BIRDING SAFARI
BIRDWATCHING
Birding is a rewarding fun past time that is enjoyed throughout the world at rapidly growing rates. Birding is an economically and environmentally safe hobby that helps unite families, couples, and educate people and children of all ages and interests. Birding brings people outdoors, builds interests ranging from photography and illustration to species determination through research and detailed examination. It is very easy to become a hooked birdwatcher once initial steps are taken. Birds are beautiful and delight to watch as they socialize, nests, and simply enjoy their surroundings. Biodiversity Expedition Safaris offers professionally led birding excursion in Kenya. Bird watching in Kenya is an all year round even but during palearctic migration (September-April) many species from Europe also tour Kenya. This is would be a good time to come to Kenya and see some species you see at home in different habitats types in Kenya. Indeed there more than 1100 species in Kenya. In Arabuko-Sokoke and Kakamega Forests in Kenya more than 300 species have been recorded each forest; and it is possible to see more than 100 species in a single day in Tsavo and Meru Conservation Areas as well as in Mt. Kenya and Samburu as well in Rift Valley Lakes and Maasai Area. Even if you are not a birdwatcher we at Biodiversity Expedition Safaris believe we have the patience to teach you how to watch birds and enjoy the fun. Please bring you’re a binocular or telescope and bird guide (which can be purchased locally) and notebook
​
SAMPLE ITINERARIES
Four (4) days bird watching/ornithological tour (note that a tailor made expedition can be developed depending on the visitors choice of species and places of interest)- click to book
Day 1. Kenya Birding tour: Nairobi
Arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Transfer to the Overnight, Hotel Boulevard or equivalent hotel. But depending on your arrival time you may have the option to visit Nairobi National Park in the afternoon
Day 2. Kenya birding tour: Hell's Gate National Park
After breakfast we leave Nairobi via the Nakuru road to the Rift valley. The Nairobi-Nakuru road is on a contour along the rim of the Rift valley and on viewpoints we will be able to see our whole route for the next days. Our destination is Lake Naivasha: a fresh water lake in the Rift Valley.
On the way we stop at the Limuru Swamp where we do our first bird count: Little Grebe, Yellow-billed and Maccoa Duck, Pelicans, Coots, Egrets and Herons. Soaring are Black Kite, Augur Buzzard and Pied Crow.
After lunch we drive to Hell's Gate National Park. The first part is open grasslands bordered with steep rock cliffs in which the Rüppell's Griffon Vulture nests. Easy sightings here are the Verreaux's or Black Eagle, Common Ostrich, Black-shouldered Kite, White-fronted Bee-eater, Grassland and Long-billed Pipit, Northern and Schalow's Wheatear, Lilac-breasted Roller...
The narrow gorge has a completely different habitat and hence very different birds: Yellow, Grey and African Pied Wagtail, Red-cheeked Cordon-blue, Purple Grenadier, Common Drongo, Superb Starling, Brimstone Canary, Common Waxbill and White-browed Robin-Chat are some of the birds you will see. Accommodation is in the Lake Naivasha Sawela Lodge
Day 3. Crescent Island to Lake Naivasha Sawela Lodge
We start our day with a boat ride on Lake Naivasha on the lookout for a range of fish eaters: both the Long-tailed and Great Cormorant together with the Fish Eagle and the Pied, Giant king fisher,
To have the best sightings of the Kenya bird’s species found in Lake Naivasha, Crescent Island is the place of choice. It is a lagoon from where we should be able to see Red-capped Lark, Spectacled and Baglafecht Weaver, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Brimstone Canary and Red-billed Firefinch..
Day 4: Back to Nairobi-Transfer back to Nairobi in time for lunch. Day rooms are at your disposal until 6 p.m. Evening transfer to the airport where we say goodbye.
​
BIRDWATCHING/ORNITHOLOGICAL TOUR
This tour takes you to forest, grassland, wetland, barren land habitats and more than 300 bird species will be seen in the entire trip.
Day 1: Nairobi
Arrive at JKI Airport to be met and transferred to the hotel for an overnight.
Day 2: Nairobi – Amboseli National Park
Leave Nairobi in the morning and drive via Namanga/Emali Route heading to the foot of the Highest Mountain in Africa Mt Kilimanjaro. We arrive in Amboseli early in the afternoon, take lunch and proceed for an afternoon game drive. Dinner and overnight at a lodge.
Day 3: Amboseli National Park-morning and evening
Day spent exploring this park in search of birds. The waters from melted snow drain down the mountain under lava flows and surface on the Amboseli plains, creating a green belt of swampland amidst dusty plains. Bird watching is done throughout the day but mainly in the morning and evening when birds are most active. On a bright day you have a very nice view of this great Mountain of Africa, The Kilimanjaro. Meals and overnight at a lodge.
Day 4: Amboseli & Tsavo West National Parks
After breakfast we leave for Tsavo West National Park. We pass through The Shetani Lavas and if time allows you can visit the Chyulu Hills and: the Mzima Springs which are favorite hides of both the hippo, crocodile and some water birds that can be seen from an under crystal clear water observation chambers. Dinner and overnight at a lodge/campsite.
Day-5-Kibwezi Forest and Chyulu Hills National Park
Depart after an early breakfast to Chyulu Hills Forest which is located 50 km from Mtito. Andei and 30 km south west of Kibwezi. Relatively Volcanic in origin and composed of ash cones and craters. Water percolates through porous rock fed by many permanent fresh water sources from the surroundings, notably Mzima Springs, Tsavo and Galana Rivers. Bird watching conducted in the Chyullu Hills in the morning followed by more birding in the evening at Kibwezi Forest.
Meals and overnight at a lodge/campsite.
Day 6: Tsavo East National Park—wake up in the morning and evening for bird watching –stay in Tsavo
Depart after an early breakfast to Tsavo East National Park which has a vast savanna, it lies low in semi-arid country at the eastern edge of the Yatta Inland Plateau, north of the main Mombasa - Nairobi road. This Park has a abundant birdlife with over 500 species recorded but over 300 species to be easily seen; more than 50 species of wildlife and several reptile species are found in the park, including, crocodiles, common in the Athi and Tsavo rivers. All meals and overnight at a lodge/campsite.
Day 7: Tsavo - Taita Hills Forest- wake up in the morning and evening for bird watching
Depart after breakfast and proceed to Taita Hills Forest. Taita Hills Forest has an area of 400 ha with an Altitude of between 1350-2228m. Bird species that are found here include the Taita Falcon, Taita Thrush, Bar-throated Apalis and many others. Meals & overnight at a lodge.
Day 8: Travel to Mombasa-spend the night at Mombasa City. On the way we visit the Kaya Forests (Kaya Giriama (Fungo) and Mwache Forest for birdwatching and Mijikenda Forest traditions.
Day 9: Do a city tour (visit Fort Jesus, Mama Ngina Drive (Likoni Ferry), Kamba Handicraft Society (wood carving centre) in the morning and in the evening go to Malindi/Gede and Spend the night in a hotel near Arabuko Sokoke Forest
Day 10-Depart after breakfast and proceed to Arabuko-sokoke forest for birding tours. Has mixed forest 7,000 ha, Brachystegia woodland 7,700 ha on white and very infertile soil and Cynometra forest 11,300 ha with a canopy height of 7-8 m. Species likes Sokoke Scopes Owl, Clarke's Weaver, Amani sunbird, Ant-eater thrush, Eastern Nicator among other coastal endemics can be spotted in this forest. Meals and overnight at a campsite or hotel.
Day 11: Arabuko Sokoke Forest - Midas creek
Depart after breakfast and proceed to Midas creek which has an area of 26100 ha of mangroves and stretches for almost 40 km along the seashores and a fascinating world of cultures to discover. Its area comprises of a complex of marine and tidal habitats on Kenya's north coast. The bird species include Crab Plover, Terek Sandpiper, Mangrove Kingfisher, Greater Sand Plover, Eurasian Oystercatcher accompanied by other waterfowl species. Dinner and overnight at a hotel
Day 12: Mida Creek-Sabaki River Mouth
Depart and drive further north to Sabaki river mouth which comprise the sandbanks, mudbanks,dunes and fresh water pools and marshes at the mouth of the Sabaki, Kenya's second longest river 5km north of Malindi town. Bird species that can be spotted include the Sooty gull, Zanzibar-red Bishop, Greater Snipe, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Whimbrel among other waterbird species. Dinner and overnight at a lodge at Mombasa City
Day 13: Return to Nairobi. Dinner at Carnivore restaurant. overnight Nairobi hotel