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Mombasa

Kenya travel guide

What to see in Mombasa

A Swahili city on the coast, with a Portuguese fort and an old town.

Updated 18 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • 5 must-see places
  • Best time: from June to October and from December to March
  • Typical food: Mahamri
Photo: Leo Hempstone · CC0

Mombasa highlights

The places you can’t miss. In the app we sort them by day and close to each other.

  1. Fort Jesus

    A Portuguese fortress, a World Heritage Site.

  2. Old town

    Swahili streets and carved balconies.

  3. Moi Avenue Tusks

    The symbol of the city.

  4. Northern beaches

    Nyali and Bamburi.

  5. Haller Park

    A former quarry, now a nature reserve.

Day trips from Mombasa

We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

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When to travel to Mombasa

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Mombasa are from June to October and from December to March.

  1. Jan no warnings
  2. Feb no warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr with warnings
  5. May with warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul no warnings
  8. Aug no warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov with warnings
  12. Dec no warnings
  • April, May

    Long rains

    In April and May it rains heavily: some camps close and the tracks turn to mud.

    What to do: If you go then, prices are lower and there are fewer people, but choose lodges that open all year.

  • April, May

    Long rains

    April and May are the wettest months; some tracks and camps close.

    What to do: For safaris, July to October (the migration) or January to March is best.

  • November

    Short rains

    In November there are short showers, mostly in the afternoon.

    What to do: You can still go; bring a rain jacket and leave margin for transfers.

Typical food of Mombasa

The dish you have to try there and how to make it at home, to whet your appetite before the trip (or to go back to Mombasa from your kitchen).

Mahamri
Photo: The original uploader was ChildofMidnight at English Wikipedia. · CC BY 2.0

Mahamri

The triangular doughnuts of the Swahili coast, made with coconut milk and cardamom, eaten for breakfast in Mombasa with spiced tea or beans in coconut.

  • Serves 6
  • 2 h

Ingredients

  • 500 g flour
  • 7 g dried yeast
  • 100 g sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom
  • 300 ml warm coconut milk
  • Oil for frying

How to make it at home

  1. Mix the flour with the yeast, sugar and cardamom, and add the coconut milk to make a soft dough.
  2. Knead for 10 minutes and leave to rise for 1½ hours.
  3. Divide into balls, roll each into a half-centimetre-thick circle and cut it into four triangles.
  4. Leave to rest for 15 minutes.
  5. Fry them in oil at 170 °C until puffed and golden.

The trick: Don’t let the oil get too hot: they need to puff up before they brown.

Where and what to eat

To eat like a local: a nyama choma grill or a local “hotel” (canteen). The dishes you can’t miss are in the Kenya guide.

Frequently asked questions about Mombasa

What to see in Mombasa?

Fort Jesus, Old town, Moi Avenue Tusks, Northern beaches and Haller Park.

What to see in Mombasa in one day?

Don’t miss Fort Jesus, Old town, Moi Avenue Tusks, Northern beaches and Haller Park. To split it into days and areas without crossing the city back and forth, the Bagintravel app plans your trip in a minute.

What’s the best time to travel to Mombasa?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Mombasa are from June to October and from December to March.

What day trips can you take from Mombasa?

Mombasa.

What is the typical food of Mombasa?

Mahamri. The triangular doughnuts of the Swahili coast, made with coconut milk and cardamom, eaten for breakfast in Mombasa with spiced tea or beans in coconut.

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Guide reviewed 18 October 2026. Places, areas and seasons: the same data the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.