31-Day Enchanting Kenya Birding Tour

Our Kenya Birding Tour starts with Nairobi National Park, only 10km off the cosmopolitan city has one of the greatest avifauna with a record of over 520 species in an area of only 117km².

Birds may includes the newly-almost-described Nairobi Pipit, Common Ostrich, Saddle-billed Stork, African Spoonbill, Secretary Bird, Black-shouldered Kite, Lappet-faced Vulture, Black-chested Snake-Eagle, Martial Eagle, Shelly’s & Yellow-necked Spurfowls, African Finfoot, Black-bellied, Hartlaub’s Bustards, Emerald Spotted Wood, Laughing Doves, Hartlaub’s Turaco, White-bellied Go-away-bird, White-browed Coucal, African Palm Swift, Blue-napped Mousebird, Little & Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters, Lesser, Greater Honeyguides, Eastern Honeybird, Nubian Woodpecker, White-tailed, Rufous-naped Larks, Wire-tailed, Lesser-Striped Swallows, Rock Martin, Yellow-throated, Pangani, Rosy-breasted Longclaws, Pale, African Grey, Southern Black Flycatchers, Lesser Swamp Warbler, 9 species of Cistocolas, Abyssinian white-eye, Red-throated Tit, Jackson’s Widowbird, Red & Yellow-billed Oxpecker among others.

The park has big game such as the Cape Buffalo, Burchell’s Zebra, Hippo, Masai Giraffe, Coke’s Hartebeest, Vervet and the Syke’s Monkey, both Black and White Rhino, Lion, Cheetah, Leopard, Eastern White-bearded Gnu, Black-backed Jackal, Hyena, Grant’s & Eastern Thomson’s Gazelles, Bohor Reedbuck and Southern Bushbuck, Common Warthog among others.

Overnight in Nairobi/Thika

Birding around Thika in search of one of Kenya’s endemic birds, a Hinde’s Pied Babbler and a localized Grey-Olive Greenbul. Brown-tailed Scrub Robin, Black-throated Wattle-eye and if lucky enough an African Finfoot.

The next birding site is on the highlands of southern slopes of Mount Kenya. Birds here may include Africa’s most powerful eagle the African Crowned, Hartlaub’s Turaco, Sharpe’s Starling, Purple-throated Cuckooshrike, another Kenyan endemic Kikuyu White-eye, Eastern & Northern Double-collared Sunbirds, Rameron Pigeon, Red-fronted Parrot, White-headed Woodhoopoe, African Emerald Cuckoo, Grey Cuckoo shrike and others. Olive Ibises occasionally flies near the lodge in the evening on their way back to their roosting site

Overnight at Castle Lodge

Birding tour/walk at the lodge and picking up some missing species before leaving for Samburu National Reserve located on the northern banks of Ewaso Nyiro River and adjoining the Buffalo Springs National Reserve on the southern bank.  

A wide set of mammals thrive in the 3 reserves including Reticulated Giraffe, endangered Gravy’s Zebra, Dwarf Mongoose, Kirk’s & Gunther’s Dikdik, Common Waterbuck, Gerenuk and the war-like horned Beisa Oryx, African Elephant, Lion, Leopard & Cheetah. We’ll spend some time trying to spot and if lucky a Naked Mole Rat throwing soil from his tunnel.

Overnight at Ashnil Tented Camp

Somali Ostrich, Bateleur, Palm-nut Vulture, African Hawk-eagle, Pygmy Falcon, Martial Eagle. A hard one to miss is a rib-tickling looking Vulturine Guineafowl. Buff-crested Bustard, Black-faced, Chestnut-bellied & Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouses, Rosy-patched Bushshrike,African Orange-bellied Parrot, African Scops-owl, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Von der Decken’s Hornbill, Red-and-yellow Barbet, Bearded Woodpecker, Somali Bee-eater, Rufous-crowned Roller, Pink-breasted Lark, African Bare-eyed Thrush, Hunter’s & Black-bellied Sunbirds, Golden-breasted, Hilderbrant’s & Fischer’s Starlings, Donaldson-Smith’s Sparrow-weaver and a special trip to one corner of the reserve in search of another Kenyan Endemic the William’s Lark and may include the Northern Grosbeak Canary, Somali Crombec, Shining Sunbirds, Brown-tailed Rock Chat and Gambaga Flycatcher.

A wide set of mammals thrive in the 3 reserves and including Reticulated Giraffe, endangered Gravy’s Zebra, Dwarf Mongoose, Kirk’s & Gunther’s Dikdik, Common Waterbuck, Gerenuk and the war-like horned Beisa Oryx, African Elephant, Lion, Leopard & Cheetah.

Overnight at Samburu Ashnil Tented Camp

After a final morning birding in Samburu we transfer to farther north to Marsabit.

Overnight in Marsabit

Our Kenya Birding Tour takes us farther north of Marsabit in search of birds such as Heuglin’s Bustard and Masked Lark, Somali Sparrow, Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Larks, Somali Fiscals, Thekla and Short-tailed Lark & Crested Larks, Somali Coursers, African Scissor-tailed Kite, Shining Sunbird, and Greater Kestrels.

Overnight at a Marsabit Hotel

After our Kenya birding tour in Northern Kenya to his hot and larva desert, transfer to Naro Moru birding en route. Late lunch and in the late afternoon visit the vast & pristine montane forests and alpine habitats of Mount Kenya National Park in search of Alpine Chat, Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Jackson’s Francolin, Slender-billed Starling all seen above 3000m.

Other birds include the Tacazze Sunbird, Black-headed Waxbill, Abyssinian Crimsonwing, and Dusky Turtle Dove , among others. Drive to Naro Moru.

Overnight at Naro Moru River Lodge

Birding tour around the lodge compound may produce 7 species of sunbirds, Collared, Northern Double-collared, Variable, Bronze, Tacazze, Green-headed, Amerthyst & Scarlet-chested. We may also encounter Narina Trogon, Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike, Chinspot Batis, African Black-headed Oriole and Black-crowned Tchagra.

Later, the Kenya birding tour transfers to Lake Nakuru National Park stopping at a large cliff wall that is a roosting spot for the highly sought after Mackinder’s (Cape) Eagle-Owl. Also possible are Little Rock Thrush, Red-winged Starling, Pale Flycatcher and Long-billed Pipit.

Birding in Lake Nakuru National Park is regarded as “the greatest ornithological spectacle in the world” with both Lesser and Greater Flamingoes sometimes exceeding 100s of thousands of individuals; however in the recent years you hardly see many thousands individual birds but still it’s a place far worth the birding experience. The alkaline habitat, acacia woodland, grassland, rivers and inlets with marshes holds residents as well as migratory species.

Close up views of Little Grebe, Great White Pelican, Black-winged Stilt, Gull-billed, Whiskered Tern, Grey-headed Gull, Cape, Red-billed Teal, Three-banded Plover, Little Stint, Long-crested, Tawny Eagle, Black-shouldered Kite, Augur Buzzard, White-fronted Bee-eater, Lilac-breasted Roller, Rock Martin, Arrow-Marked Babbler, Little Rock Thrush, Wailing, Rattling Cisticola, Rüppell’s Long-tailed Starling, Rüppell’s Robin Chat, White-shouldered Cliff Chat, African Grey Flycatcher, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Common, Grey-backed Fiscal, Tropical Boubou, Black Cuckoo-shrike, Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu among many others.

In addition, the park is rich in big games that includes the Rothschild’s Giraffe, Cape Buffalo, waterbuck, Common Eland, hippo, both Black and White Rhino, Lion, leopard, Spotted Hyena

Overnight at Lake Nakuru Lodge

Later, the Kenya birding tour transfers to Lake Baringo en route in search of 2 Kenyan endemics Aberdare Cisticola and Sharpe’s Longclaw, also Wing-snapping, Leviallant’s Cisticola, Maccoa Ducks, Lesser Jacana, Great Crested Grebe, Yellow-crowned Canary, Malachite & Golden-winged Sunbirds.

Overnight at Tumbili Cliff Lodge

A Kenya Birding tour is not one without Lake Baringo and birding around the lake’s many habitats, including the cliffs and the shores. If lucky with the help of the local guides, we hope to see some the specialties such as the Northern White-faced & African Scops Owls, Greyish Eagle-owl, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Three-banded (Heuglin’s) Courser, Slender-tailed Nightjar.

Some good chunk of our time will be spent also at the campground that is rich in birds. Other birds may include: Bristle-crowned Starling, Brown-tailed Rock Chat, Hemprich’s, Jackson’s Hornbills, Green-winged Pytilia, Red & Yellow Barbet, African Pigmy Kingfisher, Black-headed Plover, Black-throated Barbet, Somali Tit, Little, Golden-backed, Northern Masked, Lesser Masked & Black-headed Weavers, Northern Red Bishop, Red-fronted Warbler, Lanner Falcon, Verreaux’s Eagle, Blue-naped Mousebird, Red-fronted Barbet, Pygmy Batis, Northern Crombec and Cardinal Quelea among many other species.

Some good chunk of our time will be spent also at the campground that is rich in birds. Other birds may include: Bristle-crowned Starling, Brown-tailed Rock Chat, Hemprich’s, Jackson’s Hornbills, Green-winged Pytilia, Red & Yellow Barbet, African Pigmy Kingfisher, Black-headed Plover, Black-throated Barbet, Somali Tit, Little, Golden-backed, Northern Masked, Lesser Masked & Black-headed Weavers, Northern Red Bishop, Red-fronted Warbler, Lanner Falcon, Verreaux’s Eagle, Blue-naped Mousebird, Red-fronted Barbet, Pygmy Batis, Northern Crombec and Cardinal Quelea among many other species.

And birding at Lake Baringo is not enough without a boat trip to explore the lake for water birds such as Purple & Goliath Herons, Yellow-billed Stork, White-backed Night Heron, African Darter, Knob-billed Duck. A star bird from the boat ride is a Northern Red Bishop.

Overnight at Tumbili Cliff Lodge

We bird the smallest national park in Kenya, 2km² in size we’ll walk around birding through the well-structured boardwalks above the swampy marshes with reeds and other wetland vegetation. Birds include the African Paradise Flycatcher, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Double-toothed Barbet, Fine-banded Woodpecker, Angolan Swallow, Grey Apalis, Northern Puffback, Black-billed, Brown-capped Weaver, Black-crowned Waxbill, Black & White Mannikin.

Overnight at Barnley’s House.

Our Kenya birding tour takes us to this remote western part of Kenya, the Kongelai Escarpment where we expect local specialties such as the Yellow-billed Shrike, Lesser Blue-eared Starling, White-crested Turaco, Chestnut-crowned sparrow-weaver, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Golden-breasted Bunting, Double-toothed Barbet, Northern Brownbul, Brown Snake, Martial Eagle, Eastern Grey Plantain-Eater, Brown Parrot, Black-winged Red Bishop, Stripe-breasted Seedeater, and White-crested Helmet-shrike. Also the Hartlaub’s Marsh Widowbird among many other interesting species.

Overnight at Barnley’s House.

Birding in Kongelai Escarpment and depending on what we missed we give a trial once more before leaving for Mt Elgon National Park characterized by gigantic Juniper trees, Podocarpus and Mt Elgon Olive.

Late afternoon birding in the forest. Some of the birds that we may encounter would Ayre’s Hawk-Eagle, African Crowned Eagle, Mountain Buzzard, Great, Little & Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawks, Scaly Francolin, Hartlaub’s & Ross’ Turacos, African Wood Owl, Abyssinian Nightjar, Mottled, African & Scarce Swift, Narina & Bar-tailed Trogon, White-headed Wood-Hoopoe, Moustached Green Tinkerbird, Double-toothed & Yellow-billed Barbets, Fine-banded and Grey Woodpecker, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, Equitorial Akalat, White-starred Robin, Oriole Finch among others.

Overnight in Mt Elgon National Park

Kenya birding tour drives to the moorland in search of the majestic Elgon Francolin, among other birds we see on the way up, and later transfer to Kakamega Forest.

Overnight Rondo Retreat Centre

Kakamega Forest is the only true rain forest remaining in Kenya and birding here is a superb by standards. The forest was once a continuation of the Guinea-Congolian rainforest, rich in species nowhere else to be seen in Kenya.

Spending a few days here we hope to see a good number of these forest species that could include the Blue-headed Bee-eater, Grey-winged Robin, Yellow Spotted, Yellow-billed Barbet, Shelly’s, Joyful, Toro olive, Cabanis’ Greenbul, African Blue Flycatcher, African Shrike-Flycatcher, Snowy-headed Robin-Chat, Common, Jameson’s, Chestnut Wattle-eye, Olive Green Camaroptera, Green, Cooper Sunbird, Mackinnon Shrike, Luhder’s Bush-Shrike, Bocage’s Bush-shrike, Petit’s Cuckoo-shrike, Black-necked, Dark-backed, Vieillot’s Weaver, Red-headed Malimbe, Red-headed Bluebill.

Overnight at Rondo Retreat Centre.

Today our Kenya Birding Tour takes us through Busia and makes a few stops for localized Rock Pratincole, Piapiac along the river. Before arriving at the hotel, we will search for the early-calling Swamp Nightjar. We hope to find a few more localized birds such as the Bar-breasted Firefinch & Black-bellied Firefinch, Black-rumped Waxbill, Whistling Cisticola, Red-headed Lovebird, Black-winged Red Bishop, Green Crombec, Orange-tufted Sunbird, Yellow-throated Leaflove, Senegal Coucal, White-crested Turaco, Copper’s Sunbird, and Little Greenbul

Overnight in Busia 

Birding from Busia area for more birds that we may have missed en route to Kisumu.

Overnight in Kisumu

A morning birding tour on the shores of the second largest fresh-water lake in the world. Along the Papyrus vegetation at the Dunga Beach (an old fishing village/jet) with expectation to see some of the specialties like the Papyrus Gonolek, Swamp Flycatcher, Greater Swamp Warbler, White-winged Warbler. Also Hamerkop, Little Egret, Yellow-billed Stork, Pied Kingfisher, White-winged, Whiskered Terns, African Skimmer, Red-chested, Copper Sunbirds, Shikra, African Thrush, Black-headed Gonolek, Slender-billed, Northern Brown-throated, Yellow-backed, Jackson’s Golden-backed Weavers, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Southern Red Bishop, Black-billed Barbet, Black-billed Barbet.

After this, the Kenya birding tour leaves for the world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve, arriving late in the afternoon. Birding along the way may produce Yellow-bellied Hyliota and Green-capped Eremomela. 

Overnight at Mara West Tented Camp

Continue our Kenya birding tour along the Olololoo Escarpments for birds such as Long-tailed Cisticola, Trilling Cisticola & Rock Cisticola, Pale Wren Warbler, Red-tailed Rock Chat and may be a Red-throated Wryneck.

Masai Mara National Reserve is a plain of rolling grassland dotted with a mixture of acacia trees and blended by the famous Mara River, swampy, grassy and forested habitats all hosting different kind of birds & birding. Specialties among other common birds include Rosy-breasted Longclaw, Ashy Flycatcher, Mosque, Lesser striped & Red-rumped Swallows, African White-backed, Lappet-faced, White-headed & Hooded Vultures, White-naped Raven, Ross Turaco, Black-backed Puffback, Croaking, Stout, Pectoral-patched, Rattling and Black-backed Cisticolas, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Hildebrandt’s Starling, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Black & White Casqued Hornbill, Lilac-breasted Roller, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Plain and Long-billed Pipit, Saddle-billed, Woolly-necked Stork, Yellow-fronted Canary among many others.

Overnight Masai Mara National Reserve

Our Kenya Birding Tour takes us to amazing birding site Lake Naivasha en route game drive in Masai Mara National Reserve on our way to Naivasha while searching for more bird species especially the Magpie Shrike, Karamoja Apalis, Swahili Sparrow, Capped Wheatear, Two-banded Courser, Athi Short-toed Lark, Silverbill, Southern Grosbeak Canary, Gabon and Dusky Nightjars and others on the eastern part of the reserve. Picnic lunch along the way.

At Lake Naivasha we will look for Grey-crested Helmet-Shrike, Hilderbrant’s Francolin, Spotted Eagle-Owl, Schalow’s Wheatear, White-fronted Bee-eater, Lyne’s Cisiticola among waterbirds during a boat ride.

Overnight at Elsamere Centre

Our Kenya Birding Tour gets complemented with boat ride on the lake for more and closer views of waterbirds.  Later transfer to Thika

Overnight in Thika

From toady our Kenya Birding Tour head to the eastern and coastal kenya with to Tsavo West National Park 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 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.

Depending on the time of your visit Tsavo West National Park may be the site for the enigmatic Friedmann’s Lark, Red-naped Bush Shrike, Scaly Chatter which would be some of the star birds of this Kenya Birding Tour. Other birds may include Singing Bush Lark, Bare-eyed Thrush, Rufous Chatterer, Black-headed Plover, Quail-Plover, Somali Courser, African Scops Owl, Pringle’s Puffback, Olive-tree, Basra Reed Warbler, Violet Wood-hoopoe, Southern Black, Spot-flanked, Red & Yellow, D’Arnaud’s, Black-throated, White-headed Barbet, Greater, Scaly-throated, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Vulturine Guineafowl,

Northern Brownbul, Desert, Zitting, Ashy, Rattling, Tiny Cisticola, Tsavo Sunbird, Hunter’s Sunbird, Jameson’s Firefinch, Green-winged Pytilia & Fire-fronted Bishop.

Overnight at Ngulia Safari Lodge.

We will bird in the Ngulia area enroute to Lake Jipe in search of Taveta Golden Weaver and Hartlaub’s Bustard retiring on the Taita Hills late in the evening.

Overnight at Taita Hills

Today we drive to Taita Hills Forests and spend most of the day birding up the hills. If lucky enough these hills and patches of bits of forest, rising abruptly to 2200m are home to 3 Kenyan endemic “The Taita Three” namely the Taita Apalis, Taita Thrush and Taita White-eye. It’s the only site on our Kenya Birding Tour that gives us a chance to see 3 kenya endemic birds. Also look for are Striped-cheeked Greenbul, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler and Striped Pipit. Hopefully after locating them we will drive back making several stops for other birds.

In the late afternoon birding in Rukinga Wildlife Sanctuary bordering Tsavo East National Park. Here we have (though very limited) walking space in search of birds unlike in the park and we will take a nocturnal birding drive. Birds may include Friedmann’s Lark in case it were still wet. Bare-eyed Thrush, Scaly & Rufous Chatterers, Black-headed Plover, Quail-Plover, Somali Courser, Hartlaub’s, Bustard, African Scops Owl, Pringle’s Puffback, Southern Black Flycather, Red-winged Lark, Tiny Cisticola, Tsavo & Hunter’s Sunbird, Orange-bellied Parrot, Jameson’s Firefinch, Dolnaldson Smith Nightjar and Spotted Eagle-Owl and Red-naped Bush-Shrike

Overnight at Rukinga.

and late afternoon birding in Rukinga Ranch bordering Tsavo East National Park. Here we have limited walking space in search of birds unlike in the park and we will take a nocturnal birding drive. Birds may include Friedmann’s Lark in case it were still wet. Bare-eyed Thrush, Scaly & Rufous Chatterers, Black-headed Plover, Quail-Plover, Somali Courser, Hartlaub’s, & White-bellied Bustards, African Scops Owl, Striped Kingfisher, Pringle’s Puffback, Southern Black Flycather, Red-winged Lark, Spot-flanked, Red & Yellow, D’Arnaud’s, Black-throated, White-headed Barbets, Greater, Scaly-throated & Lesser Honeyguides, Northern White-crowned Shrike, Vulturine Guineafowl, Northern Brownbul, Desert, Zitting, Ashy, Rattling, Tiny Cisticola, Tsavo & Hunter’s Sunbird Orange-bellied Parrot, Jameson’s Firefinch, Green-winged Pytilia, Fire-fronted Bishop, Red-headed, Vitelline Masked, Lesser Masked, Black-necked Weaver, Blue-capped Cordon Bleu, Pangani Longclaw. On night game drive we may see the Dolnaldson Smith Nightjar and Spotted Eagle-Owl

Overnight at Kivuli Camp.

Today our 31 Day Kenya Birding Tour takes us to Shimba Hills National Reserve, it’s the only site in kenya for the Green-headed Oriole and Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird also we may see Fischer’s Turaco, Green, Brown-breasted, Black-breasted & White-eared Barbets. Lunch at the lodge and afternoon birding in the Reserve.

Overnight at Shimba Hills Lodge

Morning birding in Shimba Hills National Reserve before transfer to Malindi. On arrival, our Kenya Birding Tours staright away visit the Arabuko Sokoke Forest and with the help of the local guides we will track down Africa’s smallest owl the Sokoke Scops Owl.

Overnight at Turtle Bay Beach Hotel

Any Coastal Kenya Bird Tour is incomplete without this famous Arabuko Sokoke Forest, which is the largest remnant of the East African Coastal Forest. We hope to see the rarely seen Kenyan endemic Clarke’s Weaver among the rich diversity of other bird species. These may include near endemic Amani Sunbird, Sokoke Pipit & Malindi Pipit, East Coast Akalat, Scaly Babbler, Mombasa Woodpecker. Other birds may include Little Yellow Flycatcher, a localized Collared Palm Thrush, Four-coulored Bushshrike, Fischer’s Turaco, Mangrove Kingfisher, Scaly-throated & Pallid Honeyguides, Eastern Green Tinkerbird & Green Barbet, Mombasa & Green-backed Woodpecker amongst many others.  This is also the home to near endemic Golden-rumped Elephant Shrew.

Depending on the tide we will either visit Mida Creek or the forest fringed by mangrove forest, the creek has a large area that fills with the saline water during high tides. Watching and identifying wading birds here is superb, fun and hard. They may include the “the special one” Crab-Plover, Greater & Lesser Sandplovers, Black-tailed Godwit, Sanderling, Dunlin, Grey Plover, Curlew & Terek Sandpipers, Whimbrel & Eurasian Curlew, Oystercatcher, Dimorphic Egret, Yellow-billed & Wooly-necked Storks, Mangrove Kingfisher.

Overnight at Turtle Bay Beach Club

Birding tour in Arabuko and later or in between squeeze some time to visit Sabaki River Estuary an area characterized by sandbanks, mudflats, mud banks, sanddunes, fresh pools and marshes. The site is important for both intra-African and Palearctic migrants for roosting, resting and feeding ground for gulls and terns.

A good site for Madagascar Pratincole, African Skimmer. Also Dimorphic & Little Egrets, Great & Lesser Flamingos, Water Thick-knee, Ruddy Turnstone, Heuglin’s, Sooty and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Gull-billed, Caspian, Greater-crested, Lesser-crested & Common Terns, also the Southern Carmine Bee-eater, Ethiopian Swallow, Zanzibar Red Bishop also nearby Malindi Pipit.

Overnight at Turtle Bay Beach Club

Birding in Arabuko Sokoke Forest and later in the afternoon our Kenya Bird Tour will finally take us to Lamu Island and particularly birding on the Manda Island in search of a near endemic the Manda Boubou. Also Mouse-coloured Sunbird, Purple-banded Sunbird etc
Overnight at Lamu Island

Our last day of our Kenya Birding Tour would be spent birding around the island then later fly to Nairobi for your international outbound flight