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KENYA
COAST - LAMU SAFARIS
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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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.
To book
this safari or inquire more info,Kindly complete our online Enquiry
Form indicating the safari code/reference OR email us . |
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AFRICAN SERVALCAT SAFARIS & TOURS