Skip to content

History

Lamu: A Living Swahili Town

Lamu · Manda Island

Subject
History
For
Students aged 12 and above
Duration
5 days
Price
Priced to your group size and dates
Group size
Up to 25 students
Departure
Dates set with your school

Overview

The trip

Lamu Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa, and people still live in it today.

Students walk its narrow streets of coral stone and mangrove timber, visit Lamu Fort and the Lamu Museum to see how the town grew rich on Indian Ocean trade. A boat trip to the ruins at Takwa on Manda Island shows what became of a Swahili town that was later abandoned.

Learning outcomes

What students gain

Students will be able to:

  • Explain how Lamu grew from Indian Ocean trade and why it matters to Swahili history
  • Identify the materials and features of Swahili architecture, such as coral stone, mangrove poles and carved doors
  • Describe how a living historic town balances preservation with daily life
  • Use museum objects and ruins as evidence to reconstruct how a Swahili town worked

The price covers

What's included

Included

  • Return flights between Nairobi and Lamu
  • Local boat and transfers
  • Educational visits and expert-led sessions
  • Expert guide
  • Shared accommodation with breakfast
  • Safety briefing
  • 24-hour guide support

Not included

  • Lunch and dinner
  • Entry fees outside the core programme
  • Personal spending

Itinerary

The day-by-day itinerary

The full schedule and quote come with your proposal.

3 trips

Other History trips

Ready to design your next trip?

Tell us the subject, year group and rough group size. We'll come back within one working day with a trip outline and indicative costs, built around your curriculum.

Chat on WhatsApp

Parent or student?