| The islands of the Lamu archipelago
are what remains of a 1000-year-old civilization
that developed between the 9th and 19th centuries.
Lamu was for centuries a trading port for
ivory, rhino horn and slaves. Several of the
southern islands have ancient forts and ruins.
The islands of the northern archipelago border
the remote and virtually inaccessible Dodori
and Boni Game Reserves, with the islands themselves
forming part of the 250km² Kiunga Marine
National Reserve. The reserve is famous as
a habitat for the rare dugong. It has at least
five types of turtles and nine species of
mangrove and is the largest breeding ground
for the roseate terns.
The islands are surrounded by coral reefs
thriving at the confluence of the East African
coastal current and the nutrient rich Somali
current. Occasional land animals, such as
lesser kudu, bushbuck and various primates
can be seen along the shores. The nearby
mainland has freshwater marshes that provide
an important water stop for many trans-Indian
Ocean migratory birds, providing the opportunity
to catch sight of various Kenyan species
native only to the region. Depending on
the length of the trip, tours will be conducted
entirely within the Kiunga Marine Reserve
or extend all the way south to Lamu Island.
|
