Mombasa City Tour & Haller Park with Seafood Lunch – Private Guide

3.25

(12 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The city wakes up early here—by 8am, the streets are already humming as we head out from my hotel. Our driver weaves through the city center, past matatus honking and kids in school uniforms darting between stalls. The air smells faintly of cardamom and frying dough as we roll into Kibokoni, the old town. Fort Jesus stands right there—its thick stone walls still cool from the night. Inside, our guide (he’s lived here his whole life) shares stories about Portuguese soldiers and Swahili traders. You can almost picture them arguing over spice prices in these echoey halls.

We wander narrow alleys lined with faded colonial houses—some with peeling blue doors, others with carved wooden balconies that creak when you walk by. There’s a quick stop at Mandhry Mosque; I hear the soft call to prayer mixing with street chatter. At the Old Spice Market, it’s a riot of color: heaps of turmeric, dried limes, and tiny red chilies stacked high. I grab a cold soda from a tiny kiosk before lunch—needed it after all that walking in the midday heat.

Lunch is at a tucked-away spot in Old Town where the ceiling fans barely keep up with the warmth. The waiter brings out platters of grilled snapper and coconut rice—if seafood isn’t your thing, they’ll sort you out with pilau or biryani instead. After eating way too much (couldn’t help it), we drive along Mama Ngina Drive for those salty sea breezes and watch ferries crossing at Likoni channel—a real slice of daily life here.

Before heading out of town, we pull over at Pembe za Ndovu—the famous elephant tusks arching over Moi Avenue. They’re bigger than they look on the 50 shilling note! Our driver snaps a photo for us while boda-bodas zip past behind. There’s time for some quick shopping too; I haggle for a hand-carved soapstone bowl just because it catches my eye.

By afternoon, we’re off to Haller Park—a total change of pace from the city buzz. It’s shady and quiet except for birds calling overhead and the odd monkey rustling in the trees. The giraffe feeding platform is always busy around this time; their long tongues are surprisingly gentle when you hold out leaves. Our guide points out hippos wallowing in muddy ponds and tells us how this place used to be an old quarry before being turned into a sanctuary back in the ‘70s.

If you’re into crafts, there’s an option to swing by Akamba Handicraft workshop instead—watching artisans carve wood is oddly soothing after all that walking. Either way, by late afternoon I’m ready to head back to my hotel (and maybe nap before dinner). This tour packs in so much: history, wildlife, food—and plenty of little moments you’d miss wandering alone.