Birds, birds, birds! In Kenya, it is impossible to get away from birds! Wherever you go in this country, there is a huge diversity of birds. The habitats change so quickly that the suites of bird species also change quickly, meaning that within a short space of time a birder ends up with a really long list.
In fact, a birding tour in Kenya typically yields more species than in any other country in Africa and in the world! The total bird species list for a two or three week trip to Kenya is staggering.
Your Itinerary:
Day 1: International flight arrives in Nairobi. Visit the National Museums gallery, the museum garden and, time permitting, other sites around Nairobi, for a diversity of species in this incredibly bird-rich city. If the flight arrives in the morning, we can possibly bird the stunning Nairobi National Park. O/N at a comfortable hotel in Nairobi.
Days 2-3: Amboseli. This famous reserve at the base of Africa’s highest mountain, amazing Kilamanjaro, is open and a really fantastic place not only for birds but also for big game such as elephant and lots of cats such as lion. There are lots of wetlands, grassland and Acacia savanna.
Day 4: Mount Kenya and Aberdares Range. Mount Kenya is a formidable peak that rises out of the central Kenyan highlands. It is an extinct volcano that dominates the landscape of the Kenyan highlands east of the rift valley. The altitude varies from 1600 – 5200 m (about 5250 – 17000 feet) above sea level. Mount Kenya and the Aberdares host a rich montane bird fauna. Most of Kenya’s highland species are found here. The reserves are also rich in big game such as elephant, buffalo and antelope. O/N at the foot of Mount Kenya.
Days 5-7: Samburu Game Reserve. This reserve in northern Kenya has a plethora of unique bird (and game) species. Despite its small size, the reserve contains lots of contrasting habitats: rocky cliff and scarps, pools, swamps and riverine sandbanks; arid open woodland, bush and grasslands. All these contribute to an impressive biodiversity.
Days 8-9: Nakuru National Park. The park was opened in 1969 as a bird sanctuary because of the huge flocks of Lesser Flamingo. It also hosts big flocks of both Great White and Pink-backed Pelican, ducks and waders. The acacia is a refuge for other wildlife like the Rotschild Giraffe, both Black and White Rhino and cats like lion and leopard.
Days 10-12: Lake Baringo. Birding along the cliffs will give us golden chances to see some owls and raptors on the cliffs and adjacent acacia. Key species to look for are White-faced Scopes Owl, Hemprich’s Hornbill, Brown-tailed Rock Chat, Bristle-crowned Starling and many others. We shall take an exciting drive to Lake Bogoria, looking for Silverbird on the way. This is another saline lake with spectacular hot springs. This is an important roosting site for huge flocks of the Eurasian Steppe Eagle.
Days 13-15: Kakamega Tropical Rain Forest Mumias and Busia: This is the only tropical rain forest in the country. It is on the easternmost boundary of the West African tropical rain forest. This makes it a unique habitat (biome) because it contains species found nowhere else in the country. Birds to look for are the Great Blue Turraco, White-spotted Flufftail, the endemic Chapin’s Flycatcher, the threatened and incredibly localized Turner’s Eremomela, Stuhlman’s Starling among a long list of other West African species.
Day 16: Kisumu, Lake Victoria. Take a boat ride in search of exciting papyrus endemics, including Papyrus Gonolek, Swamp Flycatcher, Papyrus Canary, Caruthus Cisticola and many more.
Day 17: Lake Naivasha. Another boat ride for ducks, waders, warblers and kingfishers. The woodland around the lake is a good habitat for cuckoos and cisticolas. The lake supports large populations of Hippo, Wildebeest, Maasai Giraffe, Waterbuck and lots of others. The Acacia around the lake provide larger population of African Fish Eagle. Grey-crested Helmet-shrike.
Days 18-21: Drive to and bird the famed Masai Mara! The Mara Game Reserve has varied habits, including open rolling grasslands, riverine forests, acacia woodlands, swamps, escarpments, etc. These contribute to its exceedingly diverse wildlife. It is know for its huge concentrations of herbivores and attendant predators. More than 500 bird species are known to occur here, including raptor 53 raptor species! Packed lunch.
Day 22: A night in Nairobi. This is a 6-day extension to our 22-day Kenya Birding Safari.
Day 23: Fly to Arabuko Sokoke Forest. Ranked by Birdlife International as the second most important reserve for bird conservation in mainland Africa. Has six globally-threatened species. Clark’s Weaver is known only from Arabuko Sokoke. Sokoke Scops Owl is known from this forest and from only one other side in north-eastern Tanzania. More than 230 bird species are recorded here.
Day 24: Sabaki River Mouth and Mida Creek. This is an important site for Crab Plover and is an important passage and wintering area for Eurasian migrant waders. The coastline hosts significant feeding and nesting populations of terns. The Mida Creek is internationally important, and many species use the site, up to 6000 individual waders may be present at any one time.
Day 25: Tsavo National Park. Yet another famous park, Tsavo has a huge range of natural habitats that support both local and Palaearctic species. It is a key stop over and wintering ground for Palaearctic migrants. It holds good populations of both globally and regionally threatened species. More than 300 bird species can be reported. Of the 92 Kenya species in the Somali-Masai biome, 60 can be found here.
Day 26: Birding the Taita Hills. Here we look for Taita Thrush, Taita Apalis and Taita White-eye, endemic and confined to tiny remnant forests.
Day 27: Travel to Nairobi, birding along the way.
Day 28: Nairobi National Park. This is a very important site for roosting of flocks of Lesser Kestrel from Europe and Asia. Other birds include Jackson’s Widow, Africa’s largest bird of prey, Martial Eagle, and a rich diversity of other species.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Also see tour packages in:
Africa
Kenya
Birdwatching
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