Lamu County
Lamu
Source: The Eastleigh Voice (opens in a new tab) · checked 17 Oct 2026
The source reports the Lamu County Government renaming sites in Lamu Old Town.
Photo: Sila101 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · original
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About Lamu
Lamu Old Town, on Lamu island, is the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001.
Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
Highlights
- Narrow streets and buildings of coral stone and mangrove timber
- Continuously inhabited for over 700 years
- A centre of Islamic and Swahili culture
- The Lamu Cultural Festival, held for three days between November and December
Sources: UNESCO World Heritage Centre (opens in a new tab); The Eastleigh Voice (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
More photos of Lamu
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Suggested time
At least 2 days
KenyaPlus editorial guidance for a comfortable visit, not an official rule.
Confirm before booking
- Flights to Manda Airport and the transfer to Lamu town
- Festival dates for the year you travel
KenyaPlus does not yet hold verified data for these.
When to go
Rain affects travel in Kenya, especially on unpaved roads. Here is the yearly pattern and the current forecast for Lamu, both from the Kenya Meteorological Department.
- January: between the rains.
- February: between the rains.
- March: long rains.
- April: long rains.
- May: long rains, expected peak.
- June: between the rains.
- July: between the rains.
- August: between the rains.
- September: between the rains.
- October: short rains.
- November: short rains.
- December: short rains.
- Long rains
- Short rains
- Between the rains
- Expected peak (2026 outlook)
A summary of Kenya's national rainfall pattern from the Kenya Meteorological Department: long rains March to May (with the peak in April inland and May on the coast, as KMD expected for 2026) and short rains October to December. Other months are shown as between the rains. Rain varies by year and place, and between-the-rains months can still be wet.
Forecast: October–December 2026
For Lamu County, the Kenya Meteorological Department expects above-average rainfall in October–December 2026, with rains starting in the 2nd to 3rd week of October and ending in the 1st to 2nd week of December.
Source: Kenya Meteorological Department (opens in a new tab) · checked 23 Oct 2026
A seasonal forecast, not a guarantee. KMD also issues monthly and weekly updates.
Kenya's rainy seasons
March to May is the main rainfall season — the “long rains” — over most parts of Kenya.
Information status: VerifiedSources: Kenya Meteorological Department: Climate outlook for the 'Long Rains' (March–May) 2026 season (KMD/FCST/01-2026/SO/01) (opens in a new tab); Kenya Meteorological Department: Climate outlook for the 'Long Rains' (March–May) 2025 season (KMD/FCST/01-2025/SO/01) (opens in a new tab) · checked 23 Oct 2026
For the 2026 long rains, the Kenya Meteorological Department expected the peak in April over most regions, and in May along the coast.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Kenya Meteorological Department (opens in a new tab) · checked 23 Oct 2026
October to December brings the “short rains”, a major rainfall season in Kenya.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Kenya Meteorological Department (opens in a new tab) · checked 23 Oct 2026
More in our guide: Best time to visit Kenya.
Guides for Lamu
Lamu Old Town
East Africa's oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement — its architecture, festivals, and arriving by air.
Things to do in Lamu
Photo: Sila101 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · original
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Culture and history
Get lost in the lanes of Lamu Old Town
East Africa's best-preserved Swahili town, with no rush at all.
Where: Lamu
Where next from Lamu
Close by
Photo: Ruslik0 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · original
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Malindiabout 3½ h by road (estimate)
Photo: N Beenay · CC BY-SA 4.0 · original
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Watamuabout 3½ h by road (estimate)
Photo: Bahnfrend · CC BY-SA 4.0 · original
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Mombasaabout 5½ h by road (estimate)
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If you like Lamu
Photo: Alexmbogo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · original
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NairobiAlso good for culture
Photo: Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 4.0 · original
Resized to 1,920 px wide and metadata removed; displayed cropped to fit. All photo credits
Maasai MaraAlso good for culture
Thinking of visiting Lamu?
Add it to a plan and run the Trip Reality Check.
Sources
- The Eastleigh Voice (opens in a new tab) — Lamu Old Town set for revamp with new signage and street names (checked 17 Oct 2026)
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre (opens in a new tab) — Lamu Old Town — World Heritage List (checked 16 Oct 2026)
- The Eastleigh Voice (opens in a new tab) — Lamu intensifies efforts to market region as key tourist destination (20 Mar 2025) (checked 16 Oct 2026)
Spotted something out of date? Tell us — we check corrections against the source before changing anything.