7 days Kenya birding tour
DAY 1: NAIROBI
Arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
in the evening. Transfer to the hotel.
DAY 2: HELL'S GATE NATIONAL PARK – Lake Naivasha
Country Club
After breakfast we leave Nairobi via the Nakuru road
to the Rift valley. The Nairobi - Nakuru road is on
a contour along the rim of the Rift valley and on
viewpoints we will be able to see our whole route
for the next days. Our destination is Lake Naivasha:
a fresh water lake in the Rift Valley.
On the way we stop at the Limuru Swamp where we do
our first bird count: Little Grebe, Yellow-billed
and Maccoa Duck, Pelicans, Coots, Egrets and Herons.
Soaring are Black Kite, Augur Buzzard and Pied Crow.
After lunch we drive to Hell's Gate National Park.
The first part is open grasslands bordered with
steep rock cliffs in which the Rüppell's Griffon
Vulture nests. Easy sightings here are the
Verreaux's or Black Eagle, Common Ostrich,
Black-shouldered Kite, White-fronted Bee-eater,
Grassland and Long-billed Pipit, Northern and
Schalow's Wheatear, Lilac-breasted Roller...
The narrow gorge has a completely different habitat
and hence very different birds: Yellow, Grey and
African Pied Wagtail, Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu,
Purple Grenadier, Common Drongo, Superb Starling,
Brimstone Canary, Common Waxbill, White-browed
Robin-Chat...
Accommodation is in the Lake Naivasha Country Club.
This lodge opened in 1937 as a staging post for
Imperial Airways' flying boat service from Durban to
London. The 55-acre property boasts green lawns
shaded by mature acacias and spreading fever trees,
that stretch down to the lake's shore.
DAY 3: CRESCENT ISLAND – Lake Naivasha Country Club
We start our day with a boat ride on Lake Naivasha
on the look out for a range of fish eaters: both the
Long-tailed and Great Cormorant together with the
Fish Eagle and the Pied, Malachite and Giant
Kingfisher.
To have the best sightings of the bird life in Lake
Naivasha, Crescent Island is the place of choice. It
is a lagoon from where we should be able to see
Red-capped Lark, Spectacled and Baglafecht Weaver,
Tawny-flanked Prinia, Brimstone Canary and
Red-billed Firefinch.
DAY 4, 5 + 6: MASAI MARA
We head to the famous Masai Mara National Reserve,
which borders Serengeti in Tanzania. Mara is the gem
of birding and game viewing in Kenya with 450
species recorded. We will drive through Masai land,
home to one of the most fascinating cultures in
Africa.
In the vast grasslands we expect to see Elephants;
the large Cats - Lion, Leopard, and Cheetah; the
herd animals - Zebra, Wildebeest, Thompson's and
Grant's Gazelles; and specialties like the
Hartebeest and the Topi.
Expected Kenyan bird species are the highly
conspicuous Common Ostrich, the small but still
conspicuous Cardinal Quelea, Sooty Chat, Ground
Hornbill, Open-billed Stork, Temminck's Courser,
Yellow-throated Sandgrouse and Denham's Bustard.
Lilac-breasted Rollers are common. If we find a
kill, we may see six species of vultures all dining
together: Egyptian, Hooded, Griffon, Nubian,
White-backed and White-headed. It will be a double
reward should a Hyena or a Jackal join in the
scramble for the kill.
In addition we will encounter numerous raptors such
as Bateleur, Martial and Tawny Eagles, as well as
Pale Chanting Goshawk, Augur Buzzards and Black-chested
Snake Eagles. Along the Mara River we'll watch for
African Finfoot, Schalow's and Ross' Turaco,
Woodland Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Barbet,
Black-billed Weaver, Violet-backed Starling, and
perhaps with luck, Pel's Fishing Owl. Any tapping
noise on the trees may be indicative of the
relatively uncommon Woodpeckers (Golden-tailed,
Green-backed and Fine-banded).
Hopefully we will be lucky enough to see some of the
more difficult to see mammals such as Bat-eared Fox,
Hunting Dog, Serval and the delightful Banded
Mongoose.
DAY 7: NAIROBI
Transfer back to Nairobi in time for lunch. Day
rooms are at your disposal until 6 p.m. Evening
transfer to the airport where we say goodbye.
10 Days - Meru National
Park, Samburu, Lake Nakuru, Lake Baringo, Lake
Naivasha Bird watching safaris
- Day 1. Meru National Park
- Depart
Nairobi past Central highlands i.e Embu/Meru
towns to Meru National Park. Afternoon bird
watching. Dinner and overnight at a lodge or
campsite.
Day 2. Meru National Park
- Full day
bird watching, all meals and overnight at a
lodge or campsite.
Day 3. Samburu National Reserve
- Depart Meru
National park for Samburu arriving in time
for lunch. Afternoon Bird watching
Safari. Dinner and overnight at a
lodge or campsite.
Day 4. Samburu National Reserve
- Full day
bird watching Safaris.
All meals and over night at a lodge or
campsite.
Day 5. Lake Nakuru
- Depart
Samburu after breakfast for lake Nakuru
National park. Lunch and afternoon bird
watching.
Day 6. Lake Baringo
- Early
morning bird watching before departing for
lake Baringo in the afternoon. Dinner and
overnight at a lodge or campsite.
Day 7. Lake Baringo
- Full day
bird watching. All meals and overnight at a
lodge or campsite.
Day 8. Naivasha
- Breakfast at lake Baringo and depart
for lake Naivasha to arrive in time for
lunch. Afternoon bird watching . Dinner and
overnight at a lodge or campsite.
Day 9. Lake Naivasha
- Full day
bird watching. All meals and overnight at a
lodge or campsite
Day 10. Nairobi
- After breakfast return to
Nairobi and connect to a
flight back home.