diving in the heart of the Lamu archipelago

The old town of Lamu, Kenya has been shining for almost 700 years. The oldest city of the Swahili people, it is also the one that is best preserved, frozen in an era that is no more. By walking through its alleys on the back of a donkey, the visitor goes back in time. “Donkeys are used for both goods and people”, explains a guide. In total, 6000 donkeys live in Lamu, almost as many as the number of inhabitants.

“Each people passed by Lamu has left a little of its mark”, explains the guide, at the bend of an alley in which is the oldest stone house. A short walk from the old town, Lamu also sports a more glamorous aspect. Mick Jagger, Barack Obama… The archipelago attracts great fortunes. A postcard landscape, however, relatively unknown, while the old town has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for twenty years.