Kenya: Kilimanjaro to the Coast! *1 spot left*

Join Bird Alliance of Oregon on a brand-new Kenya adventure!

One of the world’s most famous travel destinations, Kenya is renowned for its remarkable diversity of landscapes, animals and cultures. Kenya boasts over 1100 species of birds and all of Africa’s “Big 5” mammals, large herds of grazing herbivores, plus fascinating history, friendly people and delicious food. We’ll explore a wide variety of habitats, including Savannah, Wetlands, Semi-arid Scrubland, Eastern Arc Forest, Coastal Forest and Coastal Beach. 

Our trip is timed to coincide with peak bird diversity, when migratory birds from Europe and northern Africa are present and many resident bird species are sporting their finest breeding plumage. February is also a wonderful month for viewing the country’s impressive megafauna.

Our trip begins in Nairobi National Park, where we will quickly find ourselves awash in exciting birds of Kenya such as Hadada Ibis, Hamerkop, Speckled Mousebird, White-headed Barbet, Long-tailed Fiscal, Variable Sunbird and Purple Grenadier. We’ll seek out the magnificent African Paradise Flycatcher and Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, plus Martial Eagle (Africa’s largest), among the 500 species known here in the country’s oldest National Park. We also have our first chance at Black Rhino, African Lion, Maasai Giraffe and African Buffalo!  

We then travel to Amboseli National Park, at the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro. While this impressive peak –popularly referred to as the “Roof of Africa” at over 19,000 feet and the tallest free-standing mountain in the world — is located in neighboring Tanzania, the best views are actually from this exciting National Park.  Amboseli also hosts the most important elephant research program on the planet, and we’ll enjoy many encounters with the Savannah Elephants here! The birding is excellent, and we’ll be looking out for African Fish Eagle, Fischer’s Sparrow-Lark, Two-banded Courser, Cardinal Quelea, White-bellied Canary, Red-headed Weaver, Taveta Golden Weaver, Speckle-fronted Weaver, and Saddle-billed Stork among many, many others. We’ll also visit a Maasai village and learn about the local, traditional culture and dance!

From Amboseli, we head to the expansive Tsavo West National Park, with magnificent vistas and wildlife-watching from thornbush plains to the famous Mzima Springs. We will add tremendous variety to our quickly-growing bird list here, with dozens of new species on our wish list including Harlequin Quail, Friedman’s and Red-winged Larks, Golden-breasted and Shelley’s Starlings, Tsavo Sunbird, Tiny Cisticola, Eastern Paradise Whydah, along with a wide array of raptors and nightjars. We then explore the amazing grassland savannah at Taita Hills Ranch and Conservancy, where mammals including African Buffalo, Coke’s Hartebeest, Fringe-eared Oryx, Cheetah and Lions are all very likely. New birds include Hartlaub’s Bustard, Kori Bustard, Marsh Owl, Pearl-spotted Owlet, African Golden Oriole, Pangani Longclaw, Secretarybird and Lizard Buzzard. In Tsavo East National Park, drylands fed by the massive Athi-Galana-Sabaki River will introduce us to  the beautiful Carmine Bee-eater, Golden Palm Weaver, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Von der Decken’s Hornbill, Red-and-yellow Barbet, Nubian Nightjar, Slender-tailed Nightjar, African Cuckoo-Hawk, and Broad-billed Roller.

We spend four nights on the stunning Indian Ocean coast of Kenya, which will give us time to explore the wonderful coastal forests in early mornings, home to so many special birds including Fischer’s Turaco, Trumpeter Hornbill, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, Green Barbet and Amani Sunbird, as well as the locally endemic Sengis and various monkey species! Midday will offer us time to enjoy the beach before heading out in the afternoons to look for a wide array of shorebirds at local marine wetlands as well as a search for Mangrove Kingfisher and Mandali Pipits at the Sabaki River mouth. We’ll spend time at Arabuku seeking out nocturnal specialties such as the Sokoke Scops Owl, African Barred Owlet and Fiery-necked Nightjar. We’ll visit the famous Gede Museum, an archeological treasure surrounded by the Gede Indigenous forest, sacred to the surrounding community. And we’ll be sure to enjoy the delightful waters of the Indian Ocean, including a boat trip to snorkel at the ocean reef!