Distant Relatives Ecolodge & Backpackers  Verified Listing

Distant Relatives is a certified ecolodge that attracts adventurers from around the world, who gather to share tales of the road, mingle with the local community, and enjoy some of the most stunning ocean views and sunsets that Kenya has to offer.

The lodge's accommodation options include camping, dormitories, safari tents, private rooms and beautifully designed ensuite bandas with their own charming private courtyards.

The lodge has vast lounge areas, a fully stocked bar which offers a variety of beverages, a restaurant serving local and continental dishes in à la carte and buffet options and a communal kitchen where guests can prepare their own meals.

The compound features an outdoor swimming pool with night lights, a volleyball pitch, bamboo showers, eco toilets, food forest and plenty of fun natural spaces, perfect for spending the day with a good book and a cool drink.

A short walk from our compound will take you to our beach, a fantastic setting for sundowners or under the stars with unbelievable bioluminescence in the evenings.....if you haven’t seen this yet, then you are in for quite the treat!

Some of the fun activities that can be arranged include dhow sailing, fishing, watersports, snorkeling, scuba diving, traditional village tours and hikes.

The lodge also hosts various live music and art events.
This property is also rated for the best value in Kilifi and is located only 45 km from Malindi international airport and 50 km from Mombasa international airport.

The lodge offers different accommodation types, ranging from family and double rooms to beds in a dormitory or safari tents.

The spacious rooms feature custom made furniture and shelving while the waterproof tents feature a bed-side table and solar lights. All forms of accommodation (with the exception of camping) include mosquito nets and linens.

All of our lodging was built with love and care and with the most environmentally friendly materials we could think of.
Our showers feed into lemongrass, banana, papaya, passion and moringa trees, the toilets are built with recycled materials and produce fantastic natural fertilizer for the garden, and our atmosphere is one of sustainability and natural living.

Located on Kilifi Creek along the Kenyan Coast. Near Bofa Beach and Takaungu on the Indian Ocean. South of Lamu, Malindi and Watamu and north of Nyali, Mombasa, Tiwi and Diani.

Our property includes a bar and restaurant, with the bar open from 7am - 11pm, and dinner served until 9pm daily. We also have a fully furnished community kitchen that our guests are able to use for self-catering.

There is a beautiful outdoor swimming pool, beach volleyball court, library, and many games on site. Foosball and pool tables are within the lounge, with tokens sold at the bar, and darts, board games, giant brick towers and others, always available, free of charge!

There's a beautiful creek-side beach just a ten minute walk from the Ecolodge, where you can experience the magical phenomenon of beautiful bioluminescence at night! (Varies by season and best with minimal moonlight!)

The property is surrounded by beautiful permaculture gardens and furnished with a variety of up-cycled materials such as old wooden boats and driftwood turned into benches and swings, and the main lounge enhanced with different kinds art!

For those staying in dorms or tents, our communal showers are built into a bamboo forest and have the wildest, most natural and revitalizing feel!

Kilifi is known for its pristine Indian ocean beaches, but there is much more to see, such as the Mnarani ruins which are the remains of an ancient Swahili settlement. The Vuma cliffs offer picturesque vistas of huge waves crashing against wild, rough cliffs and make for a nice day trip. The Kiruwitu marine conservancy is a community managed marine conservation project where glass bottom boat-rides can be arranged. In nearby Watamu, there is the Watamu Marine National Park where green turtles swim among coral reefs, and the ruins of Gede are an interesting historical and archaeological site.
The Arabuko Sokoke forest is the largest tropical forest in the East African coast and a habitat of endangered species.
More activities can be arranged in Mombasa, Malindi and nearby Tsavo National park which is the largest national park in Kenya and one of the largest in the world.