Joyous Choir Festival Kenya 2024

Festival Dates; 14th – 22nd Feb 2024

1st Phase; 14th Feb – 19th Feb 2024; Joyous Choir Festival – Music Programme
2nd Phase; 19th Feb – 22nd Feb 2024; Extra optional package (Safari, Game drive and other adventure activities).

We are happy to introduce to you the Amazing Joyous Choir Festival scheduled to take place in Kenya during the dates 24.2.2024 – 22.2.2024. We have lined up a good number of songs that will be sang by the Mass choir of all the singers joining the Festival from Finland and Kenya. There will also be a chance to have special experience on African Music during the workshops and African choir performances from different groups. The Mass choir will be led by a re-known Choir conductor and music teacher from Helsinki called Tiia Maria Saari.
We therefore invite singers, choirs, groups and music lovers from all across Finland to join this unique Gospel music Festival tour to Africa. Unlike the other Festivals, we give you an extra ordinary opportunity to travel to Africa both for Music, experience the rich African music and other adventure activities. During the Festival, we also arrange for non-singers itinerary, this is a special programme for those who do not wish to join the music activities but would like to participate in the Festival. We therefore invite you to bring your friends and family members wishing to accompany the singers, or simply those who’d wish to join but they are not singers. The Festival will take place in Nakuru and Maasai Mara.

Music Festival Package Cost; (14th – 19th Feb)
? Singers; 1,150€
? Kids under 10 years; 1,000€
? Non singers; 1,350€ (Will have a different customized itinerary).
? Non singing kids under 10 years; 1,200€

Extra Optional Package Cost; (19th – 22nd Feb)

? Adults; 650€
? Kids under 10 years; 550€

JOYOUS CHOIR FESTIVAL – ITINERARY (1ST Phase; 14th Feb – 19th Feb; Cost:- 1,150€)

Day/Date	Activity	Description	Venue
14.2	International Arrivals	On arrival at the Airport, we will pick you up from the Airport and drive to a hotel in Nairobi, where we will spend the night before proceeding to Nakuru on the next day.	Jomo Kenyatta International Airport – Nairobi
15.2	Welcome reception, Visit to the Giraffe center Drive to Nakuru later after lunch. Workshops & Mass choir rehearsals.	Welcome reception event for orientation. Thereafter, proceed to the Giraffe center in Nairobi, a place where you can have a very close interaction with giraffes, feed them and take photos. Really thrilling experience. Drive to Nakuru later after Lunch. Mass choir rehearsals with the locals.	Nairobi City. Nakuru City
16.2	Early morning visit to Menengai Crator Music workshops and Mass choir rehearsals. African music workshops and learning African music. Evening Concert	Visiting Menengai crator in Nakuru; a tourist attraction site, largest caldera in Africa and second largest in the world, scenic aerial view of the entire City and Lake Nakuru from the top of the crator. Music workshops, mass choir rehearsals and singing African music. Staging an evening Concert.	Nakuru City
17.2	Visit a school in the morning for a Mini-concert. Workshops, team buildings and rehearsals. An African Evening.	Visit a school in the morning for a Mini- Concert and interaction with music students. Workshops, rehearsals and teambuilding in the afternoon with local singers. An African evening of different performances.	Nakuru City
18.2	Attending Church. Preparation for the Gala Concert Joyous Choir Festival – Gala Concert.	In the morning, we will attend Church. Preparation for the Gala Concert. Gala Concert; Mass choir performances and other group performances during the Gala Concert.	Nakuru City
19.2	Departure	We shall have Airport transfers for those who are not participating in the extra optional package.	JKIA – Nairobi

EXTRA OPTIONAL PACKAGE; ADVENTUROUS SAFARI AT MAASAI MARA NATIONAL PARK

19^TH – 22^ND FEB 2024 (Cost; 650€)

Right after the main Festival programme, we have arranged a special adventurous activity just for you. We want to make sure that you experience one of the best Safari/Game drive filled with wonderful memories. And since you are visiting Africa, you definitely can’t afford to miss these very exciting and fun moments.

Enjoy a thrilling 3 days Masai Mara Safari tour starting in Nakuru and ending in Nairobi and using quality mid-range safari lodges or adventurous tented camps which are typically located inside or close to the main Masai Mara National reserve. Maasai Mara is one of the largest Game reserves in Africa. The tour includes road transport from Nakuru. The trip will also include extra options such as a visit to Maasai village while experiencing the rich Maasai Culture and interacting with Maasai people. Full day game drive will be experienced on the second day of the itinerary in Masai Mara.

DAY/DATE	ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION
19.2	The safari to Kenya’s Famous game reserve (Masai Mara) will start at 8am. The trip takes about 5hrs. You will be in a private safari vehicle. We may stop at some points for photos and to enjoy some amazing views of beautiful landscapes. Arrive at Masai Mara for lunch and check in at your camp/lodge. You may also have a moment to refresh and swim in the sereign quite ambience as you await to proceed for the afternoon Safari. The afternoon game drive at 4.00pm allows spotting of the magnificent wildlife in the park ranging from the Big Cats such as Lion, Leopard & Cheetah to Rhino, Elephant and Wildebeest. Return to your lodge by 6.30pm.
20.2	You will be taken on a whole day Safari/Game drive on this day starting from very early in the morning. This is a great opportunity to fully exlore the Maasai Mara National Park and get a chance to see different wild animals. As your Maasai Mara safari will be private, your game drive timings will be flexible, useful even if you are travelling with children. We will have packed lunch with us which we will have during lunch hour. Return in the evening for relaxing, perhaps swimming, dinner and overnight at the lodge. We will have a thrilling bush dinner together with the Maasai cultural dance performances.
21.2	At the break of dawn, you embark on a visit to Maasai village, experiencing the rich Maasai Culture, their traditional way of life and interacting with Maasai people, followed by an onward departure this time round to Nairobi by road. Arrive Nairobi later in the afternoon and drop off at the hotel where you’ll spend the night.
22.2	Departure

JOYOUS CHOIR FESTIVAL – NON SINGERS ITINERARY (FIRST PART OF THE FESTIVAL)

DATES; 14^TH – 19^TH FEB 2024 (COST; 1,350€)

DATE	ACTIVITY	DESCRIPTION
14.2	International Arrivals	Arrival with the rest of the participants. Driving to the hotel in Nairobi where we’ll spend the night.
15.2	Opening ceremony Visit to the Giraffe Centre in Nairobi, City tour and attending Drive to Nakuru City tour in Nakuru	Attend the welcome reception. Visit the Giraffe center in Nairobi, have a very close interaction with giraffes, feed them and take photos. Afternoon drive to Nakuru. City tour within Nakuru city in the evening.
16.2	A visit to Menengai Crator. A visit to Thompson Falls; about 65kms from Nakuru. Attending the Concert.	Visiting Menengai crator in Nakuru; a tourist attraction site, largest caldera in Africa and second largest in the world, scenic aerial view of the entire City and Lake Nakuru from the top of the crator. Visit The Thompson Falls; One of the main National waterfalls in Kenya, the only waterfall that is closest to the equator in the world and stands at 2360m in elevation. On the way, you will stop at an excellent view point for photo taking; with beautiful landscapes and scenic aerial view of the Great Rift valley. Attending the evening concert.
17.2	Visit to Hell’s Gate National Park – Naivasha	Travel to Hell’s Gate National Park in Naivasha (About 80kms from Nakuru); activities would include; swimming in the Largest Natural spa in East and Central Africa, biking Safari in a National park and able to see wild animals like Buffalos, Baboons, Antelopes, Zebras, Giraffes, Impalas e.t.c. spectacular scenery including towering cliffs, water gouged gorges, stark rock towers, scrub clad volcanoes among other things. The place is just so amazing for big groups. It doesn’t host dangerous animals, thus making cycling and walking extremely excellent activities. Attend the African evening later in the day.
18.2	Rift Valley Adventure day; a safari at Lake Nakuru National Park. Attend the afternoon Joyous Choir Festival; Gala Concert	Head out in the morning for a spectacular Safari/Game drive at Lake Nakuru National Park. Start off at the gates of the world’s famous Lake Nakuru National Safari Park in search of a vast array of animals. It features about 550 different plant species, picturesque landscape, a variety of wildlife species, hills and lake itself. Attend the Gala concert in the afternoon.
19.2	Departure	Departure to Maasai Mara with other participants that will participate in the second part of the Festival; and to Nairobi for those that will be flying back.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

ACTIVITY	DATES	DEADLINE
Registration & Filling the form	01.05.2023	31.08.2023
Buying flight tickets	15.09.2023	20.09.2023
First meeting with confirmed participants	30.09.2023	30.09.2023
Second meeting & Rehearsals	18.11.2023	18.11.2023
Choir Camp for Participants (Meeting, rehearsals, bonding)	20.01.2024 – 21.01.2024	–
Joyous Choir Festival	14.02.2024 – 22.02.2024	–

REGISTRATIONS

For registrations as a group or choir, your leader should send an email to us through tiiamaria.soprano@gmail.com or info@mzikitoursfin.eu with the subject “Registration for Joyous Choir Festival, and we will direct you to the registration link. Alternatively, you may simply register by filling in the registration link shared to you alongside other materials. Also, remember to inform us if you’ll be participating in the extra optional package for Safari.

ACQUAINTANCES, FRIENDS OR FAMILY MEMBERS

If your friends, acquaintances or family members who are not singers would like to come along, this is very possible as we will be so pleased and will have a special programme for them. However, their registration price is slightly higher than that of singers. Please let them fill the registration form too. So Please invite as many singers and friends/family as possible.

SONGBOOK

The Festival songbook will be available for everyone for free. We will send you the soft copy alongside other materials. We shall also provide you with the hard copy on arrival to Kenya. The book will contain all the songs to be sang in the Mass choir and during the Festival Gala Concert.

Please find the list of songs that will be sung by the Mass choir below. These songs will be available in the Festival’s songbook.

Lövland: You raise me up
Makeba: Pata Pata
Ulvaeus: Thank you for the music
Taube: Nocturne
Hagfors: Laula kultani
Trad.: Gospel medley
Vasks: Pater noster

T-SHIRTS

We shall provide each participant with Festival T-shirts for free, these could be worn anytime during the Festival. However, we shall request that everyone puts it on at least during the Gala concert.

CANCELLATIONS IF ANY

Registration for International Gospel Music Festival – Africa is binding. However, in case of any cancellations or withdrawals due to personal reasons, the following cancellation fees will be charged: 30% of the total cost if cancellation is done 3 months to time, 50% of the total cost if cancellation is done 2 months to time, 80% of the total cost if cancellation is done 1 month to time and 100% if cancellation is done 1 week to time. Alternatively, you can also get a replacement participant if possible. Please let us know early enough by sending us an email in case there’s need for this.

ACCOMMODATION, MEALS AND LOCAL TRANSPORT

We have organized and planned everything just to make sure that you have a smooth, adventurous, musical, refreshing and stress-free trip while in Kenya. You only have to pay for the registration fees and all the rest shall be taken care of. Once you arrive at the Airport in Nairobi, you don’t have to worry about anything as all the rest shall be on us. Our teams shall pick you up right from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi and drive you to the hotel. The registration fee includes all the accommodation, meals and local transport costs. This includes the airport transfers too. We shall have hotel accommodation in twin rooms and 3 meals each day. (Usually in English buffet style). However, if you need to have a single room, triple room or family rooms please let us know in advance. The price shall remain unchanged except for the single room.

Mandatory Trip package cost for participating in the Festival – 1150€ per person; includes all the basic costs as mentioned below;

Return airport transfers while in Kenya and daily transport throughout the trip.
Activities’ registration and participation fees.
All planning, coordination and administration fees.
Hotel accommodation in twin rooms and 3 meals each day.
Entry fees to Menengai Crator and Giraffe center,
Orientation and pre planned music and cultural activities.
Dedicated, experienced and well-informed music trip organizers and guides.
Visa application support and advise on flight bookings.
Branded t-shirt
All the taxes

What’s not included;

Flight tickets.
Visa fees @ 50€
Any vaccinations if needed.
Drinks during the trip.

Extra – optional holiday package for adventure and safari in maasai mara national reserve; Total package cost – 650 Euros

PACKAGE COST INCLUDES;

2 days park entry fees at Maasai Mara Game reserve.
Private and flexible Safari drives at own pace and timing.
Use of Safari vans in groups of 7/8 during the game drive and back to Nairobi.
All the 3 meals each day during the 4 days adventurous and exciting trip.
Accommodation costs in tented camps/Lodges in Maasai mara and hotel while in Nairobi.
Visit to Maasai Village.