Yacht and Boat Rides in Mombasa and Mtwapa: Prices Compared
Four private boats from KES 11,000 to KES 49,500 an hour, a US$27.86 shared yacht hour from La Marina and a US$70 sunset dhow dinner cruise on Tudor Creek, compared.
Nov 1, 2026 7 min read
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A private boat out of Mtwapa costs KES 11,000 to KES 49,500 for one hour, depending on the boat, and two per-person options cost US$27.86 for a shared yacht hour and US$70 for a five-hour sunset dhow dinner cruise on Tudor Creek. Mombasa Yacht Rides runs four boats from a Mtwapa boarding point, all booked per boat for one hour with captain and crew: a compact cabin cruiser (KES 11,000), the two-level flybridge Samsara (KES 27,500), a premium yacht with a shaded flybridge (KES 38,500) and The Pelican, a multi-level motor yacht for up to 15 guests with Wi-Fi (KES 49,500). If you are two or three people, our Mtwapa Girls Yacht Day from La Marina is US$27.86 each with a sparkling-wine toast. If you want dinner and a sunset rather than a fast hour, Mamis Tours and Travel's Mombasa Sunset Dhow Cruise is US$70 per person on Tudor Creek with Fort Jesus in view.
The six options side by side
| Ride | Price and unit | Length | Boat | Included | Not included |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compact Private Boat Ride in Mtwapa (Mombasa Yacht Rides) | KES 11,000 per private boat | 1 hour | Compact cabin cruiser: open aft seating, bow deck, raised helm | Captain and crew, private use of the boat | Food and drinks, hotel transfers, decorations, extra time |
| Samsara Private Flybridge Boat Ride (Mombasa Yacht Rides) | KES 27,500 per private boat | 1 hour | Two-level flybridge: shaded upper helm, open deck, sheltered lower seating | Captain and crew, upper and lower seating | Food and drinks, hotel transfers, decorations, extra time |
| Premium Mombasa Yacht Ride (Mombasa Yacht Rides) | KES 38,500 per private boat | 1 hour | Premium yacht: spacious bow, shaded flybridge, open social seating | Captain and crew | Food, drinks and catering, hotel transfers, DJ, decorations, extra time |
| The Pelican Grand Luxury Yacht Ride (Mombasa Yacht Rides) | KES 49,500 per private boat, up to 15 guests | 1 hour | Multi-level motor yacht: broad decks, shaded upper lounge, onboard Wi-Fi | Crew and onboard guide, Wi-Fi | Food and drinks, insurance, marina transfers, DJ, decorations, extra time |
| Mtwapa Girls Yacht Day (Visatile) | US$27.86 per person, minimum two | About 1 hour | Yacht from La Marina, Mtwapa | Crew and briefing, music, one sparkling-wine toast | Transport to La Marina, meals and extra drinks, photographer, decorations |
| Mombasa Sunset Dhow Cruise (Mamis Tours and Travel) | US$70 per person | 5 hours | Traditional dhow on Tudor Creek | Live music, dinner, sunset with Fort Jesus views | Ask us about drinks and pickup |
Four private boats, one hour each, priced per boat
All four Mombasa Yacht Rides boats work the same way. The price is for private use of that boat for one hour, not per person, with a captain and operating crew. The host confirms the exact marina or jetty in Mtwapa, your boarding time and the route after you book, and the captain adjusts the route to the tide, weather and sea on the day and has the final say on whether you go out. Food and drinks are not included unless you arrange them with the host, hotel transfers are not included, and decorations, entertainment and extra cruising time have to be agreed separately. Arrive early enough for boarding and the safety briefing.
The Compact Private Boat Ride in Mtwapa is the smallest boat in the fleet at KES 11,000: a compact cabin cruiser with an open aft seating area, a bow deck and an elevated helm, for a small group that wants an hour on the water without paying for a yacht. Ask us how many it seats when you book.
Compact Private Boat Ride in Mtwapa
Book the smallest boat in the Mombasa Yacht Rides fleet for a private one-hour cruise from Mtwapa. This compact cabin cruiser has an open aft seating area, a bow deck and an elevated helm, making it a relaxed option for a small group that wants time on the water without booking a larger yacht. The route and departure time are confirmed by the host around local tide, weather and sea conditions.
per private boat for one hour · 1 hour
$84.68
View experienceSamsara, at KES 27,500, is a two-level flybridge boat with a shaded upper helm, open deck space and a sheltered lower seating area, so you get a sun deck and shade on the same hour. It is the middle option for a group that wants photos from up top and somewhere to sit out of the sun.
Samsara Private Flybridge Boat Ride
Cruise privately aboard Samsara, a two-level flybridge boat with a shaded upper helm, open deck space and a sheltered lower seating area. This one-hour Mtwapa charter gives your group the whole boat for an easy coastal outing, photographs and time together on the water. The host confirms the final route and departure time around tide, weather and sea conditions.
per private boat for one hour · 1 hour
$211.70
View experienceThe Premium Mombasa Yacht Ride, KES 38,500, adds a spacious bow, a shaded flybridge and open social seating for a group that wants room to move about and celebrate. Catering and a DJ can be arranged with the host but are not in the price.
The Pelican Grand Luxury Yacht Ride is the largest boat and the only one with a published capacity: up to 15 guests for KES 49,500, which works out at KES 3,300 each with a full boat. It is a multi-level motor yacht with broad deck space, a shaded upper lounge, onboard Wi-Fi and a professional crew with an onboard guide. Food and drinks, a DJ, decorations, extra time and transfers to and from the marina are all extra, and so is your own travel or activity insurance.
The Pelican Grand Luxury Yacht Ride
Choose the largest yacht offered by Mombasa Yacht Rides for a private one-hour cruise on the Mombasa coast. The Pelican is a multi-level motor yacht for groups of up to 15, with broad deck space, a shaded upper lounge, onboard Wi-Fi and a professional crew. It is well suited to premium group outings and celebrations. Boarding time and route are confirmed by the host and remain subject to tide, weather and sea conditions.
per private boat for one hour · 1 hour
$381.06
View experienceFor two or three people, the per-person yacht hour is cheaper
If you are not filling a boat, our Mtwapa Girls Yacht Day is about one hour from La Marina in Mtwapa at US$27.86 per person with a minimum of two. The price includes the crew and safety briefing, music during the ride, one sparkling-wine toast for guests of legal drinking age (carry ID, and ask for a non-alcoholic option if you prefer) and time for your own photos. Transport to La Marina, meals and extra drinks, a professional photographer, decorations and extra cruising time are not included.
Meet the host at La Marina before the confirmed departure time and allow extra time for check-in and boarding on top of the hour afloat. Wear secure flat shoes, bring sun protection and leave loose items that can blow away at the hotel. The crew makes the final weather call; wind, rain or sea conditions can move the time or the date.
Mtwapa Girls Yacht Day
Bring your favourite people aboard for a bright hour on the Mtwapa water with music, ocean views and a sparkling-wine toast. Dress for the moment, take all the photos and let the coastline turn an ordinary girls' day into something worth remembering.
per person
Minimum 2 guests
$27.86
View experienceFor dinner and a sunset, take the dhow on Tudor Creek
The Mombasa Sunset Dhow Cruise is a different evening altogether: about five hours on a traditional dhow on Tudor Creek, the inlet on the north side of Mombasa Island, with live music, dinner and the sunset, and Fort Jesus in view. The fort was built by the Portuguese between 1593 and 1596 on a spur of coral rock at the southern edge of the old town, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011. It is US$70 per person, and the exact meeting point and pickup details are confirmed after booking. Ask us whether drinks and hotel pickup are in the price when you book.
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Tudor Creek, where the sunset dhow cruise runs; the US$70 price covers dinner and live music.
Photo credit: Bahnfrend, CC BY-SA 4.0
Mombasa Sunset Dhow Cruise
Cruise calm Tudor Creek aboard a traditional dhow with Fort Jesus views, live music, dinner and a coastal sunset.
per person · 5 hours
$70
View experienceWhich one to book
- Two or three of you, one hour, dressed up: the Mtwapa Girls Yacht Day, US$27.86 each.
- A small private group on a budget: the compact boat, KES 11,000 for the hour.
- Sun deck and shade for a birthday group: Samsara at KES 27,500 or the premium yacht at KES 38,500.
- Ten to fifteen people and Wi-Fi for the videos: The Pelican, KES 49,500, about KES 3,300 each when full.
- Dinner, music and a sunset rather than speed: the Tudor Creek dhow, US$70 per person.
Before you book any of them
Every one of these rides is at the mercy of the tide and the weather, and every host says the captain decides. Book the boat for a flexible time in your stay rather than your last afternoon. The private boats do not include hotel transfers, so plan how you reach Mtwapa, which is north of Mombasa Island, and budget for the taxi both ways. If food or a toast matters, agree it with the host before you pay, because only the per-person yacht hour lists a drink in the price. Bring sun protection, a hat you can hold on to and flat shoes with grip.
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Sunset over Mtwapa Creek. Every host here lets the captain decide on weather and tide, so keep the time flexible.
Photo credit: DocWoKav, CC BY-SA 4.0
More on Mombasa and the coast: Girls' trip ideas in Kenya: Diani, Watamu, Malindi and Mtwapa, Mombasa city tours compared: Fort Jesus, Old Town and food, Deep-sea fishing in Kenya: Diani, Watamu, Mtwapa and Mombasa compared, Mombasa Old Town and a beach stay: base once or split the trip? and Lamu sunset dhow cruise: what the different sails include.
Prices checked 30 October 2026.
Good to know
Mombasa Yacht Rides charges per boat for one private hour from Mtwapa: KES 11,000 for the compact cabin cruiser, KES 27,500 for the flybridge boat Samsara, KES 38,500 for the premium yacht and KES 49,500 for The Pelican, which takes up to 15 guests. Captain and crew are included; food, drinks and hotel transfers are not.
Yes. The Mtwapa Girls Yacht Day is US$27.86 per person with a minimum of two, for about one hour from La Marina in Mtwapa, with crew, music and one sparkling-wine toast for guests of legal drinking age. Transport to La Marina and a photographer are not included.
US$70 per person with Mamis Tours and Travel for about five hours on Tudor Creek, with live music, dinner and the sunset, and Fort Jesus in view. The meeting point and pickup details are confirmed after booking; ask us about drinks.
Not on the four private boats: food and drinks are extra unless you arrange them with the host, and catering, a DJ and decorations have to be agreed separately. The per-person yacht hour includes one sparkling-wine toast, and the dhow cruise includes dinner.
The captain decides whether it is safe to go out, and the route, time or date may change with the tide, weather and sea conditions. This applies to all the boats here, so book your ride for a flexible point in your stay rather than your last afternoon.