3 Days Mombasa Itinerary On A Budget

If you want to explore the whole of Mombasa Island and other surrounding counties on a budget, you need 3 good days.

Mombasa isn’t that big and there are few sites to visit, so 3 days are enough for you.

In this article, I will share how you can spend three days in Mombasa while exploring it on a budget.

I will share details of what to do and see while in Mombasa.

I will link to relevant articles in this blog to help you get more information about Mombasa.

DAY 1: EXPLORE AREAS AROUND MOMBASA ISLAND

You should be energetic and prepared to explore the entire Mombasa city.

If you have arrived in Mombasa at night that’s great. You have time to rest enough so that the next day you start exploring.

On your first day in Mombasa, you have to do a lot of activities because the spirit of adventure is activated.

You feel thrilled to explore the city and this will push you to do much on the first day.

As days go by, the energy will start fading a little bit and what used to excite you about the city will seem normal to you.

If you have arrived in Mombasa in the morning or Afternoon hours, I don’t recommend you start moving around.

You will mess up with your entire itinerary and the other thing is that you won’t do everything you have to because you will be exhausted.

Use the time you have to rest sufficiently, get a hot local cuisine dish, and enjoy yourself as you wait for the next day to start exploring.

Read also; 7 Best Areas To Stay In Mombasa

1. Visit Fort Jesus.

The first place you should visit when you are in Mombasa is the Fort Jesus.

This is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Mombasa.

If you manage to find a hotel or Airbnb around CBD, it’s easier for you to reach Fort Jesus.

You don’t need to take a taxi or a Tuk Tuk, you can just walk with the help of Google Maps.

But if you are running out of time, get a tuk-tuk that will drop you at the Fort Jesus entry.

If you are within the CBD, you should only pay $1 to be dropped there.

Don’t get ripped off, some locals tend to take advantage of tourists.

When you have been dropped at Fort Jesus you will see local tour guides approaching you.

If you want to learn more about the history of Fort Jesus, I would recommend you take a tour guide.

But if you just want to walk around the Fort just for sightseeing then don’t take any tour guide.

Get your ticket at the entry. You will find a cashier there. As you are facing the place where you are supposed to pay for your ticket on your left hand at the top you will see the rates.

The citizens pay Ksh 200 ($2) non-citizens Ksh 1200 ($12).

Get your ticket and walk in. You will always see a group of people in front of you that you can tail unless you went super early 8:00 am.

But don’t worry, if you don’t see any people in front you ask the people at the second point where they check your tickets, they will tell you which route you should take.

I recommend you start taking the route on your left hand, go down the fort you will find a cave.

Check out the cave, walk up to the watch towers, and move along the path in front of you it will take you to another section.

Keep exploring and learning as much as you can from the facts board you see.

Take great photos and videos to capture some moments that will remind you of this Fort.

Read also; 17 Top Things To Do In Mombasa

2. Explore the Mombasa’s Old Town.

When you are done with Fort Jesus you shouldn’t leave immediately without exploring the old town.

Mombasa’s old town is one of the colorful streets on Mombasa Island that will leave you mesmerized.

So, if you leave Mombasa town without exploring the streets of the old town, you haven’t fully seen this beautiful city.

This is the part that I would recommend you get a tour guide who is going to take you around.

You won’t fully know how to navigate Mombasa’s old town without having a guide.

It’s not like you can use Google Maps while walking through the streets.

You won’t enjoy fully what this part of Mombasa has to offer. You need all your attention on the streets, the colorful buildings, and the little shops along these streets.

Mombasa’s old town is highly populated by the Swahili people. So, if you want to learn their culture you need to focus on the streets and not your Google Maps.

You won’t have a choice but to get a guide if you want to fully enjoy learning about the Swahili people, Mombasa’s old town history, and get to every street.

Another crucial reason why I urge you to get a tour guide is that streets are usually unsafe.

Even locals get mugged and robbed during the daylight. Some streets within Mombasa’s old town are super sketchy.

Having a local tour guide is going to keep you safe and ensure that you don’t lose your camera, phone, or documents, that would be a disaster!

On the other hand, the local tour guides know these bandits well enough. It’s hard for them to take advantage of you when they see you with a local tour guide.

These bandits are usually laying low at the shores of the Indian Ocean around Fort Jesus while using drugs.

When they are out of drugs and they have no money they come in groups within the streets of Mombasa’s old town to rob the tourists and locals.

Take caution, be vigilant, and pay attention to your immediate surroundings even if you have a local tour guide with you. A little caution won’t hurt.

Apart from that, the streets are super incredible and they carry so much of amazing history that contributed to the development of Mombasa City.

There are several things you can do around Mombasa’s old town such as trying street foods and shopping for souvenirs.

3. Go to Mama Ngina Waterfront.

The next place you should visit after exploring Mombasa’s old town is Mama Ngina Waterfront.

This is another incredible location you must explore since without seeing it, you haven’t truly seen Mombasa.

After the little walk in Mombasa’s old town, you are probably tired.

Mama Ngina Waterfront offers an amazing area to chill and hang out with your friends.

If you are traveling solo, you can still have a great time here because there are so many activities you can do.

Without forgetting, you can also get snacks and some of the best Mombasa street foods at this location.

You don’t need to stress yourself because the area is super close especially if you are coming from Fort Jesus.

Get into another tuk-tuk ride to Mama Ngina Waterfront which will cost you Ksh 100 to 200 ($1) to ($1.5) if the fares increase.

Be ready to be blown away by the beauty of this park. Mama Ngina Waterfront is one of the biggest parks in Mombasa.

There is no entry fee (it’s free) to enter Mama Ngina Waterfront, so don’t let anyone tell you that you have to pay to access the park.

The only thing you will have to pay for are the services you will get there. If you want to try horse riding and other activities you will have to pay.

Take your time to walk around the park, take photos of the pigeon tower, and chill around the concrete seats facing the Indian Ocean.

Check out the building of Kilindini Cultural Centre, I fell in love with its doors. Take some photos in front of the door.

The doors are wooden and engraved with amazing Arabic Architectural design.

After there, walk toward the entry of Mama Ngina Waterfront and see the Ferry carrying passengers to and from Likoni.

Remember, you are on Mombasa Island, if you cross the ferry to the other side, you are no longer on the island.

If you want you can take a ferry ride to the other side and then come back to the Island.

You don’t have to pay anything for the ferry ride if you aren’t driving.

Also, you have to check your time and ensure that you still have a window to explore Mombasa, you are here for three days.

4. Walking tour in Mombasa CBD.

This is another incredible thing you should do when you are in Mombasa town.

You need to take yourself to Mombasa CBD streets and feel the vibe of the city.

It’s very easy to get around Mombasa town, it’s not like Nairobi where you will feel like you are in a maze.

The streets in Mombasa can be confusing because of how the buildings are — in town, they are blue and white and their architectural designs are almost similar.

You may pass from one point to another but feel like you are going around in circles.

It’s cheap to get around Mombasa CBD, if you want you can take a tuk-tuk and explore the city.

But this won’t be the best thing because you won’t capture everything sufficiently compared to when you are just walking in the streets.

There are amazing streets that you shouldn’t miss to explore when you are in Mombasa.

If you miss walking along these streets you haven’t truly seen and experienced Mombasa city.

These are the most prominent streets in Mombasa you should walk along;

Moi avenue.
Digo road.
Haile Selassie Avenue.
Jomo Kenyatta avenue.

One of the iconic monuments that presents the face of Mombasa city is along Moi Avenue.

This road is connected with Nkrumah Road. From Fort Jesus, you can follow Nkrumah Road straight forward and it will get you to Digo Road then Moi Avenue.

I don’t want to lie to you, if you choose to walk you have to carry a bottle of water.

The temperatures in Mombasa are usually super high it doesn’t matter whether it has been raining or not.

Keep walking along Moi Avenue, you will pass across a Total Energy gas station.

You will see another road leading left away from the main road (Moi Avenue) you will see a club called Casablanca.

This is one of the hottest clubs in Mombasa, if you enjoy nightlife, you should ensure you visit it before you leave.

Once you spot this club it means you are a few metres away from the Tusk monuments.

You will start seeing them from afar. As you get closer the view will keep captivating you.

This is the famous tusk monument where everyone who visits Mombasa for the first time comes here to take some photos and videos to show the world that he or she is in Mombasa City.

Take some photos of the Tusk monuments and videos too and chill at Uhuru Garden, before you think of walking to another street.

Digo Road is the main road that connects the entire roads coming to and leaving Mombasa town.

It connects directly from the Likoni Ferry channel up to the road connecting to the Nyali Bridge.

Along this road within the CBD, you will get to see the administrative part of Mombasa County.

The Huduma center, Post Office, and Malls along this road.

Along Digo Road, you will see Masjid Konzi, one of the most beautiful and oldest mosques in Mombasa city.

Every kind of business going on in Mombasa you will see it along this road.

It’s another vibrant and colorful street that shows you how Mombasa is set up.

To enjoy the view I recommend you walk along the road. You will see and learn so much about this colorful city.

Haile Selassie Avenue holds the most beautiful Indian temples in the whole Mombasa CBD.

The same streets will prove to you that Mombasa is a world of multicultural communities.

The Indians have dominated this part of the streets in Mombasa. You will see several temples and Indian restaurants along this road.

Shree Swaminarayan is located along this road in Mombasa city.

At the end of Haile Selassie Avenue, take your right hand and follow the Mwembe Tayari Road you will also come across some temples and Indian schools.

If you keep moving forward along Mwembe Tayari Road you will emerge to another chaotic and vibrant street called Jomo Kenyatta Avenue.

Walk along the road heading towards Digo Road, you will see Mombasa Mall on your right hand.

This is one of the most beautiful streets in Mombasa CBD because it’s fully decorated.

At night everything is brighter along this road because of the colorful lights along the road.

Along the road, on the left side, the routes you see all connect to Biashara Street. Don’t go to that route for now, keep moving along Jomo Kenyatta Avenue and see the wonders Mombasa CBD has to offer.

Keep moving forward you will come across Nawal Centre — one of the biggest shopping spots in Mombasa town.

If you keep moving forward to Jomo Kenyatta Avenue, at the roundabout ( connecting with Digo road) you will come across the Golden Fountain which was constructed by the government of Mombasa County in 2023.

5. Explore MARIKITI market.

The next place you should visit is markiti market. This is the second biggest market in Mombasa.

If you want to learn more about the culture of the coastal people you need to dive deeper into this market.

Inside the market, you will come across so many things that will give you a clear picture of what makes the coastal dishes so amazing.

There is the spice market just along Digo Road. You can also tour the market and see for yourself the spices, appetizers, coconuts, and many other things.

If you like nuts and dates, this is the market you should storm when you are within Mombasa CBD.

You can also walk around the market just checking out how the locals handle their businesses.

It’s in the market where you will learn so much about the locals. The market is full of Mijikenda, Somalis, and Swahili people doing business.

The competition is stiff but that is what makes the market alive and catchy.

The market extends to Kibokoni — an area within the old town. Walk around the market and buy souvenirs if you are interested in any.

6. Try street foods.

During your first day in Mombasa, you don’t need to go the fancy restaurants within town to get your meals.

You should not eat anything because you need that hunger to drive you to the streets of Mombasa to try street foods.

Mombasa is known to be the home of the most amazing street foods.

So, before you start asking yourself so many questions about where you should start with the street foods tour, the first place I recommend you start with is Makadara Road.

Along this road, you will find so many spots that sell street food at very cheap prices.

Along this road, you will find a spot where sugarcane juice is sold, catless, bajia, viazi karai, labania, mahamri,kaimati, mkate wa sinia (Superghett bread), and more.

Ensure you try every piece of this amazing street food and rate them as you keep moving.

Just along Digo Road around the Markiti market on your left hand, you will find another amazing spot for the street food being sold.

I highly recommend you try Shawarma, this is one of the best street foods you can eat in the streets of Mombasa.

One piece of Shawarma costs Ksh 100 ($1) which is very cheap in the streets. The same piece of Shawarma snack, in Eldoret and other parts far away from the coast, cost Ksh 250 to 500 ($2.3 to $4.5).

Get into the streets and try out these amazing foods before you think of going back to your Airbnb or hotel.

If you have time, get a tuk-tuk and head back to Mama Ngina Waterfront.

In the evenings, you will come across so many amazing street foods too.

In Mama Ngina Waterfront you can get fried cassava, roasted corn, roasted sweet potatoes, coconut drinks, roasted cassava, and crips.

Once you are done with that, you can end your day at mn kafe by getting a cup of chocolate drink with a beautiful view of the Indian Ocean.

You have completed your first day in Mombasa City in style.

Get enough sleep and prepare yourself for what is about to come.

DAY 2: GET OUT OF MOMBASA ISLAND

1. Explore the Kongowea market.

On your second day in Mombasa, I would recommend you get out of the Island because you have done enough already there.

Get a taxi or tuk-tuk out of Mombasa Island via the Nyali Bridge.

You need to explore the biggest market in Mombasa — Kongowea is one of the markets that has lots of things going on.

It’s chaotic but it is likely going to give you the best picture of how markets in Mombasa operate.

Every city you will visit has a different way of handling things in the markets.

So, if you want to get a clear picture of how things are in the markets, Kongowea will give you that.

Most of the things that are sold around Kongowea markets are second-hand clothes that are brought from abroad.

Locals find this market the perfect spot to get clothes at a cheaper price. Those who aren’t financially stable to afford new clothes at the boutique come here.

You will also find fruits and groceries being sold in this market.

I can’t lie to you, people will try to sell you things in the market. You might not have any intention of buying anything from the market but you might find yourself doing so.

Walk around the market, get a view of how everything is going, and then head back to the main road.

You are still exploring Mombasa.

2. Tour Mamba Village at Nyali.

When you are done walking around the biggest market in Mombasa, you need to head to Mamba Village.

It’s just a few minutes drive from Kongowea. You can get a tuk-tuk that will take you to Mamba Village at Ksh 200 ($2).

Mamba Village is one of the oldest crocodile farms in Africa. This already suggests to you that the whole area rears crocodiles.

I had an amazing experience visiting the site when I was in Mombasa.

At Mamba village, you should expect to see crocodiles and snakes in cages.

You will have to pay for a ticket to get a tour of the entire farm. For citizens to get their tickets they have to pay Ksh 200 ($2) for non-citizens it’s Ksh 1000 ($10).

Once you pay for the ticket, you will get a tour guide who will take you through the entire farm and explain to you everything you want to know about the crocodiles.

You will also get the opportunity to hold a baby crocodile, I did that the first time I went there.

The only thing I couldn’t hold was the snake. I was too scared to hold the snake but the tour guide comfortably held it with confidence.

Before you think of leaving Mamba Village, you should get into their restaurant. If you want to try a piece of crocodile meat, this is the right place for you.

You will only pay Ksh 300 ($3) for small pieces of the roasted crocodile meat.

To be honest, I wanted to try it but I didn’t dare to go through with it.

Maybe you have the guts to try and get a taste of the crocodile meat.

At their restaurant, you can also try coastal dishes like Pilau and biryani

Fill your belly with the delicious local cuisine because after here you are going to the beach.

You need to be full to enjoy the beach. But you can still find things to eat at the beach. But it’s a good idea you get a good meal at the restaurant before you start moving again.

They consist of different prices starting from Ksh 500 to 1000 ($5 to $10), you will need to check your pocket and see which one you are going to afford.

3. Go to Nyali Beach.

When you are in Mombasa, it’s a must for you to explore the beaches because that is what this city is praised for.

There are so many amazing beaches that are free to access. So, you don’t have to spend so much money to book a resort that will offer you access to the beach.

The public beaches are amazing. You will be able to interact with the locals and enjoy your time bathing in the soft white sands.

The rest of the day you should spend it at the beach. You can swim, try kite surfing, and even rent a jet ski if you can afford that.

If you are under a budget the best thing to do is to enjoy the beach, eat some crips and swim in the Indian Ocean.

There are other beaches like Pirates and Mombasa you can visit if you still feel like moving around.

You can chill at the beach until evening to watch the sunset. It’s a beautiful way to end your second day in Mombasa.

DAY 3: STILL OUT OF MOMBASA ISLAND.

1. Visit Haller Park.

Haller Park is one of the most visited animal nature parks in Mombasa.

You can’t leave Mombasa without exploring this park because it has amazing things to offer — it’s worth a visit.

Haller Park is located along the Mombasa-Malindi highway. It’s easily accessible and you can get there by taking a means of public transport to save money or get a tuk-tuk.

Getting into a matatu is going to save you some money especially if you are coming from within the island, but if you booked your stay around Nyali you are in a good place.

If you are within walking distance from where you are I would recommend you walk around to get to see the other side of Mombasa too.

But if you are far just get public transport and ask them to drop you at Haller Park.

It’s a famous spot in Mombasa, so you don’t need to worry about getting lost.

The best time to visit Haller Park is at 2 pm since you will have time to explore the park before the feeding programs start at around 2:45 to 3 pm.

You will start by feeding the giraffes, then head to see the hippopotamus being fed and finish with the crocodiles at 4:30 pm.

I know the sun is scorching out there but inside the park, it’s a different case.

It’s a fun and amazing experience you can get once in a lifetime.

All this package comes at a price, you will have to get a ticket at the entry.

For citizens, they have to pay Ksh 600 ($6) while for the non-citizens it’s Ksh 1400 ($12) for entry.

I can say that it’s worth the money.

These are some of the animals you will see at the Haller Park;

Tortoises.
Snakes.
Fish.
Crocodiles.
Monkeys
Oryx
Hippopotamus
Giraffes.

The amazing thing I love about Haller Park is that it offers amazing chilling spots.

If you are exhausted from roaming around the park you will always find an incredible place to sit and catch your breath.

The park is well kept and it’s one of the biggest in Mombasa.

2. Get a bite at Mombasa City Mall.

When you are out of Haller Park, cross the road on the other side and walk a few meters towards City Mall.

You are close to one of the biggest Malls in Mombasa.

Enter the mall and go to the Creamy Inn where you will get to buy pizza, eat ice cream, and chips chicken.

Get your meal and leave because you still have one more place to visit before your day ends.

3. Go to Nguuni Nature Sanctuary.

Nguuni Nature Sanctuary is another amazing park, a little bit smaller compared to Haller Park but it has amazing grounds for a picnic and chilling.

The park is located at Bamburi Kiembeni. You can take a matatu which is going to be a little cheaper compared to when you take a taxi or a tuktuk.

Take a matatu that goes to Bamburi Kiembeni, when you are dropped at Kiembeni, just ask the locals to show you where Nguuni is located and they will show you.

You can also use your Google Maps to find the place.

When I was dropped at Kiembeni, I took a motorcycle that drove me to the park.

The park is a little bit of walking distance even after you have entered the gate.

So, if you get a motorcycle (bodaboda), the driver will take you past the entry point to where the chilling spot is.

At Nguuni you should expect to see giraffes, Oryx, tortoises, and ostrich.

The place is incredible if you just want to escape the chaos of the city. It’s a very calm and amazing place to get your mind off anything that is bothering you.

A perfect place to enjoy the sunset with some giraffes in front of you.

You won’t be able to feed the giraffes here but trust me, it’s worth the visit.

The entry ticket to Nguuni Nature Sanctuary is Ksh 400 for citizens ($3) while for non-citizens Ksh 1000 ($10).

When you are inside the park, you will feel like you are out of Mombasa, the air is so fresh and clean and the place is so calm.

It’s worth the money, if I go back to Mombasa, I will revisit the park.

Lastly…

Mombasa is an incredible city that is full of life, love, and energy. The three days in Mombasa are enough for you to explore it to the fullest.

If you decide to stay more than 3 days you can get to the south coast (Kwale County) to explore one of the top beaches in the world —Diani Beach located at Ukunda.

This is one of the hottest spots for lots of international tourists. The beach is super clean and safe.

So, if you can spare a day or more, you can enjoy this side of the coast.

At Diani Beach, you can get to ride the camels, enjoy coastal dishes at the restaurants, enjoy jetski riding, and kite surfing.

I hope you enjoy your visit to Mombasa.