LAMU YOGA & WELLBEING FESTIVAL- KIJANI HOTEL

About the destination

To visit Lamu is to step back in time — there's only one vehicle on the island, and people get around on foot, by donkey, or aboard traditional dhows and ngalawas. An eight-mile deserted beach fronts the ocean side, backed by dunes, coconut and mango plantations, and the winding paths of Old Town, where Swahili architecture reflects centuries of Omani, Indian, and Portuguese trade influence. Shela is the small beach village a short walk from Old Town — a laid-back refuge known for its art scene, Swahili culture, and some of Kenya's most expensive real estate, popular with both locals and low-key European elite since the early safari days of the 1920s and 30s. WHERE YOU STAY — one card Kijani Hotel — Rooms, Breakfast Included, 4 nights Set right on the Indian Ocean shore in Shela Village, just a short stroll from the main jetty, amid swaying palms and makuti-thatched roofs. The 11 rooms (Classic or Standard) each have a terrace, en-suite bathroom, overhead fan, and safe, built with traditional Swahili architecture and furniture. There's a freshwater pool, a rooftop restaurant, lush gardens, and on-site water sports — plus easy access to nearby UNESCO World Heritage sites and mangrove-channel boat trips. BEST MONTHS TO VISIT JUN, JUL, AUG, SEP, OCT — Lamu's driest, most comfortable stretch generally. This trip's 4–8 November dates sit just into the short rains. WHEN TO GO — NOTE Lamu is most pleasant June through October, when humidity is lower and rain is rare. This festival runs in early November, just as the short rains begin — expect the odd brief afternoon shower, but it rarely disrupts the beach and dhow-based program. Avoid April–May, when the long rains can be heavy and persistent. GETTING THERE — NOTE Fly Jambojet from Nairobi (Jomo Kenyatta International Airport) to Lamu Manda Airport — about 80 minutes. A short transfer (about 20 minutes) gets you from Manda Airport to Kijani Hotel in Shela, roughly 4km away. Return is via Safarilink from Lamu Manda back to Nairobi Wilson Airport. FLIGHTS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS TRIP ✅ Check this box — costs confirm "All flights and water transfers listed on the itinerary" are included in the $2,821 pp sharing rate. Same two source flags carry over from the Jua House version: the Day 5 block mislabels itself "Day 4" and includes a leftover "Day At Leisure" callout that doesn't belong on a festival day, and the closing ceremony end time reads "1:00am" where it's almost certainly meant to be 1:00pm.

Where you stay