10 Days Of Epic Birding Tour In Kenya

Tour  Overview

10 Days of epic birding tour in Kenya. This tour takes you to the most popular birding destination in Kenya, not to miss the spectacular Masai Mara, Masai which is best known as the birding paradise based on 450 bird species with over 45 species of prey. This park is home to the Masai Ostrich the largest bird on planet earth. This birdlife is supported by a wide range of ecosystems ranging from the Great Rift Valley escarpments.

Open savannah, riverbanks, and rocky sides. Maasai Mara records savannah endemic bird species and about 45 species of raptors, on this safari we expect to find various bird species in Lake Naivasha national reserve such as the Mosque Swallow, Abyssinian Wheatear, Nyanza Swift, Mottled Swift, Lyne’s Cisticola, Chestnut Sparrow, White-fronted Bee-eater, Pied Avocet, Black Heron, Goliath Heron, Plain-backed Pipit, Giant Kingfisher, Grey-backed Fiscal, Grey-crested Helmet-Shrike, Mocking Cliff Chat, Bearded Woodpecker, Brimstone Canary, Cape Teal.

Lesser Flamingo, Maccoa Duck, Ruff, Green Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, Great White Pelican, Common Greenshank, Hildebrandt’s Francolin, African Fish Eagle, Verreaux’s Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Arrow-marked Babbler, Grey Crowned Crane, Black Cuckoo and Hoopoe, Black-lored Babbler, Osprey, Hybrid Lovebird, Red-throated Wryneck, Golden-breasted Bunting, Buff-bellied Warbler among others.

Lake Baringo is a scenic birding haven that impresses birders for its easily seen birds. The lake has about 480 species on its list include; Jackson Hornbill, Hemprich’s Hornbill, Brown-tailed Rock Chat, Bristle-crowned Starling, White-billed Buffalo Weaver, Little Weaver, Fox Kestrel, Somali Tit, Fan-tailed Raven, Brown Babbler, Somali Fiscal, Mouse-coloured Penduline-tit, Parrot-billed Sparrow, Northern Masked.

This tour also takes to Lake Bongoria for more birding expeditions before crossing to Tsavo National Park which is rich with the famous big fives and supported by a variety of the key bird species including the endemic and migrant species. This safari ends with birding Amboseli National Park which is a great birding destination with over 480 bird species, its swamps support the presence of several waterbird species such as flamingos, egrets, herons, pelicans, crowned cranes, and others. The best time to have this safari is between October and February however, the tour is available throughout the year.

Day	Activity
Day 1:	Transfer To Maasai Mara National Park
Day 2:	Whole Day Birding In Maasai Mara National Park
Day 3:	Transfer To Lake Naivasha
Day 4:	Birding In Lake Naivasha And Transfer To Lake Baringo
Day 5:	Birding In Lake Baringo And Transfer To Nairobi
Day 6:	Transfer To Tsavo East National Park
Day 7:	Full Day In Tsavo East National Park
Day 8:	Transfer To Amboseli National Park
Day 9:	Full Day Birding In Amboseli National Park
Day 10:	Drive Back To Nairobi For Departure

Detailed  itinerary

Day 1: Transfer To Maasai Mara National Park

At 8 o’clock you will be picked up from your hotel within the city center and commence the drive to Maasai Mara via the great rift valley view point where you will have a breathtaking view of the floor of the rift valley. Lunch will be picnic on the way. In the afternoon after you check in depart for a game viewing drive in the Mara Reserve. Periods of high rainfall from November to June cause the hilly grasslands to erupt into life and the richly forested areas surrounding the Mara River are another popular habitat for hundreds of birds. Add to these Acacia woodland, swamps, non-deciduous thickets, rocky escarpments and thorny scrub and you have a veritable ornithological paradise.

• Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner

Day 2: Whole Day Birding In Maasai Mara National Park

Spend the full day exploring Maasai Mara in search of the Big Five. You will have picnic lunches in the Reserve as you scale the Mara beauty sited at the banks of Mara River. Optional: In the evening, Visit the local Maasai village for a Maasai cultural tour at USD 20. Learn about the Maasai community and interact with the local Maasai people. Balloon safari can be organized in the morning.

• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3: Transfer To Lake Naivasha

Early morning drive in Maasai Mara, take your breakfast and commence to Lake Naivasha arriving in time for lunch at the lodge. In the evening, go for a walk along the lake for as well as an hour boat ride for bird watching and hippo viewing. Lake Naivasha being a fresh water lake on the Rift floor is home to an incredible variety of species. Over 450 species have been recorded here.

• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 4: Birding In Lake Naivasha And Transfer To Lake Boringo

After breakfast, drive to Lake Bogoria with packed lunches to arriving in the afternoon. See the hot springs and geysers with a guided walk along the lake for bird viewing. Spot birds off all kinds, over 450 species.

• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 5: Birding In Lake Boringo And Transfer To Nairobi

Early breakfast at the lodge and thereafter go on a guided bird walk along Lake Baringo. Later, return to the lodge for an early lunch. Thereafter, check out and drive back to Nairobi arriving in the evening with drop off at the hotel.

• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 6: Transfer To Tsavo East National Park

Breakfast at the hotel and at 7 am, you are picked up and drive to Tsavo East National Park through Nairobi-Mombasa Highway with lunch on the way. Arrive Tsavo East in the late afternoon. Check in at the lodge. In the evening, proceed for game viewing in the park. Bird watching is best between October and January, with many migratory birds including: African skimmers, red and yellow bishops, goshawks, buffalo weavers and palm nut vultures, to name but a few.Over 500 bird species have been recorded in the park, including ostriches, kestrels, buzzards, starlings, weaver birds, kingfishers, hornbills, secretary birds and herons.

• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 7: Full Day In Tsavo East National Park

Have an early breakfast, Counter-check your birding equipments and start your game drive with a parked lunch in the park. This vast area is excellent Birding country, popular with specialist birding safaris. Notable species recorded include the rare Basra Reed Warbler, Friedmann’s Lark, Ostrich, Blue Quail, Violet Wood hoopoe, Martial and Crowned Eagle.

• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 8: Transfer To Amboseli National Park

Have an early game drive in the park. Thereafter, return to the lodge for breakfast and proceed to Amboseli National Park with packed lunches. Arrive in time time for an afternoon game viewing in the park. Amboseli is popular with birders as Elephant watchers. Over 400 species including at least 40 raptors have been recorded. Notable species include the Lesser Flamingo, many ducks, darters and heron nest in the wetlands, and birds of prey including a small population of Martial Eagles.

• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 9: Full Day Birding In Amboseli National Park

Early morning breakfast, have packed lunch by our chef. The whole day will be spent exploring Amboseli national park then later in the evening go back to the camp for dinner and overnight Optional: Maasai Village visit, nature walk, swimming in one of the lodges, (at extra cost).

• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 10: Drive Back To Nairobi For Departure

Early game drives, take your breakfast, check out and commence to Nairobi to your hotel/airport

• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner