Safari Trails Newsletter January 2015
A Note from Our Managing Director
On behalf of our Safari Trails team, I would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year. In the year ahead, as we continue our exciting journey in the world of travel, our aim is to open up new horizons while continuing to give you the excellent service that you have come to expect from us.
I would also like to take this opportunity to extend a personal thank you to all our suppliers, valued clients and friends for all your support this past year.
And for those of you in need of some travel inspiration for the coming year, only one quote comes to mind –
“Stuff your eyes with wonder, live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories.” – Ray Bradbury
Travel well!
Best Regards,
Mona Thethy
Managing Director
A REINTRODUCTION TO OUR TEAM
Mona Thethy Managing Director mona@safaritrails.com
Rajay Thethy Marketing Director rajay@safaritrails.com
Esha Chauhan Sales Manager – Holidays holidays@safaritrails.com
George Karanja Tour Manager – Inbound sales@safaritrails.com
Chander Bhanu Tour Manager – Inbound safaris@safaritrails.com
Marietta Ndei Reservations reservations@safaritrails.com
Anne Wambui Tour Consultant tours@safaritrails.com
Paul Kamau Accounts accounts@safaritrails.com
Davina Nyanga Finance finance@safaritrails.com
Matthias Tsisiaga Support Staff
Mary Kadenge Support Staff
After a 2 year break, Esha Chauhan is back with Safari Trails and we are very excited to have her rejoin our team!
EXCITING NEW ADDITION TO THE SOPA KENYA COLLECTION – LAKE NAKURU SOPA LODGE
Sopa Lodges opened its newest property – Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge on December 12th 2014. Situated within the Lake Nakuru National Park, on a range of hills that form the Western border, Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge is accessible by an all-weather road 21 Kms from the main park entrance and 7 Kms from the Naishi airstrip. The 60 tastefully-decorated and spacious guest rooms feature generous en-suite bathrooms and private balconies, inviting guests to fully appreciate the panoramic views of the lake and its surroundings. Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge comprises of 6 single rooms and 54 twin/double rooms, 2 of which are wheelchair – friendly, designed with the physically challenged and elderly in mind. The multi-rooftopped buildings include open-air verandahs, the ‘Lekwane’ restaurant, and the ‘Ol Donyio’ bar and lounge. An infinity swimming pool facing the lake and the park is yet another highlight at Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge.
HOTEL ROYAL ORCHID AZURE – THE LATEST ADDITION TO NAIROBI 5* HOTELS
In the heart of Nairobi’s new commercial and leisure district, Westlands, stands the imposing Hotel Royal Orchid Azure, Nairobi. Located along Lantana Road and approximately 4.5 km from Nairobi CBD, the hotel offers a serene and world class environment for business travellers and leisure seekers. The hotel features two restaurants, a 24 hour coffee shop, a sports bar, a roof-top conference facility, tastefully furnished 165 rooms and suites, an outdoor pool, a fitness centre and a casino. The conference facility at Hotel Royal Orchid Azure, Nairobi is fully equipped to cater for the business person’s needs. It has versatile spaces of upto 16,000 square feet and its location at the roof top of the 11 storey building gives a fantastic 360 degree view of Nairobi city.
The hotel has 88 standard rooms, 56 superior rooms, 8 deluxe rooms, 11 junior suites, 1 Orchid suite and 1 Presidential suite. The rooms are designed to provide a relaxing, convenient and luxurious stay. They are well equipped with modern luxury facilities such as flat screen satellite televisions, coffee and tea making facilities, direct dial telephone, fully stocked mini bar, programmable safe, individually controlled air conditioning system, en suite bathroom featuring a Jacuzzi and complimentary high speed Wi-Fi.
The Limelight restaurant is the hotel’s main, all-day dining restaurant overlooking the outdoor pool. It is a modern restaurant that offers a multi-cuisine a-la-carte menu of tantalising, mouth-watering dishes and serves buffet lunches too.
The Tiger Trail restaurant is an Indian speciality restaurant with a separate Vegetarian kitchen, that serves sumptuous, authentic Indian cuisines. The atmosphere at the Tiger Trail restaurant boasts a royal feel that was true to the Indian Maharajahs.
The sports bar is the ideal place to catch uninterrupted local and international sporting action. Located on the first floor, it offers a variety of the best cocktails and brews and also provides a comfortable place to relax.
A cordial tropical sun hangs in azure skies above the outdoor pool begging one to take a dip or to enjoy a sundowner as the modern fitness centre entices you to rejuvenate your body, mind and spirit.
Hotel Royal Orchid Azure, Nairobi is the second in Africa by India’s leading hospitality group Royal Orchid Hotels. The group’s first hotel in Africa is Royal Orchid Malaika Beach Resort located in Mwanza, Tanzania.
YOU CAN SKY DIVE IN KENYA!
Sky Dive Diani brings to us an exciting new offering in Kenya – the chance to jump off an airplane 10,000 feet up in the sky! Although, Sky Dive Diani has been operating in Kenya for a little over a year, not many people know that the sky diving experience is now attainable not far from home, in our very own – Diani Beach, 30 kms south of Mombasa! First time sky divers must do a Tandem skydive which involves a professional and highly trained skydiving instructor literally strapped onto your back, allowing you to experience the thrill of free fall and a magnificent canopy flight over the coastline, without any significant training. Sky Dive Diani takes pride in the fact that every jump is a beach jump – which means that you will land unerringly on Diani Beach each and every time! For those who would like to learn how to sky dive and become qualified solo jumpers, they also offer the Accelerated Free Fall Course.
KENYA AIRWAYS FLIGHTS NOW DEPARTING FROM NEW NAIROBI TERMINAL 1A
Several new destinations including London, Amsterdam, Paris and Dubai have been added to the list of Kenya Airways flights departing from the ultra-modern Terminal 1A at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi. The new state-of-the-art terminal 1A is exclusively dedicated to Kenya airways and its Sky Team partner airlines. Its facilities will help provide a world class experience to guests. Kenya Airways began using Terminal 1A on August 12, 2014, which has the capacity to handle peak hour traffic of more than 1,500 passengers per day and up to 2.5 million passengers every year. The partially completed terminal which has so far been handling only departures is expected to be fully operational in 2015.
AWARDS GALORE!
SUN AFRICA HOTELS SHINES AT WORLD LUXURY HOTELS AWARDS WITH A WHOPPING 5 WINS Sun Africa Hotels won in an impressive 5 of the award categories at the annual World Luxury Hotel Awards held in Cape Town / South Africa on the 7th of December 2014. Sun Africa’s Sovereign Suites in Nairobi won for best Luxury Suite Hotel in Africa, Keekorok Lodge in the Maasai Mara for best Luxury Lodge and best Luxury Wildlife Resort in Africa with two awards, and their lake side Kiboko Luxury Camp at Lake Naivasha for best Luxury Tented Safari Camp – Global Category and Sun Africa Hotels itself won the Continent Category Winner for Best Hotel Management Company in Africa.
SAROVA HOTELS BAGS 5 AWARDS AT THE WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS 2014
Sarova Hotels won 5 awards at the World Travel Awards held in Anguilla on the 7th of December 2014.Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort won Africa’s Leading Eco Hotel, Sarova Shaba Game Lodge as Africa’s leading Eco Lodge, Sarova Stanley as Kenya’s Leading Hotel, Sarova Panafric as Kenya’s Leading Business Hotel and the group Sarova Hotels as Kenya’s Leading Hotel Brand. Sarova Hotels also won 2 awards at the World Luxury Hotels Awards with Sarova Panafric Hotel winning Kenya’s Top Luxury City Hotel and Sarova Stanley Hotel winning Kenya’s Top Luxury Historical Hotel.
SAFARI TRAILS NOW DOES DUBAI VISAS
Don’t experience any more delays in your next holiday or business trip to Dubai because of a mere visa formality. Safari Trails will get it done for you in a jiffy!
PLAN YOUR NEXT HOLIDAY IMMEDIATELY!
For those of you just returning from your Christmas & New Year breaks dragging yourselves back to work, wishing you were still on holiday, remember – Travel is an addiction. There is no cure, the only treatment is planning your next trip! Take your loved one on a special getaway this Valentine’s day. Get in touch with Safari Trails for special deals within Kenya and abroad.
DID YOU KNOW?
The first spot to celebrate the start of the year is Kiritimati on Christmas Island.
The entire world officially enters the new year only when Howland Island, one of the U.S. territories in the Pacific, welcome the New Year.
