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Yoga Retreat in LamuKE
A UNESCO-listed Swahili island town with no cars, where yoga happens on rooftops and dunes between the dhows and the call to prayer.
Why here
Lamu is a UNESCO World Heritage Swahili settlement with no cars, where the pace is set by dhows and donkeys, and its yoga scene grew organically out of that stillness. Banana House and Wellness Centre in Shela village has anchored it for over two decades with daily classes, meditation, and healing therapies in a tropical garden, and it founded the Lamu Yoga and Wellbeing Festival, voted among the world's best yoga festivals by Yoga Journal, which fills rooftops, beachfronts, and dune-top platforms with 150-plus classes from 30-plus teachers. Fatuma's Tower in the Shela dunes adds a restored Swahili tower house with its own yoga hall. The setting does half the teaching.
Best months
November to March is the dry, breezy season; the April to June long rains are the low. The festival is annual with organizer-announced dates that have moved between months across editions; the next edition is November 4-8 2026, confirmed on the official festival site.
Getting there & around
Fly Nairobi to Manda Island, then a short boat transfer; there are no vehicles on the island. Shela village is the retreat hub, a half-hour walk or short boat from Lamu town.
Skill levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced
Schools & guides (2)
Banana House & Wellness Centre
Retreat centerShela's wellness anchor for over two decades, with daily yoga, meditation, and healing therapies in a garden setting, and founder of the Lamu Yoga and Wellbeing Festival.
Fatuma's Tower
Retreat centerRestored Swahili tower house in the Shela dunes with its own yoga hall, hosting classes and small retreats.