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Lamu
Lamu
Archipelago
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Lamu is a world apart. The oldest continuously inhabited settlement in East Africa — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — Lamu Old Town has no cars, its narrow coral-stone lanes unchanged for eight centuries. Donkeys carry goods. Dhows sail by the same stars that guided Arab merchants in the 9th century.
The Lamu Archipelago offers a Kenya that has nothing to do with safari — an intimate encounter with one of the world's great living cultures, set against the backdrop of the Indian Ocean's most perfect islands. White coral beaches, dhow sailing, and a silence that is the rarest luxury of all.
Charter flight from Nairobi to Lamu airstrip on Manda Island, then the traditional dhow water crossing to Lamu Island itself. A porter navigates your bags through the narrow alleys to your heritage hotel. Afternoon walk through Lamu Old Town with a local guide.
Lamu Fort, the Lamu Museum, the Friday Mosque — the layers of Swahili civilization revealed by your knowledgeable local guide. Lunch at a rooftop restaurant above the waterfront. Afternoon at leisure: the famous Shela Beach, white sand stretching 12km.
Private dhow for the day. Sail to Manda Island's uninhabited beaches. Snorkel the coral reef off Manda Toto island. The dhow crew prepare a fresh seafood lunch on the beach. Return at sunset.
Morning Swahili cooking masterclass with a celebrated local chef — learning to prepare pilau, biryani, coconut fish curry and the famous Lamu sambuza. The afternoon is yours completely.
One final coffee on the hotel rooftop above the dhow harbour. Dhow water transfer to Lamu airstrip, charter to Nairobi.
Best months for this itinerary based on wildlife conditions and weather.
