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NORTHERN & EASTERN KENYA

Bird Specialities, Extraordinary Scenery & Spectacular Wildlife

Birdquest's Northern & Eastern Kenya birding tour is one of two classic Kenya birdwatching and wildlife trips that we have carefully crafted from our many years of experience in the country with the richest avifauna in Africa. This tour features many more Kenyan specialities than our Western Kenya & Masai Mara itinerary and visits the remote Marsabit region in Kenya's far north, as well as recording a great selection of interesting mammals.

Saturday 9th November - Monday 25th November 2013
(17 days)

Leaders: Nik Borrow and local bird-guides

Group Size Limit: 11

Tour Category: Easy

Northern & Eastern Kenya is a fantastic destination and on this exciting Birdquest you will see some of the best scenery in Africa, a huge variety of bird species, many of which while be regional specialities, and many spectacular mammals. This male Somali Ostrich was photographed at Samburu Game Reserve (Pete Morris)

Kenya! No superlatives are sufficient to do justice to this middle-sized country that straddles the Equator, for Kenya offers not just the best birding in Africa but probably the best birding on earth! The country is so rich in birds that it is impossible to do justice to its enormous avifauna in a single tour of two or three weeks, so we have two two itineraries (that can often be combined if desired) that provide the most comprehensive cover of Kenya offered by any bird tour company.

This splendid tour to the northern and eastern regions of Kenya is deliberately positioned at one of the best times of year for seeing both Kenya’s many avian specialities and numerous Palearctic migrants in mainly good weather conditions. Wonderful, easy birding, fantastic wildlife viewing and mostly good to excellent accommodations and food all add to the attractions.

Almost 1100 species have already been recorded from this one country, far more than from any equivalent area on the continent. Kenya’s remarkably rich avifauna is a direct consequence of a highly varied topography combined with an extraordinary diversity of climatic conditions and habitats (including virtually everything from dry savannas to verdant forests, from snow-capped volcanoes to rich grasslands, and from deserts to great lakes). Like some of the countries of South America, Kenya exhibits great changes in the composition of its birdlife over very short distances, but unlike much of South America birding here is delightfully easy, with many open and bird-rich habitats to enjoy.

Whilst seeking the endemics, near-endemics and other regional specialities of the northern and eastern regions of this scenically spectacular country, we shall also encounter an extraordinary number of other bird species, including huge ostriches and tiny estrildid finches, a marvellous selection of birds of prey and waterbirds, strange-looking turacos, mousebirds, hornbills and barbets, gaudy starlings and weavers, confusing cisticolas, jewel-like sunbirds and much, much more besides.

Not only can one observe a huge variety of birds here within a relatively small geographical area but, as is so often the case in Africa, it is such a pleasure to find so many species which are quite tame and remarkably approachable. Although this is a strongly bird-orientated safari, we hardly need to say that many of the best places for birds and mammals overlap and we shall certainly see plenty of the latter. For the birder, Kenya’s mammalian riches are an additional attraction which turns a visit to this incomparable country from something which would already be one of the world’s greatest birding experiences into something unique.

We will travel in 4x4 Land Rovers or Toyota Landcruisers that have been specially adapted for safari work, with large roof hatches that make observation and photography easy. These vehicles are a huge improvement on the minibuses still used in Kenya by some bird tour companies, being more comfortable, more spacious (with a much larger opening in the roof) and, most importantly, far better able to cope with difficult road conditions. They cost a lot more than a minibus, and this must be reflected in the tour price, but we have never met anyone who did not consider these excellent vehicles as worth every extra penny!

We shall start off the tour with a visit to the impressive Nairobi National Park in search of speciality birds such as Shelley’s Francolin and Hartlaub’s Bustard, a superb variety of more widespread species and an excellent selection of mammals that includes the critically endangered Black Rhinoceros.

The endemic Hinde’s Babbler will be our main target as we head north to the marvellous Mountain Lodge to enjoy the stunning views of Mount Kenya and a floodlit waterhole that attracts a superb variety of birds and mammals from out of the surrounding forests.

Descending to the arid thornbush and savanna of Samburu district, we will explore the very ‘birdy’ Shaba, Samburu and Buffalo Springs Game Reserves where the endemic Williams’s Lark and Somali Bee-eater will be high on our want list. If we have hit the conditions just right then there is a good chance of encountering the little-known Friedmann’s Lark either here or later in the tour as we target favoured habitats for this elusive species. The reserves also harbour a superb selection of mammals, in particular Grevy’s Zebra, the long-necked Gerenuk, Beisa Oryx and the attractive Reticulated Giraffe. We can also expect African Elephant, Lion and, with luck, Leopard.

Travelling far to the north of the Marsabit Massif, way beyond the limits of most visiting birders, we will come to the remote Dida Galgalu Desert. Here we will be looking for Heuglin’s Bustard, Somali Courser, Masked Lark, Chestnut-headed Sparrow-lark, Somali Fiscal, Bristle-crowned Starling, Somali Crow and Somali Sparrow.

Returning south, we will overnight at Naro Moru at the foot of Mount Kenya. The grounds hold Tacazze Sunbird and a nearby ranch is well stocked with game and home to Jackson’s Widowbird whilst a nearby quarry is the sanctuary of a pair of Cape Eagle Owls.

We will pause briefly in Nairobi once more before heading southeastwards towards the Kenya coast, pausing to explore the immense Tsavo National Park, in the shadow of Kilimanjaro, as we go in search of Scaly Chatterer, Pringle’s Puffback, Tsavo Purple-banded Sunbird and, by the shores of Lake Jipe, the attractive Taveta Golden Weaver. We will also enjoy a great selection of nocturnal birds and mammals.

The relict forest of the Taita Hills will be our next port of call and here we will hope to find the full suite of ‘Taita endemics’, including Taita Thrush, Taita Apalis and Taita White-eye.

After continuing through the wilderness of Tsavo East National Park we will reach the shores of the Indian Ocean with its coral reefs and tidal mudflats. Much of our time here will be spent in the Arabuko-Sokoke coastal forest tracking down specialities such as Sokoke Pipit, Clarke’s Weaver and the exquisite Sokoke Scops Owl. An excursion northwards along the coast will enable us to look for the localized Malindi Pipit and Violet-breasted Sunbird.

By the time we have to return home we will have watched an almost unbelievable variety of birds, including many of Kenya’s specialities, and numerous mammals amidst some wonderful scenery.

Birdquest has operated tours to Kenya since 1982.

(Note: The above is a summary of the tour. For more information please download the detailed, day-by-day itinerary. The button is at the top right of the page.)

Accommodation & Road Transport: The hotels/lodges are of normal Birdquest standard throughout and are often wonderfully situated and of a very high quality. We will be using specially adapted, roomy 4x4 Land Rovers or Toyota Landcruisers with large open hatches for wildlife viewing. Road conditions are very variable.

Walking: The walking effort is easy throughout. Walking is restricted to a few specified areas in the national parks/game reserves. This is of little hindrance and indeed we can approach many large birds and mammals far more closely in a vehicle than we could on foot. Everywhere else we are free to walk as much as we wish.

Climate: Most days at low and moderate altitudes are warm or hot, dry and sunny, although it is sometimes warm or cool and overcast. At the highest altitudes on Mount Kenya conditions range from cool to quite cold. There may be some rain at times and it is generally rather humid along the coast.

Bird/Mammal Photography: Opportunities are very good.

Linking Birdquests: This tour can be linked with Western Kenya & The Masai Mara to form Ultimate Kenya, probably the world's ultimate bird tour.

Tour Price: (provisional): $6950 Nairobi/Mombasa. Price includes all transportation, all accommodations, all meals, bottled water, some drinks, all excursions, all entrance fees, all tips for local drivers/guides and for accommodations/restaurants, leader services.

Single Room Supplement: (provisional): $726.

Deposit: 10% of the tour price (excluding any single supplement).

Air Travel To & From The Tour: Our in-house IATA ticket agency can arrange your air travel in connection with the tour from a departure point anywhere in the world, or you may arrange your own air travel if you prefer. We can tailor-make your itinerary to your personal requirements, so if you would like to travel in advance of the tour (and spend a night in an hotel so you will feel fresh when the tour starts), or return later than the end of the tour, or make a side trip to some other destination, or travel business class rather than economy, we will be happy to assist. Please contact us about your air travel requirements.

The localized Pangani Longclaw is one of very many specialities we will enjoy on this tour (Pete Morris)

View Map Download Detailed Itinerary 772kb

Report From July 2005/August 2005 Report From July 2007/August 2007 Report From October 2008/November 2008 Report From November 2011

With so many species of birds and mammals, there is only room for a few highlights from our Northern & Eastern Kenya tour here! These include this fabulous group of White-headed Mousebirds at Samburu (Pete Morris)

An impressive roosting Mackinder's Eagle-Owl, now split from Cape Eagle Owl (Nik Borrow)

A pair of Northern Pied Babblers (Pete Morris)

A Montane Nightjar by day (Pete Morris)

Hartlaub's Bustard in Nairobi National Park (Pete Morris)

A few rare and localized larks are found in Kenya, such as this Friedmann's Lark (Pete Morris)

...and this very distinctive Masked Lark (Pete Morris)

On the coast, other than the superb Sokoke specialities, localized species include the Malindi Pipit (Pete Morris)

...and this spectacular Mangrove Kingfisher (Pete Morris)

As well as the specialities, you'll see a huge number of widespread African species such as this Goliath Heron (Pete Morris)

...and this Long-crested Eagle (clutching a Rusty-nosed Rat) (Pete Morris)

Mammals are a major feature of the tour, as well as the birds. These superb Beisa Oryx are one of the most impressive game animals in the north and east (Pete Morris)

Who could fail to be impressed by a big male Lion! (Pete Morris)

The attractive Grant's Gazelle is widespread (Pete Morris)

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