Mombasa\u2019s Old Town sits only minutes from the cruise terminal, which makes this half-day walking excursion one of the easiest ways to see the city\u2019s history without eating into much of your time in port. It combines the fort that once guarded the harbour, the old quarter\u2019s streets and a working spice market, all within a compact area.<\/p>\n
Built by the Portuguese in the 1590s and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Fort Jesus overlooks the harbour entrance and tells the story of centuries of contest for control of the port, between the Portuguese, Omani Arabs and, later, the British. Entry fees are paid at the gate and are not included in the excursion price, since they are set independently by the museum authority.<\/p>\n
From the fort, a guided walk through Old Town passes carved wooden doors, balconies and buildings that reflect Swahili, Arab, Indian and European influence layered over generations of trade. Guides point out architectural details and explain how the different communities that settled here shaped the town.<\/p>\n
A stop at the spice market lets you see, smell and buy Kenyan and imported spices, a coastal trading tradition that predates the port\u2019s modern container terminal by centuries. Purchases are optional and not included in the excursion price.<\/p>\n
Because everything is close together and near the terminal, this excursion is one of the most flexible we offer, and can usually be shortened or extended slightly to fit your ship\u2019s exact schedule.<\/p>\n
Wear comfortable walking shoes, since the streets are uneven cobblestone and coral rag in places, and dress modestly for the fort and market areas. The price is a guide per person; the Fort Jesus entry fee is paid directly at the gate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A half-day walking excursion through Mombasa Old Town, Fort Jesus and the spice market, planned around your ship\u2019s port call.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2848,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"skt_destination":[27],"skt_tour_type":[65],"skt_accommodation":[],"skt_service_type":[],"skt_difficulty":[74],"skt_region":[66],"skt_activity_type":[],"skt_duration":[77],"class_list":["post-2914","skt_cruise","type-skt_cruise","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","skt_destination-mombasa","skt_tour_type-cruise-excursion","skt_difficulty-easy","skt_region-kenya-coast","skt_duration-day-trip"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/boomtrailtours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/skt_cruise\/2914","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/boomtrailtours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/skt_cruise"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/boomtrailtours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/skt_cruise"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/boomtrailtours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2848"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/boomtrailtours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"skt_destination","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/boomtrailtours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/skt_destination?post=2914"},{"taxonomy":"skt_tour_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/boomtrailtours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/skt_tour_type?post=2914"},{"taxonomy":"skt_accommodation","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/boomtrailtours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/skt_accommodation?post=2914"},{"taxonomy":"skt_service_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/boomtrailtours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/skt_service_type?post=2914"},{"taxonomy":"skt_difficulty","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/boomtrailtours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/skt_difficulty?post=2914"},{"taxonomy":"skt_region","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/boomtrailtours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/skt_region?post=2914"},{"taxonomy":"skt_activity_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/boomtrailtours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/skt_activity_type?post=2914"},{"taxonomy":"skt_duration","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/boomtrailtours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/skt_duration?post=2914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}