Mombasa Introduction Walking Tour (Self Guided), Mombasa

Constructed to mark a visit by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, the “Tusks” are the most amazing landmark in Mombasa. These tusks of ivory are an impressive sight by themselves. Most amazingly, their shape creates a letter “M” that makes for a brilliant place marker at the edge of Mombasa.

The Shree Cutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple, to give its full name, is one of the most magnificent examples of Hindu architecture in Kenya. Tourists from all over the world come here to experience its beauty. Inside, you can see the temple that in large part forms the way of life of the city people from a Gujarati background.

If you are looking for some shade on a hot African day, there’s nowhere more picturesque in the center of the town than Makadara Garden. Here you can admire all the beautiful, exotic flora, including rare African plants that cannot be found almost anywhere else on Earth.

The Jain Temple is both a religious and a historic sight of Mombasa. This beautiful white edifice is decorated with numerous amazing figurines and sculptures. Members of the Jain community from all over the world come here to pray. Of course, any visitor who comes here can admire this magnificent building, no matter what their faith is.

Chances are you’ll taste a delicious local dish during your stay in Mombasa. If you want to recreate that tasty meal at home, you can pick up the spices you need at the Market Hall. Here you can buy all kinds of cooking spices from all over the continent and any other ingredient you may need.

Biashara Street is a delightful part of the city where you can interact with the locals as you browse the many tailor shops along the street. These skillful tailors can make you traditional African clothes while you wait, such as a kanga for women and a kikoi for men.

If you want to get fitted out with a top quality suit made to order, Mombasa’s Nehru Road is a great cheap option. Here a number of different highly skilled tailors can make you a suit in no time. Alternatively, you can get African shirts or other traditional clothing items that have a bright, colorful and exotic style.

The Lord Shiva Temple is a beautiful Hindu edifice that offers much to admire in its architecture, including a gold spire on its roof. There are also impressive lion statues standing guard outside the temple entrance. This temple is also a symbol of the religious and cultural diversity of the city.

The Mombasa Memorial Cathedral is an Anglican Church that dates from British colonial times. Interestingly, the church has a similar appearance to that of the many mosques in the city, because it was designed to blend in with the local architecture. This white-colored church has arches and a silver-colored dome.

Treasury Square is the administrative heart of Mombasa, where you will find all the best colonial style architecture of the city. Look out for the historic town hall in this area. You can also visit the Treasury Square garden, which is full of amazing exotic plants and trees.

Fort Jesus is a Portuguese fort built in 1593 by order of King Philip I of Portugal, located on Mombasa Island to guard the Old Port of Mombasa. It was built in the shape of a man (viewed from the air), and was given the name of Jesus. In 2011, the fort was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, highlighted as one of the most outstanding and well preserved examples of 16th century Portuguese military fortifications. Between 1631 and 1875 the fort was won and lost nine times by the nations contesting control of Mombasa. It was declared a historical monument in 1958.

The fort was designed by a Milanese architect, Giovanni Battista Cairati, who was the Chief Architect for Portuguese possessions in the East. It was the first European-style fort constructed outside of Europe designed to resist cannon fire. The fort quickly became a vital possession for anyone with the intention of controlling Mombasa Island or the surrounding areas of trade. When the British colonized Kenya, they used it as a prison, until 1958, when they converted it into a historical monument. The architecture of the fort represents the rough outline of a person lying on their back, with the head towards the sea. The height of the walls is 18 meters. The fort combines Portuguese, Arab and British elements, representing the major powers that held it at different times in history.

The old harbor area forms the oldest part of the city of Mombasa. It was here that Arab settlers first built the narrow streets and beautiful Arab-style homes that still grace the district to this day. It was also the area where the Portuguese entered the town, to be met by locals with poison arrows. Still a functioning harbor, this busy spot offers great panoramic views of the city as well as very pretty sunsets.