National Parks Africa » Mida Creek Reserve

Mida Creek is located on the north coast of Kenya, a few kilometres south of Gedi, an early Islamic coastal city that was abandoned in the 17th century for no apparent reason. The ruins are well kept and worth visiting.

Mudflats and mangroves: The creek is a series of tidal mudflats surrounded by mangrove trees. It is known for the numbers of waders that stop there between March and May on their way north during the annual migration. Birds seen include sanderlings, turn-stones, curlew sandpipers, greenshanks, little stints, wimbrels, Terek sandpipers and grey plovers. Ospreys, several species of terns and the rare, non-migrant crab plover also inhabit the creek. In the mangroves flocks of the brilliant carmine bee-eaters flash in the sunlight.

Snorkeling is possible for the more daring. When the tide is right you can enter the creek at park headquarters and float down and back up the dark, murky water with the current. Look out for the sea carp weighing up to 182 kilograms (400 pounds) that lurk in the caves.

The creek is reached via the Mombasa Malindi road. Turn right 35 kilometres (22 miles) after the Kilifi ferry.