Phila Airport Parking Vacations

The camp is german run, located belowe the oloololo escarpment bordering the Mara River and sitting on the edge of the Masai Mara Game reserve. The region between the Mara River and the Esoit Oloolo form expansive rolling plains and provide a great sight to view animals in their natural habitat.

The Mara Timbo camp consists of seven luxuriously made tents which are en-suite with bathrooms. Lavish yet simple African dcor is the hallmark of each tent interior. It is thatched with grass to ensure that even in hot weather the interior will remain cool. Each tent is equipped with a private veranda, an outdoor bathtub and a sitting area. This is a 5 star establishment.

Each individual tent is a work of art which houses a king size bed, a safe deposit, a bathroom, double sinks, hot and cold shower, flush toilet, 220/240 volt power supply plus host of other amenities used by visitors. The tents are lauded for their privacy and space that gives ine room to move around easily. At the beck and call of each tent is a well trained, professional female butler who provides room service, and gives informative titbits about the camp, Masai Mara and nature.

The camp has a restaurant that provides sumptuous meals. Visitors have a choice of three menus that have three course meals to choose from with one of them being vegetarian. Candle lit dinner is organized under the open skies next to a roaring campfire. The restaurant has a bar and lounge which are artfully decorated with cosy chairs that make you want to laze away the evening. There is a well stocked reference library for the avid readers.

The Mara Timbo camp has a Message Tree- house that ensures visitors are provided with refreshing and professional body message with aromatherapy based oils. The message tree house has a stunning view of the Mara River where one can see the hippos milling around.

Sightings are guaranteed being at the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Your stay at the camp you will see plenty of animals; two big Hippo families inhabit the Mara River directly in front of the camps lounge. Taking a nature walk around the camp you will see large resident populations of herbivores including giraffes, elephants, buffalos, monkeys, Rhinos and zebras. Predators most notably lions and hyenas can be spotted. The leopard being elusive is rarer but can also be sighted in this area. Night game drives, bird watching and Cultural visits can also be organized.

The camp has within its vicinity a curio shop. This shop is well stocked with t-shirts, souvenirs, beadwork done by Masai, and hats plus a host of other items which form ideal gift items for loved ones back at home. Suppliers to the curio shop include Kenya kanga, Marula studios, and Kenya beads.

The Masai Mara isa 40 minute flight away from Nairobi Wilson airport. The Mara Timbo is located near the Oloololo gate of Masai National Reserve and the kichwa Tembo Tembi airstrip. Guests have the option of being picked up at the Kichwa Tembo airstrip and transferred to the camp. The drive to the camp is a first hand experience of the Mara, you get not only to ogle at the scenery but the animals also.

Upon arrival to Kenya, visitors from Europe and Asia can obtain travel visas at the airport. Travel visas are obtained at a fee either at the airport or in advance. Citizens from common wealth countries with the exception of a few d not require visas to enter Kenya. It is convenient to consult with the respective countries consulate, high commission or Kenyan Embassy before traveling.

Its is recommended that all travelers to Kenya and neighboring countries ensure validity of their visa, at least 6 months beyond protracted end of their visit and that their passports have plenty of blank pages to accommodate the immigration stamps. This info can be sourced by travelers from the Embassy of Kenya in the various countries.

Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for travelers to Kenya. Vaccination should be given 10 days before travel. Evidence of the yellow fever immunization may be requested on your arrival at the airport. Apart from Yellow fever, it is prudent to be up-to-date with routine inoculations such as, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) vaccine, polio virus vaccine.

A prescribed anti malarial drug as well as protection against mosquito bites by using nets that have been treated with insecticides(especially in game parks) at altitudes below 2,500m. It should be duly noted however that chloroquine is not considered to be an effective antimalarial drug hence no need to take it as a preventive measure.

Several Western countries have travel advisories for their citizens traveling to Kenya. In as much as I do not want to categorize travel advisories as those, ‘park at your own risk’ notices, the decision to visit Kenya remains solely the visitor’s. Kenya experienced turmoil in early January due to the disputed December 2007 elections. But even at that difficult time, the tourist sites and hotels remained safe.

Hotels, lodges and park are relatively safe because it’s to the interest of the management in those locations to ensure security. The Kenya boarder with Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia are risky but this in not a major concern because they are far away from the tourist routes in Kenya.

The driving rule in Kenya is ‘keep left’, this could prove daunting especially to those who are not accustomed. Vehicle travel outside major cities at night should be avoided mainly due to poor lighting on the roads plus poor road conditions. Some roads become virtually impassible especially during the rainy season. Road jams are usually a norm during the mornings and evenings.

The use of plastic money i.e. credit cards or traveler cheques is advised. Major credit cards are accepted as a means of payment in hotels, lodges and shops. ATM machines are located in all major towns and are situated in secure and well lit places

It’s a rule of thumb to keep friends and family and even the embassy of the progress of your journey. Mobile phone companies offer a wide network though there are some regions that experience weak or no signal usually in the bush where some lodges and parks are situated. Cyber cafes are usually found in every major town, some public venues act as hotspots. This facilitates visitors to upload exciting pictures and videos of their travels in Kenya.

A traveler visiting the Kenyan coast has a range of options for sites to visit and activities. Watamu and Malindi are found in the coast of Kenya and they offer exciting activities like water sports, excursions on the pristine beaches, bird watching, game safaris and snake safaris among many others.

The traditional tourist safaris can be organized from Malindi or Mombasa. The closest wildlife parks are a mere 2 hours drive from Malindi. Kenyas parks offers the most rewarding and beautiful safaris that will leave you with memories of a lifetime. Other activities are-

Kitesurfing

Kite surfing is coordinated from the Che Shale, in Watamu. The pristine beach provides very conducive conditions for kite surfing both professional riders and beginners alike. The Che Shale hotel provides an array of courses taught by professional instructors, state of the art equipment, rescue boats and everything else needed to learn safely.

Indian Ocean Surfing

The number one spot on the Kenyan coast for surfing is Malindi. The outer reefs experience huge swell continually, but the swells become even larger especially during the months of June through August due to seasonal monsoon winds. Surfers are advised to bring along their boards and wax.

Scuba Diving and Snorkeling

There are several world-class dive sites on the North Coast. Diving is good all year round, although visibility lessens during July and August due to silting and high seas. One of the best sites are in the Watamu Marine National Park. These range from shallow coral gardens ideal for learners to spectacular outer reef walls. Sea life is always consistently abundant. Sightings of Whale, Sharks on outer reef dives along the Kenyan Coast in February-March each year are almost guaranteed.

The Ruins at Gede

The Gede Ruins date back to the late 13th century and was abandoned in the early 17th century. The exact reason as to why the town was abandoned is not actually known though it is assumed that the town was plundered and destroyed by unknown invaders in the 17th century. A Nature Trail of deciduous forests dominates the inner and outer walls of the ruins and a small museum has been set up to exhibit ancient Arab, Chinese and Phoenician porcelain excavated from the ruins.

Mida Creek

Its spans 32 square kilometers and is located on the Malindi ” Mombasa road. The creek is composed of mangrove forests and mudflats which attract a large selection of flora and fauna. Several species of mangroves can be seen along the estuaries and sheltered creeks, among them Rhizophora mucronata, Avicenia Marina and Ceriops tagal among others. Along the borders of the mangrove forests on the island of Sudi you will find the Osprey, the little egret, the pied Kingfisher and many others living there. The mudflats are breeding grounds for birds like the black headed herons, yellow billed Storks and the wooly necked storks. One can come across a wide range along the sandy regions.

Snakes Safaris

In December 2007, the world largest spitting cobra Naja ashei was found, and named after the late James Ashe, a prominent herpetologist and founder of Bio-ken. The Bio-ken Snake Farm is located about 2 kilometers north of Watamu and is internationally known for having the biggest collection of snakes in Africa, and almost half of the total number of species in Kenya.

The Large Brown Spitting Cobra Naja ashei is reasonably common in the Kenya lowlands but the area around Galana and South of Tsavo East is where they are most abundant and that makes this area a particular hot spot in Kenya.

You may also visit the African Snake Farm off Mombasa-Malindi road just after Malindi Airport. Other snake farms worth visiting include the snake and crocodile farm near Malindi Marine Park and the Francis Ngombo Snake Farm near Gede.

The Undiscovered Arabuko-Sokoke Forest

This forest is located near Watamu and is a reserve. It is home to an array of rare species of birds and animals including the Sokoke Owl, the Sokoke Cat and Golden Elephant Shrew. This is the ultimate bird watchers haven.

There is a lot more in the offing at Malindi and Watamu, I just hope that this article arouse your interest for this travel destination.

The Kenyan Coast is indisputably one of the top tourism and travel destinations in Kenya, providing a great variety of tourist attractions. Among the popular coastal destinations are the Gedi ruins, the mysterious remains of an ancient Kenya coastal town, which lie about 100km North of Mombasa and 15km South of Malindi. Found deep in the Arabuko Sokoke forest, these 15th century ruins are among Kenya’s great unexploited treasures.

Apart from the common belief that the town was abandoned in the early 17th century, little else is known about this ancient coastal town that still puzzles both archaeologists and historians. The reason why the town was abandoned is not documented but one school of thought believes that unknown invaders destroyed the town in the 17th century. Many researchers dispute this theory because there is no evidence of any disturbance or battle in this ancient Swahili settlement whose population was estimated at 2500 people.

Another school of thought argues that the inhabitants of the town abandoned it after receding ocean waters depleted the available water from their wells. It is also alleged that the Portuguese brought the deadly Black Plague, with no known cure, wiping out the population.

A recent theory has it that the town was threatened by the approach of the Galla, an inland tribe known to be outwardly hostile at that time, and that the townspeople fled ahead of their arrival. Yet once again, local recorded history fails to mention any such large scale evacuation at this time.

In 1927, Gedi ruins were declared a historic monument. Since then, there have been many excavation and preservation works in the ruins. Many large areas of this ancient town have been revealed, including the palace, a great mosque, and the pillar tombs. Despite all this research work however, nobody knows with certainty what happened to Gedi and its inhabitants.

Excavations of the Gedi Ruins that were carried out between 1948 and 1958 uncovered porcelain from China, an Indian lamp, Venetian beads, Spanish scissors, and other interesting vestiges that show that some of Gedi?s past citizens were engaged some form of international trade.

The Gedi Ruins were declared a national park in 1948 and the area has since become one of the top tourist attractions along the Kenyan coastal region. Gedi remains a mysterious place to visit, especially with pillars and stone walls, ruined mosques and tombs lying among stands of trees.

Today, modern day villages surround Gedi, which, overgrown with plants and flowers, still remains an oasis tranquility. You can get to Gedi from Malindi, Mombasa, and Watamu. There is a small museum that exhibits ancient items retrieved through excavation work, including Arab wares, Chinese porcelain, and Phoenician artifacts. More artifacts from Gede ruins are also available at the Fort Jesus museum in Mombasa.

The Kenya Coast remains one the top travel destinations in Kenya, offering many diverse tourist attractions. Among such popular destination in the Coast are the Gedi ruins, which lie about 100 km north of Mombasa and 15 km south of Malindi. These ruins of the 15th century town of Gedi hold with them Kenya’s great unknown treasures; a wonderful ancient town lying lost in the depths of the Arabuko Sokoke forest.

Apart from the common belief that the town was abandoned in the early 17th century, little else is known about this ancient coastal town that still puzzles both archaeologists and historians. The reason why the town was abandoned is not documented but one school of thought believes that unknown invaders destroyed the town in the 17th century. Many researchers dispute this theory because there is no evidence of any disturbance or battle in this ancient Swahili settlement whose population was estimated at 2500 people.

Another school of thought thinks that the town residents abandoned it as a result of receding ocean waters which caused a reduction in water availability in the water wells. Other people also allege that the entire population was wiped away by the deadly and incurable Black Plague introduced by the Portuguese.

A recent theory has it that the town was threatened by the approach of the Galla, an inland tribe known to be outwardly hostile at that time, and that the townspeople fled ahead of their arrival. Yet once again, local recorded history fails to mention any such large scale evacuation at this time.

In 1927, Gedi ruins were declared a historic monument. Since then, there have been many excavation and preservation works in the ruins. Many large areas of this ancient town have been revealed, including the palace, a great mosque, and the pillar tombs. Despite all this research work however, nobody knows with certainty what happened to Gedi and its inhabitants.

Excavations of the Gedi Ruins that were carried out between 1948 and 1958 uncovered porcelain from China, an Indian lamp, Venetian beads, Spanish scissors, and other interesting vestiges that show that some of Gedi?s past citizens were engaged some form of international trade.

In 1948, the Kenya government declared Gedi ruins a national park. The area has since become one of the top tourist attractions in the Kenya coast. With its pillars and stone walls, and ruined mosques and tombs in the midst of trees, Gedi ruins still remain a mysterious place to visit.

Surrounded by modern-day villages, Gedi is an oasis of tranquility; overgrown with plants and flowers. The area can be accessed easily from Malindi, Watamu and Mombasa. A small museum has been set up to exhibit ancient Arab, Chinese and Phoenician porcelain excavated from the ruins. The Fort Jesus museum in Mombasa has artifacts from the Gedi Ruins as well.