Would you rather spend Christmas Day queueing at a Nairobi supermarket or reading a book with your toes in warm sand?
Our Mombasa Christmas packages for 2026 run between 20 December 2026 and 3 January 2027. An early Christmas stay from 20 to 23 December costs from KES 71,000 per person sharing. A full Christmas week costs from KES 81,000. New Year with an all inclusive gala night costs from KES 172,000. All include SGR and transfers.
Title sponsorAlumni Golf Challenge
We are the title sponsor this year.
Golf is part of who we are, so we put our name behind the Alumni Golf Challenge. Want more golf after the day? Tell us when you are free. We book your tee time at Karen, Muthaiga or Vipingo Ridge and sort the transfers and the stay.
- FromKES 71,000per person sharing, 20 to 23 Dec
- Christmas weekfrom KES 81,00023 to 27 Dec, 4 nights
- New Yearfrom KES 172,00029 Dec to 2 Jan, gala included
- Season20 Dec 2026 to 3 Jan 2027
- Book by20 November 2026for the widest hotel choice
Rated 4.9 on Google from 47 reviews. Price confirmed in writing before you pay.
Mombasa Christmas packages are the most searched coast trips of the year. They are also the easiest to overpay for. Hotels raise rates sharply from about 21 or 23 December, add gala dinner charges and set minimum stays. This page explains all of it in plain numbers.
We built every price from hotel rate sheets for the 2026 festive season. You will see what the rooms cost, what the gala night adds and how to save by moving your dates by a day or two.
The calendar helps this year. Christmas Day is a Friday and Boxing Day is a Saturday. New Year's Day is also a Friday. That gives you two long weekends without using many leave days.
Highlights
- Five dated options from 20 December 2026 to 2 January 2027
- Gala dinner charges shown, not hidden
- Early Christmas option that avoids the festive rate
- SGR seats and transfers booked for you
- Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve dinner by the sea
- Deposit now and clear the balance before travel
Day by day plan
- Day 1
23 December: Nairobi to Mombasa
Take the 08:00 Madaraka Express from Nairobi. The train is full this week, so arrive at the terminus 90 minutes early for security. You reach Mombasa around 14:00. Our driver meets you and takes you to your hotel in Nyali, Bamburi or Shanzu. Check in, find your sunbed and watch the hotel staff put up the decorations. Dinner tonight is a normal buffet, so it is a calm start.
- Day 2
24 December: Christmas Eve
Spend the day at the beach or by the pool. In the evening most beach hotels hold a Christmas Eve gala dinner with a band, a long buffet or a set menu. Some hotels make it compulsory and charge it as a supplement. We tell you before booking if your hotel does that. Dress up a little. Many family hotels arrange a Father Christmas visit for children.
- Day 3
25 December: Christmas Day
Start with a late breakfast. Church goers can attend a Christmas service in Mombasa town or at the ACK Memorial Cathedral. We can arrange the driver. The afternoon is for swimming and long lunch. Shops and many restaurants in town are closed, so stay near the hotel. Call the family in Nairobi and let them hear the waves.
- Day 4
26 December: Boxing Day outing
Boxing Day is a public holiday, but the main attractions open. Pick one easy outing. The glass bottom boat into Mombasa Marine Park takes about two hours. Fort Jesus and Old Town takes about three. A sunset dhow cruise along the creek is the most popular choice this week. Book it with us early because boats fill up.
- Day 5
27 December: Back to Nairobi
Have breakfast, swim once more and check out by 10:00. The driver takes you to Mombasa Terminus for the 15:00 express, which reaches Nairobi around 20:18. New Year guests follow the same plan from 29 December to 2 January. Their big night is 31 December. Many beach hotels light fireworks at midnight.
Mombasa Christmas packages and New Year packages 2026: guide prices per person sharing
| Option | Dates | Per person sharing |
|---|---|---|
| Early Christmas: Voyager Beach Resort all inclusive, SGR economy, 3 nights | 20 to 23 Dec | KES 71,000 |
| Christmas: Mombasa Beach Hotel Nyali half board, SGR economy, 4 nights | 23 to 27 Dec | KES 81,000 |
| Christmas: PrideInn resort Shanzu half board, SGR economy, 4 nights | 23 to 27 Dec | KES 189,000 |
| New Year: Voyager Beach Resort all inclusive with gala dinner, SGR economy, 4 nights | 29 Dec to 2 Jan | KES 172,000 |
| New Year: Sarova Whitesands half board, SGR economy, 4 nights | 29 Dec to 2 Jan | KES 218,000 |
- Guide prices in KES, confirmed when you book. KES 71,000 is about USD 550 and KES 172,000 is about USD 1,333 at KES 129 per USD.
- Flying instead of the SGR adds about KES 25,000 to 40,000 per person in festive week, depending on how early we book.
- Gala dinners: Voyager listed a USD 50 gala supplement for 2026, included in the New Year row. Other hotels may charge their own gala fee.
- Hotels named are examples. We have no partnership with them and will offer a similar hotel if one sells out.
Get my exact price on WhatsApp
Reserve this trip
Pick your dates and group. See the total. Hold it with a deposit.
Pay by Mpesa, bank transfer or card once we confirm in writing. Free changes until you confirm.
Included
- Return SGR economy tickets on the dates shown
- Private transfers between Mombasa Terminus and your hotel
- Hotel nights on the meal plan shown, at festive season rates
- One gala dinner supplement where the hotel charges it and we list it
- WhatsApp support from our Nairobi office, including on Christmas Day
Not included
- Extra gala dinners or drinks the hotel adds after booking
- Boxing Day tours and other optional excursions
- First class SGR or flights (available at extra cost)
- Travel insurance, tips and personal spending
How much do Mombasa Christmas packages cost in 2026?
Mombasa Christmas packages cost from KES 71,000 per person sharing if you travel 20 to 23 December, before festive rates start. A four night Christmas stay from 23 to 27 December costs from KES 81,000 at a mid level Nyali hotel. Big resorts cost from about KES 150,000 to KES 190,000 for the same week.
New Year costs more than Christmas at most hotels. Our New Year options run from KES 172,000 per person for four nights all inclusive with the gala dinner. Prices include SGR economy and private transfers.
Why do Mombasa hotels cost double at Christmas?
Because demand peaks. Most beach hotels move to a festive rate from 20, 21 or 23 December until 2 or 3 January. The 2026 rate sheets we checked show increases of about 90 to 120 percent on normal December rates.
Three examples from the 2026 sheets:
- PrideInn Shanzu resident half board double room: KES 36,000 a night from 1 to 19 December, then KES 79,000 from 20 December to 2 January
- Voyager Beach Resort all inclusive double room: USD 280 a night until 22 December, then USD 530 from 23 December to 1 January
- Sarova Whitesands half board double room: USD 320 a night until 22 December, then USD 710 from 23 December to 3 January
What are gala dinner supplements and do I have to pay them?
A gala dinner supplement is an extra charge for the special Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve dinner. It covers the bigger menu, entertainment and decorations. At many hotels it is compulsory for every guest staying that night.
Amounts vary. Voyager listed USD 50 for 2026. A Diani resort we checked lists USD 100 per adult for each of Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, with children at half. Leisure Lodge in Diani adds USD 35 per person on 24, 25 and 31 December. We always show the gala fee in your quote.
When should I book Mombasa Christmas packages?
Book by 20 November 2026 for the widest choice of hotels and train seats. After that, family rooms and sea view rooms run out first. Hotels often ask for a large deposit or full payment before the festive week. Festive cancellation terms are also stricter.
The SGR is the other pinch point. Kenya Railways adds coaches in holiday weeks, but trains in the days just before and after Christmas still sell out. We book seats as soon as your hotel is confirmed. Read our SGR booking guide for the timetable.
Do festive hotels have minimum stays?
Yes, many do. Bamburi Beach Hotel set a 3 night minimum from 23 December 2026 to 3 January 2027. Leisure Lodge in Diani asks for 3 nights. Some Diani resorts ask for 5 nights over New Year.
That is why our Christmas and New Year options are four nights. If you only have two nights, choose the early Christmas dates from 20 to 23 December, when minimum stays rarely apply.
How can I save on Mombasa Christmas packages?
Move your dates. Arriving on 20 December and leaving on 23 December avoids the festive rate at hotels that switch on 23 December. You still get the decorations and the holiday mood.
Choose half board over all inclusive if you drink little. Take the SGR instead of flying. Travel with friends and share transfers. Pay a deposit early and spread the rest using our lipa mdogo mdogo plan.
Are Mombasa Christmas packages good for families?
Yes. Christmas week is the most family friendly week at the coast. Hotels run kids clubs and beach games. Many also plan a Christmas Eve visit from Father Christmas. Children aged 2 to 11 usually pay 50 to 75 percent of the adult share.
For ages and child rates in normal months, see our Mombasa family holiday packages. For a quieter beach this season, compare our Diani Christmas packages.
What else can we do between Christmas and New Year?
Most families do one outing every second day. Popular picks are the sunset dhow, the glass bottom boat, Haller Park and a Tsavo East day safari. You can see prices on our Mombasa tours and excursions page.
Prefer to leave Kenya this December? Compare our Dubai New Year packages or a Christmas safari in the Masai Mara.
Optional add on
Add a round of golf to this trip
You are already at the coast. Vipingo Ridge and Nyali sit on the north coast, so a round slots into any free morning.
Where would you like to stay?
- Green fee and caddie
- Clubhouse lunch
- Private car and driver
- Tee time booked for you
Guide price for a weekday round. Weekend rounds, buggies, club hire and more golfers are all in the planner. We confirm every line in writing before you pay.
How to book Mombasa Christmas and New Year Packages 2026
- Send your dates. Message us on WhatsApp with your dates, how many people are coming and the ages of any children. Tell us your budget. We plan with it, not around it.
- Get a written quote. We reply with a clear price per person, what it includes and what it does not. If a cheaper hotel or a shorter route makes more sense, we say so.
- Tweak it until it fits. Change a hotel, add a night or swap an activity. Changes cost nothing until you confirm.
- Confirm with a deposit. A deposit holds your rooms, seats and transport. You get a written confirmation with every detail and the date the balance is due.
- Travel day. Your driver meets you with a name board. You have their number and ours for the whole trip.
Pay by Mpesa, bank transfer or card on our secure checkout at book and pay. Prefer to plan face to face? Our office is at Pili Trade Centre on Mombasa Road, opposite Hilton Garden Inn and next to Argyle Grand Hotel.
Questions people ask
What dates count as the festive season at Mombasa hotels?
Most hotels run festive rates from about 20 to 23 December until 2 or 3 January. In 2026 PrideInn Shanzu starts on 20 December, Voyager and Sarova Whitesands on 23 December. Our packages cover 20 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 and we confirm each hotel's exact dates.
Is Christmas or New Year cheaper in Mombasa?
Christmas is usually a little cheaper and easier to book. New Year's Eve brings the biggest gala dinners and the most guests. The cheapest choice of all is 20 to 23 December, before festive rates start at many hotels.
Is the gala dinner included in the package price?
In our New Year Voyager option, yes. For other hotels we add any compulsory gala fee to your quote before you pay. Optional extras like a beach table or premium drinks are not included. You will not find a surprise gala charge at check in.
Can I pay for a Christmas package in instalments?
Yes. Pay a deposit to hold the room and train seats, then send the rest by Mpesa, bank or card. Festive hotels want the balance before arrival, so plan to finish paying by early December. We send a receipt for every payment.
Are there SGR trains on Christmas Day?
The Madaraka Express runs every day, including public holidays. Trains in the days around Christmas sell out first. Book as early as possible or travel on 22 or 28 December instead. Kenya Railways often adds coaches during peak holiday weeks.
Which Mombasa beach is best for New Year fireworks?
Nyali, Bamburi and Shanzu beaches all have hotels hosting New Year's Eve parties with fireworks. Your own hotel's gala is the safest choice for families. Couples who want a bigger crowd can ask us about public events in Mombasa that week.
Sources we checked: PrideInn Paradise 2026 resident and festive rates; Voyager Beach Resort 2026 rates and gala supplement; Sarova Whitesands 2026 rates; Mombasa Beach Hotel 2026 rates and Christmas supplement; Neptune Palm Beach gala dinners and minimum stay 2026; Bamburi Beach Hotel festive minimum stay. Rules and fees change, so we confirm them again when you book.
Ready when you are. Send your dates and group size. We reply with a clear price and a plan you can change.
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