 for a Kisite snorkel and dolphin trip.
City & Fort Jesus
Roughly $25–50 for a city and old-town tour.
Haller Park
Around $25–45 for a Haller Park visit.
Dhow cruise
About $40–70 for a sunset dinner dhow cruise.
How to save
Join group safaris and combine the city with a beach day.
Mombasa through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Beach & safari.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Hot.
- Best for
- Green & quiet.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Wettest.
- Best for
- Prime safari.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Best.
- Best for
- Warm, brief showers.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Good.