Lying just off Kenya’s far north coast, lies a string of beautiful Indian Ocean islands including Lamu, Manda, Pate, Kiwayu and Manda Toto that are known collectively as the “Lamu Archipelago”.

Lamu Island is an area of archaeological and historical interest as well as great natural beauty. It is a place like no other, a peaceful tropical island where life is lived at its own relaxed rhythm, but a place whose history is as mysterious and fascinating as the winding streets of its medieval stone town.

Largely unvisited until quite recently, the Lamu Archipelago is now home to some lavishly luxurious accommodation in stunning settings. Popular as a post safari add on a Kenya safari tour, you can enjoy activities like snorkeling and scuba diving. These are best between November and March when the water is clearest. As part of your adventure, you can also enjoy historical walking tours, dhow sailing trips, sea kayaking and diving with dolphins.

Its popularity was gained following the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office lifting the travel advisory on Lamu Island and after that crowds started flooding the Island. Since then, Lamu Island is the most popular and most developed of the islands and its hotels have gained a well-deserved reputation for delivering a superb ‘barefoot luxury’ experience.

The island itself is a beautiful place of rolling dunes and endless beaches, dazzling coral reefs, a wealth of activities, great cuisine and friendly, discreet service while on a Lamu holiday.

How to get there

There are no vehicles on Lamu. Flying is the best way to reach the archipelago and the airport is located on Manda Island from where you will be transferred to your hotel or lodge by boat. There are no roads on the island, but footpaths, and therefore, there are few motorized vehicles on the island. Residents move about on foot or by boat, and donkeys are used to transport goods and materials.

To visit Lamu is to enter another world, and the visitor finds themselves becoming a part of this world. Life slows down, and long days are spent strolling along the waterfront, exploring the town or relaxing on the beaches.

After enjoying a tour at this Island, you can add a Kenya wildlife safari to your itinerary or travel and enjoy another Africa safari destination like Tanzania for a Tanzania wildlife safari destination, to Uganda for a Uganda wildlife safari, or a short Uganda wildlife safari, a Uganda gorilla safari, a Rwanda wildlife safari, a Rwanda gorilla safari, a Congo gorilla safari and many more.