• 9 Days Bird Watching Safari Starting from Mombasa
• 9 Days Bird Watching Safari Starting from Nairobi

9 Days Bird Watching Safari Starting from Mombasa

Day 1: Arrival in Mombasa

On your arrival at the airport you will be met by our representative be transferred to a Mombasa Beach hotel for check-in. Dinner and overnight at your Beach Hotel.

Day 2: Mombasa - Shimba Hills

The Male Zanzibar Red Bishop

Our safari driver guide will pick you from your hotel early in the morning and drive you to Shimba Hills Rain Forest Reserve for birding watching with chances of seeing species like red-necked-Spurfowl, Croaking Cisticola and Zanzibar Red Bishop.

The reserve is also home to a number of other wildlife species such as the elephant, bush pig, waterbuck, reedbuck, warthog and the roan antelope which was recently introduced. Lunch at Shimba Hills Lodge. Afternoon birding within Shimba Hills National Park. Dinner and overnight at Shimba Hills Lodge.

Day 3:  Shimba Hills - Tsavo East

After breakfast, depart for Tsavo East for birding and game watching. Lunch at the Voi Safari Lodge. An afternoon drive looking for different bird species which is as varied as Tsavo's landscape, from the conspicuous flocks of Golden-breasted Starlings to the dull, skulking Evergreen Forest Warbler, both species of Kenyan Ostrich with the Common Ostrich present in Tsavo West and the Somali Ostrich in Tsavo East and Hartlaub's Bustard among other birds. Dinner and overnight at Voi Safari Lodge.

The Golden-breasted Starling seen on a bird watching safari to Tsavo East

Day 4 : Tsavo East - Tsavo West

Pre-breakfast local birding within the park. After breakfast depart for Tsavo West. Afternoon visit Mzima Springs which is a haven of many species of birds. Tsavo lies on one of the main migration routes for northern hemisphere birds. Each year from September to November the Ngulia region becomes the base for a large-scale netting and ringing exercise. This provides important information on the migratory routes and the habits of many common northern species. This position on the migration route makes Tsavo a good place to spot some of the rarer migrant falcons, with Eleonora's Falcon and the Sooty Falcon both being on the bird list for the region

Tsavo West's southern part is also fairly close to the Taita Hills - home to the Taita Thrush, an endangered species endemic to Kenya, and the Taita White-eye both of which are found only in that part of Kenya. The South-West corner of Tsavo on the border with Tanzania is Lake Jipe where some of Kenya's less common water birds, such as the African Water Rail, Purple Swamphen and Lesser Jacana can be seen

Dinner and overnight at Ngulia Safari Lodge.

Day 5: Tsavo West - Amboseli

Pre-breakfast local birding within Ngulia lodge in Tsavo West. After breakfast depart for Amboseli arriving in time for lunch. Afternoon birding drive within the park. Amboseli is home to over 50 species of mammal and 400 species of birds many of which live in and around the swamps. During October-December rains the local birds are joined by migrants from the Northern hemisphere, sometimes in fairly large numbers, and bird watching around the swamps  can be very rewarding. Dinner and overnight at Kibo/Amboseli Sentrim Safari Lodge.

Day 6 - Amboseli

Pre and after breakfast birding drives within the park. Lunch at your safari Lodge. An afternoon birding drive in further search of birds. Meals and overnight at Kibo/Amboseli Sentrim Safari Lodge.

The Sokoke Scop's Owl an endemic of Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve

Day 7 - Amboseli - Malindi

Pre-breakfast local birding within the lodge. After breakfast depart for Malindi. Lunch at a stop over hotel. Arrive Malindi late evening. Dinner and overnight at Driftwood Village.

Day 8: Malindi - Arabuko Sokoke Forest

A full day program visiting Arabuko Sokoke Forest where there are chances of seeing bird species like Clarke's Weaver - completely endemic to the forest, Sokoke Scops Owl, Sokoke Pipit, the Amani Sunbird and Spotted Ground Thrush are only found in the park and a few in Tanzania. Lunch in a restaurant Later visit Mida Creek, an excellent places to see waders and Crab-plover, Lesser and Greater Sandplover as well as Roseate and Saunder's Tern. Dinner and overnight at Driftwood Village.

Day 9: Arabuko Sokoke - Sabaki River Mouth

A repeat visit to some of the already visited areas, Arabuko Sokoke Forest and a visit of Sabaki River Mouth, this is not only the best area to see the Malindi Pipit (an endemic with a very small range) but it is also an important area for Madagascar Pratincole, Sooty Tern, Saunder's Tern and Lesser Crested Tern. The species count for this area is massive and the area itself is beautiful, quiet and a wonderful place to wander and watch birds. Other bird that may be seen arounbd here include the Southern Banded Snake Eagle, Fischer's Turaco, Sokoke Pipit and Clarke's Weaver (in fact it may even be the breeding area for this species although little is known about its breeding habits and the nest site hasn't yet been identified. You can also reach Gongoni Ponds (which are settling pools for the salt works) and see a variety of waders and salt tolerant species such as Greater Flamingo.

Later drive to Mombasa and back to your hotel for dinner and overnight

 

9 Days Bird Watching Safari Starting from Nairobi

Nairobi - Lake Elementaita - Lake Naivasha - Hell's Gate National Park - Lake Nakuru National Park - Masai Mara

Day 1: Arrival

The African Goshawk - a bird of prey seen on a bird watching safari to Nairobi National Park

On your arrival at the airport you will be met by our representative and later transferred to a city hotel for check-in then we proceed to Nairobi National Park, an ornithological paradise starter within the city environs. Afternoon guided visit to National Museum Bird Gallery, Followed by a short bird walk at Nairobi National Museum Botanic Garden with chances of seeing species like the Variable Sunbird, Bronze Sunbird and the Collard Sunbird, African Goshawk, Palm swift, Baglafetch Weaver, among others. Lunch, Dinner and Overnight at your city hotel

Day 2: Nairobi - Lake Elementaita

Depart in the morning to Lake Elementaita arriving in the mid morning ,bird walk to try and identify available species like the Feral lovebird, Avocet, Klaas' cuckoo, Glossy ibis, Black heron, Red billed Teal, Black tailed godwit followed by lunch at Lake Elementaita Lodge. An afternoon bird walk around the lodge environs before time for Dinner and overnight at Lake Elementaita Lodge .

Day 3: Lake Elementaita - Lake Naivasha

After breakfast we depart from Elementaita for a scenic drive to Lake Naivasha arriving by mid-morning for bird walk before time for lunch at Lake Naivasha Lodge. Lake Naivasha was declared a bird sanctuary in 1967. Lake Naivasha is home to birds such as herons, fish eagles, ospreys, black crakes, and lily-trotters. Dinner and overnight at Lake Naivasha Lodge.

Day 4: Lake Naivasha - Hell's Gate National Park

After breakfast, a morning bird walk with the aim of viewing birds on the shores of the Lake with a few hours of relaxation before lunch. Afternoon visit to Hell's Gate National Park, which is a breeding ground for vultures in Kenya e.g. Lammergeyer vultures we also anticipate for species like Imperial eagle, Schalow's wheatear, Chin spot batis. Dinner and overnight  at Lake Naivasha Lodge

The Lammergeyer - a massive bird of prey that feeds on bones and bone-marrow commonly seen in Hell's Gate National Park

Day 5: Hell's Gate National Park - Lake Nakuru National Park

After breakfast depart for Lake Nakuru National Park known as "The Bird Watchers Paradise". Afternoon game/bird viewing, dinner and overnight stay will be at Lake Nakuru Lodge.

Day 06: Lake Nakuru National Park

Today we will spend the whole day bird watching at the park and if lucky enough we have the chance to see the shy cat "the Leopard" mostly seen in this park before returning for lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon we have some time to relax before embarking on our late afternoon game drive to try and capture what was not seen during the day before the dusk engulf us. Dinner and Overnight at Lake Nakuru Lodge.

Day 07: Lake Nakuru - Masai Mara

After breakfast, drive across the floor of the Great Rift Valley the longest Rift in the crust of the Earth to Masai Mara Game Reserve the unspoiled Savannah. Masai Mara is home to the "big five" lion, buffalo, rhino, leopard and elephant as well cheetah, zebra, giraffe and vast herds of plain antelope and numerous and other wildlife. Accommodation will be at Mara Sopa Lodge. After lunch and some time to

The Red Billed Teal in Lake Nakuru National Park

relax, you will depart with for an afternoon game drive in search of the big five. Dinner and overnight at Mara Sopa Lodge.

Day 8: Masai Mara

An early morning birding cum game drive after breakfast will be our perfect start of another unforgettable and memorable bird watching safari in Kenya. With picnic lunch en-route you spend your day in Mara Plains trying to identify and record the over 450 species record in this reserve. All meals and Overnight at Mara Sopa Lodge.

Day 09: Masai Mara - Nairobi

After breakfast, we drive back to Nairobi either for onward plans to return home or on to mombasa by air for relaxation at the beach