Snorkeling Tours

No. Most people who snorkel with us are not strong swimmers, and a fair number cannot swim at all.

You wear a buoyancy vest that keeps you floating without any effort, and your guide stays in the water with you the whole time. The shallow reef sections at Watamu, Diani and Mombasa sit in calm, protected water where you can usually stand if you want to. Guides start every group in the easy sections and only move on when everyone is comfortable.

If swimming worries you, say so when you book. We will put you on a smaller group or a private boat where the guide can give you more attention, and we will pick a site with a gentle entry.

Tell us about your group

Yes, and children usually take to it faster than their parents expect.

Most of our reef trips take children from around eight years old, and child-sized masks, fins and vests are on every boat. Younger children are welcome on the boat itself, they simply stay on board or paddle at the sandbank while the older ones snorkel.

Different operators set slightly different limits, so tell us the ages in your group when you enquire and we will confirm which sites work best. Families often pair a snorkeling morning with a glass-bottom boat trip, which gives the youngest ones the same reef view without getting in.

Watamu Beach Snorkelling Tours | Glass-bottom boat, Diani

Snorkeling is far gentler on the body than scuba diving, since you stay at the surface and there is no pressure change to manage. Many people snorkel comfortably with conditions that would rule out diving.

Even so, we are not medically qualified, and we will not guess. If you are pregnant, or you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, asthma, epilepsy or a recent injury, please check with your doctor before you book.

Once you have their answer, tell us what they said. Our booking form has a section for exactly this, and we use it to choose a calmer site, a shorter time in the water or a private boat so the trip fits you rather than the other way round.

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Yes, and this is one of the more common things we plan around.

On a private boat, anyone who prefers to stay dry stays on board while the rest of the group snorkels. Nobody misses out on the day. The better option is often the glass-bottom boat, where the reef is visible through panels in the hull, so they get the same coral and the same fish from a shaded seat.

Mixed groups are easy for us to handle. Book a private boat, and we build the stops around what your group actually wants to do.

October through March is the sweet spot. The Kaskazi winds come from the north-east, the sea flattens out and visibility on the reef is at its best. December to February is the busiest stretch, so book early if you want a specific date.

June to August brings the Kusi winds up from the south. The boat ride gets bumpier and the water carries more sediment, which cuts visibility. Snorkeling still runs through these months, we simply move you to the more sheltered sites and pick your slot around the calmer part of the day.

April and May see the long rains, though mornings are often clear and the coast is quieter and cheaper.

Whatever month you are travelling, tell us the dates and we will tell you honestly which sites will be worth it.

4 areas stand out, and each one suits a different kind of trip.

Kisite Mpunguti, off Wasini Island in the far south, has the best coral on the coast and around 250 recorded fish species. It is a full day out from Diani or Shimoni and the dhow ride there is half the pleasure.

Watamu Marine National Park is the easiest place to see green turtles, with calm, protected water that suits first timers and families.

Diani and Galu put you on the reef within twenty minutes of your hotel, which makes them ideal if you only have a morning free.

Mombasa and Malindi Marine Parks are the most affordable way in, with short boat runs and reliable reef fish.

Not sure which fits? Send us your dates and where you are staying and we will match you.

Our snorkeling day trips run from KES 5,000 to KES 15,000 per person, depending on the site and how long you are out.

The Mombasa reef trips start at KES 5,000. Watamu and Mombasa snorkelling packages sit around KES 8,000. Diani beach snorkelling is KES 10,000. The full Kisite Mpunguti day, which includes the dhow, the marine park and lunch on Wasini, is KES 15,000.

Boat, guide and safety equipment are included. Marine park entry, meals outside the package and personal spending are not.

If you are travelling as a group, ask about the private boat rate. It often works out lower per head than you would expect, and you get the reef on your own schedule.

Get a quote | Payment plans

If your trip goes inside a marine national park, which covers Watamu, Malindi, Mombasa and Kisite Mpunguti, then yes. The fee goes to Kenya Wildlife Service and funds the protection of the reef you came to see.

Rates differ for citizens, residents and non-residents, and children pay less than adults. KWS reviews these rates periodically, so rather than quote a figure that may be out of date by the time you travel, we check the current rate on the KWS eCitizen portal when you book and confirm it in writing with your quote.

Bring your ID or passport on the day, since park staff verify residency status at the gate. In most cases we handle the payment for you as part of the booking.

Enquire about your trip

It depends on the site. A Diani, Mombasa or Watamu reef trip runs two to three hours door to door, with 45 to 90 minutes in the water. The Kisite Mpunguti and Wasini day trip is a full day, usually eight to nine hours including the drive and lunch on the island.

Trips go out in morning and afternoon slots, and the tide decides the exact time, so we confirm it the day before rather than pinning it weeks ahead.

Most guests take a morning slot and keep the rest of the day free for the beach.

Mask, snorkel, fins and a buoyancy vest are included on every trip we run, in adult and child sizes.

You are welcome to bring your own if you prefer a mask you know fits, and it is worth doing if you wear prescription lenses. Underwater cameras and full wetsuits are not standard, so ask us in advance if you want either.

If you would rather have gear to yourself for a few days across several beaches, we offer gear rental from around $30 per day as an add-on, alongside a private guide and a photographer.

See all add-ons

Safety comes before the schedule. If the operator judges conditions unsafe, we move you to another slot or another day at no cost, and if neither works, we refund.

Poor visibility alone is a judgement call rather than a cancellation. We will tell you honestly what the water looks like that morning and let you decide whether to go, move or switch to a glass-bottom boat instead.

Reef fish are close to guaranteed. Parrotfish, angelfish, butterflyfish and wrasse are on every site, in numbers that surprise most first timers.

Green turtles are common at Watamu and turn up regularly at Diani and Kisite. Plenty of guests see one, though nobody can promise it.

Dolphins are the honest exception. They are resident down at Kisite Mpunguti and around Wasini, where sightings from the boat are frequent and you may get close, but they are not a feature of the inshore reefs at Diani, Watamu or Mombasa. If dolphins are the reason you are coming, book the Kisite or Wasini day trip rather than a beach snorkeling slot, and go out early.

Humpback whales pass the south coast between July and October, which overlaps neatly with the Kisite trip.

Kisite Mpunguti day tour | Wasini Island boat tours