The station enhances interaction between the academics and local communities, entrepreneurs, NGOs and government offices by providing space for meetings, seminars and exhibitions, supporting information sharing and discussion online through the Taita Research Station Facebook site, and by catering new-comers at the station with information about local culture, administrative practices, contact persons, logistics and services.
The research station maintains the best available geospatial data sets on land use/land cover change and high resolution remote sensing imagery of the Taita Hills. Scientific articles and academic theses/dissertations on the Taita Hills produced by researchers using the facilities of the station are also available upon request.
The following contact persons will assist you in any enquiries about booking accommodation, research collaboration, data request and so on.
Scientific administration and research cooperation
Director of the station, Professor Petri Pellikka
Email: petri.pellikka@helsinki.fi
Mobile: +358 (0)2941 51068 (Finland), +254 (0)726 956 253 (Kenya)
Senior Advisor (TERRA Board member and Treasurer)
M.Sc. (For) James Mwang’ombe
Email: mwangombejames@yahoo.co.uk
Mobile: +254 (0)733 849103 / (0)722 266449
Postal address: TAITA Research Station, P.O. Box 1156, 80304 Wundanyi, Kenya
Coordinator of the station in Finland, Dr. Tino Johansson
Email: tino.johansson@helsinki.fi
Mobile: +358 (0)2941 50825
Individual visitors and groups interested in visiting the Taita Research Station and booking accommodation, transport, a driver or field assistants are kindly requested to contact the Research Station Manager in Kenya. He will inform about vacancies, terms of booking and other details.
Research Station Manager (all bookings)
Mr. Miltone Kimori
Email: miltonekimori.terra@gmail.com and CC: petri.pellikka@helsinki.fi
Telephone: +254 (0)757 039210
The research station is located in Wundanyi town, 400 km from Nairobi and 150 km from Mombasa. Both cities have international airports, and the highways and tarmac roads to Wundanyi are in relatively good condition. The Taita Research Station is located 0.5 km northwest from the Wundanyi town towards Werugha and Mbale.
A drive from Nairobi usually takes about seven hours to Wundanyi. Unless travelling by a private car, long distance coaches reach until Voi town, from where one can take a Matatu mini bus or a taxi to Wundanyi.
The new railway service has improved the comfort and speed of transport between Nairobi and Mombasa. The fastest Madaraka Express Passenger Service train which does not stop at any station between these two cities, departs Nairobi Terminus at 3.35 p.m. headed to Mombasa and arrives at 8.08 p.m. while the Mombasa one will be leaving the coastal city at 3.15 p.m. and arrives Nairobi at 8.08 p.m. A first class ticket to the express service costs 3,000 Ksh, and an economy class ticket 1,000 Ksh per person one way.
This Express Service also has a night train connection between Nairobi terminus and Mombasa terminus departing from the capital at 10.00 p.m. and arriving the coastal city early in the morning at 03.35 a.m. The night train from Mombasa to Nairobi follows the same timetable with departure at 10.00 p.m.
The ordinary Inter-County train from Nairobi to Mombasa via Athi River, Emali, Kibwezi, Mtito Andei, Voi, Miasenyi and Mariakani County stations departs Nairobi terminus at 08.00 a.m. every morning and arrives in Mombasa at 2.00 p.m. The scheduled arrival time of the train from Nairobi to Voi is at 12.02 p.m. so travel time is only about four hours. Voi is the nearest train station to the Taita Hills. Connecting transport from Voi railway station can be organized using a minibus "matatu" or a motorcycle "boda boda" to Wundanyi. Railway station pick up may also be requested from the research station.
The Nairobi bound Inter-County train leaves the Mombasa Terminus at 08:00 a.m. and arrives in Nairobi at 2.10 p.m. This train service is scheduled to arrive in Voi at 9.49 a.m. so travel time is less than two hours. These new train services are very popular so it is advisable to book the train tickets at least two weeks in advance. Tickets in economy class from Nairobi to Voi cost 700 Ksh and from Mombasa 290 Ksh. In first class, the fare from Nairobi to Voi is 2,130 Ksh and from Mombasa 880 Ksh.