Wasini Kisite Marine Park Tour

"Home of the Dolphins"

Unspoiled, beautiful, and sun-kissed, the Kisite Marine Park was established to protect the scenic islands and special habitats of a wide range of endemic marine animals and breeding migratory birds. It lies in the coral gardens south of Wasini Island and encompasses three small coral rag forest islands, each with considerable areas of fringing reef. Kisite is one of the most rewarding snorkelling locations on the coast. Visitors can also enjoy bird watching, diving, and of course, sunbathing.

Key Features:

Marine life

Comprises about 250 recorded fish species, 70 resident dolphins, and over 140 catalogued individuals, sea turtles, whales, 56 genera of corals, sea grass, and gastropods. Many seabirds in large nesting colonies, and internationally significant numbers of roseate terns and crab-plover.

Protected Area Type:

Marine National Park

Park Size:

39sq km. (Kisite Park: 28km2. Mpunguti Reserve: 11km2).

Climate:

The coast is humid with mean annual temperatures ranging from 22 to 34 degrees centigrade. Rainfall is around 500mm per year.

Altitude:

The sea level is about 5 meters.

When to go

The Park is open all year round. Snorkeling is good throughout the year, but the sea gets rough between April and July during the South East monsoon winds, and it's advisable to visit the park from 0800hrs.

How to get there

Location: Kwale District, Coast Province. The Marine Park lies 11 kms off the Kenyan Coast (at Shimoni) and 8 kms north of the Tanzanian border.

Distance from Nairobi: 574 kms.

Distance from Mombasa: 90 kms

* The Park can only be reached by boat. Contact the KWS warden (Kisite Marine National Park, KWS HQ is 200 meters south of the main Shimoni Pier) or your hotel or local travel agent.

Attractions:

The Kenyan Barrier Reef

The most outstanding feature of the Kenyan coast is the pristine and well-developed coral barrier reef that extends all the way from Shimoni in the South to Malindi in the North, without a significant break, except at the mouths of the rivers.

The coral reefs, referred to as the rainforests of the sea, are one of the most fascinating ecosystems on earth, sheltering nearly one million types of marine life.

Enchanted Underwater Kingdom

An enchanted realm of living coral gardens, sculpted islands, wheeling seabirds, and sparklingly clear waters, this world-famous Marine Park promises an underwater world of unbelievable color and vibrancy. The reef provides food and shelter for an entire marine community.

A shifting rainbow of small fish, octopus, and clams hide in the gaps between the rainbow coral; celestial-blue parrotfish use their hard beaks to chew off lumps of coral, while a kaleidoscope of soup plate-sized snappers, rubber fish, Sergeant major fish, butterfly fish, angel fish, and scorpion fish shimmer in the sunlight of the clear waters. Hunting rays, turtles, 1-meter-long reef sharks, and starfish also prowl the reef in search of prey.

Various accommodations are available there. Contact us for details.