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AHSMBS0011 - Lamu Beach Safaris
- Lamu Beach Holidays
Medieval Lamu is Kenya’s oldest inhabited stone
town. Part of the Lamu Archipelago, Lamu has white, sandy beaches,
historical sites and superb seafood. The narrow streets are full of
unhurried locals and donkey carts with a smattering of curious travelers.
Lamu Beach Safaris - Lamu Beach holidays - Lamu Air Safaris & Flying Package
Lamu Safari Itinerary
Day 1.
Lamu.
Fly to Manda Island. A few minutes by boat takes you to Lamu Hotel for
accommodation. Half board accommodation at Island Hotel.
Day 2.
Lamu.
Full day to relax, explore and shopping. Overnight at Island Hotel or
similar.
Day 3. Lamu.
Full day to relax, explore and shopping. Overnight at Island Hotel or
similar. |
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The
Exotic Island of
Lamu
Cast into the Indian Ocean off the coast of Kenya, the island and town of
Lamu is heir to a distinctive tradition
over a thousand years old. The Swahili culture and style of
Lamu are a mix of East African, Omani,
Yemeni, Indian, and some Portuguese and Victorian influences. Of all the old
Swahili towns of East Africa, Lamu is one
of the very few remaining substantially intact.
Lamu is enchanting. As Kenya's oldest
living town it has retained all the charm and character built up over
centuries. There are no cars so donkeys are the main means of transport.
Children play in the narrow streets, Muslim men chat on street corners and
women in their black buibui eils busy themselves through doorways. Most
houses have a rooftop which is used as a patio - indicative of a society
where ‘hanging back’ and ‘catching the breeze’ is important. Keep an eye out
for the intricately carved wooden doors and lintels for which the island is
famous. The island has a long history and by the 1500s it was a thriving
port, exporting timber, ivory, amber, spices and slaves.
When the Portuguese arrived, it surrendered without a murmur and in the
mid-1800s it became a subject of the Sultanate of Zanzibar, which nominally
controlled the whole coastal strip until Kenya became independent in 1963.
Until the 19th century dawned, Lamu's economy was hinged on slave labour and
with the abolition of slavery it declined rapidly. That is until the advent
of tourists. In the 1960s Lamu was up
there with Katmandu as a hippy hangout and it has since been under siege by
tourists. There are two banks, a post office and a book shop, the
Lamu Book Centre, which sells local
newspapers and international news magazines. Lamu
also has world class hotel touts, who have the persistence of insurance
salesmen, so be polite but firm in declining.
Lamu is strictly Islamic, so be sensitive in the way you dress. The
best way to get to Lamu is to fly.
Otherwise the road to Lamu is rough and
while there are buses, the journey is tedious.
As Kenya’s oldest living town, Lamu has a
rich and colorful history. The town was one of the original string of
Swahili settlements that stretched from Somalia to Mozambique. It remained a
thriving port town through the turbulent Portuguese invasions and later the
Omani domination of the 17th century.
Lamu had a slave-based economy until the
turn of the 20th century. When slavery was abolished in 1907 the economy of
the island suffered greatly. Only recently has the influx of tourist dollars
revitalized the town’s growth.
Lamu appears to be a region almost frozen
in time. The physical appearance and the character of the town have changed
very little over the centuries. The narrow, winding streets accommodate only
pedestrian or donkey traffic. The population of
Lamu remains almost exclusively Muslim. Men still wear full length
robes known as khanzus with kofia caps while women cover themselves in the
black wraparound cloth common in other Islamic cultures. In the early 1970s,
Lamu became famous for its reputation as
an exotic, remote, and self-contained society. It became a spiritual center
of sorts for hippies and other non-conformists drawn to its undisturbed
traditional culture. Some people feel that Lamu’s
popularity and increased tourism will ultimately undermine the unique value
system and culture of this Swahili settlement. Others argue, however, that
without the tourist industry Lamu will
suffer and stagnate.
There are numerous sights in and around Lamu
worth exploring. The architecture of the houses and buildings is especially
unique. Most buildings date back to the 18th century or before and are
constructed out of local materials including coral-rag blocks for the walls,
wooden floors supported by mangrove poles, makuti roofs, and intricately
carved shutters for windows. The villages of Shela and Matondoni,
Lamu Fort, the Swahili House Museum, and
the Donkey Sanctuary should also be included on every traveler’s itinerary.
Lamu is a Swahili town resulting from a
combination of trade and Islam, modified by the environment. Trade provided
wealth, Islam the incentive for permanent settlements reflected in the
requirement of Islamic canon law that Friday noon prayer be held in a
permanently settled location. The monsoon winds supplied the energy the
ships needed and the building materials, coral and mangrove were available
on the shores.
The streets of Lamu are narrow, cool and
quiet. They are surprisingly intimate spaces enclosed by massive stone
buildings whose thick coral rag walls give the town its distinct colour and
texture.
Lamu, Town, Island and Archipelago, all of
the same name, lie 2 degrees below the Equator along Kenya's coast. The
archipelago is a chain of Islands separated from the mainland by a narrow
channel bordered with dense mangrove forest and protected from the Indian
Ocean by coral reefs and large sand dunes. The many historical sites are
proof of the area's long and rich history which, when combined with all the
natural attraction of its tropical setting, make
Lamu a wonderful place to visit.
Any tour of Lamu is best begun at the
Lamu Museum which provides an excellent
introduction to the town and the region, both past and present. The exhibits
include the material culture of the archipelago, ethnographic tableaux of
neighboring coastal peoples, as well as collection of maritime artifacts and
model dhows. After this orientation you are ready to amble through the
streets, set sail for nearby ruins, or just go fishing.
Lamu is a traditional Islamic community,
with over 20 active mosques in the town and most women veiled in public.
Visitors are welcome, but are asked to observe and respect local custom. The
naturally protected harbour on its northeast side led to the founding of
Lamu Town which became a centre of coastal
commerce. Today, Lamu's economy is still dominated by maritime activities:
shipping, fishing mangrove cutting and shipbuilding.
The people of Lamu are devout followers of
Islam and the town is a place of religious pilgrimage where Muslims from all
over eastern Africa gather every year to celebrate Maulidi, the Prophet's
birthday. Lamu is remote even by Kenyan
standards.
A thousand years of trade, settlement and Islamic expansion have left ruins
up and down the East African coast. In the 2nd century, the Greeks knew of
this coast and called it Azania. Later, in the 9th and 10th centuries Arab
and Persian traders and settlers called it Bilad-al-Zenj. Their small
settlements grew into fiercely independent city-states which brought forth a
distinct Arab-African culture called Swahili.
The buildings in Lamu's historical core date from the 18th century, though
both folklore and archaeological evidence point to an older settlement just
south and possibly also north of today's town. In December 2001
Lamu Town became a world heritage site in
order to protect the oldest inhabited settlement south of the Sahara.
KIWAYU ISLAND
A few years back this remote island at the northern end of the
Lamu archipelago gained a reputation as a
retreat for the rich and famous. It boasts an idyllic
beach, fabulous snorkeling on the coral
reefs and peace and quiet. On the mainland across from the island is the
Kiwayu Safari Lodge which is considered to be one of the world’s top hotels.
On the island is the more modestly priced Munira Safari Lodge and both
hotels will organize transfers by plane from Mombasa, Malindi or
Lamu, or motorboat from
Lamu.
And if you tire of beaches and watersports, the lodges can organize game
viewing safaris to Boni and Dodori game
reserves. Wildlife that you don't want to get too close to is the mosquito –
the island is renowned for this pesky insect, so take your repellent and
anti malarial drugs. |
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East Africa is home to some of the best beaches
in the world and Kenya and Tanzania have over 1,500 kilometers of beautiful
whitesands between them. The renowned islands of Mombasa, Lamu, Zanzibar and
Pemba are all to be found along this strip and these are excellent beach
holiday destinations. Some of the beach safaris available
THE NORTH COAST OF KENYA AND LAMU ISLAND
DAY ONE: NORTH COAST
Morning flight to Mombasa. Transfer to Serena Beach Hotel after a tour of
the city of Mombasa and lunch. Dinner and overnight at this first class
beach hotel.
Sunset at the coast
DAY TWO TO DAY FIVE: NORTH COAST
At leisure either relaxing by the beach, engaged in watersports or exploring
the nearby nature trails and historic ruins.
DAY SIX: LAMU
Afternoon flight to Lamu after a lunch cruise on the Tamarind Dhow. Dinner
and overnight at a Lamu Hotel.
DAY SEVEN TO DAY NINE: LAMU
The day is spent at leisure. Accommodation in Lamu is on full board basis.
DAY TEN: NAIROBI
Morning flight to Nairobi. Transfer to your hotel. Evening dinner at the
Carnivore Restaurant before proceeding to the airport for your flight back
home.
A hammock at the beach in kenya
KIWAYU ISLAND PARADISE.
Perched north of Lamu is this lovely and idyllic Island very far from the
madding crowd. The clientele is the smart set who like the rustic look of
the Kiwayu's few bandas but also like the unobstructive luxury they offer as
well. Enjoy the proximity of nature in this northern Lamu archipelago. The
"Baobabs of Kitangani" nestling between the enormous ageless baobabs, almost
invisible from the beach create a dream for the traveler expecting a perfect
setting and total privacy.
Day 1: Nairobi - Kiwayu
Fly to Kiwayu from Nairobi - a 2 hours trip - using an 8, 16 or 24 seater
aircraft. Dinner and overnight at Kiwayu Safari Village.
Day 2: Kiwayu Safari Village.
Day at leisure enjoying activities which includes: -
Windsurfing, Goggling, Mangrove trips, Dhow sailing, Water skiing and Laser
sailing. All meals and another overnight stay are at the luxury resort.
Day 3: Kiwayu - Nairobi
Depart Kiwayu Safari Village for the airstrip for your flight to Nairobi.
LAMU ISLAND ADVENTURES
The island of lamu
Some 200 kilometers North of Malindi lies a haven from civilization. Lamu
Island is a unique medieval Swahili town with no roads or vehicles. Its
streets are designed wide enough to allow only the passage of camels and
donkeys. On a shopping spree there are carvings, brass & gold, Arab sea
chests and lots of intriguing artifacts, not forgetting a visit to the
interesting museum.
Day 1: Nairobi - Lamu.
Fly to Manda Island. A few minutes by boat takes you to Shela Beach on Lamu
Island where you will be residing for the next two days. You are booked on
half board accommodation at The Island Hotel.
Day 2. Lamu
Full day to relax, explore and shopping. Overnight at Island Hotel or
similar.
Day 3. Nairobi - Lamu
Return to Manda Island for your flight back to Nairobi.
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African Holiday Safaris |
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