Start Your Trip: +256 775904700 Email: stingersafricasafaris@gmail.com
10 Days Kenya Birding: An Ultimate Safari Experience from Nairobi
10 Days Kenya Birding Safari Overview
This 10 Days Kenya Birding Safari takes you to popular bird watching destinations. Kenya has an estimated 1090 species of birds recorded, both resident and migratory. At least eight of these are national endemics, while around 170 species are Palearctic migrants (11 species have a local breeding population), mainly from Eastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East, and Siberia.
Another 60 species migrate regularly within the Afrotropics or from Madagascar. Some 335 species are found in forests, with 230 of them entirely forest-dependent.
Experience a rewarding 10 Days Kenya Birding Safari in the best birding destinations, such as Masai Mara. This legendary park is best known as a birding paradise and is home to about 450 species, including the Masai Ostrich, which is the largest bird on earth, and over 45 species of prey.
Kenya’s birdlife is supported by a variety of ecosystems, ranging from the Great Rift Valley escarpments to open savannah plains, riverbanks, and rocky sides. Masai Mara records a number of savannah-endemic bird species and about 45 species of raptors.
Expect to find various bird species in Lake Naivasha National Park, such as the Abyssinian Wheatear, Nyanza Swift, Mottled Swift, Lyne’s Cisticola, Lesser Flamingo, White-fronted Bee-eater, Pied Avocet, Black Heron, Goliath Heron, Plain-backed Pipit, Giant Kingfisher, Grey-backed Fiscal, Chestnut Sparrow, Grey-crested Helmet-Shrike, and Mocking Cliff Chat, among others.
Lake Baringo is an impressive birder’s paradise that offers excellent bird sightings. The lake has about 480 species, including Jackson’s Hornbill, Hemprich’s Hornbill, Brown-tailed Rock Chat, Bristle-crowned Starling, White-billed Buffalo Weaver, Little Weaver, Fox Kestrel, and Somali Tit, among others.
This 10 Days Kenya Birding Safari also takes you to Lake Bogoria for more birding expeditions before crossing to Tsavo National Park, another rich habitat supported by a variety of key bird species, including endemic and migrant species.
An expedition in Amboseli National Park is the climax of this 10 Days Kenya Birding Safari. Its swamps support the presence of several waterbird species, such as flamingos, egrets, herons, pelicans, crowned cranes, and others.
Although the 10 Days Kenya Birding Safari is available throughout the year, the period between October and February rewards you with the most spectacular bird watching experience with guaranteed excellent sightings.
Quick Safari Details
Country: Kenya.
Departure/End City: Nairobi.
Destinations: Masai Mara Reserve, Amboseli National Park, Lake Bogoria, Baringo, Tsavo East National Park and Lake Naivasha.
Group Type: Private.
Number of People: Tailored.
Availability: Year-Round.
Dates: Open.
Duration: 10 Days.
Cancellation Policy: Up to 90 days.
Activities: Birding, game drives and wildlife, and Masai cultural experience.
Price: Request a quote.
Safari Highlights
- Discover the Masai Mara Game Reserve.
- Unforgettable encounter with the ‘Big Five”
- An amazing birding experience.
- Meet, explore, and learn from the local communities.
- Support sustainable tourism initiatives.
Know Before You Go
- The 10 Days Kenya Birding Safari is a single-destination tour with no crossing of borders. We’ll use a 4×4 safari vehicle for transfers between destinations.
- Note that agility is required to embark and disembark any necessary vessel. Wildlife viewing, quantity, and species of animals seen are dependent upon local conditions, including weather, wind, and seasonal migration patterns. The take-off time and duration of a flight (if required) and safari may vary due to weather conditions. Balloon flights vary but are usually 45 minutes to an hour.
10 Days Kenya Birding Safari Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Masai Mara National Reserve.
After an early morning breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel in Nairobi or the airport and commence the road trip to Masai Mara via the Great Rift Valley View Point, where you will have an impressive view of the rift valley floor. Immediately check in at your reserved lodge and join in for lunch on arrival. Take an afternoon game drive or sunset game viewing in the Mara Reserve. High rainfall from November to June causes the hilly grasslands to spring up into life after a dry spell, and the richly forested areas surrounding the Mara River are another popular habitat for hundreds of birds. Acacia woodland, non-deciduous thickets, swamps, rocky escarpments, and thorny scrubs are also notable for hosting birds, so you have a veritable ornithological paradise to explore. After spending your first evening in this African jungle, you will return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
- Accommodation & meals: Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp/AA Lodge Mara/Lenchada Tourist camp.
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
Day 2: All Day Masai Mara Reserve.
Wake up for an early morning game viewing activity targeting early risers. Spend the day exploring the Masai Mara in search of the Big Five. You will have a picnic lunch in the reserve as you scale the Mara beauty sited at the banks of the river associated with a concentration of hippos and crocodiles.
Optional: The evening activity is a cultural experience with one of Kenya’s most famous indigenous tribes in the local Masai village for $20. Learn about the Masai community and interact with the locals. A balloon safari can be organized after your early morning game viewing for $380.
Day 3: Transfer to Lake Naivasha.
After an early breakfast, take a morning game drive in the Masai Mara Reserve and proceed to Lake Naivasha. It is a freshwater lake on the Great Rift Valley floor consisting of the Crescent Island and home to over 100 bird species such as vultures, Verreaux’s Eagles, Augur Buzzards, and Swifts, among others, and an incredible variety of wildlife like African Buffalo, Zebra, Eland, Hartebeest, Thomson’s Gazelle, Baboons, Klipspringer Antelope, and Chanler’s Mountain Reedbuck. Check in at your reserved lodge on arrival and join in for lunch.
In the evening, take a nature walk along the lake and an hour-long boat cruise for bird watching. At the same time, you will spot wildlife such as hippos, giraffes, wildebeest, zebra, waterbuck, impala, and more when you cross over to Crescent Island.
- Accommodation & meals: Sawela Lodge/Naivasha Sopa Lodge/Naivasha west beach camp.
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
Day 4: Transfer to Lake Bogoria.
After breakfast, you will take a road trip to Lake Bogoria with a packed lunch and arrive in the afternoon. Lake Bogoria is home to over 450 species of birds. Visit the hot springs and geysers, and take a guided walk along the lake for bird watching. Spot birds of all kinds and retire to your lodge.
- Accommodation & meals: Soi Safari Lodge/Lake Bogoria Zakayos Resort/Lake Bogoria Spa Resort.
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
Day 5: Lake Bogoria to Nairobi.
After an early breakfast, go on a guided bird walk along Lake Baringo. Later, return to the lodge for a quick lunch. Check out of the lodge and drive back to Nairobi, arriving in the evening with a drop-off at the hotel.
- Accommodation & meals: Ibis Styles Hotel.
- Bed&Breakfast.
Day 6: Transfer to Tsavo East National Park.
Drive to Tsavo East National Park after a quick breakfast through the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway with lunch on the way. Over 500 bird species have been recorded here, including ostriches, kestrels, buzzards, starlings, weaver birds, kingfishers, hornbills, secretary birds, and herons. Arrive at Tsavo East in the late afternoon and immediately check in at your reserved lodge.
After settling in, proceed for a game viewing drive in the evening. Bird watching is best between October and January, with many migratory birds such as; African skimmers, red and yellow bishops, goshawks, buffalo weavers, palm nut vultures, and many more.
- Accommodation & meals: Voi Wildlife Lodge.
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
Day 7: All Day Tsavo East National Park.
Tsavo East National Park is one of the largest parks in Kenya. It’s wide open, with a rugged landscape and scattered vegetation. Due to this, herds of elephants, giraffes, buffalo, zebras, warthogs, and antelope can be spotted from a distance.
Have an early breakfast with your birding equipment already set in order, and start your game drive with a parked lunch. This vast area is an excellent birding haven, popular with specialist birding safaris. Notable species recorded in this expanse include the rare Basra Reed Warbler, Friedmann’s Lark, Ostrich, Blue Quail, Violet Wood Hoopoe, Martial Eagle, and Crowned Eagle. After a busy day in this African wilderness, retire to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Transfer to Amboseli National Park.
You will take an early morning game drive and return to the lodge for a late breakfast. With a packed lunch, proceed to Amboseli National Park, arriving in time for afternoon game viewing.
Amboseli is a popular destination for birders and elephant watchers. Over 400 species, including at least 40 raptors, have been recorded here. Notable species include the Lesser Flamingo, many water ducks, darters, and herons that nest in the wetlands, and birds of prey like a small population of Martial Eagles.
- Accommodation & meals:Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge/AA Lodge Amboseli/ Amboseli Eco Camp.
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
Day 9: All Day Amboseli National Park.
Amboseli National Park is one of Kenya‘s most popular parks, set against the backdrop of Africa’s best views of Mt. Kilimanjaro (5895 m), and popular for hundreds of big-tusked elephant sightings as its signature attraction. Nature lovers can explore five different habitats here, ranging from the dried-up bed of Lake Amboseli to wetlands with sulfur springs, the savannah, and woodlands. They can also visit the local Masai community that lives around the park and experience their authentic culture.
After an early breakfast with a packed lunch, spend the whole day exploring Amboseli National Park, then later in the evening return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Optional: Masai Village cultural visit, nature walk, swimming in one of the lodges (all at an extra cost).
Day 10: Back to Nairobi.
Have an early morning game drive and return to the lodge for a late breakfast. You can lazily pack up your bags and prepare to return to the starting point of your entire trip in Nairobi or the airport.
- No accommodation.
- Meals: Breakfast.
End of the 10 Days Kenya Birding Safari
Safari Includes
- Transfers in 4WD
- Accommodation and meals as per the itinerary.
- Fees & permits
- Bottled drinking water.
- Photography and touring.
- English speaking guide/driver.
- All activities in the travel plan except the optional ones.
Safari Excludes
- Visa & Travel insurance
- Emergency medical bills
- Trip cancellation insurance
- International flights
- Airport taxes
- All meals and drinks not specified
- Tips and gratuities
- Items of a personal nature
Start planning a dream safari with us. You can book this safari itinerary, create one from scratch with the help of an African safari expert, or customize one of our suggested tours to suit your travel preferences.
Important Notes for the 10 Days Kenya Birding Safari
- The 10 Days Kenya Birding Safari is limited to a maximum of six travelers per vehicle, and a 30% deposit is required on confirmation.
- Travelers with special needs may be required to pay an extra fee for necessary facilitation.
- Dinner and accommodations before and after the trip are not included in the overall tour cost.
- This 10 Days Kenya Birding Safari is tailor-made and can be customized to your own style of travel. You can set your own dates (subject to availability) and choose your accommodation facilities with our guidance. The accommodations selected here are what we think will suit this kind of safari and are where we have the best rates for you.
- Due to the uncertainty of travel during these times, you can postpone your trip up to 12 months ahead (considering accommodation availability) and have a minimum of 30 days to cancel.
Tips for the 10 Days Kenya Birding Safari
- Do not forget your water-proof hiking shoes or closed shoes.
- Rain poncho during the rainy season.
- Binoculars.
- Camera with an additional battery and charger.
- Birding pack
- Field guidebook.
- Sun hat.
- Sunscreen.
- Insect repellent.
