Malindi Watamu Full Day Trip Excursion

Our 1 Day Malindi and Watamu full-day trip explores the main tourist attractions of Malindi and Watamu and begins after breakfast at your hotel in Malindi or Watamu. Malidbi is an idyllic seaside town that is deeply rooted in a colorful history dating back to 1498, when Vasco da Gama first visited the area.

The two towns are approximately 22 km (14 miles) apart, making them easy to cover in a single day.

Top Attractions & Points of Interest include

✓ Watamu Marine National Park (the oldest marine park in Africa), home to over 600 species of fish
✓ Watamu Snake Farm (Houses the largest collection of snakes) in East Africa, and offers educational tours
✓ Falconry Of Kenya Ltd (Bird shop) sanctuary in Malindi, where you can see eagles, falcons, and owls up
✓ Vasco da Gama Pillar (Historical place) is an iconic 5-meter-tall landmark overlooking the coast, marking early European exploration
✓ Gede Ruins Archaeological Museum, a national museum site located near the main road between the two towns, known for its “mysterious” abandonment

1 Day Malindi and Watamu full-day trip  Itinerary

0800 Hours: Pickup & Departure – Start from your hotel in Malindi or Watamu
0830 Hours: Gede Ruins – Explore a 13th-century abandoned Swahili city featuring coral-stone palaces, mosques, and tombs hidden in a lush forest
1030 Hours: Watamu Marine Park – Take a glass-bottom boat ride to view coral gardens. Options include snorkeling with tropical fish and turtles, or dolphin spotting
1230 Hours: Seafood Lunch – Enjoy a traditional Swahili lunch (lobster, prawns, coconut rice) on Sudi Island or at a beachfront restaurant like Hemingways
1400 Hours: Mida Creek – Board a canoe or dhow to cruise through dense mangrove forests. You can also walk the Mida Creek Boardwalk
1530 Hours: Malindi City Tour – Visit the Vasco da Gama Pillar (built in 1498), the Portuguese Chapel, and the Malindi Museum
1700 Hours: Marafa Hell’s Kitchen – (Optional Add-on) Witness the sunset over dramatic sandstone canyons with vibrant layered soils
1830 Hours: Return – Drop-off back at your hotel

From the winding streets to the centuries-old houses, you will see the story of Malindi unfold before your eyes.  We take a tour to experience the colors and aromas of traditional Africa through the old market area, spice stalls, piles of pineapples and watermelons, jewelry shops featuring semiprecious stones, and local crafts in wood, soapstone, and batik.

One of the most prominent landmarks on the Malindi tour is the Church of St. Francis Xavier, one of the oldest in East Africa, located near the Vasco Da Gama Pillar.

You also visit the Juma Mosque and learn about the unfortunate use of the structure for slave trading until the late nineteenth century. A visit to the ruins of Gedi near Watamu takes you to the site of an abandoned coastal town, with intriguing mysteries in the remains of mosques, houses, and other archaeological finds.

Your touring time at Gedi includes tombs, the king’s palace, artifacts, and a sunken court. Enjoy a seafood and coastal cuisine lunch in Watamu. Your Malindi day excursion also includes a glass-bottom boat ride in the Malindi Marine Park, where you look into the depths of the Indian Ocean to observe marine life in a natural setting, and snorkeling can also be arranged.

Alternatively, we could take a canoe trip into the mangrove forest or a cultural tour to the reptile park at Mida Creek, Watamu. Visit Malindi and Watamu on this day tour to experience the hidden towns near Mombasa.

Malindi & Watamu Full Day Trip Excursion Rates Include

✓ Services of a professional safari driver guide
✓ All entrance fees to the sightseeing places visited
✓ Bottled drinking water is provided during the tour
✓ Return transport from Malindi hotel to the sightseeing locations and back to your hotel/ residence
✓ A visit to the Bio-Ken Snake Farm (East Africa’s largest collection of snakes) or the Falconry of Kenya
✓ Malindi sightseeing city tour, Portuguese Chapel, Vasco da Gama Pillar, Gedi Ruins, Malindi Marine Park
✓ A glass-bottom boat ride in Malindi or Watamu Marine National Park to view coral gardens and marine life
✓ Lunch in Watamu at Hemingways Watamu, Pilipan Restaurant, Hosteria Romana, Watamu Papa Remo Beach, or Crab Shack Dabaso Mida Creek

Note

Common Optional Tour Add-ons for an additional fee

✓ Robinson Island (boat excursion to the island for a secluded seafood barbecue)
✓ Hell’s Kitchen: A late afternoon visit to see the sunset over the sandstone gorges
✓ Mida Creek Nature Preserve (a canoe trip through the mangrove forests or a walk on the boardwalk)
✓ House of Columns Malindi Museum is one of the oldest buildings in Malindi, Kenya, and serves as a historical and marine museum under the management of the National Museums of Kenya. It is named for the distinctive thick columns on its front that support its upper floors
✓ Bio-Ken Snake Farm (also known as the Watamu Snake Farm) is a renowned research center and reptile park located in Watamu, Kenya. It houses the largest collection of snakes in East Africa, featuring over 127 species
✓ Falconry of Kenya is a privately owned wildlife sanctuary and rescue centre located in Malindi, Kilifi County. It is best known for its collection of birds of prey, many of which have been rescued or rehabilitated, and it offers visitors rare up-close interactions with these species

Malindi Watamu Full Day Trip Excursion Rates Do Not Include:

* International Airfare
* Accommodation in Malindi
* Cost of obtaining a passport and visas
* Personal expenses such as traveling insurance, excess baggage fee, communication charges that include laundry, emails, faxes, and phone calls, beverages including luxury champagne, luxury spirits, beer, and wines during meals or meals not indicated in the itinerary

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