Kiwayu Safari Village

Kiwayu Bay, Lamu

Location

For centuries the bay of Kiwayu has been a calling point for Arab chows trading in ivory, carpets and carved chests travelling between Arabia, Mombasa and Zanzibar filling their "debis" with sweet water from our wells.

Kiwayu lies on Kenya's East Coast on the Indian Ocean and forms part of the northern Lamu archipelago.

Nestling amid the mainland dunes, the oasis of Kiwayu Safari Village lies to the north of a sheltered lagoon off the island of Kiwayu.

There are few places in our world, which can boast such total seclusion, visited only by fishermen, the dhow that still come to collect sweet water and the occasional sports fisherman in search of the magnificent marlin or sail fish.

Kiwayu is surrounded by a Marine Reserve, protected by the Kenya Wildlife Services and to the north and west, the adjacent Dodori and Boni Game Reserves. These wild areas are vital to the protection of the fauna and flora of eastern Kenya.

The animals that inhabit these reserves are often migratory such as elephant and buffalo. The permanent residents are lion, cheetah, serval, caracal, lesser kudu and that rare hunting dog. (Apart from the monkeys, of course!).

The sea is home to many types of coral fish, dugongs, whale shark, basking whale, tuna, marlin, sail fish, wahoo, kingfish and many other sports fish and edible species. The turtle lay their eggs on our sandy beaches and together with Kenya Wildlife Services, we avidly protect their beat. Fishing trophies such as marlin and sailfish are released back into the sea.

Accommodation

A maximum of 36 guests can stay in 18 spacious and beautifully decorated local-style cottages (bandas) spread out along the shoreline.

Your home is a banda built in the local Bajuni tradition with palm thatched roof and carpeted floor.

The banda is a suite consisting of a bedroom, dressing room, and shower with running water and lavatory.

Each hammock-strung veranda offers privacy and a panoramic over the bay. And each one is within a few metres of the water's edge, clustered around the restaurant, the bar and the boats.

Every room is furnished with a Super king-size bed surrounded by a turquoise mosquito net. It is simple, spacious and well furnished with different sitting areas and tables - with many options for that all-important siesta.

These bandas are designed to blend into the dunes - no concrete, no nails, nothing to jar the senses.

The dining room and bar are also built in the local Bajuni tradition with palm-thatched roofs and woven matting floors, all open-sided to the beach.

Food