Lamu Packages for Residents: Flights, Shela and Manda Island Stays in KES

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Lamu packages for residents give you an island holiday at Kenyan rates, in KES. You fly from Nairobi in about 1.5 hours, cross to the island by boat and settle into a guesthouse, a Shela hotel or a boutique stay on Manda Island.

• FromKES 48,000per person sharing, 3 nights, flight from Nairobi, bed and breakfast
• Duration3 to 5 nights
• StartsNairobi (flight to Lamu)
• Best forKenyan residents and citizens who want a quiet island break at local rates
• StyleCouples, families and friends

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Rated 4.9 on Google from 47 reviews. Price confirmed in writing before you pay.

Title sponsor

Alumni Golf Challenge

We are the title sponsor this year.

Golf is part of who we are, so we put our name behind the Alumni Golf Challenge. Want more golf after the day? Tell us when you are free. We book your tee time at Karen, Muthaiga or Vipingo Ridge and sort the transfers and the stay.

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Lamu Old Town is a World Heritage Site with no cars. Donkeys carry loads and dhows sail the channel. It is slow, safe and very different from Diani or Mombasa.

Below you will find prices for three tiers, a sample 5 day plan, what proof of residency you need and the best months to go. Message us on WhatsApp for a written quote.

Highlights

• Return flight from Nairobi to Lamu included in the price
• Stay in Lamu Old Town, Shela or on Manda Island
• Dhow trip with snorkelling and a seafood lunch
• Resident and citizen hotel rates in KES, lower than non resident USD rates
• Swahili food, old town walks and quiet beaches
• One booking for flights, hotel and transfers

Day by day plan

1. Day 1

   Fly to Lamu

   You fly from Nairobi to Lamu in the morning. A boat takes you from the airstrip on Manda Island across the channel to your hotel. You check in, have lunch and walk through the old town in the afternoon. The first sunset over the water is worth waiting for.

2. Day 2

   Lamu Old Town

   You walk the narrow streets with a local guide. You visit the fort, the museum and the donkey sanctuary. Lunch is Swahili food, such as fish in coconut sauce. In the afternoon you rest or explore the market. Dinner is on a rooftop with a view of the harbour.

3. Day 3

   Dhow trip to Manda and Takwa

   A wooden dhow takes you to the Manda Island shore. You snorkel or swim, walk through the Takwa ruins and eat a grilled fish lunch on the beach. The sail home is calm and slow. You are back in time for a quiet evening.

4. Day 4

   Shela beach and sunset sail

   You walk or take a boat to Shela, a village with a wide beach. Swim, read or try a kite. At sunset you board a dhow for a cruise with drinks and snacks. The sky turns orange and the sea is calm.

5. Day 5

   Fly back to Nairobi

   You have a slow breakfast and pack. A boat takes you to the airstrip for your flight to Nairobi. If your flight is in the afternoon, you can enjoy a last swim or a coffee on the waterfront.

Lamu packages for residents, KES per person sharing, flight included

• Guide price per person sharing, confirmed in writing on WhatsApp before any payment
• Includes the return flight Nairobi to Lamu, boat transfers and the nights shown
• Budget and mid range are bed and breakfast and the upmarket tier is full board
• Citizen and resident hotel rates are the same and non residents pay higher USD rates
• Dec, Jan and Easter add about 20 to 40 percent to hotel rates

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Why Choose Lamu Packages for Residents

Lamu packages for residents solve two problems at once. Hotels in Lamu publish different prices for residents and non residents. Our packages use the KES rates, so you pay what locals pay.

They also solve the logistics. Flights, boat transfers and hotels are all booked in one go. You arrive at the airstrip and a boat is waiting.

If you are a visitor to Kenya, see our Lamu holiday packages in USD.

Lamu Packages for Residents: What You Pay

A 3 night budget stay starts at KES 48,000 per person sharing, including the flight. A mid range Shela hotel costs about KES 72,000 for 3 nights. An upmarket boutique stay costs about KES 118,000 for 3 nights.

Each extra night adds about KES 7,000 in the budget tier, KES 16,000 in the mid range and KES 32,000 upmarket. Flights make up about KES 22,000 of each price. Compare with our beach holiday packages and prices for other coast options.

What Proof of Residency Do You Need?

To book Lamu packages for residents you need proof of status. Kenyan citizens show a national ID or passport. Foreign residents show a valid Kenyan residency permit or work permit, or a Kenyan ID or alien card.

Hotels check this at check in. Carry the original document. A photo on your phone is not always accepted. Tell us your status when you book so we apply the right rate.

Where to Stay in Lamu

Lamu packages for residents let you pick the style of stay. Lamu Town is the old heart. Rooms are in restored Swahili houses with courtyards and roof terraces. Shela is a quieter village 3 kilometres away, with a long beach and boutique hotels. Manda Island has a handful of exclusive resorts.

Pick the old town for culture and Shela for beach time. Choose Manda if you want privacy and a boat to take you to everything.

• Lamu Town: culture, markets, rooftop dinners
• Shela: beach, sunset bars and boutique hotels
• Manda Island: quiet resorts, private beaches and boat access only

Flights from Nairobi to Lamu

For Lamu packages for residents the flights are direct and take about 1.5 hours. They leave from Wilson Airport or JKIA, depending on the airline. Return fares run about KES 18,000 to 30,000, depending on the date.

Road travel is long and not recommended for a short holiday. We book flights with your hotel. Weight limits are tight on small planes, so pack in a soft bag. See our airport transfers Nairobi page for pickup to the airport.

Best Time for Lamu Packages for Residents

Dec to Mar is hot, dry and busy. Jun to Oct is cooler and breezy. Both are good for Lamu packages for residents.

Apr to May and Nov have heavy rains and fewer visitors. Some hotels close for a few weeks. Local festivals, such as Maulidi and the Lamu Cultural Festival in Nov, are lively, so ask us about dates.

Things to Do in Lamu

Lamu has more to offer than beaches. The old town has narrow alleys, carved wooden doors and mosques that date back centuries. The fort and the museum explain the history of Swahili trade.

You can also watch dhow builders in Matondoni, visit the donkey sanctuary, kayak in the channel or learn to cook Swahili food. Most hotels can organise these. Ask us to add them to your package.

• Old Town walk with a local guide
• Lamu Fort and the Lamu Museum
• Donkey sanctuary visit
• Dhow cruise at sunset
• Snorkelling and Takwa ruins on Manda Island
• Matondoni dhow building village

Food and Drink in Lamu

Swahili food is the star. Expect grilled fish, coconut rice, biryani, crab and fresh juices. Mango, passion fruit and tamarind are common. Restaurants on rooftops serve dinner with a harbour view.

Alcohol is limited in the old town, since it is a Muslim community. Some hotels and bars in Shela serve drinks. Ask us if this matters to you and we pick a hotel that suits. Lamu packages for residents often include breakfast only, so budget for lunch and dinner.

A Sample Budget for a Couple

A couple in the mid range tier pays about KES 144,000 for 3 nights, including flights. Add KES 15,000 for lunches and dinners, KES 6,000 for tips and about KES 10,000 for optional trips.

A couple in the budget tier pays about KES 96,000 for 3 nights. Add KES 12,000 for meals. We list everything in one written quote, so Lamu packages for residents are easy to compare.

What to Wear and Pack

Lamu is a conservative Muslim town. Cover your shoulders and knees in the old town. Beachwear is fine at Shela and on boats. Pack light cotton, a hat, sunscreen and sandals.

Bring cash for market stalls and tips. ATMs are limited. Read our money in Kenya guide for Mpesa and card tips.

Island Etiquette and Getting Around

Lamu is a living community, so respect local customs. Ask before photographing people. Remove shoes at mosques and dress modestly in the old town.

There are no cars in the old town. You walk or ride a donkey. Boats link Lamu, Shela and Manda. Water taxis are cheap, but agree the price first. Your hotel can arrange boats for a fixed fee. Many guests say the quiet pace is the best part of Lamu packages for residents.

Alternatives for a Coast Break

If you want more nightlife than Lamu packages for residents offer, try Diani. See our Diani packages for residents. For a quieter beach with SGR travel, see Watamu and Malindi packages or Mombasa SGR holiday packages.

Lamu packages for residents suit travellers who want calm and culture more than parties.

How to Book and Pay in Instalments

We hold your dates with a deposit and you pay the balance in instalments before you travel. Pay by Mpesa, bank or card on our book and pay page.

Ask us about our lipa mdogo mdogo plan for a monthly schedule. Message us on WhatsApp at +254 720 731957 for a written quote.

How to book your Lamu packages for residents

Booking your Lamu packages for residents with us takes about five minutes of your time. The rest is our job. Here is exactly what happens, step by step, so there are no surprises along the way.

1. Send your dates. Message us on WhatsApp with your travel dates, how many people are coming and the ages of any children. Tell us if you have a budget in mind. We plan with it, not around it.
2. Get a written quote. We reply with a clear price per person, what it includes and what it does not. No hidden park fees and no vague extras. If a cheaper camp or a shorter route makes more sense, we say so.
3. Tweak it until it fits. Change a camp, add a night or swap a park. Ask as many questions as you like. Changes cost nothing until you confirm.
4. Confirm with a deposit. A deposit holds your vehicle, guide and rooms. You get a written confirmation with every detail and the date the balance is due.
5. Travel day. Your driver guide meets you at your hotel or the airport with a name board. You have their number and ours for the whole trip.

What every trip with us includes

Every Lamu packages for residents plan we put together comes with the basics done properly. You ride in a safari vehicle with a pop up roof, with a professional driver guide who knows the parks. Water is in the cooler box and park fees are sorted in advance so you do not stand in a queue at the gate.

We also stay reachable. If something changes on the road, a flat tyre, a closed route or a sudden storm, we sort it and keep you posted on WhatsApp.

Paying safely

We share payment details in writing only and every payment gets a receipt. The payment options and the balance date sit on your written quote, so nothing is left to memory or a phone call.

Why book with a Nairobi team

We live here. We drive these roads all year, we know which camps are honest about their photos and we know when a park is too busy to enjoy. That local knowledge is what turns a good Lamu packages for residents into a great one. Our Google rating sits at 4.9 from 47 reviews and we plan to keep it that way.

Ready when you are. Send us a message and we will put a plan together for you shortly.

Questions people ask

Official information: Magical Kenya.

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