In 2013, we supported the production of a documentary film highlighting the cultural links between the Swahili people and their ancestors from the Arabian peninsula. Blending Arab and African cultures, the Swahili coast tells one of the most unique and fascinating stories about its multicultural past. A centre for islamic learning and an important historical trading port for ships from Arabia, India, Europe and China, the Lamu archipelago is a destination full of mystery and contradictions. Towns built from corrals pulled directly out of the sea, bustling market squares and deserted white sandy beaches (not to mention the annual donkey racing festival!), Lamu feels like an undiscovered gem from a bygone era.
Trip highlights:
● Overnight sleeper train through the African
savannah
● Playing (and losing at) Carrom with the local elders
● Cruising the channels of the archipelago on a traditional Dhow
● Catching and grilling our own fish on a desert island.