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Nairobi is an international city which is well served with a network of good quality hotels. The
hotel bookings for the conference
participants as well as
pre and post excursions and tours
will be arranged through Maniago Travel. 
Hotel check-in and check-out
Accommodation on pre and post tours (safaris) is in lodges or luxury tented camps.
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LODGES are small by normal hotel standards (50-120 beds), with most of the facilities you would find in a good quality hotel such as lounge, bar, dining room, swimming pool and shop. Bedrooms are usually twin-bedded (doubles are limited and must be
specifically requested) with en-suite bathroom facilities (except Shimba).
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LUXURY TENTED CAMPS are smaller (20-50 beds), tend to be privately owned and offer a more intimate atmosphere with personalized service. Public rooms are also under canvas, while meals are often taken outside around the camp-fire. They may not have a
swimming pool or shop and are often situated in more remote locations.
Airport departure taxes are now included in price of the international flight ticket for all three countries. It is also the policy of Maniago Travel to quote domestic fares inclusive of airport taxes.
Single and dual slide projection, overhead projector, video, and LCD projector will be available on request.
Clients on our scheduled safaris are asked to restrict baggage to one medium size suitcase (or better still, two smaller, flexible hold alls), plus hand baggage, per person. An overnight bag only may be taken to Treehotels (Treetops and the Ark).
There is a baggage weight restriction of 15kg per person on all scheduled domestic flights in Kenya and Tanzania. Excess baggage charges are usually nominal, but if the aircraft is full the excess baggage may be refused.
When on safari your Nairobi hotel will be happy to store excess baggage until your return.
Banks are open from 8.30 to 15.00 from Monday to Friday.
Usually, the climate in Nairobi is pleasant in September. Temperatures range between 15-22°C.
Clothing should be practical, comfortable and informal. Lightweight cotton such as shirts, shorts, trousers or skirts are ideal on safari, while a warm sweater or jacket (and socks!) may be needed for early morning game drives and cool highland evenings. It
is unlikely that Jacket and Tie will be needed except at one or two of the Nairobi restaurants or for visitors on business. Bring your swimwear, sunhat, sun cream, sunglasses, a small flash-light (torch), alarm clock and comfortable, dustproof shoes. Lip balm,
insect repellant, and reading material, are also useful. Leave valuable jewellery at home.
The local currency is the Kenya Shilling (Ksh), with 100 Cents to one shilling. There are coins of 50 Cents, 1, 5, 10 and 20 Kshs and notes of 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 Kshs. Exchanging at approximately KShs. 75/- to US Dollar as at March
2002. Take travelers cheques in USD, EUR, GBP or other major currency. These can be changed into the local currency as required. Do not carry large amounts of cash. Most hotels accept major credit cards e.g. MasterCard, Visa and American Express.
Never drink tap water in Kenya. Bottled (mineral) water is available readily at shops and supermarkets. Hotels will provide a flask with purified water in your room to brush your teeth.
The electrical supply in Kenya and Tanzania is 240v/50 Hz. Sockets are usually 3 pin square (British type). Those coming from North America with 110v/60hz appliances should be sure to use an appropriate transformer. In tented camps and lodges it is usually
possible to re-charge video camera batteries at reception on request.
When on safari, membership with the Flying Doctor Society (FDS) is recommended and available from Maniago Travel and Cruises. In the event of serious accident or illness patients will receive emergency treatment and an air ambulance to hospital. The current
cost for 14 day cover is US$15 (max 500km from Nairobi) or US$30 (max 1000km). Cover for 2 months is US$25 and US$50 respectively.
Yellow fever and Cholera vaccination certificates are required for visitors arriving from infected areas. There are a number of other inoculations recommended to visitors. Clients are advised to contact their own doctor or local medical advisory center for
up to date information. Malaria is endemic in East Africa and visitors should follow a course of Malaria prophylactics according to doctor's advice.
In Kenya, excellent medical facilities are available in Nairobi (please note this is at a fee and NO free health care is provided). Hotels will contact doctors and dentists, or they can be found listed in the telephone directory.
Flying Doctor Society
Normal check-out time is 1000 hrs. Rooms may not therefore be available for early check-in unless booked from the night before. Day rooms can usually be reserved up to 1800 hrs (6.pm).
Accommodation
English and Kiswahili are the official languages spoken in Kenya.
English and French are the official languages of the conference.
Most hotels and lodges offer laundry services.
The Conference organizers cannot accept liability for personal injuries, loss or damage to property belonging to Conference participants (or their accompanying persons), either during or as a result of the Conference. Please check the validity of your own
insurance.
Flying Doctor Society
Dining is an integral part of the safari experience. High standards of cuisine and a welcoming choice of mouthwatering dishes will usually greet the hungry guest just in from safari. Full board is normally provided and includes early morning tea, full
breakfast, buffet lunch, afternoon tea and a four-course dinner. Tea and coffee is served with all meals. Standards of cuisine in some Tanzania and Uganda hotels do not reach those of Kenya but meals are entirely adequate and nutritious. Please note that while
in Nairobi hotels are booked on bed and breakfast basis.
Kenya uses the metric system. Visitors will find weather temperature reports given in degrees Celsius, petrol is sold by the liter, as is milk and water, and grocery items are sold in grams and kilograms. Distances and road speeds are
posted in kilometers and kilometers per hour.
Bring plenty of film with you. It is available locally but rather expensive and in outlying lodges may be out of date. Telephoto lenses (minimum 200 mm recommended) are a must for wildlife photography. Other useful items include filters, dust-proof bags
and, of course, spare batteries. Home video cameras may be brought in but professional filming is subject to government permits and levies. Binoculars are an invaluable aid to spotting distant animals or birds.
There are many shopping malls in Nairobi (such as the Safrit Centre, The Mall, Yaya Centre). Normal trading hours are Monday to Saturday from 9.00 to 17.00. Supermarkets generally stay open until 20.30, including Sundays.
Maniago Travel has however arranged
special shopping tours
to ease your shopping due to the distance of the shopping areas as well as providing a guide to advise based on your shopping requirements.
There is always a strong demand for accommodation on safari and occasionally the lodges or camps cannot provide single rooms, even when booked and confirmed. To guarantee single use, it may become necessary to book a room at a special double room supplement
to hold the room as a double but with only one person occupying it.
Taxis in Nairobi are abundant and reasonably priced although their quality varies. They may be ordered by phone or flagged down in the street. When flagging down, always agree on the fare or ask your hotel's doorman for assistance as
no taxis have meters. When ordering a taxi over the phone, fixed prices are quoted. Taxis must be paid in cash. Please seek assistance at Maniago's hospitality desk in your hotel lobby or conference center.
In Kenya, international dialing and full fax and electronic mail facilities are widely available. Phone cards and cell phones are readily available. For international calls dial 00 or ask your hotel operator for assistance. Beware that
all calls are very expensive, although most internet cafes provide very inexpensive rates for emailing (Kshs 1/min). Mobile phones may be used in city areas.
On safari, calls may be booked through reception. Check prices before making calls from hotels.
CELL PHONES
Cell phones rental may be facilitated through Maniago Travel. Please note that you may be able to use your GSM phone in Kenya under roaming arrangements but this may be very expensive. We advise you check applicable tariffs first.
For information on cell phone rental, click here.
GMT + 3 Hours
In restaurants, hotels, taxis, hairdressers and so on, gratuity is not included in the price. Although optional, tips are readily accepted and a general guideline is between 5% and 10% of the bill, depending on the quality of the
service. Hotel and airport porters will take, depending on the luggage you have, between Kshs 50-100.
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ROAD SAFARIS
Transport on road safari is by 9-seat minibus, carrying a maximum of 7 passengers, each with a seat by a window and opening roof hatch and wildlife reference books. Our Connoisseur safaris and fly-in safaris all include a proportion of game viewing in 4
wheel drive vehicles. These are normally operated by the camp or lodge. The vehicles carry a maximum of 7 persons and have opening roof hatches.
Game drives on private farms and ranches are often conducted in fully open 4 wheel drive vehicles.
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FLYING SAFARIS
Transport on flying safaris utilizing scheduled flights is by twin-engine aircraft of 4-50 seats.
There is value added tax (VAT) of 18% applied to most goods and services, but most prices you see will include it. When it is not included, this should be clearly indicated.
Citizens of most countries require a visa for entering Kenya.
Please click here for Kenyan Visa form and additional details
(this will open a new window and take you to the relevant section within the website of Kenya Airways)
Our safari prices do not include the cost or provision of visas, inoculations or personal insurance.
Health
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Flying Doctor Society
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