11 Days Kenya Birding Safari Adventure Holiday

Kenya has one of the richest avifaunas in Africa with around 1090 bird species recorded. At least eight of these are national endemics. Around 170 species of Kenya’s birds species are Pale arctic migrants (11 species of them with a local breeding population too), mainly from Eastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Siberia. Another 60 species migrate regularly within the Afro tropics or from Madagascar. Some 335 species are found in forest; 230 species are entirely forest dependent and 110 species are “forest specialists” requiring intact, undisturbed habitat and forty species of global conservation concern are known to occur in Kenya. Four of these are critically endangered, two Endangered and 16 species are Vulnerable.

Kenya has one of the richest avifaunas in Africa with around 1090 bird species recorded. At least eight of these are national endemics. Around 170 species of Kenya’s birds species are Pale arctic migrants (11 species of them with a local breeding population too), mainly from Eastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Siberia. Another 60 species migrate regularly within the Afro tropics or from Madagascar. Some 335 species are found in forest; 230 species are entirely forest dependent and 110 species are “forest specialists” requiring intact, undisturbed habitat and forty species of global conservation concern are known to occur in Kenya. Four of these are critically endangered, two Endangered and 16 species are Vulnerable.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Nairobi

Stop At: Nairobi, Nairobi
On arrival you will be met at the airport by our representative and transferred to a Nairobi hotel where you’ll spend your overnight stay. After lunch we’ll pay a visit to the National Museum bird’s galley and later have an excursion tour of the Nairobi City. Dinner and Overnight at a Nairobi Hotel booked on bed and breakfast basis
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Dinner and Overnight at a Nairobi Hotel booked on bed and breakfast basis

Day 2: Nairobi – Masai Mara

Stop At: Maasai Mara National Reserve, Maasai Mara National Reserve, Rift Valley Province
Leave Nairobi after your breakfast and drive north along the Great Rift Valley onto the world most famous Game Reserve Masai Mara. Stop en-route at the viewpoints of the Great Rift Valley floor for stunning views arriving Mara in time for lunch. This reserve has a vast area of rolling grasslands with scattered pockets of acacia woodland. Interesting species such as: Secretary bird, numerous vultures among them Lappet Faced Vulture & the White Backed Vulture, eagles and hawks, Watt led Plover, Yellow-Throated Sand-Grouse, Bare-Faced Go-Away bird, Gabon Nightjar, Lilac-Breasted Roller, Ground Hornbill, Sooty Chat, and a wide variety of Larks, Pipits and Widow Birds. Dinner and overnight stay at Keekorok Lodge or Sarova Mara Tented Camp.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Dinner and overnight stay at Keekorok Lodge or Sarova Mara Tented Camp.

Day 3: Masai Mara

Stop At: Maasai Mara National Reserve, Maasai Mara National Reserve, Rift Valley Province
After our morning breakfast leave the lodge with our picnic lunches and spend the whole day exploring the wonders of this famous game reserve returning late in the evening for our Dinner and Overnight stay at Keekorok Lodge or Sarova Mara Tented Camp.

Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Dinner and Overnight stay at Keekorok Lodge or Sarova Mara Tented Camp.

Day 4: Masai Mara – Naivasha

Stop At: Naivasha, Naivasha, Rift Valley Province
After breakfast, we depart for Lake Naivasha National Park. You will have a bird walk before time for lunch at Lake Naivasha Lodge. Lake Naivasha being a fresh water lake on the rift is home to an incredible variety of bird species. Over 400 species have been recorded here. Some of these birds are African darter, squacco heron, Black headed heron, Egyptian goose, Pied kingfisher, African fish eagle, Grey headed gull, Spur- Winged goose, White faced whistling duck, Jacana, Red knobbed coat, Malachite kingfisher. An afternoon option of either a boat ride or a visit to Hell’s Gate National Park before returning for Dinner and overnight stay at Lake Naivasha Lodge.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Dinner and overnight stay at Lake Naivasha Lodge.

Day 5: Naivasha- Nakuru

Stop At: Nakuru, Nakuru, Rift Valley Province
After breakfast, we leave Lake Naivasha for Lake Nakuru National Park, regarded by many as the greatest world ornithological spectacle on earth for it millions of flamingoes that congregates at the lake every year. Arriving by mind-morning at the Lake for a game drive en-route before check-in at lake Nakuru Lodge for Lunch. In Nakuru you will look out for the common bird species to include Rock Thrush, Lesser and Greater Flamingoes, Rupp ell’s long tailed starling, Green wood hoopoes, African Fish Eagle, Tawny Eagles, and many other winter and intra African Migrants. You will also be taken to a cliff viewpoint overlooking the lake. Dinner and overnight stay tonight will be at Lake Nakuru Lodge or Sarova Lion Hill Lodge.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Dinner and overnight stay tonight will be at Lake Nakuru Lodge or Sarova Lion Hill Lodge.

Day 6: Lake Nakuru

Stop At: Lake Nakuru National Park, Lake Nakuru National Park, Rift Valley Province
Spend the whole day bird watching at the Acacias of Lake Nakuru National Park. If lucky enough today we have a chance to see the shy cat “the leopard”, mostly seen in this park before returning for lunch at the lodge and relax for a few hours before taking another game drive to try and capture what was not seen during the day before the dusk engulfs us. Dinner and overnight stay tonight will be at Lake Nakuru Lodge.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Dinner and overnight stay tonight will be at Lake Nakuru Lodge.

Day 7: Lake Nakuru – Aberdares

Stop At: Aberdare National Park, Aberdare National Park, Central Province
After breakfast, leave for the Aberdare and drive past the Kikuyu Agriculture farmlands of Coffee and Tea Plantations, in the highland region of Kenya. Aberdare has it share of bird species. We’ll arrive in time for lunch at the Aberdare Country Club, which was built by British settlers during the colonial era. Afternoon we spend our day by taking a late bird walk. Here we expect Birds such as Giant Kingfisher, Black Duck, Hartlaub’s Turaco, Grey Apalis, Rufous Chatterer, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, and Crowned Hornbill and up to nine sunbird species. Dinner and overnight stay will be at Aberdare Country Club.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Dinner and overnight stay will be at Aberdare Country Club.

Day 8: Aberdares – Mt Kenya

Stop At: Mount Kenya National Park, Mount Kenya National Park
After breakfast we leave for the Aberdare and head for the luxurious and exclusive Mount Kenya Safari Club. This club was founded by Hollywood star William Holden. We’ll enjoy spectacular views of Mount Kenya snowcaps and later have a bird walk around the lodge environs. We may relax by playing golf, swimming, horse riding or fishing or have a walk around the club as it has excellent gardens.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Mount Kenya Safari Club

Day 9: Mount Kenya – Samburu National Park

Stop At: Samburu National Park, Waso, Kenya
This morning we travel by road to Kenya’s northern frontier. Wild and rugged, Samburu is fiercely beautiful with its arid savannahs watered by the lovely Uaso Nyiro River. It is also one of Kenya’s most protected areas and home to species only found north of the equator, from the reticulated giraffe to Grevy’s zebras and Beisa Oryxes. We also enjoy Larsens Tented Camp or Samburu Intrepids Camp, our luxurious hostelry set beneath a canopy of acacia trees along the banks of the river. Overnight at Samburu Shaba lodge. Meal Plan {Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner}
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Samburu Shaba lodge. Meal Plan {Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner}

Day 10: Samburu National Park

Stop At: Samburu National Park, Waso, Kenya
Dawn breaks in golden bands as we start our day in the bush by scanning the river from our tent’s veranda with a cup of steaming coffee in hand. Before the dew is off the grass, we’re off in pursuit of the elephants, lions, leopards, and cheetahs that thrive in the reserve’s grasslands and acacia woodlands. And so the day is spent in alternating pursuits of exploration in the bush and relaxation in our cozy camp. Overnight at Samburu Shaba lodge. Meal Plan {Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner}
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Samburu Shaba lodge. Meal Plan {Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner}

Day 11: Samburu National Park – Nairobi

Stop At: Nairobi, Nairobi
Morning game drive to savour the beauty of the park, return to lodge for breakfast. After, depart for Nairobi arriving in the afternoon. Meal Plan {Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner}
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Meal Plan {Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner}