10 Days Kenya Birding Safari
This is a 10 Days Kenya Birding Safari that takes you on an adventurous expedition as you discover unique and stunning birdlife in Kenya’s top bird watching destinations. This tour starts and ends in Nairobi City which is Kenya’s capital.
Summary for 10 Days Kenya Birding Safari.
Day 1: Nairobi – Lake Baringo National Park
Day 2: Lake Baringo – Lake Bogoria
Day 3: Lake Bogoria Super walking experience
Day 4: Lake Bogoria – Lake Nakuru National park
Day 5: Lake Nakuru – Lake Naivasha (Hell’s Gate National park)
Day 6: Lake Naivasha trip to Masai Mara Holidays
Day 7: Explorer Maasai Mara National Reserve (optional Hot Air Balloon Safari)
Day 8: Explorer Maasai Mara National Reserve
Day 9: Masai Mara National Reserve
Day 10: Masai Mara National Reserve – Back to Nairobi
Detailed Itinerary for 10 Days Kenya Birding Safari.
Day 1: Nairobi – Lake Baringo National Park
Depart Nairobi in the morning with a pick up from either your hotel/ Jomo Kenyatta Airport by your guide. You will then drive north as you journey down the Great Rift Valley enjoying the spectacular views. You will drive past Mt. Logonot, Lake Naivasha, Lake Elementaita and Lake Nakuru, with a stopover for lunch en-route to Lake Baringo National Park in the afternoon. Enjoy an afternoon boat cruise on the lake as you watch hippos, water birds and crocodiles.
Later have dinner and overnight at Baringo soi lodge.
Day 2: Lake Baringo – Lake Bogoria
After having your breakfast in the morning, drive back a bit south to Lake Bogoria Game Reserve. Upon your arrival at the park, you will embark on 3-4 hours guided nature walk where you will explore areas around the southern part of Lake Bogoria. At the hot springs, you will find your camp set up with dinner and overnight at the hot spring Safari lodge.
Day 3: Explore Hot Springs near Lake Bogoria.
Have breakfast early in the morning and head out to see the Flamingos and the hot springs. The hot springs shoot higher as 15 -18ft in the morning; however visitors are encouraged to take caution while walking near the hot springs as they are extremely hot. You will then proceed south to the end while we turn to east side of the lake and later head back to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Lake Bogoria – Lake Nakuru National park
Early morning breakfast before you set out to climb eastern lake wall to catch a good view of the lake in the morning. You will then descend back to the bush camp for full breakfast. After breakfast, you will transfer to Lake Nakuru National park arriving just in time for lunch.
Later in the afternoon, head out for a game drive in the park where you will get an opportunity to sight wildlife like; rhino, lion, zebra, hyena, giraffe, buffalo, Waterbuck, Impala baboon troops and many kinds of water birds such as; pelicans, cormorants and hundreds of thousands of flamingos are found in this park. Dinner and overnight at Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge.
Day 5: Lake Nakuru – Lake Naivasha (Hells gate National park)
Head out for an early morning game drive in the park and later return to the lodge for breakfast. You will then transfer to Lake Naivasha arriving in the afternoon. Have lunch at a camp in Naivasha followed by a visit to the neighboring Hell’s Gate National Park. The national park can be explored on foot or by cycling- bicycles are available for hire at an extra cost. Dinner and overnight stay at Naivasha Sopa Lodge.
Hell’s Gate national park in Kenya is located just beyond Lake Naivasha. The park is famous for its natural hot geysers, eagle and vulture breeding grounds. Visitors have the choice of driving, walking, camping, and cycling and rock climbing within the park. Special location to view includes Fischer’s Tower, formerly a volcano’s plug, the Central Tower and Njorowa Gorges while on your Uganda Safari.
Two extinct volcanoes: Olkaira and Hobley’s are worth a trip. Natural steam vents rise from fissures in the volcanic rock. Obsidian, a striking black glassy rock formed from cooled molten lava is a feature of this landscape.
The resident game to view during your visit to the park includes hyrax, buffalo, Masai Giraffe, eland, Coke’s Hartebeest, lion, leopard, and some cheetah. A haven for ornithologists and rock climbers, the cliffs of Hell’s Gate are breeding grounds for vultures, Verreaux’s Eagles, Augur Buzzard and thousands of swifts; and about 103 species of bird have been recorded. Dinner and overnight spent at Naivasha Sopa Lodge
Day 6: Lake Naivasha trip to Masai Mara Holidays
Break the camp soon after breakfast and drive to Masai Mara National Reserve arriving just in time for lunch. Later in the afternoon, you will embark on a game drive in Masai Mara. Dinner and overnight at the Mara Sopa Lodge.
Day 7: Explorer Maasai Mara National Reserve (option Hot Air Balloon Safari)
Full day spent exploring the park in search of the Big Five including elephants, lions, rhinos, Cape buffalos and leopards. Morning and afternoon game drives are offered in the park with an option of a hot air balloon safari which can be arranged at an extra cost of US$ 450 per person. Dinner and overnight stay at Mara Sopa Lodge
Day 8: Explorer Maasai Mara National Reserve
Full days in the Mara, the extensive grasslands are a stronghold to the threatened, migratory Corncrake and the near-threatened Jackson’s widowbird. The bush and woodlands around the reserve also hold some unique bird species. More than 450 bird species have been recorded in Masai Mara national reserve in Kenya including 12 species of cisticola and birds of prey.
Large numbers of Palearctic migrants winter in the area including Caspian plovers and white storks. Other local and unusual birds in the Mara include Rock Cisticola, Rufous Bellied Heron, Denham’s Bustard, Black Coucal, Red Tailed chat, Pale Wren Warbler, Tabora Cisticola, Yellow-Bellied Hyliota, Green-capped Eremomela, and Magpie Shrike. Dinner and Overnight stay at same lodge above.
Day 9: Birding in Masai Mara National Reserve
Today you will get to spend the entire day birding in the world famous Masai Mara National Reserve. Along the Mara River you will watch out for numerous species of birds such as; African Fin foot, Schalow’s and Ross’ Turaco, Crested Guinea fowl, Woodland Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Barbet, Black-billed Weaver, Violet-backed Starling, and perhaps with luck, Pel’s Fishing Owl. Any tapping noise on the trees may be indicative of the relatively uncommon Woodpeckers (Golden-tailed and Fine-banded). Hopefully, you will be lucky enough to see some of the more difficult to see mammals such as Bat-eared Fox, Hunting Dog, Serval, and the delightful Banded Mongoose. Dinner and overnight at same lodge as above.
Day 10: Morning Game Drive & Transfer Back to Nairobi
The last day of your 10 Days Kenya Birding safari will begin with an early morning game drive, allowing you to witness plenty of early morning game. After this game drive, you will finish a heavy breakfast and then depart for Nairobi City. The drive to Nairobi is about 6 hours long with a quick stopover at Narok town for lunch. On reaching Nairobi in the evening, you will be dropped off at your hotel or Airport. End of Tour.
