Hemingways hosts 2018 Humpback Whale Watching Excursion in Watamu

Hemingways Collection, the luxury hotel operator, has welcomed the launch of the Twin Migration Campaign organized by the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife.

The campaign, which seeks to promote the double annual migration of wildebeests in the Masai Mara and that of humpback whales in Watamu beach, is a unique wildlife phenomenon on both the savannah and the sea and takes place between July and September annually.

Humpback whales are the gigantic marine mammals that migrate every year in hundreds from the Southern Ocean along the East African coast traveling in our tropical waters where it is safe to breed. This breathtaking event has previously been monitored since 2011 with varying numbers of whales passing through Kenya. 2013 and 2017 numbers of migrated whales were reported to be 550 and 390 respectively.

This year, the whale migration has received a boost from the government with the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife launching a promotional drive through the Kenya Tourism Board which is marketing the twin migration to attract visitors to the Mara and Watamu during the peak tourism season.

Hemingways Collection Operations Director, Ross Evans, said they support the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Watamu Marine Association which have been studying dolphins and whales since 2011.

“In 2012, we became the first hotel in Kenya to offer whale watching excursions in addition to our ongoing support for marine research and conservation with Watamu Marine Association who have been promoting whale watching as an emerging eco-tourism activity on the coast since 2012,” said Ross Evans adding that this year, they had launched the Watamu Bucket List campaign to promote Watamu as a tourist destination that offers unique and diverse activities and experiences.

The humpback whale migration has been termed as a star attraction in the campaign.

“We also take pride in the work we do with the local community in Masai Mara to promote conservation in the world famous Greater Mara” Mr. Evans further added in reference to a partnership between Hemingways Ol Seki Mara, a luxury tented camp and the Naboisho Conservancy, a groundbreaking project of tourism benefiting conservation and community.

Through its exclusive selection of luxury properties, Hemingways Collection is able to offer inspired travelers a seamless and totally unique experience of the Twin Migration from the beach to the savannah, with layovers at the 5-star Hemingways Nairobi.

The Watamu Bucket List campaign has listed 10 must-do activities for visitors to Watamu that include watching the humpback whales, stand up paddle-boarding with dolphins, big game fishing, exploring the ancient ruins of Gede, sighting the rare elephant shrew at the Arabuko Sokoke Forest, exploring the mangroves of Mida Creek on a traditional dhow, visiting the Watamu Marine Park and learning how the local community manages conservation efforts.

For more information, please visit www.hemingways-collection.com