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29 Days: Nairobi - Sweetwaters -
Samburu - Lake Nakuru - Lake Bogoria - Lake Baringo - Saiwa
Swamp - Kakamega - Lake Victoria - Lake Naivasha - Masai
Mara - Amboseli - Tsavo - Shimba Hills - Malindi.
Day 1: Nairobi
Arrival at the Airport and transferred to your hotel.
Dinner and Overnight in a Nairobi hotel.
Day 2: Nairobi National Park
After breakfast we proceed to the Nairobi National Park,
which despite being only a few kilometers from the city,
is a home to big game. In its open grasslands scattered
with acacia trees we will see the first game like
Gazelles, Zebras, Giraffes and maybe some of the Cats.
If the season is right the wildebeest, which migrates
from Tanzania through Masai Mara, will also be there.
This afternoon we will see Ostrich, Secretary Bird,
Crowned Crane, Vulture, Cattle Egret, Great Egret, Tawny
Eagle and a herd of Buffaloes should provide Red-billed
Oxpecker
perched on their backs. Black Kite, Marabou Stork, Pied
Crow and African Palm Swift are also available in the
park. A walk around the Hippo pools should give us our
first sighting of the Nile Crocodiles and the Helmeted
Guinea fowl. In the Yellow-backed Acacia, look out for
Grey
Crowned Crane, Red-throated Tit and Chestnut-banded
Plover. At the picnic site Baboons will quickly assemble
on our arrival and just as quick they will easily walk
away with a lunch box. The Agama Rock Lizard is common
here. Overnight at the hotel in Nairobi.
Day 3: Nairobi - Sweetwaters.
After breakfast, depart for Sweetwaters game sanctuary
where there is a wide variety of birds such as Stout
Cisticola, Black Kite, Augur Buzzard, Cape Robin Chat
Hawk etc. The sanctuary also support large mammals such
as elephants, giraffes, chimpanzee etc. Dinner and
overnight at
Sweetwaters Tented Camp.
Day 4: Sweetwaters - Samburu.
After an early morning breakfast then depart for Samburu
National Reserve by driving north, crossing the equato.
Here we a unique bird species as such as Buff Crested
bustard, Chestnut weaver, Kori bustard, Golden palm
weaver, Golden breasted starlings, Water thicknee, among
other. There is unique northern wildlife which are not
found in any other part south of equator, here you will
find the Grevy zebra, Beisa Oryx, Reticulated Giraffe,
Somali Ostrich, the long necked gerenuk, herds of
elephants and their predators abound. The life-giving
Uaso Nyiro River plays a major role in the ecosystem of
this region. Overnight tonight will be served the lodge.
Day 5: Samburu.
Spend the whole day bird watching trying to come up with
a list of 400 different species found in this region.
All meals & overnight at the Lodge
Day 6: Samburu - Lake Nakuru.
After an early breakfast, drive south through Isiolo,
crossing the northernmost foothills of Mount Kenya,
until we reach Nanyuki town. Heading west we make a
brief stopover at Nyahururu Falls, still known to many
as Thomson's falls. Proceed to Nakuru where you will see
flamingoes, more than 450 species of birds have been
recorded here. The park has also been established for
the protection of endangered species such as the rhino
and is also home to Columbus monkeys, Leopards,
Giraffes, and a variety of plain antelope. Lunch will be
served at Lake Nakuru Lodge. An afternoon game drive
around the lakeshore will be the main feature for the
afternoon, dinner &
overnight tonight will be served at Lake Nakuru Lodge
Day 7: Lake Nakuru.
After breakfast, spend the whole day bird watching and
trying to come up with the total list of 450 different
species found here. Dinner & overnight tonight will be
at Lake Nakuru Lodge
Day 8: Lake Nakuru - Lake Bogoria
After breakfast, we proceed to the jewel of the Great
Rift Valley, Lake Bogoria. Described as the "Most
beautiful view in Africa" by Bishop Hannington, the lake
is well known for its Hot springs and geysers, which are
spread out along its southern shores. The hot sulfur
water gushing out of the ground is known to have
therapeutic values. These natural spas and their steam
are Mother Nature's version of a bath & sauna. After a
relaxing bird walk around the lake, your lunch will be
served at Lake Bogoria Hotel. Later in the after you
will enjoy an extensive bird walk around the lake and
the lodge environs, here we expect to find a variety of
species as such as Woodland kingfisher, Northern puff
back, White headed buffalo weaver, Rufous crowned
roller, African golden oriole, African hoope e.t.c. Our
dinner and overnight will be served at Lake Bogoria
Hotel
Day 9: Lake Bogoria - Lake Baringo
After breakfast we drive further north to Lake Baringo
one of the leading ornithology lakes in East Africa,
more than 470 bird species call this area home. We
check-in at Lake Baringo Country Club a superb and
compact hotel set at the shores of Lake Baringo. Our
bird walk today will feature the following rare species
e.g. White faced scopes owl, Bristol crowned starling,
Goliath heron, Fan tailed raven etc. A relaxing boat
ride on the lake will be the feature of the afternoon.
Dinner and overnight tonight will be served at Lake
Baringo Country Club
Day 10: Lake Baringo - Saiwa Swamp
Today our birding safari will depart Lake Baringo and
drive towards Saiwa Swamp National Park in Kitale, the
only exceptional Park in Kenya enjoyed exclusively on
foot and birding landmark. Lunch to be served in Hotel
at Kitale Town before afternoon bird walk. The birding
menu for today will be Great blue turaco, Ross turaco,
Ludher's bush shrike, White capped robin chat, Grey
crown crane etc. Dinner and overnight stay at a Hotel at
Kitale Town
Day 11: Saiwa Swamp - Kakamega Forest.
Depart to Kakamega Forest, covers an area of 240sq.km is
a living remnant of the original equatorial rainforest,
which once extended from Guinea in the west, to East and
Central Africa for a fulfilling and eventful day of bird
watching in this only & unique remaining rain forest
with some of very rare and spectacular bird species in
the world e g Grey Parrot, Great blue and Black billed
turacos, blue headed bee eaters, Turner's eremomela,
Little grey greenbul etc. if one of your ambitions is to
experience the enchanting mystery of the jungle,….the
melody of
singing birds, the breeze whispering trees, the croaking
frogs, the rasp of butterflies as they fly on by, the
cheeky monkeys as they swing from branch to branch…All
meals at Hotel. Dinner and overnight tonight will be
served at Kakamega Golf Hotel .
Day 12: Kakamega Forest - Lake Victoria
A morning lecture on the birds of this small forest
which harbour's over 380 different plant species, 50 of
which have traditional medicinal value, some endemic
animal species, 400 butterfly species and 330 bird
species at an altitude of between 1500-1700m followed by
a walk to try and identify the available rare species of
this equatorial forest. Lunch at Kakamega Golf Hotel
followed by a short drive to Lake Victoria where we will
do a late afternoon birding around the lake for fresh
water birds species e.g. African open bill stork, Swamp
flycatcher, Red chested
sunbird, Hammerkop, Eastern grey plantain-eater etc.
Dinner and overnight tonight will be served at Sunset
Hotel.
Day 13: Kisumu - Lake Naivasha.
Today after an early breakfast, our safari will be
destined for Lake Naivasha, the only freshwater lake in
the Rift Valley. From the top of the Rift Valley
escarpment, you can see the lake sparkling under the sun
thousands of feet below you. The lake is home to a large
colony of hippos and it's also a Mecca for bird watchers
and researchers since over 400 different species of
birds have been recorded here e.g. Long toed plover,
Great white egret, Grey headed gull, Southern pochard,
Red billed teal and not mention the Lilly trotter. The
lake location and wildlife makes it an ideal place for
an afternoon boat ride. A visit to the liberating
Crescent Island, which is completely undeveloped, wild
and free, is one of the few places on earth where you
canwander/walk on foot among herds of zebra, wildebeest,
gazelle, giraffe and dik diks. There are no predators
and no fences so it will be quite a liberating and
exciting feeling to walk among the wildlife. Lunch will
be served at the tranquil Lake Naivasha Country Club.
Dinner and overnight tonight will be served at Lake
Naivasha Country Club.
Day 14: Lake Naivasha - Hell's Gate.
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 breeding ground for
vultures in Kenya e.g. Lammergeyer vultures. Dinner &
overnight tonight will be served at Lake Naivasha
Country Club.
Day 15: Lake Naivasha - Masai Mara.
Today our safari expedition will take us to the jewel of
Kenya's parks, the world famous Masai Mara Game
(Wildlife) Reserve. This is Kenya's number one park and
is always on every bird watcher's and wildlife tourists
"Must see list". Full of life with various types of
animals and birds, Masai Mara crown's the climax of
every safari in Kenya. It's rolling grasslands and
acacia savannah have time and again been captured on
film with the movie "Out Of Africa" being the most
famous. Masai Mara is home to the "Big Five" (Elephant,
Buffalo, Lion, Leopard and Rhino) and
over 450 bird species as such as Bare faced go away
bird, Hooded vulture, Egyptian vulture, Flappet lark,
Red necked fowl, White necked raven etc. Apart from the
big five, the Masai Mara is most famous for the
spectacular annual migration of over a million
wildebeest, zebra, gazelle etc from the Serengeti in
northern Tanzania crossing the Mara River into Kenya in
search of fresh feeding grounds, which takes place in
late July or August. Dinner & overnight tonight will be
served at, the lodge.
Day 16 & 17: Masai Mara.
An early morning birding cum game drive after breakfast
will be our perfect start of another unforgettable and
memorable birding day in Africa. 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 tonight will be served
at, the lodge.
Day 18: Nairobi
Morning game drive then depart for Nairobi arriving in
the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight in a hotel.
Day 19: Nairobi - Amboseli.
After an early morning breakfast, we proceeding to
Amboseli beautifully situated beneath the foot of
Africa's highest mountain Mt. Kilimanjaro (5895m), the
park is well renowned for its huge herds of elephants
and various types of other Savannah wildlife such as
Giraffes, Bushbuck's,
Kudu, Warthog's, Zebra's and over 425 species of birds
recorded here such as White faced whilsting duck, Brown
snake eagle, Yellow billed stork, Woolly necked stork,
Shikra, Helmented guinea fowl, African cuckoo e.t.c. The
snowcapped peak of Kilimanjaro rising above white clouds
dominates every aspect of Amboseli and forms a backdrop
to an impressive display of wildlife attracted to this
location by swamps and springs fed by underground rivers
from Kilimanjaro's melting snow. With an airstrip at
Empusel Gate, the park is also home to the Masai people,
those tall, brave, and proud nomads who live in close
harmony with the environment and the wildlife that
surrounds them. Enjoy a birding game drive en-route, as
we arrive in time for your dinner at the Lodge.
Day 20: Amboseli
After breakfast it will be the perfect time for
photographing the humbling and magnificent Mt.
Kilimanjaro the highest peak in Africa. With picnic
lunch you depart your lodge for a full day birding
section with our eagle eyed birding guide. Please take
this opportunity to add a new specie in your birding
list. Dinner and overnight tonight will be served at
Ol-Tukai Lodge.
Day 21: Amboseli - Tsavo West
After breakfast, drive to Tsavo West with an en route
birding where habitat is relatively denser thicket of
savanna dominated by acacia-Commiphora bush land with
Baobab, grassy plains, riverine woodland, the Mzima
Springs. The park is also famous for the autumn bird
ringing at the Ngulia
Safari Lodge with thousands of European and Asian
Palearctic migrants on their way south. Overnight at
Ngulia Safari Lodge.
Day 22: Tsavo West National Park- Taita Hills Forest-
Voi
We bird in the park en route heading for Taita Hills
Forest where we hope to see endemics “Taita Three”
Apalis, White-eye and Thrush. Other specialties include
Striped Pipit, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler,
Striped-cheeked Greenbul. Overnight at Ngutuni Lodge.
Day 23: Tsavo - Shimba Hills
After leisure morning breakfast, depart for Mombasa
either driving arriving Mombasa at Mid -Morning hours
and later be transferred to Shimba Hills National
Reserve, Located 48kms from Mombasa town. The reserve is
the last remaining habitat of the rare Sable Antelope in
East Africa a treat you may not want to Miss!! The hills
have a heterogeneous mosaic of vegetation, including
grassland, scrub and exotic plantations as well as
forest. Certainly holding one of the largest areas of
coastal forest in East Africa after Arabuko Sokoke
Forest. Here, globally threatened species,
restricted-range species, East African Coast biome
species occur here among them, Southern banded Snake
Eagle, Fischer's Turaco, Spotted Ground Thrush, Sokoke
Pipit, East Coast Akalat, Plain Backed Sunbird, Ayres's
hawk Eagle, Crowned Eagle, African Pitta, little Yellow
Flycatcher, Mangrove King fisher, Eastern Green Tinker
bird, Tiny greenbul, Chestnut-fronted Helment Shrike,
Green headed Oriole among many more. Lunch at the lodge.
All meals at the lodge
Day 24, 25, 26: Shimba Hills - Arabuko Sokoke Forest
After an early morning breakfast, proceed with our
safari to Arabuko-sokoke forest. Has an area of 41,600
ha at an altitude of 0-21m above the sea level. It was
proclaimed a crown forest in 1932 and gazetted 1943
covering an area of 2,700 ha added in 1968.
Arabuko-sokoke has three types habitats namely; Mixed
forest 7,000 ha, Brachystegia woodland 7,700 ha on
white, very infertile soil and Cynometra forest 11,300
ha with a canopy height of 7-8 m. Here we target species
likes Sokoke scopes owl, Clarke's Weaver, Amani sunbird,
Ant-eater thrush, Eastern Nicator, Mombasa woodpecker,
Fischer Greenbul, Pale Batis, among other globally
threaten species that only occurs in this forest. All
meals, dinner and overnight will be served at beach
hotel.
Day 27 & 28: Sabaki River Mouth and Mida Creek
After breakfast, it will be the perfect time for
photographing the humbling and magnificent Mangrove
forest (the magical trees) of Mida creek. Mida creek has
an area of 26100 ha and stretches for almost 40 km along
the seashores and it's a fascinating world of cultures
to discover, lying at 0-10 m above the sea level. Area
comprises a complex of marine and tidal habitats on
Kenya's north coast, stretching from just south of
Malindi town southwards to beyond the entrance of Mida
creek. Habitats include inter-tidal rock, sand and mud,
fringing reefs and coral gardens; beds of sea grass;
coral cliffs, platforms and islets; sand beaches; and
mangrove
forests. The sand dunes are great workout to build leg
muscles and the tiny sand granules are fantastic as they
massage every nerve of your foot - it's natural
reflexology. Our species of focus will include among
others the Crab plover, Terek Sandpiper, Mangrove
kingfisher, Greater Sand plover, Eurasian Oystercatcher
among others. All meals, dinner and overnight will be
served at beach hotel.
Day 29: Malindi - Nairobi or Mombasa
Fly to Nairobi or Mombasa to connect with your international
flight or extend to coastal whites sand beaches.
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