Kenya is a rich birding destination in East Africa offering you unique species. The country has about 1150 bird species with 11 of these being endemic to Kenya with 63 Important Birding Areas (IBA). There are good birding trails in the parks and different reserves and conservancies. This Kenya birding safari is a comprehensive tour taking you to key birding destinations in Kenya with amazing bird sightings. Kenya has diverse bird habitats hence its unique and varied bird species. The habitats range from mountains, savannahs, tropical rain forests, woodland, swamp, lakes, the Great Rift valley and the endless ocean. Our hope is that you can be able to see about 500 bird species on this safari because of the excellent destinations we have chosen and the passionate and professional bird guides. Enjoy beautiful scenery and the big game in addition to the birding while on this safari.
DAY 1 – ARRIVAL IN NAIROBI
Arrive in Nairobi for your Kenya birding safari. You will be picked from the airport and transferred to your hotel by your professional bird guide. You will receive a briefing about your tour for better preparations.
The Boma
DAY 2 & 3 – BIRDING NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK AND ENVIRONS
Today after an early morning breakfast, we start our birding to Nairobi national park which is home to over 500 bird species. The park is home different species from the African highlands biome and the Somali-Maasai biome. The birds to look out for include; the Yellow White-eye, Brown Parisoma, Variable sunbird, Red-billed Firefinch, African Silverbill, Spotted Flycather, Rufous-naped Lark, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Northern Pintail, Collared Widowbird, Blue-billed Teal, Scaly Francolin, Dusky Turtle-Dove, Black-faced Sandgrouse, Hartlaub’s Bustard, White-bellied Go-away-bird, Pied Cuckoo, African Cuckoo, Abyssinian Nightjar, Little Swift, African Swamphen, Water Thick-knee, Long-toed Lapwing etc.
B, L & D
DAY 4 & 5 – BIRDING TO OL PEJETA CONSERVANCY
Today after breakfast, depart for Ol Pejeta wildlife conservancy birding along the way. You will have a stopover at the equator for craft shopping for those interested as we continue our birding. On a clear day, you might glimpse the peak of Mt Kenya. Birds to look out for in Ol Pejeta include the Long-tailed widowbird, Meyer’s Parrot, Northern White crowned Shrike, Red-billed Oxpeckers, Barn Swallow, Greater Blue eared Starling, Augur Buzzard, Crested Francolin, Green Sandpiper, Striped Kingfisher, White-bellied tit, Black eyed-bulbul, Emerald Spotted wood Dove, Brown Parrot, Violet-backed Starling, Red-ramped Swallow, Ring-necked Dove, Plain-backed, Yellow-rumped Seedeater, etc.
Optional – visit to the chimpanzee sanctuary.
B, L & D
Sweet waters Serena / Kicheche Laikipia Camp / Porini Rhino Camp / Mutara Camp
DAY 6 & 7 – BIRDING SAMBURU NATIONAL RESERVE
Birding to Samburu national reserve this morning from Ol Pejeta conservancy. Samburu is more up north with semi-arid habitat and rich in woodlands. The birds to look out for while on here include the; Somali Ostrich, Namaqua Dove, Yellow-necked Francolin, Donaldson-Smith’s Nightjar, Mourning Collared-Dove, Crowned Lapwing, White-bellied Go-away-bird, Common Greenshank, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Lesser Spotted & Tawny Eagle, Augur Buzzard, Violet Wood hoopoe, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Northern Red-billed Hornbill, White-headed Mousebird, Little Bee-eater, Narina Trogon, Red-fronted Barbet, Lanner Falcon, Bearded Woodpecker, Pygmy Batis, Red-bellied Parrot, Northern Puffback, Cape Crow, Rosy-patched Bush shrike, Red-faced Crombec, Singing Bush lark, Somali Tit, Tiny Cisticola, Northern Brown-bul, Pale White-eye, Lesser Striped Swallow, Southern Black-Flycatcher, Black-bellied Starling, Brown-tailed Chat, Shining Sunbird etc.
B, L & D
Saruni Samburu / Saruni Rhino / Sasaab Camp / Sarara Camp / Elephant Bedroom
DAY 8 & 9 – LAKE BONGORIA AND LAKE BARINGO
Lake Bongoria is home to fantastic sights of Lesser Flamingos. You will drive from Samburu with birding enroute. The birds to look out for include Gabar Goshawk, Black-necked Grebe, Grosbeak Canary, Water Dikkop, African Spoonbill, Little Grebe, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Steel-blue Whydah, Nubian Woodpecker, Slate-colored Boubou and other interesting species.
We shall take a boat ride on Lake Baringo National reserve for an exciting morning of birding. Look out for the Northern Carmine bee-eater, Gull-billed Tern, Hamerkop, Knob-billed duck, Little Grebe, African Green-pigeon, African Rail, Senegal Thick-knee, Black-winged Stilt etc. After the boat ride, we will continue birding for more species like; Crested Francolin, Healmeted Guineafowl, Dusky Turtle-dove, Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse, Red-chested Cuckoo, Swamp Nightjar, African Palm-Swift, African Sacred Ibis, Wahlberg’s Eagle, African Hawk-Eagle etc.
B, L & D
Lake Bongoria Spa
DAY 10 & 11 – BIRDING TO KAKAMEGA
Drive from Lake Baringo to Kakamega Forest National Reserve with birding stops along the way. Kakamega is home to about 190 bird species with many west African species found here in Kenya.
In Kakamega Forest, we will look out for the Great Blue-Turaco, African blue flycatcher, Grey parrot, Banded Prinia, African Emerald Cuckoo, Black faced Rufous wabler, Joyful greenbul, Pink-footed puffback, Grey-headed Bushshrikes, Red-tailed Bristlebill, Kakamega Green-bul, Black-billed weaver, Blue-shouldered robin-chat, Yellow-belled Barbet, Western Oriole, Sharpe’s Drongo, Mackinnon’s shrike, Eastern Olive sunbird, Least honeyguide, Brown illadopsis, Green hylia, Grey-throated barbet, Dusky tit, Chestnut Wattle-eye, Giant Kingfisher, Cinnamon-chested Bee eater, and many other species.
B, L & D
Rondo Retreat Centre
DAY 12 – TO KISUMU AREA/ LAKE VICTORIA AREA
Today we bird along the lake Victoria edges in Kisumu. The Papyrus wetlands along the lake provide a habitat for several birds including the Blue-headed Coucal, Great Swamp warbler, Papyrus canary, Papyrus Gonolek, African openbill, Carruthers’s Cisticola and Northern Brown-throated Weaver, White-faced Whistling Duck, Tufted Duck, African Black Duck, Spur-winged Goose, African Pygmy Goose, Stone Partridge, Scaly Francolin, Swamp Nightjar, Nyanza Swift, Red-chested Cuckoo, Purple Swamphen etc.
B, L & D
DAY 13 – BIRDING TO LAKE NAKURU
Today we bird Lake Nakuru, unfortunately the numbers of Lesser Flamigos have reduced over the years. The lake has more of the Greater Flamigos taking over most of the lake. Explore the park for Pallid harrier, Ruppell’s vulture, Lavaillant’s Cuckoo, Abyssinian thrush, Montane white-eye, Brimstone Canary, Crab-plover, Grey-headed woodpecker, Great snipe, Kenya Rufous Sparrow, Red-throated Wryneck, Lesser Kestrel, Western reef heron, Grey backed Fiscal, Slender-billed greenbul, Red-capped lark, Shining sunbird, Mocking Cliff Chat etc.
B, L & D
Loidia House
DAY 14 – BIRDING LAKE NAIVASHA
Our birding will mainly be on Crescent Island Game park which is now a peninsula, it was originally an island. The birds we are likely to see include; Black-headed Oriole, Saddle-billed Stork, Northern Fiscal, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Greyp-capped Warbler, Red-chested Cuckoo, African Jacana, Red-faced Crombec, Malachite Kingfisher, Pink-backed Pelican, Buff-bellied Warbler, Variable Sunbird, Tropical Boubou, Yellow-billed Duck, Common Quail, Horus Swift, Lesser Moorhen, Eurasian Thick-knee, Wood sandpiper, African Skimmer, White stork, Long-tailed Cormorant, Squacco Heron, Osprey, African Grey Hornbill, Madagascar Bee-eater etc.
B, L & D
DAY 15 – BIRDING TO MAASAI MARA
We depart Naivasha for the famous Maasai Mara national reserve after an early breakfast. Enjoy the scenery and landscape of the Great Rift Valley as you drive and short birding stopovers. Be expectant for an amazing time of birding in the massive plains and riverine habitats.
B, L & D
Mara Serena Lodge
DAY 16 & 17 – BIRDING TO MAASAI MARA
You will be having whole day birding of this reserve, leaving the lodge early morning with a packed lunch to maximize time in the field. We hope to see the Kori and Denham’s Bustard, Southern Ground Hornbill, Secretary Bird, Bateleur, Martial Eagle, White-throated Bee-eater, Fischer’s Sparrow-Lark, Trilling Cisiticola, Red-winged Francolins, Purple-breasted rollers, Lappet-faced Vulture, Abdim’s stork, Giant Kingfisher, Rosy-throated longclaw, Giant Kingfisher, Grey penduline tit, Yellow-throated sandgrouse, Silverbird, Schalow’s turaco, Woolly-necked stork etc.
B, L & D
DAY 18 – BIRDING TO NAIROBI
Today will be mostly driving to Nairobi with short stopovers of birding for species we will have missed the previous day. We shall have a short birding around the lodge as we bird our way out of the park.
B, L & D
The Boma
DAY 19 & 20 – BIRDING TO TSAVO WEST
Today you will awake early for transfer to Tsavo West national park. The trip will include birding along the way just like the previous days. The park has varied bird habitats which gives a fulfilling birding experience and various bird species. The birds likely to encounter in Tsavo West include; Black-faced sandgrouse, Fischer’s starling, Red-backed shrike, Slender-tailed nightjar, Narina trogon, Golden pipit, Hartlaub’s Bustard, Redheaded Weaver, African Grey-hornbill, Shikra, Lesser kestrel, Shelley’s starling, Northern Brownbul, African Golden Oriole, Thrush nightingale, Somali ostrich, Somali bee-eater, African Wood owl, Freckled Nightjars and Splendid Starlings to mention a few.
B, L & D
Severin Safari Camp
DAY 21 – BIRDING TO MALINDI
Today we bird our way to Malindi from Tsavo west national park. As always we shall bird along the way with a stop at the Mida creek which is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and an important wintering area for Palearctic migrant waders. Some of the birds we might find depending on the season include; Greater Sand Plover, Gull-billed Tern, Water Thick-knee, Yellow-billed Egret, Western Reef Heron, Red-billed Teal, Madagascar Pratincole, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Curley Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Greenshank, . Enjoy a restful time on the beach after the birding experience.
B, L & D
Watamu
DAY 22 – BIRDING ARABUKO-SOKOKE NATIONAL RESERVE
Arabuko-Sokoke forest has over 270 species of birds recorded in the forest including rare and endemic species. The Clarke’s Weaver is only found in Arabuko-Sokoke and another area 30 kms further north of Arabuko-Sokoke in the whole world. The forest is home to number of Kenyan endemic bird species like the Fisher’s Turaco, Crested Guineafowl, Green Barbet, Black-bellied Starling, Eastern Nicator, Mombasa Woodpecker, Mangrove Kingfisher, Spotted Ground Thrush and Amani Sunbird. There are also many other birds restricted to the Kenyan coastal forests which are easily found in Arabuko-Sokoke, making it a great place to visit.
B, L & D
DAY 23 – NAIROBI | DEPARTURE
After breakfast, you will officially have ended your kenyan birding safari. You will be transfered to the airport in Malindi for a flight to Nairobi from where you will connect to flight back home.
