Kenya Scuba Expedition: 3 Weeks

Head into the wild heart of Kenya for three unforgettable weeks of adventure. From safaris and scuba diving to hands-on community projects, this expedition is all about growth, impact, and discovery.

  • Location Kenya, Africa
  • Duration 3 weeks
  • Expedition Type Scuba

Across 21 days, you’ll learn to scuba dive on a PADI Open Water Scuba Diving Coursework, work on service learning projects and support support women-led initiatives. In between projects, you’ll also get to take part in conservation efforts that protect wildlife and ecosystems. This is a journey designed to push your boundaries and leave a lasting impact – on you and the communities you meet.

africa_kenya_round-map-with-logos

A fully supported expedition, from start to finish

Your expedition fee covers not just the incredible activities you’ll experience, but also the extensive guidance and support you’ll receive every step of the way. From the moment you sign up through your safe return home, our team ensures everything is organized and supported.

You’ll also need to plan for essentials like vaccinations, visas, personal gear, and a bit of spending money. Don’t worry—we make it easy. Once enrolled, you’ll get access to your personalized Traveller Gateway, with clear guidance and resources to help you prepare with confidence.

  • Round-trip international flights
  • Expedition Leader (qualified and experienced)
  • Accident and health insurance
  • All meals
  • Unlimited, safe drinking water
  • All accommodations listed in the itinerary
  • All activities listed in the itinerary
  • Entrance fees for all included excursions
  • All in-country transfers by private, approved vehicles
  • Project materials, costs, and management
  • 24/7 support throughout the expedition

This sample itinerary will give you a preview of what your expedition could look like. Please note that specific projects, activities, and camp locations may vary depending on local needs and conditions at the time of your expedition.

Day

Activities

More details

Day 1 Arrive in Kenya and Transfer to Camp Tsavo When you land, you’ll be greeted at the airport by our friendly Camp Kenya crew, who will accompany you to your first camp. Once you arrive, you’ll settle in with a camp orientation and village tour, followed by a briefing with our project leaders. You’ll visit project sites, learn about the challenges local communities face, and set goals for the work you’ll take on during your expedition.
Day 2-3 Community Service Learning Project Today you’ll begin your project work at the local school, helping to improve its infrastructure and facilities. Depending on the needs of the community, you might help build classrooms or toilets, construct desks, or even install gabions to prevent soil erosion that threatens the school buildings. Each day you’ll work side by side with local people and students – practicing your new Swahili phrases and supporting teachers as they strengthen English language skills in their classrooms.
Day 4 Tumani Women’s Group Today, you’ll spend time with an inspiring women’s group we’ve partnered with for many years. You’ll learn about the challenges faced by women in rural communities and explore projects that promote income generation and independence. Get hands-on by trying activities yourself, such as learning to make bead crafts that can be sold to provide sustainable income. You’ll also join an educational workshop that transforms elephant dung into handmade paper, creating a sustainable source of income for local families.
Day 5 Environmental Service Learning Project This is your chance to dive into environmental and wildlife-focused service learning projects. Activities may include planting trees to restore habitats and assisting with animal care, such as de-worming livestock. Human-wildlife conflict is a major challenge in Africa, and you’ll learn how local communities are addressing it. Working alongside community members, you’ll help build elephant deterrent fences – an effective way to keep elephants out of farms without harming them. Along the way, you’ll gain insight into sustainable solutions to both local and global environmental challenges.
Day 6 Rukinga Wildlife and Sunset Today you’ll explore the Rukinga Wildlife Sanctuary, an 80,000-acre haven in Tsavo that’s home to elephants, Grevy’s zebra, cheetahs, lions, African wild dogs, and over 300 bird species. In the evening, you’ll head out on a safari before climbing Sunset Rock to watch the sun dip below the savannah.
Day 7 Marungu Hills Eco Trek Today, you’ll set out on an adventurous day hike in the Marungu Hills, which rise behind our Tsavo camp. Along the way, you’ll visit ancient caves and enjoy spectacular views over the Rukinga ranch. Local guides will share bush survival skills practiced for generations, like building shelters, making fire, and even learning to shoot a bow and arrow.
Day 8 Safari Adventure in Tsavo East After an early breakfast, you’ll set out on an unforgettable safari in Tsavo East National Park, one of Kenya’s premier wildlife destinations. Keep watch for elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, and more roaming the savannah. Later in the day, you’ll visit a Maasai community to learn about their traditions and even take part in the famous Maasai jumping ceremony.
Day 9 Travel to the Coast Today, you’ll transfer to our coastal camp to begin your scuba diving adventure. Kenya’s Indian Ocean coastline is world-renowned for its beauty, and you’ll get to experience it up close as you work toward your PADI Open Water Scuba Diving certification.
Day 10-13 PADI Open Water Scuba Diving Course Over the next few days, you’ll master the fundamentals of scuba diving—learning about your equipment, practicing in confined water, and then progressing to open-water dives. Beneath the surface, you’ll discover turtles, dolphins, and colorful tropical fish. Evenings are for relaxing with your group, playing games on the beach, or reviewing your PADI theory.
Day 14 Travel to Your Next Camp After scuba diving, you’ll transfer to your next camp, located in a small rural community. You’ll take a walk through the village to meet local families before receiving a full briefing on the work ahead. During the session, you’ll learn about the current situation and the challenges the community is facing. That afternoon, it’s time to dive into your next round of project work.
Day 15-16 Community Service Learning Project Over the next few days, you’ll work alongside our locally employed craftsmen, helping to renovate or even build a new home for a community member. Each project is driven by the community and their current needs, so any project work you do will be directed by the community you’ve been welcomed into.
Day 17-18 School Service Learning Project After breakfast you will visit the local school and take part in some hands-on project work. Projects will vary and may include classroom refurbishment, painting, floor refurbishment, fixing the ceiling and repair of the veranda. You will have time to relax in the evening over dinner and reflect on your days’ work. On day 18, you will continue with the school project work in the Muhaka village.
Day 19 Marine Conservation at Diani Beach Today, you’ll head to the spectacular Diani Beach for your marine conservation program. You’ll learn about marine wildlife and habitats, gain experience in data collection, and explore current research methods. Sessions will also cover sustainability, waste management, and the role conservation plays in protecting oceans worldwide.
Day 20 Beach Day in Diani After days of hard work and adventure, it’s time for some rest and relaxation. Enjoy a full day at Diani Beach, where you can cool off in the ocean, play soccer in the sand, or simply stretch out and reflect on how much you’ve grown since the start of your expedition.
Day 21 Kwaheri from Kenya Kwaheri means “goodbye” in Swahili. Today, we’ll say our final farewells before transferring you to the airport for your journey home.

How you’ll make a difference

You’ll work on a range of projects throughout your expedition, each aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and designed to make a significant and lasting impact on the region’s most critical issues.

School improvement

Kenya – School improvements and conservation work

Many local schools are in very dilapidated buildings which suffer from erosion and seasonal flooding. You’ll help to build or renovate school buildings so that local children have a clean and safe academic environment. You’ll also get involved in initiatives to promote a peaceful co-existence between the community and the local wildlife, such as improving natural waterholes and planting indigenous trees for habitat and food sources.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

No Poverty Icon

No poverty

End poverty in all its forms everywhere

2 Zero Hunger Icon

Zero hunger

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

4 Quality Education

Quality education

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

5 Gender Equality

Gender equality

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

10 Reduced Inequalities

Reduce inequalities

Reduce inequality within and among countries

13 Climate Action

Climate action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

15 life on land

Life on land

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

housing and welfare

Kenya – Community development and coastal forest protection

Muhaka village remains one of the poorest communities in Kenya. You will help to support community development projects such as traditional house building and school improvements. You may also work on our reforestation projects within the sacred Kaya forest, an important habitat home to many species of monkeys.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

No Poverty Icon

No poverty

End poverty in all its forms everywhere

4 Quality Education

Quality education

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

5 Gender Equality

Gender equality

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

6 Clean water and santitation

Clean water and sanitation

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

8 Decent work and economic growth

Decent work and economic growth

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

10 Reduced Inequalities

Reduce inequalities

Reduce inequality within and among countries

13 Climate Action

Climate action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

14 Life below water

Life below water

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

15 life on land

Life on land

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

Experience the local way of life in our authentic camps

Our camps are at the heart of every expedition. Built in traditional styles and staffed by local community members, they offer an authentic place to rest and recharge after a day of service learning project work.

Depending on your itinerary, you’ll stay in several of our camps. These could include those featured below.

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Camp Tsavo

Camp Tsavo gives you the chance to experience life in the real African wilderness. Surrounded by the picturesque Marungu Hills that lie close to the world famous Tsavo National Parks, this area is famed for its wildlife and providing a safe haven for elephants, lions, cheetahs and other amazing animals.

The camp itself is situated in the heart of the charming local village, where you will experience authentic African culture and hospitality so welcoming that you won’t want to leave.

  • Location: 3-4 hours drive from Mombasa Airport, 6-7 hours drive from Nairobi Airport
  • Accommodation style: Traditional bandas
  • Bed type: bunk beds with comfy mattresses and bedding.
  • Toilets: Long Drop Eco Toilets
  • Showers: Modern showers and sinks
  • Power: Mains electricity backed up by generator (between 18:30 – 22:00). British 3 pin power sockets
  • Social area: Amazing views from camp. Camp fire, football pitch, small bar and gift shop, town nearby
  • Signature dish: Our chefs delicious chapatis will be one of the highlights of your whole trip – they are that good!
Toilet facilities at Camp Muhaka.

Camp Muhaka

Camp Muhaka will quickly become your home away from home. With stylish traditional buildings and a great social scene, there’s plenty to keep you busy. Being in the heart of the village also has its perks; all your project sites are only a short walk away and you can walk with the children to and from school so you’ll be a local in no time!

  • Location: 1.5-2 hours drive from Mombasa Airport
  • Accommodation style: Traditional bandas and tents
  • Bed Type: Comfy mattresses and bedding.
  • Toilets: Modern toilets
  • Showers: Modern showers and sinks
  • Power: Mains electricity backed up by generator (between 18:00 – 22:00). British 3 pin power sockets
  • Social area: Based right in the heart of the community, in walking distance to project sites and a short drive to the beach. Chill out zone with camp fire and pool table
  • Signature dish: Ugali & Rice

Kenya was completely unique and such a brilliant experience. Between the work, locals, fellow travellers and scuba diving there was never a dull moment. One of the best choices of my life.

Mark, Camp Kenya 2018

Our local camp legends

Our camps are staffed by local community members who will quickly make you feel at home. These amazing team members bring each expedition to life and share the very best of their country with you.

Eric Kivuva

I am truly honoured to have been working with Camps International for over 10 years, driving our travellers in my ‘Disco Truck’! I enjoy taking everyone safely to project sites and seeing how they are helping to change peoples lives. I love what I do!

Interested in this expedition?

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