Four leading dive outfits south of Mombasa have joined forces with Southern Cross Safaris to offer a scuba and safari package. A range of options allows you to pick a combination suited to individual requirements.

One of the best bases for whale shark encounters is Chale Island, a delightful Robinson Crusoe-style hideaway lying just off the coast. With blinding white sand beaches, luxury tents overlooking the sea and no roads or cars, Chale is just a twenty-minute dhow ride from a prime spot for sighting whale sharks.

Many divers go a lifetime without spotting these gentle giants (which reach over 15m in length), but on one dive I saw over ten. They feed so near the surface that all you really need is a mask and snorkel - perfect for non-divers.

Along the coast at Mombasa Beach, Buccaneer Diving's Bruce Phillips introduced me to his new girlfriend, Dania: a 75m, 250-tonne ex-cattle ship which resides 20m below the surface. Bruce had instigated the project to have her sunk for use as a dive site. The Dania is ideal for both novice and expert wreck divers and here too, whale shark sightings seem to be the norm.

Further south is Wassini Island, which has a distinctly African feel to it, in contrast to many of the more commercialised resorts further north. Aqua Ventures, located on one of Kenya's prettiest beaches, operates dive trips to the spectacular Nyula Reef, just a few minutes' boat ride from the shore.

A two-hour drive west from Watamu is Tsavo, Kenya's largest state-owned park. It sees relatively few visitors compared to other reserves in Kenya, and its size makes it easy to get off the beaten track. The accommodation at the magnificent Satao Camp consists of luxury tents decked out with beautiful African furniture. The camp's watering hole attracts an endless procession of wildlife, including large herds of elephant. With luck it is possible to spot all the Big Five.

Round the campfire one evening, a herd of antelope passed within feet of where we sat, stopping momentarily to nibble on grass - one of those special African moments, made all the more remarkable by the fact that just a few hours earlier I had been swimming with whale sharks.

Chris Coplans travelled as a guest of the Kenyan Tourist Board, www.magicalkenya.com

FACT FILE

Language English and Swahili
Time GMT+3
Int. dialling code + 254
Money
Visas Generally, all visitors require a visa, costing £35 and best obtained prior to arrival from the Kenya High Commission.
When to go The best time to see whale sharks and for diving in general is November to March. The hot, dry months of January and February are good for game viewing in Tsavo, since this is when animals are more likely to be drawn to waterholes.
Getting there Kenya Airways, www.kenya.airways.com, and British Airways, www.ba.com, operate daily flights to Mombasa via Nairobi. Various charter companies operate flights direct to Mombasa depending on the season.
Organised trips There are numerous dive operators located along the Kenyan coast. Turn to our advertisers' index on page 117 for a list of Kenyan safari operators, many of whom will be able to organise a package combining scuba diving with a safari. The author's trip was arranged by Southern Cross Safaris, www.southerncrosssafaris.com. Specialists, Dive Worldwide, www.diveworldwide.com, can also arrange tailor-made packages. Prices for one week, taking in Diani Beach, Chale Island, Watamu and Satao Camp on a half-board basis, start from £995, including flights, two dives per day, all game drives, park fees and transfers.

Find out more www.divingkenya.com