Classic Kenya Sun & Sand

• Bask in luxury, beachfront on the Indian Ocean’s powdery sands outside Mombasa
• Explore Fort Jesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and site to Portuguese, Arab and British soldiers
• Discover the wilds of Tsavo East and West National Parks
• Spot big game, including the African Big Five – elephants, lions, leopards, black rhinos, and buffalos – in addition to giraffes, hippos, zebras and oyrx
• Enjoy the luxury Severin Sea Lodge, where you can take a glass-bottomed boat ride, golf, play tennis or enjoy a seaside massage

Day-by-Day Programme

Discover the best of Kenya in two contrasting destinations: exotic Mombasa, on the Indian Ocean, and Tsavo East and West National Parks, desert gems home to big game and magnificent predators.

Day 1: Mombasa

Stretch out on the beach. Powdery sand fills in between your toes, and you squint against the bright sun and sparkling water. The aquamarine Indian Ocean unfolds in front of you, treating you to a symphony of crashing waves and whistling breezes. Multi-cultural Mombasa, a city of many cultures, cuisines and colours, is your backdrop. Welcome to Kenya’s version of paradise.

Dinner and overnight at Severin Sea Lodge.

Day 2: Mombasa

Envision a town where Portugal meets Africa meets Arabia: a place of curved doorways and colourful fruit stands and centuries-old forts. This is Mombasa, the second-largest city in Kenya and today’s focal point for exploration. The city’s treasures await us.

Get lost in history at Old Town’s Fort Jesus, a Portuguese fort built in 1593 and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Trace the steps of the fierce soldiers – Portuguese, Arab and British – who all held power here. When we’re finished hobnobbing with cannons and stone pillars, we’ll move on to Haller Park, an ecological paradise just minutes from cosmopolitan Mombasa. Once a concrete factory, this nature park now houses bush pigs, marsh mongooses, wildcats, duikers, bushbucks, oryxs, elands, waterbucks, zebras, cape buffaloes, giraffes, hippos and other wildlife.

Breakfast, dinner and overnight at Severin Sea Lodge.

Day 3: Mombasa to Tsavo East National Park

As we drive west out of Mombasa, the sparkling coastline evaporates into semi-arid savannah – our destination, Tsavo East National Park. One of the oldest and largest parks in Kenya, this desert gem has hosted civilization since the Early Stone Age. Though several archaeological sites dot the park, our focus today is not on human history but on wildlife.

Our safari vehicle bumps over dirt roads, kicking up dust and underscoring Tsavo’s desert landscape. Suddenly, a mother elephant and her calf burst out of the trees, crossing the road before us. It’s our first glimpse at the park’s varied wildlife, but it’s certainly not the last: Tsavo East is known for its large mammals, including the hirola, gerenuk, lesser kudu, waterbuck, crocodile, hippo, leopard, lion, buffalo and critically endangered black rhino. We’ll also do our best to spot some of the region’s 500+ bird species.

Dinner and overnight at Ashnil Aruba.

Day 4: Tsavo East National Park to Tsavo West National Park

An orange orb burns over the horizon, bringing new light to the Kenyan bush. On an early morning game drive through Tsavo East, we’ll watch the world awaken. Elephants beat a path against the landscape, their profiles painted black against the backdrop of a brilliant sunrise. Leopards rip through the thick grasses and giraffes stampede across the plains.

After breakfast, we swap east for west and hop over to Tsavo West National Park. This park, one of Kenya’s most renowned safari destinations, is a true treat. Red cliffs erupt from the earth – a challenge for climbers and a haven for wildlife. On our afternoon game drive, search for camouflaged buffalos, lions, hippos, vervet monkeys, baboons and giraffes skulking in the shadows of awesome cliffs, acacia trees, and winding rivers.

Dinner and overnight at Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge

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Day 5: Tsavo West National Park to Mombasa

Today we follow the water – Mxmia Springs, that is. The springs, located at Tsava West, are a major water supply for Mombasa. And after an early morning game drive, we follow the crystalline liquid on its journey from the desert wilds of inland Kenya to the aquamarine Indian Ocean coastline. The afternoon is yours to enjoy the charms of Severin Sea Lodge: will you indulge in a beachfront massage, book tee time at the 18-hole Nyali golf course, or take a glass-bottom boat ride to one of the world’s last naturally existing coral gardens?

Dinner and overnight at Severin Sea Lodge.

Day 6: Mombasa

Today is all about sun, sand and relaxation. Indulge your every whim at your lodge’s luxe spa, or take to the ocean for scuba diving or snorkelling. Get in a round of tennis. And get some rest, because tonight we sup on a Dhow dinner cruise. Before the sun goes down, board an authentic ocean-going jahazi, a traditional Arab sailing boat, for a delicious dinner, music and merriment.

Dinner and overnight at Severin Sea Lodge.

Day 7: Departure

After breakfast and depending on the timing of your flight, you’ll transfer to the Mombasa Airport for your flight home.