Lamu Old Town

Lamu Old Town is situated on Lamu Island, 212 miles (341 kilometers) north of Mombasa. It may be Kenya’s most authentic experience. 

The Old Town was founded during the 12th century and is the earliest port of call in East Africa. Lamu Island is part of the Lamu Archipelago; Lamu Town is the capital of Lamu County and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

The island has no motorized vehicles so all movement of heavy goods is performed with the use of donkeys. 

There are actually two cars on the island. One belongs to the Governor for official occasions; the second is an ambulance for donkeys; there are over 3000 donkeys being utilized on the island.

Lamu Fort

https://www.zamaniproject.org/site-kenya-lamu-fort.html

The Lamu fortress was built between 1813 and 1821. It is believed to have been started by Fumo Madi ibn Abi Bakr, the Sultan of Pate. Pate is the largest island in the Lamu Archipelago, surrounded by beautiful mangroves. Unlike Lamu, Pate does have matatus (mini transport vans) and doesn’t have to rely exclusively on donkeys. Matatu is an extremely common method of transportation in Kenya. The Pate Sultanate lasted from the early 13th century until 1895.

The town of Pate was founded in the 8th century by Omani refugees and then re-settled by the Nabahani family of Oman, in 1203. There is recent archaeological evidence though that Pate is not as old as the 8th century. The fort was built on the southeast corner of the town, next to the Pwani Mosque. Pwani is considered to be the oldest mosque in Lamu, originating around the 14th century.

Fumo Madi died in 1809 and the construction was stopped. In 1812, the people of Lamu defeated a superior force from Pate and Mombasa in the Battle of Shela.

The Sultan Sayyid Said bin Sultan of Oman sent a governor and armed troops to Lamu in 1814, due to the threat of further fighting. He also assisted in the building of the fort. Said bin Sultan, who ruled from 1804-1856, utilized the Lamu Fort to defeat the Mazrui (Mombasa) rebels. He also moved his capital to Zanzibar. Zanzibar and it’s history with Oman, the spice trade, and slavery is a dark fascinating story. If you have the opportunity, definitely visit Zanzibar, Tanzania and spend a few days in Stonetown.

The Lamu Fort was turned into a prison in 1910 by the British and used to hold Mau Mau captives during the Mau Rebellion. The fort is open from 8 am-6 pm daily. Admission to the fort is free with a ticket to the Lamu Museum (500 shillings for adults, 200 shillings for adults).

https://goo.gl/maps/E4G4iHfcht8zs26r5

Get Lost in Shela Village

Shela Village is stationed 2 miles (3,2 kilometers) south of Lamu Old Town. Shela of course is the site of the Battle of Shela, which we just discussed. Pate Island and the Mazrui from Mombasa attempted to conquer the Lamu population. They were miserably defeated and Lamu began it’s ascent as the alpha power in the archipelago. Shela contains several beautiful guest houses and magnificent beaches. 

Probably the most spectacular guest house is the Fort ( not to be confused with Lamu Fort). The Fort sits on Shela Beach and offers 9 guest rooms, along with a state-of-the-art kitchen. The hostess speaks German, English, Greek, and Italian; there are a variety of activities you can enjoy while you visit Shela Village.

You may:

-take yoga classes

-get a massage

-enjoy a 5 minute boat taxi to nearby Manda Beach visit the Takwa Ruins

-hire a traditional sailing vessel called a Dhow for snorkeling

You can also adopt a turtle through the Lamu Marine Conservation Trust. The project was created by the owner of the Peponi Hotel and there are turtle hatchings all year on Manda Beach.

Warning: The water around the Fort Hotel is known to have strong rip currents, so please be cautious.

https://goo.gl/maps/vN6jJWsnhc9RxXV16

See the Takwa Ruins</b></span>

https://www.museums.or.ke/takwa/

The Takwa Ruins are only reachable during high tide. A boat trip from Shela typically costs around 5000 shillings for four people. The ruins are located on the south side of Manda Island. Manda Island is one of the islands that makes up the Lamu Archipelago (Lamu, Kiwayu, Pate, and Manda Toto are the others). The two most important structures are the Great Mosque at Takwa and the Pillar Tomb. 

The tomb holds an inscription that states 1681-1682. It is surmised that Takwa was founded around 1500 and abandoned in the 1700’s. It was most likely disused due to war (Pate Island) and scarcity of water. The entrance fee on the island is 500 shillings for foreigners.

https://goo.gl/maps/rkwfthJ2mvUpFjWw7

Visit the Lamu Museum

The Lamu Museum is one of the best in Kenya. The building itself is a resplendent Swahili warehouse. The exhibitions focus on traditional silver jewelry, boat building, and domestic life on the island. You can also view numerous artifacts from Swahili ruins. As noted previously, the operating hours are 8am-6pm daily. Entrance fees are 500 shillings for adults, 200 shillings for children. The museum and the fort are located on Harambee Avenue at the waterfront. The phone number is 072 166 0645.

https://goo.gl/maps/aYRm37TDGBtTkA8S6

Take part in the Lamu Mysteries Tour

This is a three hour private tour that is operated as a treasure and scavenger hunt.

Lamu House Hotel

https://goo.gl/maps/At79nHi8MdAKLVSAA

The Fort

https://goo.gl/maps/t9B9S9gMURLgzcr76

The Majlis Resort

https://goo.gl/maps/Q6b8ttSm3A3CAAyW6

Cooking Class; Shela Women’s Association

There is no site, page, or link for this but it is well known in Lamu. Ask your hotel and they will surely direct you. 

Mangrove Restaurant

Peponi Hotel Restaurant

https://goo.gl/maps/pX8kqX4NWWdttxoj9

Seafront Cafe

https://goo.gl/maps/8CAsFn9ijYuqyo197