Bird Watching – Aberdares, Samburu, Nakuru, Maasai Mara: A Birdwatcher’s Paradise

Early breakfast, drive northwards passing the 3rd world largest pineapple plantations to the town of Mweiga for lunch at the Aberdare Country Club. After lunch you will be ferried by lodge’s 4wd vehicles up the forest to the Ark. Aberdares national park is inhabited mainly by forest dwelling bird species. The Aberdares host a rich mountain birds fauna. Most of Kenya’s highland species are found here. The reserves are also rich in big game such as elephant, buffalo and antelope – the bongo. Dinner and overnight at the Ark. NOTE: children under 8 years old are not allowed at the tree lodge (the ark). Only a small bag/ luggage is required the rest of the luggage is left under good care at the base hotel.

After breakfast, drive northward to Samburu Game Reserve. This reserve has a plethora of unique bird and game species. Take a day tour to the neighboring reserves of Shaba and Buffalo Springs, which are separated by the Ewaso Nyiro River. Dinner and overnight at Samburu Serena, Shabasarova, or SamburuSopa lodge.

Drive southwards after an early breakfast to Lake Nakuru national park and arrive in good time for lunch. The park was opened in 1969 as a bird sanctuary because of the huge flocks of Lesser Flamingo. Lake Nakuru you will see the spectacular gathering of lesser Flamingoes in there hundreds of thousand together with an abundance of other water birds like the Western Reef Heron, Lesser Jacana, and black-headed Gull. Dinner and overnight at Lake Nakuru lodge or Sarova Lion hill Game Lodge on full board basis.

Drive to and bird the famed Maasai Mara Game Reserve after breakfast. You will have packed lunch. The Mara Game Reserve has varied habits, including open rolling grasslands, river line forests, acacia woodlands, swamps, escarpments, etc. These contribute to its exceedingly diverse wildlife. It is know for its huge concentrations of herbivores and attendant predators. More than 500 bird species are known to occur here, including raptor 53 raptor species such as Southern Ground Hornbill, Long-toed Plover Lizard Buzzard, Secretary Bird, Shelley’s Francolin, Red-necked Spur fowl, Madagascar Squacco Heron, Rofous-bellied Heron Spotted Thicknee, Red-throated Spurfowl, Magpie Shrike, Black Coucal, Little Greenbul, Yellow-bellied Hyliota, Athi Short-toed Lark, KaramojaApalis, Zitting and Rock-loving Cisticola. Dinner and overnight at Keekorok lodge