Malindi Marine National Park Day Trip

This affordable, private 1-Day Malindi Marine National Park guided tour from Malindi features snorkeling among 600+ fish species and 45 coral varieties, glass-bottom boat rides, and relaxing on beaches.

The best time to visit is from October to April for optimal water clarity. Our day includes a morning hotel pickup (0830 Hours), a 3-4 hour boat excursion starting from the Marine Park entrance, lunch, and a visit to the Gedi Ruins or Falconry. 

Visit the world-renowned Malindi Marine National Park on our full-day excursion. Malindi Marine Park lies south of Malindi Town (2 km off Casuarina Point) on the Indian coast beach near the Arabuko-Sokoke forest reserve and Gedi ruins.

The park is 6 km square and is fringed by raised coral reefs, coral lagoon gardens, mangroves, mudflats, seagrasses, and other tidal habitats. Malindi Marine Park is ideal for diving and snorkeling, with motorboat access to spectacular marine life.

Other activities on the beach include seabird watching, nature walks, boat trips to Manyugu Island, swimming, and skiing. From paddling with zebrafish to windsurfing, this beautiful slice of Kenya’s Indian Ocean coastline provides the perfect getaway.

Malindi Marine Park is endowed with significant resources, including fringing reefs, coral gardens in the lagoons, seagrass beds, mangroves, mudflats, marine mammals, turtles, and various species of shorebirds. Visitors can enjoy glass-bottom boat rides, snorkeling, camping, and beach walks in this veritable paradise.

Malindi Marine National Park Full-Day Trip Itinerary

0800 Hours – 0900 Hours: Departure & Briefing: Pickup from your hotel in Malindi or Watamu for a short drive to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) park gate.
Complete park entry formalities and receive a safety briefing from your guide.

0930 Hours – 1130 Hours: Marine Exploration: Boat Ride: Board a glass-bottom boat to view the “Coral Garden” and spot some of the 600+ fish species without getting wet.

✓ Snorkeling & Swimming: Guided session in shallow, crystal-clear lagoons. Common sightings include zebrafish, angel fish, and green sea turtles.
✓ Dolphin Watching: Venture further into open water to spot playful humpback dolphins (best seen early).

1200 Hours – 1430 Hours: Island Visit & Seafood Lunch: Sail to Sardinia 2 (also known as Manyugu Island), a sandbank that appears during low tide. Enjoy a freshly prepared Swahili seafood lunch featuring grilled lobster, prawns, crab, and coconut rice. After lunch, relax on the white sands or take a guided canoe ride through the nearby mangrove forests.

1500 Hours – 1700 Hours: Cultural & Historical Stops (Optional): Return to the mainland and visit the Vasco da Gama Pillar, one of the oldest European monuments in Africa. Alternatively, take a 15-minute drive to the Gedi Ruins, an ancient Swahili city hidden in the forest.

1730 Hours – 1830 Hours: Sunset Experience. Drive inland to Marafa Hell’s Kitchen to witness the sandstone canyons glowing red at sunset, or enjoy a sunset dhow cruise along the coastline. 

1900 Hours – Return: Drop off at your hotel.

Malindi Marine National Park day trip is an excursion to Malindi Marine Park – one of the most frequently visited tourist attractions in Malindi. Malindi Marine National Park lies south of Malindi town (2 km off Casuarina Point) on the Indian Ocean coast, near the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve and the Gedi Ruins.

The park is 6 km square and is fringed by raised coral reefs, coral lagoon gardens, mangroves, mudflats, seagrasses, and other tidal habitats. Malindi Marine Park is ideal for diving and snorkeling, with motorboat access to spectacular marine life.

Other activities on the beach include seabird watching, nature walks, boat trips to Manyugu Island, swimming, and skiing. From paddling with zebrafish to windsurfing, this beautiful slice of Kenya’s Indian Ocean coastline provides the perfect getaway.

Malindi Marine Park is endowed with significant resources, including fringing reefs, coral gardens in the lagoons, seagrass beds, mangroves, mudflats, marine mammals, turtles, and various species of shorebirds.

Visitors can enjoy glass-bottom boat rides, snorkeling, camping, and beach walks in this veritable paradise. Our Tour of the Malindi Marine National Park & Reserve offers a beautiful coral garden ideal for swimming with zebra fish, snorkeling, glass-bottom boat rides, and beach walks.

Walking: Nature walk along the beach

Trips to Manyugu, a tidal island, where you can have fresh food

Visits to the coral gardens to see the tropical fish in their natural environment

Swimming and sunbathing in Malindi Marine National Park in the warm ocean water are activities enjoyed by all ages

Sea-Bird watching: Marine Birds in the park include Roseate and Bridled Terns, which nest on Whale Island, and many shore birds

Water skiing: Malindi Marine National Park beach has a stunning collection of marine life, and there is no better way to connect with it than by jet skiing. Water temperatures are warm throughout the year

Windsurfing: Malindi Beach is the best surfing spot in Kenya, with the outer reef that attracts large swells, especially in June through to September when the seasonal monsoon winds produce excellent breakers. Surfing here is conducive to both novices and experts and is mainly characterized by cross- and onshore winds.

Glass-bottom boat rides are beneficial to those who do not prefer to engage in snorkeling in the marine reserve. During the glass-bottom boat tour, you will see the park’s sandy bottoms and stony coral that protect a thriving population of fish and marine mammals.

These include octopus, manta rays, and three species of sea turtles. Watch for wildlife through the boat’s glass viewing area; see some of the park’s 600 species of fish, from lionfish to snapper and brightly-striped angelfish.

Snorkeling: Wearing only your swimsuit, snorkel, and mask, you watch varied fish like zebra, angel, snapper, butterfly, scorpion, rubber, puffer, damsel, and too many other species to name! With more than 360 species of fish and 45 varieties of coral, you are sure to be enchanted by all that you see.

Diving: The clear blue waters of Malindi Marine Park hide a thriving marine bio-system, which includes fringing reefs, sea grass beds, mangroves, and lagoons, filled with stunning, brightly-colored coral gardens, bristling with intriguing sea creatures.

October to April are the best months for diving. The water is warm and inviting year-round.

Malindi Marine National Park Day Trip Rates Include

✓ Professional English-speaking guides
✓ Enjoy the wonders of Sardinia’s 2 atolls
✓ A fish lunch and time spent relaxing on the beach
✓ All entry fees, guide fees, service charges, and taxes
✓ Pickup from your hotel in Malindi and drop-off at your hotel
✓ Malindi Marine Park with its dolphins, starfish, and sponges, & the gardens of coral and the sea from our glass-bottomed boat

Notes

* What to take with you: Footwear, e.g., sandals or flip flops (to protect your feet from the reef), T-shirts (to protect your body from sunburn), snorkel, mask, fins – all of which are available for hire, camera, hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, guide books, and plenty of drinking water

Malindi Marine National Park Day Trip Rates Do Not Include:

* Drinks
* Tips or gratuity
* Travelers Insurance
* Communication charges
* Visas, international airfares, and airport taxes; meals
* Sightseeing not included in the package; optional activities
* Personal expenses such as transfers to/ from the airport (supplement airport transfer cost applies for tours starting from the airport)

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