• Travel Advice

Getting to Lamu

Getting to Lamu is easy – forcing yourself to leave can be harder…  Lamu is best accessed by air and there are several scheduled flights per day to and from Nairobi.

Some flights also arrive or depart via Malindi and Mombasa. The flying time from Nairobi to Lamu is around 1 hour 20 minutes.

Flights arrive and depart from Lamu Airstrip, situated on the next door Manda Island which is just a few minutes by boat from Lamu Town and Shela Village.

Airlines serving Lamu and Nairobi include :

Discover

Jambo Jet

Discover

Safarilink

Discover

Skyward Express

Lamu Practicalities

‘Self Catering’

Renting a house on a ‘self-catering’ basis doesn’t mean you have to do any work in the kitchen – in fact quite the contrary as all our houses come with chefs and helpful staff who will take the strain out of shopping, cooking and serving meals. Simply discuss what and when you want to eat with chef and staff – they will prepare, cook and serve your meals as required.

The staff can do the local shopping for you, keeping a careful record of their purchases, and fishermen will be pleased to deliver freshly caught fish and seafood straight to your door. At most houses shopping can be done for guests before they arrive – please discuss your requirements with the house manager or staff well before your stay.

Food shopping

Wonderful fresh fish and seafood are always available, as are a wide variety of delicious fruits and vegetables. A morning visit to the bustling market in Lamu Town is recommended – pulses, grains, rice, herbs and spices are also sold there, along with eggs, flour and other staples of Swahili cooking.

There are several small supermarkets in Lamu Town and Shela selling spaghetti and pasta, olive oil, a small selection of cheeses and other packaged foods. Good chicken and goat are always available – but if you are looking for fillet steak or other prime cuts it is best to bring them from Nairobi, along with speciality cheeses, charcuterie and other items from the deli counter. Bacon and other pork products are not available in Lamu.

Alcoholic drinks

These are widely, if discreetly, available and there are several licensed bars and restaurants around the islands. A reasonably wide selection of beers, wines and spirits are available to purchase – but if you are looking for vintage wines or esoteric brands it is best to bring them with you or arrange delivery from Nairobi. We recommend ordering from The Wine Box

Cultural

While Lamu is a tolerant, friendly and welcoming place, the islands are still in large part home to a conservative Muslim society. Visitors should dress with reasonable modesty – in particular when visiting Lamu Town – and wearing of swimsuits should be confined to beach or pool.

Medical

There is a public hospital on Lamu and several private medical clinics but facilities and treatment do not compare to Nairobi or Mombasa. We recommend visitors have appropriate medical insurance and subscribe to the good-value medical evacuation services provided by Amref Flying Doctors.

Travel Advice for Kenya

Before travel, please refer to the Government of Kenya website and/or that of your country of residence in order to confirm the latest international travel advice and requirements

 Government of Kenya www.etakenya.go.ke
 USA www.travel.state.gov
 UK www.gov.uk

Electronic Travel Authorisation

Before your visit to Kenya, you will need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation. Please apply only on the official Kenyan Government website www.etakenya.go.ke rather than via any online agencies or facilitators.

Further information.

In 2024 Kenya replaced its eVisa system with an Electronic Travel Authorization system (eTA). Apart from holders of valid Kenya Passports, holders of Kenya Permanent Residence, valid Work Permits and Passes and Citizens of the East African Partner States, all visitors including infants and children who intend to travel to the Republic of Kenya, must have an approved eTA before the start of their journey.

Visitors must apply for the eTA via and pay a processing fee of USD $34. All eTA applications for Kenya should be submitted at least 3 days prior to travel to ensure adequate time for authorisation.

We recommend applying well in advance of this and applications may be submitted up to 3 months prior to travel. Please have the following documents ready before starting your application.

Requirements for all travellers:
  • Passport valid for at least six months after your date of arrival into Kenya with at least one blank page
  • Selfie or passport-type photo
  • Contact information, email address and phone number
  • Details of your arrival and departure itinerary
  • Accommodation booking confirmation(s)
  • Credit card, debit card, Apple pay or other means of payment
  • Depending upon your circumstances or country of residence the Kenyan authorities may ask for further information or documentation

Please note that the eTA is for a single entry into Kenya as well as being airline /
flight specific and date specific.

Once submitted, please allow for three working days for your approval to come through. You can check the status of your existing application via www.etakenya.go.ke using your unique reference number.

Health and Insurance

No immunisations or vaccinations are mandatory for entry into Kenya, but certain inoculations and/or malaria prophylaxis may be recommended by your doctor.

Please consult and take the advice of your medical practitioner before travel.

For further information, please consult the latest recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention www.cdc.gov the UK Government www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice or the health authority in your country of residence.

Yellow Fever vaccinations (supported by a valid certificate) are required for travel if you are traveling from or between a country or countries in which Yellow Fever is endemic. We recommend seeking information on this from the health authority in your country of residence well before your travel dates.

We recommend guests take out comprehensive travel insurance, including health cover, prior to travelling. At some safari destinations it is a requirement that guests take out AMREF flying doctors medical and evacuation cover – please contact us for further details.

Luggage Allowances

Most scheduled domestic flights on light aircraft have a strict baggage allowance of 15 kg (34 lbs) per passenger, inclusive of hand baggage, with only soft-sided bags permitted.

Some scheduled flights to coastal destinations have a slightly higher baggage allowance of 20 kg (44lbs) per passenger. Private charter flights may have different luggage allowances.

Please contact us for confirmation of your baggage allowances, and for options and charges for excess baggage. The acceptance of excess baggage is at the sole discretion of the airline.

Most holiday accommodations provide a 24-hour (or less) laundry service – enabling guests to cut down on their packing.

Please note that plastic bags (such as duty-free bags) are strictly banned in Kenya and you should not bring these into the country. Zip-lock pouches are permitted.