Kenya: from Tsavo to the Masai Mara
Tuesday 12 June to Thursday 28 June 2012 Tuesday 13 November to Thursday 29 November 2012 with Brian Finch and Edwin Selempo as leaders.
Cost: £5010 plus about £600 for flights (June 2012) Single room supplement: £480 Cost: £5230 plus about £600 for flights (November 2012) Single room supplement: £580
Please click here for details and an explanation of the price breakdown Maximum group size: 6 with 2 leaders.
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The vast expanses of East Africa have long been part of every traveller’s dreams, a land of rolling grasslands dotted with acacia trees, mountains such as Kilimanjaro rising above the limitless horizons, and riverine forests harbouring colourful birds and troops of monkeys. Of course the large mammals of the East African plains are readily summoned to mind, and it is a wonderful fact that, by visiting Kenya, it is still possible to see huge concentrations of animals along with 500 or more species of bird. The June tour concentrates on the African species that breed in the area in large numbers after good rains. Ngulia Lodge, with its wide-open vistas, is ideal for seeing the many species of raptors breeding on the cliffs and in the large trees in the adjacent scrubby valley. Whydahs, indigobirds, weavers and sunbirds should be in their attractive breeding dress, and resident species will be vocal and visible in the early mornings. November is the time for Palearctic migrants, which pass through in vast numbers on their southbound migration. Our November tour is designed to take full advantage of this annual phenomenon, and particularly if the ringing operation is underway, we'll have an opportunity to see many secretive and similar species at close quarters. Of course we won't overlook the showy residents either, and we'll spend most of our time seeking out the area's many specialities. Day 1: The tour begins in London with a flight to Kenya. Day 2: After checking-in we will have a short rest, then after lunch we’ll visit Nairobi National Park where in the rolling acacia grassland we'll see gazelles, Giraffes and possibly Lions, as well as a heady array of birds; Ostrich, Secretarybird, Bateleur, Rattling Cisticola, Long-tailed Fiscal and Red-billed Oxpecker among many others. Night in Nairobi. Days 3-4: After breakfast we’ll drive to Tsavo National Park where we’ll spend two nights at Ngulia Lodge, famous in recent years for the huge numbers of European and Asiatic migrants that pass through on their way south. The lodge is situated on a dramatic escarpment overlooking the vast expanse of Tsavo stretching out below. At night the lights of the lodge can be seen for miles and attract migrant birds, sometimes, depending upon the weather and the moon, in their thousands. The morning following such a fall can find the bushes alive with Thrush Nightingales, Marsh Warblers and Isabelline Shrikes, while careful searching usually reveals splendid male White-throated Robins, Barred, River, Olive-tree, Upcher’s and Olivaceous Warblers, and the enigmatic Basra Reed Warbler. Ngulia is also a great place for nightbirds and during the day European Nightjars roost on the beams in the open-fronted restaurant before joining Plain, Dusty, and Donaldson-Smith's Nightjars to hawk insects around the lodge at night. Away from the lodge, large migrating flocks of European Rollers can sometimes be found, often with one sitting on every bush, and the giant baobab trees can hold resting parties of Amur Falcons. Nights at Ngulia Safari Lodge.
Day 5: Today we’ll drive to Amboseli National Park, passing through open bush country with many passerine species. In particular we’ll be looking out for White-headed Mousebird, Bare-eyed Thrush, Black-faced Waxbill, and Southern Grosbeak Canary. We may also see the graceful Gerenuk here. We’ll stay at Ol Tukai Lodge on the southeastern side of Amboseli National Park. On clear days there is an impressive vista with Mount Kilimanjaro dominating the backdrop. Colourful Lilac-breasted Rollers nest in the trees and as dusk falls the car-alarm calls of Slender-tailed Nightjars fill the air. If we are fortunate the extremely local Taveta Golden Weaver may be in residence, but it's presence is directly related to the rains. Night at Ol Tukai Lodge. Day 6: We’ll spend the day in Amboseli exploring the park’s open plains, lakes and swamps. There will be an abundance of large mammals – Giraffe, Zebra, gazelles, Impala, Wildebeest, Buffalo and African Elephant. Birds will also be plentiful and could include Goliath Heron, Hottentot Teal, Grey Crowned-Crane, Two-banded Courser, Pangani Longclaw. Night at Ol Tukai Lodge. Day 7: This morning we'll catch an early flight to Naerobi, then connecting to Nanyuki on the slopes of Mount Kenya. Here we'll be collected and transferred to Mountain Lodge for lunch. Located in the heart of the Mount Kenya Forest Reserve, the lodge is a great place for birds and mammals, watching from the rooftop balcony which overlooks a water hole is always delightful. Groups of Silvery-cheeked Hornbills and Bronze-naped Pigeons are common and Crowned Eagles can regularly be found soaring over the trees. From the roof of the lodge we’ll look for a variety of birds including Moustached Green Tinkerbird, Waller’s Starling, Rüppell’s Robin-Chat, White-starred Forest-Robin, Montain Greenbul, Grey-headed Negrofinch, and White-browed Crombec, along with many other species. After dark, the waterhole attracts a variaty of mammals, among them African Buffalo, Bushbuck and the occasional Bushpig and Giant Forest Hog. Large Spotted Genet sometimes visit the floodlit feeding station and if we are very lucky a Verreaux's Eagle Owl will be in residence. Night at Mountain Lodge. Day 8: After a delicious champagne breakfast we'll set off for the day, joined again by our marvellous driver from the first part of the trip. Entering Mt Kenya National Park, if conditions are suitable,we'll climb the steep road to the Met Station, close to the treeline and well into the bamboo zone. This is the habitat for several high altitude East African and Kenyan endemics; Jackson's Francolin probably the most attractive of this large group, which also includes skulking Abyssinian Ground-Thrush and friendly Hill Chats. We'll also be on the lookout for Mountain Yellow Warbler, Black-headed Waxbill, and several other species found in this rarefied atmosphere. After our picnic we'll decend for more biriding at Mountain Lodge. Night at Mountain Lodge.
Day 9: After another morning at Mountain Lodge we’ll drive to Naro Moru River Lodge for lunch. The Lodge is located on the lower slopes of Mt. Kenya, and although the forest here is only a remnant patch, birds are numerous. We should see Hartlaub’s Turaco, Crowned Hornbill, African Paradise Flycatcher and up to eight species of sunbird during our stay. Night at Naro Moru River Lodge. Day 10: Today we’ll drive around the edge of the Aberdare Mountains with a pause for resident Mackinder's Eagle-Owls and a stop the spectacular Thompson Falls, which sometimes offers the added bonus of Slender-billed Chestnut-winged Starlings. We’ll cross the Subukia Valley and drop down into the Great Rift Valley at Nakuru before driving north to Lake Baringo, looking for Dark Chanting-Goshawk and Silverbird along the way. Night at Baringo. Day 11: Before breakfast we’ll visit nearby cliffs where Cliff Chats nest, and in the scrub along the escarpment edge we’ll look for Hemprich’s, Jackson’s and Yellow-billed Hornbills, Brown-tailed Rock-Chat, and Bristle-crowned Starling. This is also a regular nesting site for a pair of magnficent Verreaux's Eagles. The rest of the morning will be spent exploring the bird-rich habitats around Lake Baringo. After lunch we’ll drive south to Lake Nakuru National Park where we’ll spend the next two nights. As we enter the park we will catch sight of the lake through the elegant yellow-barked acacias that fringe the lake and will get our first glimpses of the thousands of pink flamingos. Night at Lion Hill Lodge. Day 12: We will spend all day birding around the lake, world-famous for its vast flocks of flamingos and its wealth of waterbirds. The acacia woodland here is a fine example of this habitat and we’ll look for such species as Narina Trogon, Red-throated Wryneck, Arrow-marked Babbler, and Red-headed Weaver. Hildebrant’s Francolins wander the shaded tracks and shy Tambourine Doves hurtle through the undergrowth. There is a good population of White Rhinoceros at Nakuru and we are likely to see one or more of these magnificent beasts grazing along the lakeshore grasslands. Water levels at the lake vary greatly, but under normal conditions dense flocks of thousands of Lesser Flamingos feeding in the shallows, while doughnut-shaped rings of White Pelicans scattered across the lake. This memorable sight is surely one of the natural wonders of the world. Night at Lion Hill Lodge. Day 13: We’ll leave early for our drive to Masai Mara National Reserve. The first part of the journey will take us up to highland grasslands where we will be looking for two Kenya endemics; Aberdare Cisticola and Sharpe's Longclaw. We continue climinbing the Mau Escarpment and through the tea-growing region around Kericho. Here, in patches of remnant forest, we’ll look for Black-fronted Bush-shrike, Snowy-headed Robin-Chat, Black-collared Apalis, Banded Prinia, and Abyssinian Crimsonwing, among others. Night in Kichwa Tembo Lodge. Day 14: In many respects the Mara is the most spectacular part of the trip, with long views over flat-topped acacias and grassy plains filled with animals. We’ll spend the days driving in the reserve and should see most of the plains species for which East Africa is famous: Lion, Cheetah, Wildebeest, Hartebeest, Topi, Thompson’s and Grant’s Gazelles and many others. Birdwatching here will be delightful, and highlights should include Temminck’s Courser, Yellow-throated Sandgrouse and, with luck, Black-bellied Bustard. Night at Kichwa Tembo Camp.
Day 15: After an morning in the western Mara, we'll drive across the reserve to Siana Springs Lodge. Here we'll have a rare opportunity for a night game-and-bird excursion, and we have a chance of meeting some of the more rarely seen fauna sich as Civet, Porcupine or White-tailed Mongoose. Birds could include Dusky and Square-tailed Nightjars, Spotted Thick-knee and Heuglin's Courser. Night at Siana Springs Lodge. Day 16: This morning, before breakfast, we'll visit a nearby valley, home to several species that are on the edge of their ranges in Kenya. The attractive pied Magpie Shrike with it's very liquid call can be found here, as well as the diminutive Tabora Cisticola. Other species include African Scimitarbill, Flappet Lark, Red-throated Tit and the colourful Green-winged Pytilia. This afternoon we'll catch a flight back to Nairobi for our final dinner. Later we'll transfer to the airport for an overnight flight back to London, arriving on Day 17.
The ground arrangements for this tour are organised by our American associates WINGS.
Notes: Single rooms are limited at Kichwa Tembo Safari Camp. Participants may be required to share lodging during our two-night stay at the camp.
E-mail or phone +44 (0)1767 262522 for availability.
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Photos by Brian Finch and David Fisher
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Bird List (June tour)
The bizarre Paradise Whydah.
And the normally secretive Bare-eyed Thrush.
And of course no visit to Kenya would be complete with a cisticola or two. This is the aptly named Tiny Cisticola, a dry country species.
We then head in to the Central Highlands and the superb lodges at Mountain Lodge in the shadow of Mt Kenya, and Naru Moru with its wonderful gardens and attendant Tcazze Sunbirds.
At Mountain Lodge Bronze-naped Pigeons are regular visitors to the waterhole.
As are Bushbucks.
We visit Lake Baringo where we can usually find a pair of confiding Verreaux's Eagle Owls in the grounds of the lodge.
Lake Nakuru is a great place to spot a Leopard dozing in a tree. 
Or
to glimpse a White Rhino coming down to drink. 
We end our tour in the Masai Mara, famous for its big game. 
And excellent birds like this Ross's Turaco. 
White-bellied Bustards.
