Whoever is planning a holiday in Magarini, Kilifi County with family this festive season then he or she should make a point of visiting Dubai Ndongo (Small Dubai) as is popularly known.

Kenya’s Dubai Ndogo located in Mamburui is probably one with the ultimate tourism experience for Kenyans at affordable costs that will not require one to fly to Dubai.

The dunes are among the new hidden gems for Kilifi and give one an opportunity to explore what was once accessible by those who were able to travel outside the country in the desert.

It therefore qualifies in the program launched by President William Ruto’s Hapa in Wapi Initiative dubbed Hapa Ni Wapi domestic tourism travel platform under the Tembea Kenya banner.

The program was initiated by the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, through the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB), to enable Kenyans to travel and experience both known and hidden gems.

It also seeks to showcase various Kenyan attractions and allow travellers to access different tourism packages including road trips, beaches and cultural experiences targeted at the younger traveller.

The new initiatives form part of a broader national strategy to position Kenya as a premier global tourism destination, with an ambitious target of attracting 5.5 million tourists by 2027.

For two days, journalists together with influencers toured some of the destinations in Malindi and Watamu including Dubai Ndogo which is getting popular and attracting more visitors.

When Journalists arrived at the Mamburui dunes, they learnt that over 70 members of the community, majority of them youth, teamed up and formed a Community Based Organisation to start the small Dubai with an aim of creating job opportunities.

Julius Kenga Msanzu, chairman of Mamburui Sand Dunes CBO said they first raised funds and cleared the area then bought Quad bikes for tourists to use for experiencing the dunes that are also linked to the ocean.

Msanzu said once guests arrive, they are briefed about the itinerary where a group can hire quadbikes, Arafat and shades.

Visitors have the opportunity to ride the Quadbikes after very brief training and through guidance get to experience the dune safari.

So far, he said the number of visitors has increased from 30 to 60 percent and the numbers are rising as more people are getting to know about the hidden gem.

For the locals, there are many opportunities for guiding visitors, sale of green coconuts, among other services that they offer at the dunes.

Alex Mgandi, the founding member of the CBO who also manages the Quadbikes said previously the dunes seemed to have no value but since they started the program, it has become a major income generating activity and a tourist attraction destination. 

Mgandi has since established a website called Quad trails and adventures to promote the destination.

Sara Burache an influencer who was with the team of KenyaTourism Board during the two days tour of attraction sites in Malindi, Magarini and Watamu said the experience at Dubai Ndogo was the best and would love to visit there always. 

Hellen Phoebe, another influence who was with the KTB team also termed the experience as memorable.

The influencers had the opportunity to document their experiences through the Magical Kenya Souvenir Passport. 

This is in line with the unveiling of the innovative travel passport and guide by President William Ruto during the just concluded KenyaTourism, Wildlife and Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) Week at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Nairobi last week.