When you think about where to kitesurf between January and March, Kenya should surely be one of your top suggestions. It has been a popular kitesurfing destination for many years now, and for plenty of good reasons. Tropical white beaches, warm waters of the Indian Ocean, and - what’s most important - steady and reliable wind. But what makes this place even more special to visit is the 536 km of coastline, mostly undiscovered and pristine. The most beautiful and remote is the Lamu Archipelago, where our Salty’s crew have sailed through and found some truly amazing, undiscovered kitesurfing spots.
Why you should go on a kitesurfing holiday to Lamu?
We start our adventure in Lamu Island, where you’ll be introduced to a very unique cultural mix of African and Arab, where the Swahili culture is at its strongest. The Swahili coast begins here extending all the way down to Mozambique. Lamu town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and coming here literally feels like you are stepping back in time. The town is believed to be founded in 1370 and is Kenya's oldest inhabited town, and you can feel its ancient history as you walk the town’s streets. You will see no cars on the island - local people travel here on donkeys or with boats between the islands. The waterfront is always busy with fishermen and merchants. Old buildings, small and crowded streets, and the Lamurian people make this a truly interesting place to visit. While you are here, you can stay in an enchanting, 16th century house called Baitul Noor, where the host Najma will welcome you in and spoil you with her delicious Swahili Cuisine.
Lamu, in addition to being a very unique travel destination, is surely the windiest place in Kenya! To explore it, we’ll board the exclusive Pahi 63, an astonishing catamaran perfectly suited for our expedition. There are only a few other boats of this design in the world! The deck resembles a small village, with a central public area surrounded by private cabins. It’s suited to accommodate large groups while still offering spots that seem in solitude, which make boat life at its finest! We start off by sailing through a mangrove labyrinth in order to get to the best kitesurfing spots in the whole archipelago.
Kite safari plan
Our plan is to sail to 4 different islands which have the most accessible and top-class conditions for kiting. The beaches on each of our stops are wide and sandy, perfect to set up your gear on. Stable, side on-shore wind and literally no one around. Just you, wild nature and turquoise-blue ocean. We were very lucky to spot turtles and dolphins here on our last trip!
While we’re kiting, the amazing crew of the Pahi 63 will prepare the beach campsite by setting up a chill area, preparing a bonfire and cooking delicious Swahili food - everything to make this wild camping experience as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. Then by the end of the day, we’ll have sundowners with the most stunning views, following with a night spent underneath the stars. You really can’t be closer to nature than that!
Next morning we'll sail even further north to explore the next islands. There we’ll have plenty of potential kite spots to choose from, all with very different conditions. Flat water lovers will enjoy kiting in the bay, and wave lovers can go to another beach opposite that has a big shore break. There’s also an option of a 4h guided downwinder along the island’s shore. After our session there, we’ll visit Mike’s Camp, a beautiful lodge overlooking the sand dunes that stretch over the whole island.
This trip is definitely aimed at adventure seekers and nature lovers. The whole experience of kiting at these remote spots and camping in the wilderness will be an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
General info for The Lamu Archipelago, Kenya (spot, wind speed, water conditions)
When to go?
Kenya has 2 different monsoon trade winds during the year. The Kuzi (south wind) blows from June - September and the Kaskazi (north wind) blows from December - March. The Lamu Islands work best with the Kaskazi winds where the wind is more stable and the swell less aggressive.
Weather conditions
We’ll predominantly be kiting on spots with cross-onshore wind and so won’t be very gusty. The wind gets usually stronger here compared to other parts of Kenya at this time of the year. The average wind speed is 15-25 knots so the kite size range would be from 7-12m (depending on your weight).
Water temperature
The temperature in the Indian Ocean never goes below 27 degrees, so you can leave your wetsuit at home!
Spot conditions in Lamu Archipelago
This is dependent on the tides. We’ll get flatter water at low tide and more choppy conditions at high tide. There is always plenty of space though to launch/land your kite, and we make sure there’s always someone on the shore to assist you!
Is it a beginner friendly spot?
To be able to kite at our spots you need to be able to ride upwind at the minimum. The spots are largely safe, but as these places are wild and remote you need to know what you are doing so as not to have any accidents. Good, reliable gear is highly recommended. Our Salty’s team will inform you about each spot and assist you on the beach. To ensure the maximum safety and your comfort, we will have a rescue boat with us for the whole trip.
How to get to Lamu Island
We recommend flying here. There’s a daily flight from Nairobi, Malindi or Mombasa. You can use Safarilink, Skyward Express or Jambo jet (among others). Another option is to drive up. As there are no cars allowed on the island there is an option to leave your car at a secured car park in Mokowe town on the mainland. To get from the airport to our accommodation at Baitul Noor you can take a taxi boat to Lamu island which takes about 15 min.
Around Lamu & Shela
The kite safari is obviously focused on kitesurfing, but there are more fun activities for you to enjoy on this trip! From Lamu town you can also visit the nearby town of Shela which has stunning architecture and a bit more of a mellow vibe than Lamu. You can get there by catching a boat, motorbike or choose to walk along the promenade which takes about 30 min. For all the food lovers, Shela has also some amazing restaurants. The famous Peponi hotel which was a favourite of Ernest Hemingway, offers a culturally diverse menu and exceptional food. Other places worth visiting are Kijani or Pizza O.
While you’re here, you should also join a sunset sail on a traditional Lamu dhow. Dozens of these stunning, historical boats sail into a mangrove channel, from where you get the best view of the sun setting behind the ancient landscape.
