5N/6D TSAVO SAFARI EXPERIENCE

WHAT TO DO IN MOMBASA

Tamarind Evening Dhow

This programme includes pick-up from the hotel and transfer to Tamarind jetty point. Take an evening cruise aboard a traditional dhow with a sail .As the dhow slips gently away from the jetty, the resident band starts to play and you quickly fall under the spell of the magical Tamarind atmosphere. After a cruise around Tudor creek with fine views of Mombasa’s old town and fort Jesus; your dhow moors in a sheltered bay at the head of the creek. Watch the sundowner. Here, the fine aroma of grilled lobster and steak start to fill the air as the chefs pull out the charcoal grills and prepare a gourmet four course meal

By now the band is in full swing, which soon has the majority guests dancing on the main deck. Return to your hotel at around 10.30 pm

Join us for this memorable dinner cruise!

Mombasa City Tour.

Enjoy this popular day trip in the historic city of Mombasa, including a guided tour of Fort Jesus and the Old Town, a tuk-tuk ride to a local Swahili restaurant for lunch, and an afternoon at Haller Park, enjoying the wildlife.

WASINI ISLAND TOUR

Pick up and transfer for a full day tour of Wasini Island / Kisite Mpunguni marine park 

This will be a day of ultimate pleasure in the richest Marine Park in the Kenyan Coast. In the early morning depart from your hotel and drive to the tranquil fishing village of Shimoni close to the Tanzania border. The scenic route takes you through lush coconut and cashews nut plantations and the colourful village of the Digo tribe (one of the 9 tribes of the Kenyan coast).

At Shimoni jet board an authentic motorized Lamu dhow with a sail, which cruise and sail you through an enchanting seascape of Mpunguti islands to the underwater splendors of the Kisite Marine Park. Here snorkeler will marvel at the incredible variety of marine life in the shallow and warm waters around Kisite lsland; the venue for numerous birds.

We escort Scuba divers to explore a number of excellent dive sites, also teeming with an astounding variety of Marine life which inhabit the magnificent coral reefs in and around the park. After snorkeling, diving, swimming and sun bathing sail to Wasini island.

A sumptuous Swahili style seafood lunch is served in Wasini Island restaurant.

Thereafter visit the traditional Muslim village and the island caves. After an unforgettable day on and around these lslands.

We return you back to your hotel arriving late in the afternoon. 

Evening at leisure with dinner at the hotel. 

Shimba Full Day Excursion

Tour Highlights:

Sheldricks Falls

Sable Antelope

Coastal rain forest

Bird viewing

Mwaluganje Forest

Various View Points

TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

Transport in a customized pop up top minivan

Pick up / drop off at Mombasa Island, Mombasa port, and Bamburi Beach

Services of experienced English/other language speaking safari tour guide/driver

Bottled drinking water in the safari vehicle.

Government taxes and local levies

Game viewing drives

Park entrance fees

Buffet Lunch

WHAT TO DO IN TSAVO

1) Beautiful scenery

Tsavo West is marked by a number of rocky outcrops and volcanic hills. Tsavo West National Park's landscape is dominated by giant baobabs reputed to live a thousand years. After the rain, Tsavo West National Park is showered with white and pink ipomea and acacia trees of white and pink blossom. The desert rose, somewhat like a miniature baobab, has pink flowers of striking beauty at almost any time of the year. On a clear day, the park offers lovely views of the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro.

2) Shetani lava flow

When entering Tsavo West through Chyulu gate, one of the first things you see in the park is Shetani lava flow. Shetani means ‘devil’ in Kiswahili. When the locals first saw ‘fire’ erupting and ‘flowing’ on the ground some 500 years ago, they believed that it was the devil himself emerging from the earth. The Shetani black lava flow is 8 km long, 1.6 km wide and 5 meters deep. The sight is quite special and spectacular.

3) Chaimu volcanic crater and lava field

Notice how the road color changes from red to black as you get closer to Chaimu. Chaimu crater, or “the devil's crater” in Kamba tribe language, is a tall rising hill clad in the bright black colour of the lava stones. You can climb this recent volcano as there is a path leading to the top. Climbing the hill is not easy as it is not stable and can be slippery.

4) Five sister’s hills

One more volcanic feature of Tsavo West is ‘Five Sisters,’ the five almost identical cone-shaped hills located in one area and resembling one another. The scenery is stunning – a low ridge of black lava outcrop, long luscious grass and conical hills that make the Five Sisters.

5) Mzima springs

Mzima Springs are replenished with two hundred and twenty million litres of crystal-clear water every day. It comes from the underground streams flowing from the nearby Chyulu Hills. Mzima in Swahili means ‘Life’. It attracts rich wildlife including elephants, hippos, crocodiles, gazelles, zebras and giraffes wandering around the banks through the thick acacias and raffia palms together with a large number of monkeys and birds. Mzima is also the main source of Mombasa's city water supply. There are well-marked nature trails, an observation platform and an underwater glass tank. You can take a walk guided by a ranger there.

6) Game Drives

Tsavo West offers magnificent game viewing. Thick vegetation makes it more difficult compared to more open parks, for example, the Masai Mara, but with some patience, visitors can see some of the big five along with a wide range of antelope species, hippos, and spectacular birdlife. Just make sure you have the best binoculars for your safari. The species I saw for the first time just in Tsavo after visiting Masai Mara and Amboseli were large African Eland antelopes, a family of the dick-dicks, the smallest antelopes in Africa and funny warthogs. Giraffes on the Tsavo hilly background looked especially attractive.

Practical information

Distance: Mtito Andei gate is located 240 km from Nairobi and 250km from Mombasa.
Other gates: Tsavo, Lake Jipe, Chyulu, Maktau, and Ziwani.
Getting there by air: There are several good airstrips for chartered aircraft at Chyulu, Mtito Andei, Tsavo, Jipe, Maktau, Kasigau and Ziwani gates.
Roads: The main access routes are through Chyulu Gate from Amboseli and Mtito Andei Gate from Nairobi.
The best time to visit: it is usually from May to October when the humidity and temperatures are relatively low. This time is also the tourist peak season in Tsavo and is ideal for game viewing.