Amazing 6-Day Kenya Birding Tour

Arrival in Nairobi - Nairobi National Park

Begin your Kenya birding tour in the remarkable Nairobi National Park, Africa's only wildlife sanctuary within a capital city's boundaries. This unique ecosystem hosts over 520 recorded bird species despite its proximity to urban Nairobi.

Birds here may include Common Ostrich, Saddle-billed Stork, African Spoonbill, Secretary Bird, Lappet-faced Vulture, Black-chested Snake-Eagle, Martial Eagle, Shelly’s Spurfowls, Black-bellied, Hartlaub’s Bustards, Hartlaub’s Turaco, White-bellied Go-away-bird, Blue-napped Mousebird, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Nubian Woodpecker, White-tailed, Rufous-naped Larks, Yellow-throated, Pangani & Rosy-breasted Longclaws,

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 Rhinos, Lion, Cheetah, Leopard, Eastern White-bearded Gnu, Black-backed Jackal, Spotted Hyena, Grant’s & Eastern Thomson’s Gazelles, Bohor & Chandler's Mountain Reedbuck and Southern Bushbuck, Common Warthog among others.

In the late afternoon Kenya Birding Tour transfers to Kariminu River Camp in Thika. The camp offers additional birding along the Kariminu River, who's ground host a Kenyan endemic Hinde's Pied Babbler. Also Grey-Olive Greenbul, Black-throated Wattle-eye, African Finfoot, African Black Duck, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Blue-headed Coucal, African Yellow Warbler, African Golden Weaver among other may be seen. After dinner there may be mammal visitors such as Southern Giant Pouched Rat, Rusty-spotted Genet and if so lucky enough a Crested Porcupine may show up.

Overnight: Kariminu River Camp

Nairobi - Mount Kenya Forest

Journey into the mystical montane forests of Mount Kenya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its exceptional endemic bird diversity.

The transition from lowland to highland habitats provides dramatic Kenya birding opportunities as you ascend through different vegetation zones.

Castle Forest Lodge, situated at 2,100 meters elevation, serves as your base for exploring Kenya's most significant montane forest ecosystem. Target species include Africa’s most powerful eagle the African Crowned Eagle, 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 Ibis occasionally flies near the lodge in the evening on their way back to their roosting site. While all day our eyes will be wide open for another most sort-after and a legendary Abbott's Starling.

Overnight: Castle Forest Lodge

Mount Kenya Forest - Samburu National Reserve

Transition from montain forests to the semi-arid landscapes of Samburu National Reserve, home to Kenya's most spectacular desert-adapted bird species.

This dramatic habitat change introduces an entirely different avian community adapted to harsh, dry conditions. Samburu's unique position north of the equator makes it a crucial Kenya birding destination for Northern Kenya specialties rarely found elsewhere in East Africa.

Overnight: Samburu Sopa Lodge

Full Day Kenya Birding Tour in Samburu National Reserve

Dedicate this full day to exploring Samburu's remarkable bird diversity across its varied microhabitats. Early morning expeditions target the reserve's most sought-after species.

Key target species include the magnificent 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 Sunbird & Black-bellied Sunbird, Golden-breasted Starling, Hilderbrant’s Starling & Fischer’s Starling, 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, Abyssinian Sunbird, Brown-tailed Rock Chat and Gambaga Flycatcher.

A wide set of mammals thrive in the 3 reserves including Reticulated Giraffe, endangered Gravy’s Zebra, Somali Mongoose, Kirk’s & Gunther’s Dikdik, Common Waterbuck, Gerenuk and the war-like horned Beisa Oryx, African Elephant, also good chances for Lion, Leopard & Cheetah. We’ll also keep an eye for a Naked Mole Rat throwing soil from his tunnel.

Overnight: Ashnil Samburu Camp

Samburu National Reserve - Lake Nakuru National Park

Kenya birding tour Journey's south to Lake Nakuru National Park, internationally famous for its spectacular flamingo populations and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its Outstanding Universal Value to ornithology. Lake Nakuru represents one of the world's most important alkaline lake ecosystems, sometimes supporting millions of Lesser and Greater Flamingos during peak seasons (for the last decade the water levels have been so high and diluted to hold proper amounts of Blue-Green Algae; a food source for the Lesser Flamingoes and hence so few are seen.

The park's diverse habitats—from alkaline lake shores to acacia woodlands and rocky escarpments—host over 450 recorded bird species such as Great White Pelican, Black-winged Stilt, Gull-billed, Whiskered Tern, Grey-headed Gull, Cape, Red-billed Teal, Three-banded Plover, Little Stint, Long-crested Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Black-shouldered Kite, Augur Buzzard, White-fronted Bee-eater, Lilac-breasted Roller, Rock Martin, Arrow-Marked Babbler, Little Rock Thrush, Lyne’s Cisticola, Rattling Cisticola, Rüppell’s Starling, White-browed 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.

Rothschild’s Giraffe, Cape Buffalo, Defassa Waterbuck, Common Eland, hippo, both Black Rhino and White Rhino, Lion, leopard, Spotted Hyena, rarely a Striped Hyena.

Lake Nakuru Lodge's elevated position provides spectacular panoramic views of the lake while offering comfortable accommodations within the park boundaries.

Overnight: Lake Nakuru Lodge

Lake Nakuru National Park - Lake Naivasha - Thika

Depart lake Nakuru after after whole morning birding and game driving through the park via the freshwater ecosystem of Lake Naivasha, Kenya's highest lake and a critical Important Bird Area supporting over 400 species including significant populations of migratory waterbirds.

Birds may include Little Rock Thrush, Grey-crested Helmet-Shrike, Hilderbrant’s Francolin, Spotted Eagle-Owl, Schalow’s Wheatear, White-fronted Bee-eater, Lyne’s Cisiticola, Giant Kingfisher, Black Heron, Long-toed Lapwing

Boat excursions on Lake Naivasha provide close encounters of large populations of African Fish Eagle, Great Cormorant, Long-tailed Cormorant, and various other water birds.

The return journey to Nairobi via Kinangop Plateau in search of another Kenyan Endemic Sharpe's Longclaw provides transition zone birding opportunities, targeting species that bridge highland and lowland ecosystems. End of the tour with a dinner and a drop off at the airport. In case your flight is scheduled for an early morning the following day we will stay another night at Kariminu River Camp increasing our chances for Crested Porcupine before the transfer to the airport in the early morning

Overnight: Kariminu River Camp

Departure from Nairobi

This final day of the Kenya birding tour serves as reflection on an extraordinary ornithological journey through Kenya's most spectacular birding destinations, with lasting memories of endemic species encounters, spectacular landscapes, and the incredible diversity that establishes Kenya as Africa's premier birding destination.

Professional guides conduct final species list compilation, providing detailed documentation of your week's sightings for personal records and citizen science contributions.

Departure with comprehensive species lists, professional photographs, and unforgettable memories of East Africa's remarkable avian heritage.