Watamu, Kenya · Since 2010
Game drives in Tsavo and the Masai Mara, dhow sailing on Mida Creek and long lunches on Jacaranda beach, arranged door to door by a local team.
Elephant and calf in Tsavo East
Marafiki Holidays is a Watamu travel company founded in 2010 by a family born and raised on this stretch of the Kenyan coast. Marafiki means friends in Swahili, and that is how we plan every trip: the way we would for friends visiting home.
From Watamu and Malindi we run Kenya safaris to Tsavo East, Tsavo West, Amboseli, the Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru, from a single day of game drives to a nine-night journey across five national parks. On the coast we sail our own dhow through Watamu Marine Park and Mida Creek, paddle kayaks through the mangroves, and take guests to the Gede Ruins, Malindi and the sandstone canyon of Hell's Kitchen at Marafa.
Between trips you can eat at the Marafiki beach restaurant on Jacaranda beach and stay at Kijiwe Villas or our beach rooms. One team handles your pickup, guide, boat, table and room, so you plan everything with a single WhatsApp message.
Every safari starts and ends at your hotel on the coast, with a driver-guide, a jeep with a pop-up roof and meals included. Choose a safari to see its route from Watamu across five national parks, from Tsavo East next door to the Masai Mara in the far west.
See all safaris
Tsavo East
A full day of game drives in Tsavo East, back at your hotel the same evening.
Tsavo East
Two days of game drives in Tsavo East, Kenya's largest park, with a night on safari.
Tsavo East
Three days and two nights in Tsavo East, with game drives every day.
Tsavo East · Tsavo West
Tsavo East and Tsavo West in one trip, three days and two nights.
Lamu · Shela · Manda
Fly north from Malindi to Lamu for beaches, dhows and Swahili architecture.
Masai Mara
Three days in the Masai Mara, home of the Great Migration.
Tsavo East · Amboseli
Tsavo East and Amboseli, under Mount Kilimanjaro, over four days.
Masai Mara · Lake Nakuru
The Masai Mara plus Lake Nakuru in the Rift Valley, five days.
Masai Mara · Nakuru · Amboseli · Tsavo
Nine days through the Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Amboseli and both Tsavo parks.
Routes are indicative. Your driver plans the road on the day.
Watamu sits between a protected marine park and the mangroves of Mida Creek, with the Gede Ruins, Malindi and the Marafa canyon a short drive away. Every day trip leaves from your hotel with our own team and our own dhow.
See all Watamu activitiesSnorkel Watamu Marine Park, sail Mida Creek and lunch on a mangrove island.
Sail Mida Creek at sunset with cocktails and snacks, by dhow or canoe.
Kayak the Mida Creek mangroves to Waka Waka (Crab) Island, morning or sunset.
Explore the forest ruins of a Swahili town that dates back to the 12th century.
Lunch on Robinson Island, then sunset at the Marafa canyon (Hell's Kitchen).
A half day in Malindi by tuk-tuk: Vasco da Gama Pillar, falconry, crafts and lunch by the sea.
Our home base in Watamu: a beach restaurant, a villa and two beach rooms, all run by the Marafiki family.
Lunch with your feet in the sand. Our kitchen on Jacaranda beach cooks Swahili and Italian dishes around the day's catch: grilled fish and octopus, lobster, coconut curries and fresh fruit. Weekends bring a family brunch on Saturday and Sunday and live music from Friday to Sunday, with two-for-one drinks at happy hour every day from 4pm to 7pm.
Stay in Watamu with the people who plan your trips. Kijiwe Villas is a four-bedroom villa above the Indian Ocean with a garden, a fully equipped kitchen and a terrace for long breakfasts. The Mwamba and Mawimbi beach rooms sit a few steps from the restaurant, so the beach, the bar and your next day trip are all on the doorstep.
Reviews from guests who ate at the Marafiki beach restaurant and stayed at Kijiwe Villas, shared word for word.
Very delicious and the waiters are kind and listening to our needs.
We had lunch at this lovely beachside spot. The owner, Andrew, is very helpful and the staff is friendly. The food is fresh and delicious...must try!
A charming place, excellent food, and friendly, helpful staff. If you want to relax on a terrace overlooking the Indian Ocean, this is the place to be.
Very nice service of great fresh food and big choice of drinks. Also rooms to let, next to the beach, Funtastic design of exterieur and interieur. Lovely staff and management.…
We had a good experience at Marafiki in Kenya. The restaurant is excellent, with delicious food and a lovely atmosphere. We especially enjoyed the fresh fish fritters, which were absolutely delicious and full of flavour.…
We had a fantastic day. The courtesy and hospitality were top notch.
Kijiwe Villas is serene, clean and very homely. A perfect holiday destination. The staff are welcoming and friendly. It's very close to the beach. I definitely recommend
Kijiwe has beautiful homely and accommodation. The staff are very welcoming and friendly. They made my family enjoy the vacation. It's very close to the beach and the security is great. You'd almost wish to extend your stay because the experience is greater than I can say. I will definitely used Kijiwe Villas again. I recommend.
We came to the beach here in front of Sardegna 2 and had an excellent lunch at Farhim's Marafiki restaurant: fresh grilled fish, coconut rice, vegetables, and delicious fresh fruit! Highly recommended for spending a day or more in Watamu!
Unexpected oasis off the road but easy access to the beach. Excellent service and thoughtful eco-friendly design.
It was a great stay with much convenience to the beach and restaurants. Its fully stocked for your own self catering and very ideal for a long stay. Very clean and organized with a housekeeper to cook for you at a fee. Friendly staff and located at a good neighborhood touching the tarmac road.
A wonderful evening with excellent food, lobster, and amazing calamari! Thanks, friends.
Nice place with good food!
This place is treasure. A sweet paradise! Go alone, go with friends , go with family it’s perfect !
I spent a day in this place with family and friends.. simply beautiful.. few people and lots of peace.. and excellent food
i felt right at home when I arrived and it's such an amazing beachfront place which is very affordable. Everyone was so kind.
I really enjoyed my stay at Andrew's place! The staff were very friendly, and the food at their restaurant was absolutely delicious—especially the calamari with grilled vegetables. If you’re looking for a spot where you can step straight from your room onto the beach, enjoy free sunbeds, and take leisurely walks along the shore, this is the perfect destination. I will definitely return to this gem :)
You won't find a more authentic Watamu experience anywhere else than at Andrew's!
I absolutely loved this place. I stayed in a beachfront accommodation named Mawimbi. The private ensuite room was comfortable, clean and tastefully done- up. The breakfast was delightful, and there was also the option to have lunch or dinner at the Marafiiki Restaurant. The meals were fresh, tasty, and beautifully presented. Andrew, the host, along with the rest of the team, demonstrated remarkable attentiveness, helpfulness, and friendliness. They recommended the right activities for me, and made all the necessary arrangements . It was evident that the staff thoroughly enjoyed their work, creating a great atmosphere that extended to the restaurant and beach guests. The location is ideal, allowing for serene early morning walks or runs along the shore, daytime sunbathing and socialising, and evenings filled with enjoyable music and chit-chat. I'm planning my next visit there already.
Andrew and Daniela are the perfect hosts. So kind and attentive and always had time for me even if it was just for a chat in passing. They helped me tremendously in organizing my holiday and I immediately felt part of the Marafiki family. The whole team were very friendly and kind. They obviously love what they’re doing and share this with all who they encounter. The room and adjacent private garden is unique, clean, comfortable and very tastefully done. The food is lovely and the location spectacular. A place which has a perfect balance of local life without being inundated by tourism and yet offers the comforts and standards one has come to expect as a tourist. All in all it was an unforgettable experience for all the right reasons. A home from home in Africa and I really do hope to return to Marafiki again to spend more time in this unique location with Andrew, Daniela and the whole Marafiki team. Thank you all for this wonderful experience!
Excellent food, kindness, excellent cocktails, exquisite owners
Very nice place, staff was extremely friendly! Highly recommend having dinner by the beach :)
Very good experience, good tasty food, professional and kind service
Amazing place! Top service. Recommended.
Nice place along the clean beaches, awesome view literally 10 steps to the ocean. We really enjoyed the hospitality. Very good service. They went out of their way to order beef for us from Malindi. They made us very tasty nyama choma.…
The place I always visit in watamu, great vibes with attentive staff. The cocktails and food is very fresh and tasty as always. 3 years of always visiting this beach and everything gets better.
We stayed in Matafiky for two weeks, everything was perfect, excellent food, and Simba was number one!!! Andrea, the boss we all wish we had... thanks guys
Great view and even better food. I recommend the fish and grilled vegetables
I went with my wife on december. The place is wonderfull, the room is nice, safe and very quiet.The restaurant has a wonderfull view to the ocean, we had some nice refresments and a snak, everything was very good, very friendly staff also.…
All the guys were great: Checco, Leone, Cous Cous, and John. We had a great time!
Very nice beach bar & restaurant. Friendly staff. Try the mixed fish grill!
Marafiki Beach is the best place to be,believe me have been there several times,they have best see food,a cleaniest beach,best view and most of all good service.
I just got back from the beach now... thanks to my friends at Marafiki Beach I spent a lovely relaxing day ... and ate some excellent fish. ... very good... see you tomorrow too...
Awesome cocktails nice sea food and very friendly staff...
Nice place located at the beach of Jacaranda. Food was very tasty and friendly locals.
Still deciding? These are the things guests ask us most. For anything else, message us on WhatsApp.
Ask a questionSend us a message on WhatsApp, by email or through the contact form with your dates, the number of people and the trip you are interested in. We reply with a plan and a quote, usually the same day, and confirm everything before you travel.
Every trip is priced for your dates, group size and the lodges you prefer, so a fixed price would rarely be accurate. Message us and we will send you a clear quote.
Yes. Our safaris and day trips start from your accommodation on the coast, and our drivers bring you back at the end of the trip.
Our drivers and guides speak English, Italian, German, French and Swahili.
Our safaris include transfers and game drives in jeeps with a pop-up roof, an expert driver-guide, insurance, meals as listed on each trip, and water and soft drinks during game drives. Park entrance fees are quoted separately.
Yes. Kijiwe Villas is a four-bedroom villa above the Indian Ocean, and the Mwamba and Mawimbi beach rooms are a few steps from the Marafiki beach restaurant in Jacaranda.
On Jacaranda beach in Watamu. We serve Swahili and Italian cooking with fresh seafood, weekend brunch and live music from Friday to Sunday.
Send a message with your travel dates, how many people are coming and what you would love to see. We reply with a route, ideas and a quote, usually the same day.
