Day 5
Fort Jesus and Haller Park Visit.
Mombasa, Kenya
- Meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
History and wildlife. Today we visit Fort Jesus, 16th-century fort and UNESCO World Heritage treasure is Mombasa’s most visited site. The meter-thick walls, frescoed interiors, traces of European graffiti, Arabic inscriptions and Swahili embellishment aren’t just evocative, they’re a palimpsest of Mombasa’s history and the coast writ in stone. You can climb on the battlements and explore its tree-shaded grounds. The fort was built by Portuguese in 1593 to serve as both symbol and headquarters of their permanent presence in this corner of the Indian Ocean. It’s ironic, then, that the construction of the fort marked the beginning of the end of local Portuguese hegemony.
In the afternoon, we shall visit the Haller park, a lovely wildlife sanctuary, part of the Baobab Adventure complex, includes a fish farm and reptile park. Guided walks around the park last about 1½ hours, or else you can wander the trails that meander through casuarine groves by yourself. There are some friendly giraffes to feed, some enormous tortoises making their way around the grounds, and you can also spot the resident hippos and impalas and attend the hippo- and croc-feeding sessions.