Lamu Old Town is a UNESCO-listed Swahili trading town like Zanzibar's Stone Town, but smaller, quieter and with no cars at all. You get carved doors, a fort museum, dhow trips at sunset and Shela's beach without the resort crowds. Fly from Nairobi to Manda airport and take a five-minute boat across the channel; travel only by air, never by road. Simple guesthouse rooms start around $15, and street biryani costs about KSh 350. Three days is about right.
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When to go
December to February is the best time: dry (1-3 rain days a month) and hot, with highs around 31°C. April to June is the long rainy season; May averages 329 mm over 15 days, and many places close or quieten. July to November is cooler (highs 27-31°C) with light, scattered rain. The Lamu Cultural Festival usually runs in the last week of August, and Maulidi falls in the Islamic month of the Prophet's birth.
Lamu right now and the next 7 days
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Lamu on the map
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The area
Places to see
Day trips
Lamu · Open in Google Maps ↗
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Step 3 of 11Next: Cost↓What your trip costs
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Ballpark ranges, not live quotes. Prices last updated 5 November 2026. Prices move with season and demand, so check live fares before you book. Spot a wrong price? Tell us and we fix it.
On the ground: stay, food, local travel and tickets. Pick a route above to add the journey.
Plan the trip
Lamu in 3 days: a day-by-day plan
Our suggested plan, in a sensible order with times. Move things between days, remove them or add more. It saves on this device, and you can share it.
- 11:00Lamu Fort1 h · ₹950 each · The old fort on the main square, now a museum and library. $10 for visitors from outside Africa since 7 May 2026. Open daily 8:30-17:30; paid through Kenya's eCitizen system.
- 12:30Lunch break
- 13:30Lamu Museum1 h · ₹950 each · The town's main museum of Swahili culture and history. $10 for visitors from outside Africa.
- 15:00Swahili House Museum45 m · ₹950 each · A traditional Swahili house kept as a museum. $10. The four-site Lamu package is $40, so it saves nothing.
- 08:00Old Town lanes and seafrontHalf day · free · UNESCO-listed since 2001 as the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa. Free; dress modestly away from the beach.
- 13:00Lunch break
- 17:15Sunset dhow trip2 h · ₹2,179 each · Two-hour sails start from about KSh 3,000 a person without food. Agree what is included before you board.
- 08:00Shela beachHalf day · free · Long sandy beach beyond Shela village, about 3 km from town. Walk along the shore or take a shared boat.
- 13:00Lunch break
How to get to Lamu
One-way prices per person. The cheapest sensible option is marked. Each button opens live times and fares for the date you picked above.
Flight + flight Cheapest
₹6,648Listed one-way Jambojet fares in Nov-Dec 2026 run about $65-75. Nairobi is the nearest big international airport; Manda is domestic only.
Flight + flight
Check fareSmaller carriers fly Mombasa-Lamu; could not confirm a current nonstop fare. Listed one-stop Jambojet itineraries via Nairobi start about $132. Do not go by road: UK advice is to reach Lamu only by air.
Manda airport → Lamu town Last leg
₹145Should not cost more than KSh 200 on the public boat. A boat straight to Shela is about KSh 1,200-1,500. Agree the price before you board.
Getting around once you're there
On foot
FreeThere are no cars on the island. The Old Town is a maze of narrow lanes, and Shela is about 3 km along the shore. Bring a torch; street lighting is minimal.
Shared speedboat
₹218About KSh 300 a person between Lamu town, Shela and the mainland jetty. It leaves when full.
Private speedboat
₹726About KSh 1,000 for the whole boat on short hops. Agree the fare first.
Boda-boda (motorbike) to Shela
₹109KSh 100-150 at low tide along the shore track, KSh 250-300 at high tide.
Where to stay in Lamu
Price per night for the room. The buttons open live availability for your dates.
Budget room
₹1,425/nightSimple Old Town guesthouses list rooms from about $15 a night (JamboHouse, near the fort). Older guides say KSh 2,500-3,500 after bargaining.
Mid-range guesthouse
₹3,039/nightSearch-engine average for 3-star places in Lamu is about $32 a night.
Shela guesthouse
₹5,698/nightShela village listings start around $60 a night and climb fast above $150. Closest to the beach.
What to eat, and what it costs
Biryani at a budget cafe
₹255About KSh 350. A shawarma wrap is about KSh 100.
Main course at a simple Shela cafe
₹290Mains about KSh 300-400.
Seafood main at a mid-range restaurant
₹1,090KSh 500-1,500 depending on the catch. Always ask the price first where there is no written menu.
Large fresh juice
₹145About KSh 200 for tamarind or passion fruit.
Places to visit and things to do in Lamu
Tap “Add to my plan” and it goes into your day-by-day plan above.
Lamu Fort
₹950The old fort on the main square, now a museum and library. $10 for visitors from outside Africa since 7 May 2026. Open daily 8:30-17:30; paid through Kenya's eCitizen system.
Lamu Museum
₹950The town's main museum of Swahili culture and history. $10 for visitors from outside Africa.
Swahili House Museum
₹950A traditional Swahili house kept as a museum. $10. The four-site Lamu package is $40, so it saves nothing.
Old Town lanes and seafront
FreeUNESCO-listed since 2001 as the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa. Free; dress modestly away from the beach.
Shela beach
FreeLong sandy beach beyond Shela village, about 3 km from town. Walk along the shore or take a shared boat.
Sunset dhow trip
₹2,179Two-hour sails start from about KSh 3,000 a person without food. Agree what is included before you board.
Day trips and next stops
Shela village
₹218Walk along the shore, or shared boat
Takwa Ruins, Manda Island
₹760Hired boat from Lamu town; entry $8
Matondoni dhow-building village
Check fareWalk, donkey or boat around the island
Kipungani village and beach
Check fareBoat or dhow trip from Lamu town
Know before you go
Mistakes to avoid
- UK travel advice (updated 30 Oct 2026) advises against all travel to Lamu County except Lamu Island and Manda Island. Stay on those two islands; Pate, Kiwayu and the mainland are in the no-go area.
- UK advice says to reach Lamu only by air via Manda airport, not by road, and to be particularly vigilant; there is a heightened terrorism threat across Kenya and Westerners have been kidnapped in coastal counties.
- Beach touts and some boat crews quote inflated prices. Agree every fare first, and ask for prices where a restaurant has no written menu.
Ways to spend less
- Walking the Old Town and Shela beach costs nothing, and there are no taxis to pay because there are no cars.
- A shared speedboat (about KSh 300) does the same trip as a private one (about KSh 1,000) if you wait for it to fill.
- Budget cafes serve biryani for about KSh 350, a fraction of resort prices across the channel.
Before-you-go checklist
Lamu in pictures
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Step 11 of 11Next: FAQ↓Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Lamu?
On our month-by-month scores, the best months are Jan–Feb, Oct, Dec. December to February is the best time: dry (1-3 rain days a month) and hot, with highs around 31°C. April to June is the long rainy season; May averages 329 mm over 15 days, and many places close or quieten. July to November is cooler (highs 27-31°C) with light, scattered rain. The Lamu Cultural Festival usually runs in the last week of August, and Maulidi falls in the Islamic month of the Prophet's birth.
How do I reach Lamu?
Flight + flight: → Nairobi (NBO), then Jambojet to Lamu Manda airport (LAU), About 1 h 20 m, about ₹6,648 one way.
How much does a 3-day trip to Lamu cost?
On the ground (stay, food, local travel and tickets), one person spends about ₹10,200 on a shoestring, ₹21,600 mid-range or ₹38,100 in comfort over 3 days. Add the journey: the cheapest sensible option is flight + flight (→ Nairobi (NBO), then Jambojet to Lamu Manda airport (LAU)) at about ₹6,648 each way.
How many days do you need in Lamu?
3 days is right for most people. That covers Lamu Fort, Lamu Museum, Swahili House Museum, Old Town lanes and seafront without rushing.
Is Lamu good for families or solo travellers?
Out of 5 on our scores: solo 4, couples 5, families 3, groups 4. It is easy to do on your own.
Is vegetarian food easy to find in Lamu?
Vegetarian is fairly easy: coconut bean curry (maharagwe), chapati, vegetable samosas, mandazi (sweet fried bread), rice and fresh juices are everywhere. Biryani and pilau are usually made with meat, so ask for a vegetable version. Vegan is possible because much Swahili cooking uses coconut milk rather than dairy.
Will my phone and cards work in Lamu?
Phone signal: Buy a Safaricom SIM in Nairobi or Mombasa before flying in; you need your passport to register it. M-Pesa mobile money is widely used. Cards and UPI: Taken at the better guesthouses and restaurants only. National Museums of Kenya sites take payment through the government's eCitizen system. Cash: Kenyan shillings. Boats, cafes, donkeys and small guesthouses are cash-based, so carry small notes.
Sources and last check
Checked 5 November 2026. Fees, hours and rules change, so confirm on the official site before you pay.
- gov.uk OfficialAdvice against all travel to Lamu County except Lamu Island and Manda Island; all-but-essential advice for the coast between the Tana and Galana rivers (updated 30 Oct 2026, current 4 Nov 2026)
- gov.uk OfficialBe particularly vigilant on Lamu and Manda islands; travel only by air to Lamu airport on Manda, not by road; heightened terrorism threat; kidnaps of Westerners in coastal counties
- museums.or.ke OfficialNMK fees from 7 May 2026: Lamu Fort, Lamu Museum, Swahili House, German Post Office $10 each (outside Africa); four-site package $40; Takwa Ruins $8; opening 8:30-17:30 daily; eCitizen payment
- khusoko.comNews report of the same 7 May 2026 NMK fee table for Lamu sites
- us.trip.comJambojet nonstop Lamu-Nairobi about 1h20; one-way fares $65-75 for Nov 2026-Jan 2027 dates
- us.trip.comMombasa-Lamu one-stop Jambojet fares from about $132; nonstop fare not shown
- en.wikivoyage.orgManda airport boat to Lamu town no more than KSh 200; boat to Shela KSh 1,200-1,500; shared speedboat KSh 300, private KSh 1,000 (2025); boda-boda Shela-Lamu KSh 100-150 low tide, 250-300 high tide; sunset dhow from KSh 3,000 without food; biryani KSh 350, shawarma KSh 100; Shela mains KSh 300-400; mid-range mains KSh 500-1,500; rooms KSh 2,500-3,500 after bargaining; scams and minimal street lighting
- hotelscombined.comJamboHouse Lamu from $15, average about $18 a night (updated 4 Nov 2026), near Lamu Fort
- momondo.com3-star average $32/night in Lamu; Shela listings La Joya $60, others $149-150
- dmagicube.blogspot.comLarge tamarind juice KSh 200 (Feb 2025 blog)
- xe.comMid-market rate 1 KES = ₹0.7263 at 22:14 UTC, 4 Nov 2026
- en.wikipedia.orgCoordinates; WMO climate normals (monthly highs, rain mm, rain days); no motor vehicles, donkeys; UNESCO 2001; Manda airport; Lamu Cultural Festival late August; Maulidi
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Set your dates and group at the top, shape the days, then book each piece directly.
Back to the planner ↑Costs are indicative ballparks for doing it yourself and change with season and demand. Always check live fares, rates and opening rules before you book. Trip Under is not a travel agency: we sell nothing, take no commission, and we link to maps and official sites, never to booking sites. Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; see credits.
By Gokul · Updated 5 November 2026 · Photo: folklore.co.ke · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Bingar1234 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Bukhit2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Magnus Kjaergaard · CC BY 3.0 · source · Photo: Bukhit2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
