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MIssion Programme
Leap Mission Explore
marine conservation + community development + safari
In partnership with Oceans Alive Trust
Over the course of the mission you’ll move between reef, village and wilderness, working alongside Oceans Alive and coastal communities helping restore one of Kenya’s most important marine ecosystems. Each stage blends practical conservation work, cultural connection and moments of adventure, with every team contributing towards real conservation and community targets set by our local partners. This is not a passive journey, it’s a mission you actively take part in.
Meet the team behind the mission
Your journey begins on Kenya’s north coast, where the warm waters of the Indian Ocean meet a shoreline shaped by fishing communities and coral reefs.
After arriving in Mombasa, you travel north to Vipingo, where you’ll meet the Oceans Alive team and the local partners leading the conservation work.
The first day is about settling into coastal life, getting to know the people behind the project, and beginning to understand the reef ecosystem you’ll soon be helping to restore.
Hands-on marine conservation
Days 1- 7
You’ll begin by getting to know the reef ecosystem itself. Snorkelling with the Oceans Alive marine team, led by the dynamic Katana, you explore two very different underwater worlds — areas where coral has died and fish life is sparse, and the protected waters of the Kuruwitu Marine Protected Area, where the reef is thriving.
The contrast is striking, like stepping into an underwater safari filled with colourful fish and coral gardens. Once you understand the ecosystem, the work begins. Alongside the marine team you help clean coral fragments, prepare coral plugs and install reef structures designed to regenerate damaged reef systems.
Each Leap team works towards a clear weekly target, contributing directly to Oceans Alive’s long-term restoration goals and helping rebuild one of Kenya’s most important marine habitats.
Practical projects with lasting impact
Days 1- 7
Conservation doesn’t stop at the water’s edge. Alongside local families and community leaders, Leap teams contribute to a range of practical initiatives designed to strengthen livelihoods while reducing pressure on coastal ecosystems.
This may include building energy-saving jiko stoves that reduce charcoal consumption and deforestation, supporting water and resource projects, working in community permaculture gardens that strengthen local food security, or spending time with women’s enterprise groups developing alternative income linked to conservation.
Each team works towards clear weekly targets set by the Oceans Alive community team, contributing directly to projects that support both people and the marine environment they depend on.
Culture, connection and coastal adventure
Between project work there is time to experience the rhythms of coastal Kenya and the warmth of the community that welcomes the mission teams each year. Swim in the Indian Ocean, sail on a traditional dhow at sunset and spend time in the villages where Oceans Alive’s conservation work is rooted. You will be invited to join a local church service, a vibrant gathering of song, celebration and gratitude where communities often welcome the team as a way of saying thank you for the work being done together.
Shared meals, football matches with local children and conversations under palm trees create moments of connection that sit alongside the conservation work. These experiences bring the mission to life, offering a deeper understanding of the people, culture and coastal landscapes that make this part of Kenya so special.
Safari in Tsavo East National Park
Days 8 - 10
At the end of the mission the landscape shifts dramatically as you travel inland to Tsavo National Park. Vast red plains stretch to the horizon, where some of Africa’s largest elephant herds roam freely alongside lions, giraffes and antelope.
Your first night is spent at Ngutuni Lodge, perched beside a waterhole where wildlife regularly gathers to drink, before continuing deeper into the wilderness to Hildana Lodge. Here the pace slows. Early morning game drives reveal elephants and other wildlife moving across the plains, while afternoons invite time to relax by the pool or simply watch animals wander down to the water.
After days spent restoring reefs and supporting coastal communities, the safari becomes a powerful reminder of the wider landscapes and ecosystems that conservation ultimately protects.
A deeper understanding of conservation
By the end of the journey you’ll leave with more than memories. Together the team will have worked hard, installing reef structures, building stoves, supporting community projects and contributing towards the targets set by Oceans Alive.
There’s usually a moment to pause, celebrate what’s been achieved and perhaps gently remind each other who carried the heaviest coral or built the best jiko.
But beyond the laughter and camaraderie, you'll leave with something deeper: a genuine connection to the people, ecosystems and conservation work shaping Kenya’s coast.
Contribute to a project. Connect with its people. Finish with an adventure.
Leap Missions are designed for those who want to experience the world differently.
Call us on +44 1672 519922 or email us at info@theleap.co.uk for more information
