Kenya: The Ultimate Birding Safari
Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime birding tour to Kenya, one of Africa's birdiest nations. This carefully crafted itinerary takes you through Kenya’s most iconic birding hotspots, offering the perfect mix of birding and safari experiences. From the dry landscapes of Samburu National Reserve to the lush forests neat Mt. Kenya, the tour showcases a diverse range of bird and mammal species.
We will visit Lake Nakuru for waterbirds, and explore the wetlands around Lake Baringo, home to rare species such as White-backed Night-Heron and Senegal Thick-knee. The tour also includes a visit to Kakamega Forest, Kenya's only tropical rainforest, where we can find rare and localized species such as the Blue-headed Bee-eater and Turner's Eromomela. Finally, end your journey in the world-famous Maasai Mara, where we will see a wealth of bird species alongside the Mara's iconic wildlife including all of the "Big Five".
This Kenya birding tour provides the perfect opportunity to explore east Africa's avian diversity and the ultimate combination of birding and wildlife make it an unforgettable experience for anyone passionate about birds and nature.
We will visit Lake Nakuru for waterbirds, and explore the wetlands around Lake Baringo, home to rare species such as White-backed Night-Heron and Senegal Thick-knee. The tour also includes a visit to Kakamega Forest, Kenya's only tropical rainforest, where we can find rare and localized species such as the Blue-headed Bee-eater and Turner's Eromomela. Finally, end your journey in the world-famous Maasai Mara, where we will see a wealth of bird species alongside the Mara's iconic wildlife including all of the "Big Five".
This Kenya birding tour provides the perfect opportunity to explore east Africa's avian diversity and the ultimate combination of birding and wildlife make it an unforgettable experience for anyone passionate about birds and nature.
Variable Sunbird
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Lion
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Kenya Birding Tour Information
Dates: October 15-28, 2027
Start/End city: Nairobi, Kenya
Cost: $9,150 USD | $12,825 CAD per person
Single Supplement: $1,400 USD | $1,975 CAD
Leader: Gavin McKinnon + local guides
Space Available
Start/End city: Nairobi, Kenya
Cost: $9,150 USD | $12,825 CAD per person
Single Supplement: $1,400 USD | $1,975 CAD
Leader: Gavin McKinnon + local guides
Space Available
Kenya Birding Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Nairobi
Today we will arrive in Naiorbi and settle in to the hotel for the night. This afternoon, if time permits, we will visit Ngong Forest where we will get a good introduction to the birds of Kenya.
Day 2-3: Samburu National Reserve
We're will depart early for Samburu today. Along the drive we wills see common species such as Pied Crow and Auger Buzzard, as well as Ruppell's Griffon, Egyptian Vulture, Donaldson-Smith's Sparrow-Weaver, Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse, Variable Sunbird, and Pink-breasted Lark are among the specialties we will be watching for as we get closer to Samburu. Upon entering the reserve we will be greeted by the local mammals, Beisa Oryx, Gerenuk, Grevy's Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe, and Elephant, we will later spend time looking for additional birds such as; Somali Ostrich, Somali Courser, Golden Pipit, Golden-breasted Starling, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Rosy-patched Bushshrike, Pringle’s Puffback, Northern Puffback, Northern White-crowned Shrike, White-headed Mousebird, Hunter’s Sunbird, Black-bellied Sunbird, Shining Sunbird, Red-billed Hornbill, Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill, Von der Decken’s Hornbill, Black-faced Sandgrouse, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Fire-fronted Bishop, Somali Bee-eater, Stone Partridge, African Orange-bellied Parrot, Yellowvented Eremomela, Northern Crombec, Northern Grey Tit, Black-capped Social Weaver, Northern Brownbul, Buff-crested Bustard, African Bare-eyed Thrush, Somali Sparrow, Donaldson-Smith’s Nightjar, Dusky Nightjar, Vulturine Guineafowl, Rufous Chatterer, Collared Mourning Dove, Egyptian Vulture, Bateleur, Martial Eagle and Tawny Eagle.
Day 4-5: Castle Forest - Mt. Kenya
This morning we will drive to the Castle Forest at the base of magnificent Mt. Kenya, where an entirely different variety of birds will be waiting for us. We will stay in basic, but comfortable cabins here. We will begin birding at at the lodge and around the nearby bush and forest edge before moving farther into the forest. Mountain Wagtail, Slender-billed Greenbul, Mountain Yellow-Warbler, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Black-throated Apalis, Black-collared Apalis, and Chestnut-throated Apalis are among the species we hope to find as we search the forest, wetlands, and grasslands. Hunter's Cisticola, Abyssinian Crimsonwing, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Black-fronted Bushshrike, Malachite Sunbird, Golden-winged Sunbird, Eastern Double-collared Sunbird, Black-headed Waxbill, Olive Ibis, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Crowned Hornbill, Red-fronted Parrot, Spectacled Weaver, Grey-headed Nigrita, Brown-backed Scrub-Robin, Rueppell’s Robin-Chat, , Black-headed Waxbill, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Slender-billed Starling, Abbott’s Starling, Sharpe’s Starling, Kenrick’s Starling, Waller’s Starling, Kikuyu White-eye, Fine-banded Woodpecker, White-headed Wood-Hoopoe, Bar-tailed Trogon, Yellow-crowned Canary, Dusky Turtle Dove, African Green Pigeon, Lemon Dove, African Olive Pigeon, and Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon.
Day 6: Lake Nakuru National Park
Known as a birdwatcher's paradise, this park was the first in Africa to be established with the goal of protecting bird species. Here, we hope to see thousands of Lesser Flamingos. Arrow-marked Babbler, Little Rock-Thrush, Mocking Cliff Chat, White-browed Robin-Chat, Reed Cormorant, Pink-backed Pelican, Pied Avocet, Kittlitz's Plover, Blacksmith Lapwing, Hildebrandt's Francolin, Saddle-billed Stork, Grey-crested Helmetshrike, Cape Teal, Blue-billed Teal, and Long-crested Eagle are all possible here. The park is also a great sanctuary for both Black and White Rhinoceros; without forgetting other three members of the big five, Lion, Leopard and Water Buffalo may also be encountered as we move around the park. Other mammals will be seen, especially herds of grazing herbivores; and the Rothschild’s Giraffe.
Day 7-8: Lake Baringo
After another morning at Lake Nakuru we will depart for Lake Baringo. On our first afternoon, we wills search for Spotted & Greyish Eagle-Owl and Northern White-faced Owl. Other species of this are include Shikra, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Verreaux’s Eagle, Slender-tailed Nightjar, Donaldson-Smith’s Nightjar, Three-banded Courser, D’Arnaud’s Barbet, Black-throated Barbet, Brubru, Grey-headed Bushshrike, Somali Fiscal, Three-streaked Tchagra, Spotted Thick-knee, Senegal Thick-knee, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Nubian Woodpecker, Crimson-rumped Waxbill, Little Weaver, Jackson’s Golden-backed Weaver, Northern Masked Weaver, White-billed Buffalo-Weaver, White-bellied Canary, Beautiful Sunbird, Black-headed Plover, Jackson’s Hornbill, Yellow-billed Hornbill, Hemprich’s Hornbill, Northern Red Bishop, Brown-tailed Rock Chat, Mocking Cliff-Chat, Somali Sparrow and Bristle-crowned Starling, among many others. One morning, a boat trip around Lake Baringo will be enjoyed in an effort to spot water birds such as the White-faced Whistling Duck, Black Crake, Goliath Heron, Little Bittern, African Jacana, and Purple Heron and White-backed Night-Heron. Along with taking in the lake's natural beauty, the boat ride will allow you to witness the local African Fish Eagles hunting.
Day 9-10: Kakamega Forest
The Kakamega forest, a relic of the Guineo-Congolian Equatorial forest, will be explored during this time. There is a great diversity of species here, and we hope to add many more to our list. With brief breaks in between, we will walk through the forest for a while in search of regional specialties. Joyful Greenbul, the localized Kakamega subspecies of Shelly's Greenbul, Great Blue Turaco, Ross's Turaco, Crowned Eagle, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Uganda Woodland Warbler, White-chinned Prinia, Buff-throated Apalis, Turner’s Eremomela, Green Hylia, Southern Hyliota, Olive-green Camaroptera, Square-tailed Drongo, Black-necked Weaver, Black-billed Weaver, Vieillot’s Black Weaver, African Broadbill, Petit’s Cuckooshrike, Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, Snowy-headed Robin-Chat, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Yellow-billed Barbet, Pink-footed Puffback, Green Sunbird, Western Olive Sunbird, Orange-tufted Sunbird, Green-throated Sunbird, Mackinnon’s Shrike, Dusky Tit, African Emerald Cuckoo, Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill, Equatorial Akalat, White-tailed Ant-Thrush, Blue-headed Bee-eater, and Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye. We will stay at a quaint retreat in the forest with excellent birding on the grounds.
Day 11-13: Masai Mara National Reserve
The pinnacle of an African safari experience is Masai Mara National Reserve, which is frequently referred to as the eighth wonder of the world. This reserve, which has much to offer, is regarded as Kenya's ultimate wildlife haven. This location is truly remarkable, with all five of the Big Five present as well as countless herbivores grazing the land in vast herds. The reserve is also referred to as the "haven of the big cats," which includes Lions, Cheetahs, and Leopards. Topi and Maasai Giraffes will be among the other mammals present. We will spend these days on thrilling game drives drives and searching for birds such as the Southern Ground-Hornbill, Rufous-bellied Heron, Red-necked Spurfowl, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Lappet-faced Vulture, Hooded Vulture, White-backed Vulture, Short-toed Snake-Eagle, Ruppell’s Vulture, Temminck’s Courser, Rosy-breasted Longclaw, Black Coucal, Small Bottonquail, Kori Bustard, Grey-capped Social Weaver, Karamoja Apalis, Black-backed Cisticola, Long-tailed Cisticola, Pale Wren-Warbler, D'Arnaut's Barbet, and Sooty Chat. On "The Mara" we also have a very good chance to see the national bird of Kenya, which is synonymous with birding in Africa, the peculier looking Secretarybird.
Day 14: Return to Nairobi and Departure
We will enjoy some morning birding around our lodge in the Mara on this day. After that, we will begin our journey back to Nairobi, stopping along the way to enjoy some bird watching. We will reach Nairobi in the afternoon, so please do not schedule departing flights before 7:00 pm.
Today we will arrive in Naiorbi and settle in to the hotel for the night. This afternoon, if time permits, we will visit Ngong Forest where we will get a good introduction to the birds of Kenya.
Day 2-3: Samburu National Reserve
We're will depart early for Samburu today. Along the drive we wills see common species such as Pied Crow and Auger Buzzard, as well as Ruppell's Griffon, Egyptian Vulture, Donaldson-Smith's Sparrow-Weaver, Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse, Variable Sunbird, and Pink-breasted Lark are among the specialties we will be watching for as we get closer to Samburu. Upon entering the reserve we will be greeted by the local mammals, Beisa Oryx, Gerenuk, Grevy's Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe, and Elephant, we will later spend time looking for additional birds such as; Somali Ostrich, Somali Courser, Golden Pipit, Golden-breasted Starling, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Rosy-patched Bushshrike, Pringle’s Puffback, Northern Puffback, Northern White-crowned Shrike, White-headed Mousebird, Hunter’s Sunbird, Black-bellied Sunbird, Shining Sunbird, Red-billed Hornbill, Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill, Von der Decken’s Hornbill, Black-faced Sandgrouse, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Fire-fronted Bishop, Somali Bee-eater, Stone Partridge, African Orange-bellied Parrot, Yellowvented Eremomela, Northern Crombec, Northern Grey Tit, Black-capped Social Weaver, Northern Brownbul, Buff-crested Bustard, African Bare-eyed Thrush, Somali Sparrow, Donaldson-Smith’s Nightjar, Dusky Nightjar, Vulturine Guineafowl, Rufous Chatterer, Collared Mourning Dove, Egyptian Vulture, Bateleur, Martial Eagle and Tawny Eagle.
Day 4-5: Castle Forest - Mt. Kenya
This morning we will drive to the Castle Forest at the base of magnificent Mt. Kenya, where an entirely different variety of birds will be waiting for us. We will stay in basic, but comfortable cabins here. We will begin birding at at the lodge and around the nearby bush and forest edge before moving farther into the forest. Mountain Wagtail, Slender-billed Greenbul, Mountain Yellow-Warbler, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Black-throated Apalis, Black-collared Apalis, and Chestnut-throated Apalis are among the species we hope to find as we search the forest, wetlands, and grasslands. Hunter's Cisticola, Abyssinian Crimsonwing, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Black-fronted Bushshrike, Malachite Sunbird, Golden-winged Sunbird, Eastern Double-collared Sunbird, Black-headed Waxbill, Olive Ibis, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Crowned Hornbill, Red-fronted Parrot, Spectacled Weaver, Grey-headed Nigrita, Brown-backed Scrub-Robin, Rueppell’s Robin-Chat, , Black-headed Waxbill, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Slender-billed Starling, Abbott’s Starling, Sharpe’s Starling, Kenrick’s Starling, Waller’s Starling, Kikuyu White-eye, Fine-banded Woodpecker, White-headed Wood-Hoopoe, Bar-tailed Trogon, Yellow-crowned Canary, Dusky Turtle Dove, African Green Pigeon, Lemon Dove, African Olive Pigeon, and Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon.
Day 6: Lake Nakuru National Park
Known as a birdwatcher's paradise, this park was the first in Africa to be established with the goal of protecting bird species. Here, we hope to see thousands of Lesser Flamingos. Arrow-marked Babbler, Little Rock-Thrush, Mocking Cliff Chat, White-browed Robin-Chat, Reed Cormorant, Pink-backed Pelican, Pied Avocet, Kittlitz's Plover, Blacksmith Lapwing, Hildebrandt's Francolin, Saddle-billed Stork, Grey-crested Helmetshrike, Cape Teal, Blue-billed Teal, and Long-crested Eagle are all possible here. The park is also a great sanctuary for both Black and White Rhinoceros; without forgetting other three members of the big five, Lion, Leopard and Water Buffalo may also be encountered as we move around the park. Other mammals will be seen, especially herds of grazing herbivores; and the Rothschild’s Giraffe.
Day 7-8: Lake Baringo
After another morning at Lake Nakuru we will depart for Lake Baringo. On our first afternoon, we wills search for Spotted & Greyish Eagle-Owl and Northern White-faced Owl. Other species of this are include Shikra, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Verreaux’s Eagle, Slender-tailed Nightjar, Donaldson-Smith’s Nightjar, Three-banded Courser, D’Arnaud’s Barbet, Black-throated Barbet, Brubru, Grey-headed Bushshrike, Somali Fiscal, Three-streaked Tchagra, Spotted Thick-knee, Senegal Thick-knee, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Nubian Woodpecker, Crimson-rumped Waxbill, Little Weaver, Jackson’s Golden-backed Weaver, Northern Masked Weaver, White-billed Buffalo-Weaver, White-bellied Canary, Beautiful Sunbird, Black-headed Plover, Jackson’s Hornbill, Yellow-billed Hornbill, Hemprich’s Hornbill, Northern Red Bishop, Brown-tailed Rock Chat, Mocking Cliff-Chat, Somali Sparrow and Bristle-crowned Starling, among many others. One morning, a boat trip around Lake Baringo will be enjoyed in an effort to spot water birds such as the White-faced Whistling Duck, Black Crake, Goliath Heron, Little Bittern, African Jacana, and Purple Heron and White-backed Night-Heron. Along with taking in the lake's natural beauty, the boat ride will allow you to witness the local African Fish Eagles hunting.
Day 9-10: Kakamega Forest
The Kakamega forest, a relic of the Guineo-Congolian Equatorial forest, will be explored during this time. There is a great diversity of species here, and we hope to add many more to our list. With brief breaks in between, we will walk through the forest for a while in search of regional specialties. Joyful Greenbul, the localized Kakamega subspecies of Shelly's Greenbul, Great Blue Turaco, Ross's Turaco, Crowned Eagle, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Uganda Woodland Warbler, White-chinned Prinia, Buff-throated Apalis, Turner’s Eremomela, Green Hylia, Southern Hyliota, Olive-green Camaroptera, Square-tailed Drongo, Black-necked Weaver, Black-billed Weaver, Vieillot’s Black Weaver, African Broadbill, Petit’s Cuckooshrike, Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, Snowy-headed Robin-Chat, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Yellow-billed Barbet, Pink-footed Puffback, Green Sunbird, Western Olive Sunbird, Orange-tufted Sunbird, Green-throated Sunbird, Mackinnon’s Shrike, Dusky Tit, African Emerald Cuckoo, Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill, Equatorial Akalat, White-tailed Ant-Thrush, Blue-headed Bee-eater, and Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye. We will stay at a quaint retreat in the forest with excellent birding on the grounds.
Day 11-13: Masai Mara National Reserve
The pinnacle of an African safari experience is Masai Mara National Reserve, which is frequently referred to as the eighth wonder of the world. This reserve, which has much to offer, is regarded as Kenya's ultimate wildlife haven. This location is truly remarkable, with all five of the Big Five present as well as countless herbivores grazing the land in vast herds. The reserve is also referred to as the "haven of the big cats," which includes Lions, Cheetahs, and Leopards. Topi and Maasai Giraffes will be among the other mammals present. We will spend these days on thrilling game drives drives and searching for birds such as the Southern Ground-Hornbill, Rufous-bellied Heron, Red-necked Spurfowl, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Lappet-faced Vulture, Hooded Vulture, White-backed Vulture, Short-toed Snake-Eagle, Ruppell’s Vulture, Temminck’s Courser, Rosy-breasted Longclaw, Black Coucal, Small Bottonquail, Kori Bustard, Grey-capped Social Weaver, Karamoja Apalis, Black-backed Cisticola, Long-tailed Cisticola, Pale Wren-Warbler, D'Arnaut's Barbet, and Sooty Chat. On "The Mara" we also have a very good chance to see the national bird of Kenya, which is synonymous with birding in Africa, the peculier looking Secretarybird.
Day 14: Return to Nairobi and Departure
We will enjoy some morning birding around our lodge in the Mara on this day. After that, we will begin our journey back to Nairobi, stopping along the way to enjoy some bird watching. We will reach Nairobi in the afternoon, so please do not schedule departing flights before 7:00 pm.
