White sand and turquoise shallows along a coral-rock coastline seen from the air

Kenya · 6 days

Family Beach Itinerary

Six days at Hemingways Watamu with the children. The marine park, rock pools, Mida Creek by dhow, padel and the kids club, and a whole day with nothing booked in it.

Duration: 6 days, 5 nights · by road throughout
Where: Kenya
Board: Board varies by stay
Price: On request

Overview

The shape of the journey

One hotel, five nights, no packing and repacking. This is Hemingways' family week on the north coast, and the marine park is the reason it works: the reef sits close enough in that snorkelling is a morning, not an expedition.

The days below are how most families end up using the week. None of it is compulsory; the pool is always an option.

Where you'll stay

The camps and hotels

Hemingways Watamu

A beach hotel on Kenya's north coast, next to Watamu Marine National Park, with a pool, a kids club and the reef a short boat ride out.

Day by day

How the days run

A proposal, not a timetable. The routing, timings and inclusions are confirmed in writing before you pay anything.

Day 1
Arrive in Watamu
You settle in, swim, and walk the shoreline before dinner. Nothing else is asked of you on the first day.
Hemingways Watamu
Day 2
Watamu Marine National Park
Out to the reef for the snorkelling. The water is shallow and clear over the coral, which is what makes this a good place to put children in a mask for the first time.
Hemingways Watamu
Day 3
Rock pools and Mida Creek
A guided walk through the rock pools at low tide, when everything is trapped and visible. Mida Creek in the afternoon, and a stop at Non Solo Gelato on the way back.
Hemingways Watamu
Day 4
Padel, kids club, then a dhow
Padel at Ocean Sports for whoever wants it, and the kids club for whoever doesn't. Late in the day a traditional dhow takes you out through Mida Creek's mangroves with the light going.
Hemingways Watamu
Day 5
Your own day
Pool, beach, another snorkel, or back to the creek. Every family uses this day differently and that is the point of leaving it empty.
Hemingways Watamu
Day 6
Depart
Breakfast, then the transfer for your flight home.

Price & terms

What it costs

Priced on request. This itinerary is quoted for your dates, your party and the grade of camp you choose, which is why there is no single number on this page.

What this price covers

Rates are per person sharing unless the line above says otherwise.
Prices move with the season and with availability, and are held only once your quote is confirmed in writing.
The day-by-day above is a draft. Final routing, timings, inclusions and any park or permit fees are confirmed with your quote.

Before you go

Worth reading before this trip

The best time to visit Kenya, month by monthJanuary and February, then July to October, are the months we send most people.
Packing list for the Kenyan coastDiani, Watamu, Malindi and Lamu need less than you might think, plus a few things you would not guess: reef shoes for low tide, a rash vest for the reef, and clothes that cover your shoulders for the old towns.
Practical facts by countryPlugs, currency, time zone, driving side, SIM, tipping and tap water.