Day 1
Mombasa City Tour
Some of the places we shall visit on the Mombasa city tour.
- Old Mombasa town: This is where ancient buildings, extravagant art designs and curio shops typical of the life of the Arabs can be found. 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: Fort Jesus is monumental piece of architecture that was built in the 16th century by the Portuguese. Within the fort lies a museum that displays various artifacts from the era where Mombasa served as a transit point for the slave trade and commodities. You will also see weapons such as canons. Fort Jesus is Mombasa’s most popular tourist attraction. Its interior comprises of torture rooms and prison cells where slaves were kept in captivity before being traded
- Gedi ruins: Gedi was a small town built entirely from rocks and stones, which was inhabited by a few thousand Swahili people and ruled by a very rich Sultan. These ruins date back from the 15th century, and through careful preservation most of the original foundations can still be seen today. The ruins are designated as a National Museum by law, and their preservation are a direct reflection of the commitment of the Government to uphold the country's cultural and historical background.
- Mombasa tusks: Mombasa tusks were built in 1956 to celebrate Princess Margaret's visit to Mombasa town. They are located at the entrance to the city; they are not made of ivory as is sometimes thought, but of aluminium. An interesting thing to note is that the tusks form dual archways on either side of the road creating the shape in entirety of an 'M' for Mombasa or Margaret.
- Haller park: Haller park is a small zoo that contains different species of reptiles, mammals like giraffes and monkeys. It also contains hippos.
- Bombolulu Workshops: Bombolulu Workshops was founded in 1969 and is a project of the Association for the Physically Disabled in Kenya (APDK). This center is a popular attraction for tourists and has 150 disabled employees who create jewelry, textiles, wood and leather crafts. It is the largest rehabilitation center in Kenya.