NEWS
@ Mara 2008
Get
MARA news via RSS news feed |
|
|
Meeting
news (new window - close when done)
|
Background news (new window - close when done) |
|
|
|
 2nd
deposit payment deadline extended for 1 month27 January 2008, 15:17:27 We have today (Sunday 27 January) had extensive discussion with our partners in Nairobi during which it was agreed that the contracted deadline for 2nd deposit payment be delayed by 1 month - March 1st. |
US
Ambassador to Kenya encourages US travellers to visit Kenya |
| Bank
imposes changes in credits on MARA 2008 registration 30 January 2008, 07:06:03 We have been advised that the processing of credits will now be on the same cost basis as debits. The cost of credits will now be 4.5% more expensive. See 'terms' |
Annan
says farewell after Kenya coalition deal 03 March 2008, 14:10:39 Kenya faces "a long road ahead" to make a success of a power-sharing deal between government and opposition, Kofi Annan said on Sunday as he took his leave from Nairobi at the end of a six-week mediation mission. |
| KENYA
VISA - information update (including re-entry from Tanzania / Zanzibar) 30 December 2007, 12:19:11 Ammendments to Kenya VISA regulations. Persons re-entering Kenya from Tanzania (or Uganda) should enquire about the "Visitors Pass" on arrival at JKIA International Aiport in Nairobi - avoiding the need for a multiple entry visa. "Gorilla Trekkers" will still need a multiple entry VISA to re-enter from Rwanda. |
Kenyan
rivals see speedy resolution to crisis issues 03 March 2008, 14:10:40 Kenya's political rivals vowed on Monday to hasten talks to resolve longstanding disputes over land and wealth behind a post-election crisis that shattered the country's image as one of Africa's most stable democracies. |
| Bush
fire in Nakuru wildlife park 23 February 2008, 09:32:51 A bush fire damaged Kenya's Lake Nakuru park on Friday, destroying vegetation and terrifying wildlife at one of the east African nation's top tourist destinations. |
|
| The
last hurdle to new prime minister 23 February 2008, 09:32:51 Only a constitutional amendment seemed to stand in the way of the long-awaited settlement to the country’s post-election crisis Friday after a day of long talks and factional consultations. |
|
| Hope
over PM deal / Deal in the making / Kenyan rivals in possible breakthrough
on PM 22 February 2008, 08:35:30 Government and ODM negotiators Thursday closed ranks and agreed on the creation of the position of a Prime Minister. It was a major step in a process that may be inching closer to a break-through in the search for a settlement to end the post-election political crisis. |
|
| 2nd
deposits due for end of January 21 December 2007, 10:14:36 The 2nd deposit payment of $416 per person is due to reach Natural Events for the end of January |
KENYA
TOURISM: UPDATES 22 February 2008, 08:35:29 The situation throughout the country has now been calm throughout the past three weeks and today the governments of Austria, Finland, France and Switzerland revised their travel advisories to lift the warning against non-essential travel to Kenya as a whole............. |
| MARA
update 19 December 2007, 11:53:47 Link to PDF of recent information. 2nd deposit payment due for end of January |
|
| SAA
schedule additional flights Johannesburg - Nairobi 30 October 2007, 20:44:55 Kenya is on the roll … 3 additional conveniently scheduled flights! With effect from 28 October 07 you will have 3 additional flights to and from Nairobi to choose from. |
MARA
no more risk than normal - France relaxes travel advisory 21 February 2008, 08:18:14 Travel to the following is discouraged: Western and Nyanza provinces, some localities of the Rift Valley ....... Masai Mara and Amboseli present no more risk than usual. |
| Nairobi
- Mara - Nairobi : TRANSFER options 01 September 2007, 15:29:37 A simple outline of transfer options from and to Nairobi, as they relate to international flight connections is available on the website |
ODM
threatens renewed protests 20 February 2008, 20:43:28 ODM is threatening to renew its calls for mass action next week and is demanding for parliament to be recalled to pass constitutional changes that could enable the Kofi Annan brokered deals to be implemented. |
| GOVERNORS
LUXURY CAMPS added to MARA 2008 Portfolio 28 August 2007, 22:29:46 The Governors family of Luxury Safari Camps in Kenya are recognized as the Best in all of Africa and set the standard by which all others are judged. Natural Events can provide special rates for customized itineraries; start & end MARA 2008 (or any other time) for any of the Governors' Properties. |
Why
world’s attention is focused on Kenya (A peculiarly Kenyan perspective) 17 February 2008, 14:04:00 Rice’s arrival, together with that of the coming and going of top world leaders has globalised what some Government functionaries appeared to think was a minor internal affair that would fizzle out. |
| Italian
Government Relaxes Travel Advisory 16 February 2008, 12:19:24 Si sconsigliano in ogni caso i viaggi nelle zone del Paese interessate dalle manifestazioni politiche, in particolare le regioni di Nyanza, Western, e la Rift Valley. [We do not recommend in the areas of the country affected by political events, in particular the regions of Nyanza, Western and Rift Valley |
|
| Pre
/ Post meeting Safari & tours 24 May 2007, 09:51:22 Details of 'special' MARA 2008 packages are becoming available on the website. We have worked hard to produce real value for money packages that have the great advantage of ending (pre-meeting) or starting (post-meeting) at the Mara Simba lodge - giving you an extra day on safari. |
Reisewarnung
fuer Kenia abgeschwaecht (German advisory relaxed) 13 February 2008, 12:28:59 German travel advisory relaxed - non-essential travel advice removed. Gute Nachricht für Kenia-Touristen: Das Auswärtige Amt hat seinen Reisehinweis für das afrikanische Land etwas entschärft. Die Behörde rät nicht mehr von "nicht notwendigen Reisen" in das Land ab. |
| MARA
2008 Delegates listed ! 12 August 2007, 13:25:19 The working list of delegates to the MARA 2008 meeting are now available. All available accommodation at the Mara Simba & Keekorok Lodges has been allocated with a few people on the 'wait-list' (which we are working hard to clear). Thus, the current list is a reasonable representation of the delegates to the MARA 2008 meeting. |
OPTIONAL
ACTIVITIES at MARA 2008 18 January 2008, 08:22:01 Game drives are included in your registration but extra activitis can be arranged. Delegates and especially accompanying persons might be interested in optional extra activities |
| Travel
info for MARA delegates attending either ICE or Hibernation meetings
07 May 2007, 11:26:27 Star Alliance African Airpass: 17 countries, 25 destinations, 1 ticket. With a Star Alliance™ African Airpass, you can choose from 25 airport destinations across Sub-Saharan Africa and take between four and ten flights ........ while paying much less than the average fare. |
EXCURSIONS
around Nairobi 18 January 2008, 08:20:36 Short excursions (half & full day) are now advised on the website for those with time in Nairobi. Delegates with early arrivals or later departurs in Nairobi might wish to take advantage of the short tours in and around Nairobi. |
 PBZ
agree to publish the symposia synthesia26 March 2007, 07:02:13 The Editors of Physiological and Biochemical Zoology have again agreed to publish the symposia synthesia. This will be done in a very similar manner as to was employed for Ithala 2004 |
5th
AAPS Congress, University of Nairobi (July 2008) 17 September 2007, 13:10:15 First announcement for the African Association of Physiological Sciences Congress which will take place soon after MARA 2008. |
| Local
charges on Park Fees certain to increase for the Maasai Mara 02 March 2007, 09:35:45 Delegates to MARA 2008 should budget on a local fee increase (Government Surcharge) of ~$20 US per day per person. |
Flying
from EUROPE to Nairobi for arrival on July 19: issues ! 01 September 2007, 23:29:52 The flights for next July are being loaded by major airlines and it now appears very difficult to arrive early on July 19; and if so sometimes unreasonably expensive. If so, this will require previous day arrivals. |
| Pelicans
Boost Lake Nakuru, Kenya Attractions 30 August 2007, 16:37:06 Included in ALL MARA 2008 overland safari itineraries Bird enthusiasts visiting Lake Nakuru to watch the world-famous flamingoes are getting more than what they had bargained for, following the recent arrival of more bird species in the park. Leading the pack of new attractions are the pelicans whose number has surged to more 2,000 birds in the past two months. |
|
| STAR
ALLIANCE Travel via FRANKFURT: Issues ! 15 August 2007, 09:13:08 There are essentially no direct flights from Frankfurt to Nairobi. Traveling from Europe or via Europe to Nairobi? Especially as a Star Alliance flier. A quick look at Lufthansa's website reveals that Kenya is no longer available through their booking. See above link for more info. |
|
| Africa:
Still the "Dark Continent" 24 May 2007, 07:06:25 An Editorial: Conservation Biology, 21(3) June 2007 Stuart L. Pimm of the Conservation Ecology Research Unit at University of Pretoria outlines the under-representation of "African Biology" in the literature. |
|
| Reconstruction
of Maasai Mara roads gets underway 24 April 2007, 08:31:12 The reconstruction of roads leading into the world famous Maasai Mara game reserve has begun ahead of the tourist’s high season in July |
|
| Extra
accommodation & wait-list clearance 14 November 2006, 09:55:00 We have acquired an extra 20 bed-spaces at Keekorok lodge. This is good news for delegates with accompanying persons since this will allow us to clear the existing wait-list (November 06) with a few beds to spare |
Wildlife
policy rules out sport hunting 30 March 2007, 15:50:49 The Government has ruled out the inclusion of sport hunting in the new wildlife policy. But “that does not mean the issue cannot be considered in the future,” Tourism minister Morris Dzoro told a meeting in Nairobi yesterday. |
|
Keekorok
Lodge comes on-board for MARA 2008 |
Virgin
Atlantic extend routing in 2007 to Nairobi 13 March 2007, 20:13:46 Sir Richard Branson, Chairman of Virgin Atlantic, commented: “I am delighted that we are able to launch another new route in 2007, enabling us to offer passengers with more choice and a larger route network. Nairobi is Virgin Atlantic’s fourth service to the African continent and it is expanding at a vast rate." |
| VAT
Tax increase in Kenya 2006/2007 budget 29 June 2006, 15:49:23 The rate of Value Added Tax which applies to goods and services in Kenya has been returned to 18% from 16%. |
Hibernation
Symposium changes venue & dates 12 February 2007, 23:12:38 The organizers of the 13th International Hibernation Symposium advise that this will now be in Swakopmund from 6-12 August (3 days later than earlier plans). |
| Support
for student travel to MARA 2008 24 May 2006, 17:28:20 Thanks to a grant from the Company of Biologists on behalf of the Journal of Experimental Biology - we can offer some travel support for students. |
Science
magazine reports on African Science 12 February 2007, 23:10:49 Science reports:- Science and technology (S&T), although billed as the main themes of last week's African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, had to wait as leaders addressed pressing issues such as the Darfur conflict. |
| AAPS
International Congress - Nairobi, Kenya. July 27 - August 1, 2008 12 June 2006, 08:22:30 The 5th International Congress of the African Association of Physiological Sciences is being hosted by the Kenya Physiological Society in Nairobi in the week MARA 2008. |
Maasai
Mara among world's top 10 tourist sites 25 August 2006, 08:31:13 According to the World Wildlife Fund for Nature's website, the game reserve is among the 10 ideal places that tourists should visit this month. WWF ranked it as the fourth best tourist attraction. |
| New
charges for parks necessary, Kenya Tourist Board 07 June 2006, 08:29:28 The Kenya Tourist Board has defended new park entry charges, saying they would help improve infrastructure and services to visitors. These charges appear as a Government Surcharge in the MARA 2008 fee schedule. |
|
TRAVEL
ADVISORY information will be updated through 02 June 2006, 16:37:18
The UN has said Kenya is one of the few countries to reduce HIV prevalence, from 14% in 1997 to 4% today.
Designed for 1024 x 768 resolution
and JAVA scripting
