Cultural Mombasa

A melting pot of cultural influences, funky streets and a chill coastal vibe. Mombasa may not have a great reputation, but we’d love to show you why this city does have its charms!

A journey through Mombasa's rich history

In Mombasa, you’ll find influences from all over the world: remnants of British imperialism, influences from India, the Middle East, local culture, and even remnants of Portuguese colonial times. Mombasa’s old town has colonial buildings and historic forts. A well-known landmark is Fort Jesus, which was built in 1593 by order of the King of Portugal. The fort served as Portuguese headquarters but was subsequently used as a military complex, slave house, and prison. Mombasa has a rich history, but also certainly a dark past: Mombasa was a major center for the slave trade. Fort Jesus has now been turned into a museum, and you can take a look inside the old cells and torture chambers. Read more about what to do during your holidays in Mombasa here.

Walking tour Mombasa

To help you get started, we’ve developed a walking route for you to explore the coastal culture and the unique city. Temples, mosques, and colorful shops will fill your street view. Combined with beautifully carved doors and elegantly designed balconies, this creates a unique character. You can taste the convergence of dozens of cultures and influences that the city is rich in at the market in the old center or in the kitchens of these restaurants.

A tropical beach holiday

Mombasa also has the tropical beaches, all-inclusive resorts and palm trees. This is actually where the standard package holiday tourist often lounges by the pool tanning. Nyali beach and Bamburi beach are Mombasa’s popular beaches, with Bamburi Beach being the most peaceful. Of course, we understand that you also want to relax a bit, after all, you are on holiday… The choice for this is vast, as the Kenyan coast is a succession of beautiful beaches!

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Kayaking in Magadi

Imagine this: four days in nature, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and a brief escape from all the tourists. This is truly off the beaten track! Paddling with a kayak from campsite to campsite, guided by someone who can safely lead the way, and camping amidst wildlife. Sounds good, doesn't it?

Mara Morijo Trails

Are you a true adventurer and fancy an adventure deep in the bush of Kenya? Then our unique experience Mara Morijo Trails is just the thing for you. During this adventure, you will not only get to know the beautiful nature of Kenya, but you will also get a delicious taste of culture.

Maasai Tribal Trek

A raw, self-developed route with varied and impressive wildlife: savannah, rainforest and desert. Together with our local Masai partner Robert and other Masai warriors, you will make your way through the Loita Hills.

Kayaking in Magadi

Imagine this: four days in nature, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and a brief escape from all the tourists. This is truly off the beaten track! Paddling with a kayak from campsite to campsite, guided by someone who can safely lead the way, and camping amidst wildlife. Sounds good, doesn't it?

Mara Morijo Trails

Are you a true adventurer and fancy an adventure deep in the bush of Kenya? Then our unique experience Mara Morijo Trails is just the thing for you. During this adventure, you will not only get to know the beautiful nature of Kenya, but you will also get a delicious taste of culture.

Maasai Tribal Trek

A raw, self-developed route with varied and impressive wildlife: savannah, rainforest and desert. Together with our local Masai partner Robert and other Masai warriors, you will make your way through the Loita Hills.

Mount Suswa

A magnificent motorcycle ride with views of volcanoes, hidden lava caves, a hike to the crater and a visit to Masai Reuben and his particularly large family. Welcome to Mount Suswa!

Taita Hills

The new railway from Nairobi to Mombasa has meant that our team has been trying to discover new possibilities for travel as well as checking out different stops along the way. One of those stops is Taita Hills: in our opinion, the perfect place to experience real African life. Together with our local partners, we have developed various walking routes for you to try.  

Amboseli National Park

Fan of elephants? Then Amboseli is the place to be for you. Here, you'll encounter these magnificent creatures with the mighty Kilimanjaro in the background. Bored of spotting them from the car? Then hop on the back of a Masai's motorcycle for a unique perspective!

Why travel with Charlie’s Travels?

We are “On the ground” in africa

The team lives and works all over Africa and therefore has a lot of first-hand knowledge and experience.

We develop our own routes

Wherever Charlie and his team travel, they develop new routes and experiences together with local entrepreneurs.

Every trip is co-creation

We tailor each trip based on your wishes and our African knowledge. Everything is possible and nothing is too crazy! Give us a try?

We work in a responsible and sustainable way

Charlie’s Travels works together with local partners and contributes to CO2 projects to offset environmental pollution.