Safaris & Tours - Safari Package - 24Days

Arrival in Nairobi where you will be met by a BSA tour leader and taken to your hotel to check-in and relax. In the afternoon, we visit the Karen Blixen Museum and bird watch in the beautiful gardens with a fully guided tour inside the small museum. Overnight in Nairobi.

Early breakfast, then we head westwards out of Nairobi for a day trip birding the Magadi road. Here your are pleasantly introduced to the dry thorn bush species like Red-cheeked Cordon-Bleu, Yellow-spotted Petronia, Grey-capped Social Weaver, Banded Parisoma, Superb Starling and Purple Grenadier. We take a break at Olorgesaile and have our picnic lunch then continue birding around this area. Overnight in Nairobi.

Early breakfast then we drive from Nairobi to the slopes of Mt Kenya with a brief stopover along the way to find the Long-tailed and Jackson’s Widowbird. We arrive at Mid-day check-in, have lunch then have an afternoon birding. Hartlaub’s Turaco, Oriole Finch, Slender-billed Greenbul, Taccazze Sunbird, Fine-banded Woodpecker are a familiar sight around the lodge. Good mammal at the lodge are White-tailed Mongoose, Bush Pig, Giant Forest Hog, Tree Hyrax (with weird calls at Night) Mountain Genet and highland Elephant. Overnight at Mountain Lodge.

On this day you will be woken up earlier than usual for dawn activities, Brown-capped Weaver, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Silverly-cheeked Hornbill, Red-fronted Parrot and the retiring Verreaux’s Eagle Owl are among the early risers we hope to see. After breakfasting, we drive north to Samburu National Park. We stop along the way to find the rare Borana Cisticola and inside the park we shall bird watch as we head to our lodge for check-in and lunch. In this park we have some target species to look out for since they are not easily found elsewhere. They include Pringles Puff-back, Pale Prinia, Somali Long-billed Crombec and the endemic Donaldson-Smith Weaver. Uncommon mammals of this park include the Grevy’s Zebra, Giraffe -antelope or Gerenuk, Reticulated Giraffe and the Beisa Oryx. Overnight at Samburu Lodge.

Early breakfast and then we drive towards the highlands east of the Rift Valley; we will have a stopover at the spectacular Thompson’s falls to enjoy the view while looking for the Slender-billed Starling.  We will continue loosing altitude until we reach Lake Nakuru on the floor of the Rift Valley; here we will see the spectacular gathering of lesser Flamingoes in there hundreds of thousand together with an abundance of other water birds like the Western Reef Heron, Lesser Jacana, and Black-headed Gull. We will also look for Acacia forest species, including Green-wood Hoopoe, Hildebrandt’s and Coqui Francolins, Rufous-naped and Fawn-colored Larks, the scarce Grey-crowned Helmet-shrike, Arrow-marked Babbler, Bearded Woodpecker, Mottled Swift, White-shouldered Cliff Chat, Striped Kingfisher and Brown Babbler. On the baboon cliff we shall be on the lookout for Fox Kestrel and other species of falcons. Overnight at Lake Nakuru.

Early morning birding at Lake Nakuru with a visit to its shores. The rising sun usually cast a beautiful light on the lake and good images of flamingoes and other water birds can be taken. We continue birding then head back to our hotel for a late breakfast. We leave L. Nakuru and travel to one of the best areas for birding in Kenya, Lake Baringo, this area has the highest record of birds seen in a full birding 24 hour period (over 300). We shall take full advantage of the area by staying for two nights. Arrive in time to have lunch, check in and relax to avoid the extreme heat at this time of the day. In the later afternoon, we will go on a leisurely bird walk in the hotel grounds along the lake and the surrounding environs.  Hemprich’s Hornbill, Crowned Hornbill, White Crested Turaco, Brown-tailed Rock Chat, Common Kestrel, African Cuckoo, Red-fronted Barbets, Red-fronted Tinker barbet, Spot-flanked Barbets and Spotted Eagle Owl are species we should see. Overnight at Baringo.

Early morning bird walks through the acacia thorn scrub towards the cliffs nearby where their is a roosting sites of the White-faced Scops Owl and Nubian Nightjar, other species of interest includes Northern Grey Tit, Gambaga Flycatcher, Beautiful Sunbird, Bristle-Crowned Starling, Jackson’s Golden-backed, Little and Northern Weavers, White Bellied Canary, Three Banded Courser . We shall continue hiking along the cliff base looking for the Lanner falcon, Fan-tailed Raven and the local race of the Common Kestrel. Back to the hotel for lunch and a siesta. Later in the  afternoon we have the option of taken a boat to see the Fish Eagle feeding, closer views of Hippos and Crocodiles or visit the southern part of the lake to look for species like Black-headed Plover, Northern Red  Bishop, Violet Wood-hoopoe, Pygmy Kingfisher, and other wonderful birds. Overnight at Baringo.

Today we have a very early breakfast and leave the Rift Valley for the unique rainforest of Kakamega. Along the way we will have birding stops to locate more species and have a stopover for lunch. Arrive in Kakamega in the late afternoon check in and immediately go for an evening bird walk, around the hotel grounds the following species are easily seen. Joyful Greenbul, Veillot’s Black Weaver, Great Blue Turaco, Grey Throated Barbet, African Blue Flycatcher, White-chinned Prinia and Brown-throated Wattle-eye. Overnight Kakamega.

Today we venture into the true forest to locate the much harder to see forest specialists, we shall lookout for the Brown Iladopsis, Black-billed Turaco, Blue-headed Bee-eater, Equatorial Akalat, Yellow-billed Barbet, Red-headed Bluebill, Barred Prinia, Ludher’s Bushshrike, Bocages’s Bush-shrike Yellowbill and Southern Hyliota among others. On our way back to the hotel for lunch break, we shall bird the forest edges and species likely to be seen includes Chubbs Cisticola, Blue-shouldered Robin Chat Mackinnon’s Fiscal, and Black-faced Rofous Warbler.  After lunch we shall head back into a different part of the forest to locate more birds like Shelley’s Greenbul, Pale Illadopsis, Chapin’s flycatcher (hopefully) White Spotted Flufftail, African Broadbill and  Yellow- whiskered Greenbul among others. Overnight Kakamega.

Today after breakfast we shall make our way to shore of Lake Victoria the largest freshwater lake in Africa. The area around the lake is home to many birds not found in other parts of Kenya. After check-in we will immediately head for the swamplands adjoining the lake to look for Greater Swamp Warbler, Swamp Flycatcher, Carruther’s Cisticola Northern Brown-throated Weaver, Red-chested Sunbird, Slender- billed, Black-headed and Golden-backed Weavers.  After lunch we will go to a different patch of swamp to find the Papyrus endemics, Papyrus Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek and Papyrus Canary. Along the edges of the swamp and in the adjacent areas we shall locate Black-billed Barbet, Black-headed Gonolek, black-lored Babbler and Yellow-billed Shrike. Overnight Kisumu.

We start out early after breakfast to be able to make a few stops along the way for the Open-billed Stork, Black and Southern Red Bishop, Red-headed Quelea among other. Arriving at the gates of this famous park we shall slow down our pace considerably and species we will see includes Blue-spotted Wood-dove, Red-necked Francolin, Coqui Francolin Wattled Plover and Ground Hornbill. Overnight at Maasai Mara.

Maasai Mara is famous for its abundant wildlife and is always a highlight on any itinerary. In this respect, you will not be disappointed, while driving within the reserve birding, we shall see animal like Lion, Cheetah, Wildebeest, hartebeests, Topi, Thompson’s and Grant’s Gazelles Hyenas, Black-backed Jackals among others. Bird watching here will be delightful and highlights should include Temminck’s Courser, Yellow-throated Sand-grouse and with luck Black-bellied Bustard. Overnight at Maasai Mara.

After an early breakfast we shall continue birding while enjoying the spectacular animal life. We should add to out list the following species Black-chested Snake Eagle, Little Sparrowhawk, Rosy-breasted Longclaw Grey-capped Warbler, Pale Prinia, Striped Pipit, Schalow’s Turaco, and Saddle-billed Stork. After lunch we shall once again visit a different area to bird find some of the rarer species found here, Zitting Cisticola, Ross Turaco, Magpie Shrike, Double-toothed Barbet, Tabora Cisticola, Karamoja Apalis, Little Spotted Woodpecker and Desert Cisticola are some of the species we might add to our list. Overnight at Maasai Mara.

Today we leave the Maasai Mara very early so that we can arrive in Naivasha in time to do some birding inside Hells Gate National park. Here we should see Mourning Wheatear, Northern Ant-eater Chat, masses of Nyanza Swift and an occasional Alpine and Mottled Swift, Malachite Sunbirds are also present when the Leonotis flowers are in bloom. Along the cliff we should find Lanner Falcon Ruppell’s Griffon and White-backed Vultures. At the base of the cliff we should add Wailing and Siffling Cisticolas to our list. There have been sightings of the Little Rock Thrush here and we will be on the look out for it as well. Overnight at Lake Naivasha.

The nearby Kinangop plateau is known as the stronghold of the endemic Sharpe’s Longclaw. We shall drive to the plateau early in the morning and other species we shall see apart from the Longclaw will include some highlands species like Red-capped Lark, Wing-snapping Hunter’s, and Levaillant’s Cisticolas. We shall continue driving towards the gate of Aberdare National Park and in the higher altitude we should encounter, Aberdare Cisticola, Jackson’s Francolin, Alpine Chat and we may also spot the Mountain Buzzard. Leave Lake Naivasha for Amboseli and we should arrive there in time for a beautiful sunset over Mt Kilimanjaro. Overnight at Amboseli.

Early this morning, we shall have a pre-breakfast birding within the lodges ground to view the Taveta Golden Weaver nesting site alongside other species like, White-browed Coucal, African Hoopoe, Fisher’s Sparrowlark, Hunter Sunbird and White-headed Buffalo Weaver. We shall have a late breakfast then drive to the pools and swampy area. This wetland is sustained by water that wells from below and comes directly from Mt Kilimanjaro, it is the lifeline to the wildlife in Amboseli and  the group ranches near the park during the dry season. Elephants Cheetahs, Bat-eared Foxes Lions and different antelopes all converge here to drink. Together with the animals we will get nice views of Spur-winged and Egyptians Geese, Red-billed and Hottentot Teals, Long-tailed Comorants, Red-Knobbed Coots, Yellow-billed Stork, Great and Intermediate Egrets, Grey and Black-headed Herons, Black Crake, African Jacana, Grey Crowned Crane and  African Spoonbill. Overnight at Amboseli.

After breakfast, we shall bird our way out of Amboseli and into Tsavo West National Park. Along the way we should see Red-throated Tit, Blue-naped Mousebird, Von der Deken’s Hornbill, White Crested Helmet-shrike and Grey Hornbill to mention a few. We arrive at Kilaguni lodge in time for lunch. There is a water hole just outside the dining room and all kinds of mammals are always cooling themselves or just quenching their thirst. After lunch we shall relax and enjoying watching the animals and birds that come  to the water hole. Overnight at Tsavo West National Park.

Today we have a full day birding, we shall pack a picnic lunch and drive towards the famous Shaitani lava flow, a recent volcanic activity. The thick scruby vegetation of Tsavo is always teeming with birdlife and we should see Somali Golden-breasted Bunting, Black- headed Batis, Pale Chanting Goshawk, Cardinal Woodpecker, Red-winged Lark, Yellow-throated Longclaw and White-browed Scrub Robin. Picnic lunch will be at Mzima springs a freshwater pool with an underwater observatory were you can watch hippos and different types of fish swimming. We shall have a small bird walk around Mzima springs then later on continue with our birding and we should add Golden-breasted Starling, Buff-crested Bustard Tiny Cisticola among others to our list. Overnight at Tsavo West National Park.

Early Breakfast, today we drive through the heart of Tsavo with a picnic lunch and we shall visit the Rhino sanctuary were we hope to see the endangered black Rhino, as always, we should see new species of birds including Verreaux‘s Eagle, Shikra, Golden Pipit, Purple-banded Sunbird, Red-billed Hornbill, Wattled Starling, Green-winged Pytilia, African Firefinch, Chestnut Weaver, and Slate-colored Boubou among others. Overnight at Tsavo.

From the heat and openness of the lowlands of Tsavo we rise into the mist forests of the Taita hills which form the northernmost extent of the Eastern Arc Mountains, regarded as global biodiversity hotspots. We shall visit one of the largest fragments called Ngangao and here we shall find some endemics mainly, Taita Thrush, Taita White-eye, and Taita Apalis. Other interesting species we should see includes, African Dusky Flycatcher African Crowned Eagle, African Hawk-eagle, Walberg’s Eagle, African Hobby, Emerald Cuckoo, Striped Pipit, Stripe-cheeked and Placid Greenbuls, Sharpe’s Starling, White-starred Forest Robin, Orange-ground Thrush, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler and Bicolored Manikin. Overnight at Tsavo.

After an early breakfast we shall bird our way out of Tsavo heading down to the coastal part of Kenya. Our destination is Arabuko Sokoke forest, Sabaki river mouth and Mida creek. In these three locations we hope to locate the rarer species like Amani Sunbird, Sokoke Scops Owl, Sokoke Pipit and Clarkes Weaver. More common species we should see includes Green Barbet, Black-bellied Starling, Fischer’s Turaco, East Coast Akalat, Eastern Nicator, Chestnut-fronted and Retz’s Helmetshrikes. Overnight Watamu.

After an early breakfast we shall go on a bird walk to Sabaki river mouth which has an amazing array of waders like Lesser and Greater Sand Plover, White-fronted Plover, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Black-bellied Sandplover Ringed Plover, Madagascar Prantincole and Whimbrel. Apart from the waders we should see Zanzibar Red Bishop Black-crowned Tchagra and Mangrove Kingfisher. We head back to our hotel for lunch and in the afternoon we visit Mida creek, one of the best place to see the Crab Plover and more species of waders. Overnight at Turtle Bay Hotel.

This morning is optional for those who prefer to do some more birdwatching or just relaxing and packing in preparation for the flight to Nairobi for the connection flight home.