What to do in Kilifi: A Guide to Kenya’s Creek Town
Here are unique Kilifi experiences that are worth visiting for. From watersports activities in the Creek to unique geographical attractions and experiences in the forest.
Many travellers skip over Kilifi, underestimating it and instead returning to places like Malindi or Watamu. Here are unique Kilifi experiences that are worth visiting for. From water-sports activities in the Creek to unique geographical attractions and experiences in the forest.
Panga ya Saidi Caves
Panga ya Saidi is an archaeological cave site about 15 kilometres inland from the coast, with excavated deposits showing human activity going back roughly 78,000 years — among the longest continuous archaeological records in East Africa. The cave has domed limestone walls and an open ceiling with trees growing up through the floor, and it's still an active sacred site for the local Mijikenda community. Guided tours cover the excavation history and the cave's role as a refuge during the East African slave trade.
The Twisted Fig Suspension Bridge
The Twisted Fig Bridge is a suspension bridge connecting Kilifi Plantations to The Twisted Fig, offering an on-foot alternative to arriving by road. Crossing it gives a view over the forest canopy before reaching the restaurant grounds. It’s worth doing even just for the walk, before or after a meal.
A Dhow Ride into the Creek
A dhow ride is one of the simpler ways to see Kilifi Creek — a traditional sailing vessel gliding across the water rather than a speedboat cutting through it. It's typically arranged through lodges and tour operators along the creek and makes for an easy half-day outing, especially timed for sunset.
Mtwapa Ruins
Mtwapa Ruins is an archaeological site south of Kilifi with standing coral-stone structures, including a former congregational mosque, from a settlement believed to date back centuries. It sits alongside other coastal ruins in the area, including nearby Jumba la Mtwana, and gives a sense of the trading towns that lined this stretch of coast long before it became a tourist route.
Watersports at 3 Degrees South
3 Degrees South is a watersports school and rental centre based on Kilifi Creek, offering sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and waterskiing. It's the only RYA-accredited sailing and windsurfing training centre in Kenya, with lessons for complete beginners and equipment for those who already know their way around a boat. The creek itself, with mangroves lining parts of the water and a bridge to sail under, is as much a reason to go as the sports.
Ready to book your next vacation in Kilifi? The Twisted Fig offers two private cottages and four safari-style tents set within the forest grounds, available year-round. Check availability and book here.