Mara 2008

Travel options:

For delegates leaving for the:
"International Hibernation Symposium"

AIR TICKETS: Book air-tickets as soon as possible. Flights are generally loaded into the system 50 weeks in advance. Previously some delegates who have delayed have faced heavy premiums and less than optimum routing.
VISA - most visitors will need an entry visa - will you need a double entry visa ? (visa information)
PLEASE DETERMINE AND CHECK VISA REQUIREMENTS

Travel:
Maasai Mara - Swakopmund, Namibia Coast

* There are no direct flights between Nairobi and Windhoek.
* Flights between Nairobi and Windhoek via Johannesburg will require a night in Johannesburg.
* A scheduled service exists between Nairobi and Lusaka, Zambia which allows for the exciting prospect of Safaris starting Zambia (inc Victoria Falls), via Botswana (inc Okavango Delta) and Namibia (inc Etosha).
* There are direct flights into Windhoek with Air Namibia from Frankfurt and London (Gatwick Airport) 2-3 times each week but this seems not to be a financially sensible route when combined with a connection with a one-way international flight with any other airline.
* Within Africa one-way tickets are generaly not much more than 50% of the return ticket.

We recommend one of two options for overseas delegates:

(a) fly to Nairobi for Mara 2008 then on to Windhoek via Johannesburg - all as return flights - (i.e. back-track and fly out via Nairobi). However, why not Safari between Nairobi and Windhoek?
(b) fly into Johannesburg and connect to Nairobi for MARA 2008 then after (you can safari in Kenya prior to this) to Windhoek via Johannesburg, before reruting to Jo'burg fo rthe flight home. (see below).

STAR ALLIANCE - AFRICA PASS
significant savings!

We also recommend that you consider the Star Alliance Africa Pass. The choice is yours.

For example, you can buy as few as four and as many as ten coupons, with each coupon varying in price, yet still costing much less than the regular fares.

Here’s a sample itinerary:
Itinerary: Price in US$
Johannesburg – Nairobi 272
Nairobi – Johannesburg 272 *
Johannesburg – Windhoek 110
Windhoek – Johannesburg 110

* Will require an overnight stopover in Johannesburg (we recommend the Holiday Inn - Garden Court) before flight to Windhoek the next morning

NOTE: SAFARI - Nairobi - Windhoek/Swakopmund: Replace the leg between Nairobi and the Hibernation meeting at Swakopmund with a Safari that delivers you direct to the Hibernation meeting or to Windhoek. For example, Zambia and/or Botswana safaris with air and road transfer via Etosha directly to the meeting in Swakopmund. See Safri Details.
NOTE: SAFARI - in Nambia Arrive Windhoek early and safari in Namibia - ending at Swakpomund. See safari details.

Steve, André and Natural Events can advise on itinerary development. This may all seem a little complex - contact us and we'll advise on your specific situation.

Schedule: July/August 2008

16	Pre-meeting safaris (3 - 8 days)
17
18
19	Road transfers leave Nairobi prior to 11 am
20	MARA 2008
21
22
23
24
25	Road transfers arrive Nairobi earliest 2 pm
26	Post-meeting safaris (3-8 days) Overland Safari from Nairobi to Windhoek/Swakopmund
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6	International Hibernation Symposium
7
8
9
10
11
12

ARRIVAL in Nairobi
You must arrive and clear customs before 9 am on July 19 in order to connect with the road transfer direct to the Maasai Mara (included). .
If you are unable to make these times - you will need to arrive the day previous and overnight in Nairobi or consider our alternative transfers.
Note: Many flights from Johannesburg arrive at Nairobi too late for same-day transfers (see schedule). For small groups chrtered air services may be a cost effective alternative (below).

DEPARTURE from Nairobi
It would be unwise to plan on arriving at Nairobi International before 2 pm on Friday August 25 - unless you pay for air-transfer (~$143 US). You may need to overnight in Nairobi.
Note: Some flights to Johannesburg depart Nairobi too early for same-day transfers (see schedule).

Alternate arrival & transfer options:

Arrive Nairobi International Airport by 12 noon and transfer by scheduled air service to Maasai Mara (extra charge ~$130 - $150 US) - (see schedule)
Arrive Nairobi International Airport by 3 pm and take air charter serviceto Maasai Mara (extra customised charge - min 4 persons). This may be a cost effective alternative to a hotel night in Nairobi. We can fix this for you.

OVERNIGHT in NAIROBI:

For arrival Nairobi prior to July 19, or departure from Nairobi after July 25,: transfer to Nairobi hotel (see serviced hotels) [airport - hotel transfers: small extra charge]. Nairobi - Mara - Nairobi transfers will call at included hotels (included) {extra days - why not safari to or from MARA 2008?

Travel through Nairobi International Airport (see International Flights and power point for more information on flight times)

International Flights - Nairobi, Kenya

Airlines serving Nairobi International Airport include:

Aerotech, African Airlines Int´l, African Int´l, Air Austral, Air Botswana, Air France, Air Gabon, Air India, Air Madagascar, Air Malawi, Air Mauritius, Air Seychelles, Air Tanzania, Air Zambia, Air Zimbabwe, Alliance Air, British Airways, Cameroon Airlines, DAS Air, Djibouti Air, Eagle Airways, Egyptair, El Al, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Evergreen Int´l, Gulf Air, Iran Air, KLM, Kenya Airways, Lufthansa, Lufthansa CityLine, Martinair Holland, Olympic, Pakistan Int´l, Saudi Arabian, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Sudan Airways, Swiss, TMA, Trans Arabian, Uganda Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Yemenia

Daily connections to: Johannesburg, London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Dubai, Singapore

Mara 2008 - EARLY arrival or LATER departure (arrive Nairobi >1 day early or depart >1 later)

Pre and Post meeting tours and safaris
- Pre-meeting packages: start Nairobi International or Nairobi Hotel and end Mara Simba Lodge
- Post-meeting packages: start Mara Simba and end Nairobi International.
  - Packages for 2 - 8 days: including "Amboseli National Park", "Abaderes National Park"; "Ngorongoro (Tanzania) and Olduvai option.
- Pre and post meeting tours and safaris to start and end Nairobi - anywhere and anything (Serengeti, Turkana, Lake Victoria, Ethiopia, Zanzibar but see the list (2 persons minimum).
- Gorilla safari: 3-4 day excursion to the Rwandan forest to observe gorilla! Start-end Nairobi.

(safaris)

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