Guides & Itineraries
7 Days on the Kenyan Coast: The Ultimate Putu Itinerary
From the dhow harbors of Lamu to the reef walls of Watamu, here is exactly how we would spend a week on the coast if we only had one shot at it.
By Putu Editorial
Updated 9 min read 16 reads
In this article
A week is just enough time to feel the coast change under your feet — from the salt-worn stone of Lamu Old Town to the reef-fringed hush of Watamu. This is the itinerary we hand our first-time guests, refined over dozens of trips.
Days 1–2: Lamu Old Town
Fly into Manda Airstrip and take the short dhow crossing to Lamu — there are no cars here, only donkeys and narrow coral-stone lanes. Spend your first afternoon getting lost on purpose: the Lamu Museum, the waterfront fish market at dusk, and a rooftop dinner watching dhows come in under sail.
On day two, arrange a half-day dhow sail to Manda Toto for snorkeling, then close the evening with a Swahili seafood feast — think coconut-crab curry and chapati fresh off the jiko.
Days 3–4: Watamu & the Marine Park
A short flight south drops you into Watamu, home to one of East Africa's best-preserved coral reefs. Morning two takes you into Watamu Marine National Park for a guided snorkel among turtles and parrotfish, followed by a slow afternoon at Mida Creek watching flamingos work the shallows at low tide.
- Book the marine park slot for early morning — visibility is best before 10am.
- Ask your guide about the Local Ocean Conservation turtle rehab centre; it's a 20-minute stop worth making.
Days 5–6: Diani Beach
Diani's swing from postcard beach to genuine nightlife happens fast after sundown. Spend your mornings on the water — kite-surfing lessons or a sunset dhow cruise — and your afternoons at the Colobus Conservation centre, where you'll learn how the coast's black-and-white colobus monkeys are protected from the road traffic that once fragmented their forest.
Day 7: Slow Departure
We deliberately build in a soft last day. A late breakfast, one final swim, and a coastal massage before your transfer back to Mombasa or Nairobi. Trips that end in a rush rarely land the way they should.
What to Pack
Reef-safe sunscreen, a light rain shell for the April–May and November short rains, and modest cover-ups for Lamu's more conservative old town. Everything else — dhow transfers, park permits, guides — we handle.
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