The station has nine permanent staff members who offer hospitality to local and international guests. They help facilitate research and training activities as well as communication/networking with the local community. Research assistants are available upon request from the office of the station (with a daily fee 2,500 ksh).
Research Station Manager
Mr. Miltoni Kimori
Research Officer
Mr. Mwadime Mjomba
Catering
Mr. Jonathan Mbinga
Caretaker
Mr. Granton Righa
Research assistant
Mr. Darius Kimuzi
Research assistant
Mr. Peter Mwasi
Guard
Mr. Elphinstone Kalaghe
Guard
Mr. Julius Mwamburi
Technician/Driver
Mr. Kennedy Muhia Gicheru
Research station premises are located in a verdant environment within a walking distance from Wundanyi town. Accommodation is available in all four buildings of the research station: the upper house, the main house, the lower house and the wood house. Rooms are available for single, double or triple use. All beds are equipped with mosquito nets. All rooms are non-smoking.
Accommodation rates (from 15 March 2022)
Bed only - 2,000 Ksh per person per night
Half-board (breakfast and dinner) - 3,000 Ksh per person per night
Full-board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) - 3,500 Ksh per person per night
Students - Bachelor's and Master's degree level (University of Helsinki) - Half-board 1,500 Ksh per person per night
Rates are per person, not per room. Rates include free wi-fi.
Laundry service is available at an extra cost of 200 Ksh per session.
In the main house and wood house the guests may use shared kitchens equipped with refridgerators, hotplates and other utensils. The wood house has a Finnish sauna and a terrace with a view for cooling after the relaxing steam of the sauna.
Sauna service is available upon request at 250 Ksh per person per session.
A small library in the office of the station has books, booklets and copies of PhD dissertations and Master's theses mostly focusing on the Taita Hills and Africa in general. These can be borrowed by the guests to be used at the station for research and learning.
The research station kitchen in the lower house serves meals in the dining hall only. Room service is not available. The dining hall serves multiple purposes and may for example be transformed into a seminar room. The terraces of the upper house, main house and wooden house are ideal for small group meetings, briefings or for resting. Storage rooms are available for temporary storage of luggage, research equipment and materials.
The research station provides transport services with its fleet of vehicles. Transport service is mainly available for local transport and research-related purposes within the Taita Taveta County. However, airport pick up service is also available for the guests from and to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, and to and from Mombasa airport. The following mileage charges apply to all transport services:
Mileage charges of vehicles in year 2022
Toyota Hilux (2012, double cab, 4x4 WD) - 70.50 Ksh per km
Nissan X-trail (4x4 WD) - 70.80 Ksh per km
Isuzu Trooper (4x4 WD) - 106.40 Ksh per km
Motorbike (dirt bike, old) - 26.75 Ksh per km
Motorbike (dirt bike, new) - 25.39 Ksh per km
Fuel is included in the mileage charge. Driver's fees are not included. All driver bookings must be done through the office of the Taita Research Station.
Driver's fees
per diem and accommodation allowance - 3,000 Ksh per day
Half-day driver rates (50% of the above) apply when an overnight stay is not required in transport and the driver returns to Nairobi or to Taita Taveta before 8:00 p.m. All driver’s fees are to be paid directly to the office of the Taita Research Station.
Mountain bikes
Three mountain bikes are available for rent at the research station. Mountain biking is an enjoyable way to explore the scenic landscape, varying topography and sometimes rough terrain of the Taita Hills.