Birds & Mammals
It is not easy to describe Kenya in just a few words, but it would be fair to say that it is one of the most superb birding destinations in the world. It is blessed with some of Africa's finest wildlife reserves a number of which we will visit on this 13 day tour. Kenya has a huge bird list which stands at just over 1000, and although it would be impossible to see everything in just one short stay, it is not unrealistic to aim for a list of 500 during the tour which has been designed specifically to visit the best birding sites and see as many bird species as possible during our stay. Although focusing primarily on the birdlife we will also have several opportunities to view the huge numbers and variety of mammals of the region which may including Reticulated Giraffe, Grevy's Zebra, Black Rhino, African Elephant, Cheetah, Leopard and Lion. Add to that some of the countries most spectacular scenery and you really do have the ingredients for a wonderful experience.

Day 1
We meet at a London Airport for our direct flight to Nairobi International Airport where we will be met and greeted by our guide before transferring to a good quality hotel in Nairobi where we spend our first night. Here we can relax and refresh after our flight so we're ready for the following day.

Day 2
Our first port of call will be Nairobi National Park where we spend the whole day. Despite being located within the shadows of the large capital city only a few kilometers away, it is none the less home to big game. With highland forest, Acacia woodland, rocky escarpments, open grassland, large ponds, and small streams, this park is home to a wide variety of birds and mammals. Some of the key species we will search for here are Shelley's Francolin, Hartlaub's Bustard, Spotted Thick-knee, Yellow-throated Sandgrouse, Singing Cisticola, African Yellow Warbler, Northern Pied Babbler, Long-tailed Fiscal and White-winged Widowbird. Nairobi National Park is without a doubt the best place in Kenya to see the endangered Black Rhino, and we have a very good chance of locating this very impressive species together with many of the other mammals including Burchell's Zebra, Masai Giraffe and Hippopotamus.

Day 3
On this morning we leave Nairobi and transfer to Serena Mountain Lodge, with several short stops enroute. Our first destination is in Thika, where we will bird the woodlands along the Chania River. Here we will see many exciting African species, which may include Hadada Ibis, African Green-pigeon, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Spot-flanked Barbet, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Black-throated Wattle-eye and both Variable and Collared Sunbirds. We will also make a stop at Wajee Camp, a noted site for the Kenya endemic Hinde's Pied-babbler. While birding the steep forested slopes of the camp, we stand a chance of locating Ayer's Hawk-eagle, African Wood-owl, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, and Green-headed Sunbird. Serena Mountain Lodge is located on the lower slopes of Mt. Kenya, Africa's second tallest mountain, and is an excellent place to locate many highland forest species. Along the entrance road we may encounter Augur Buzzard, Hartlaub's Turaco, Moustached Tinkerbird, Mosque Swallow, Black Saw-wing, Sharpe's Starling, Black-tailed Oriole, Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike, and Eastern Double-collared Sunbird.

The large waterhole and salt lick at the lodge is host to many mammals and we can expect Blue Sykes Monkey, White-tailed and Marsh Mongooses, Common Genet, Deffassa Waterbuck, Giant Forest Hog, and the tiny Suni. We spend one night here, where at an elevation of almost 2500m nights can be quite chilly.

Days 04
Will start with some early morning birding from the lodge balcony which is always productive, birds such as Marabou Stork, Black Goshawk, Fine-banded Woodpecker, Cape Wagtail, Mountain Greenbul, Rüppell's Robin-chat, Hunter's Cisticola, Black-throated Apalis, and Yellow-crowned Canary are all possible. We will also take a short walk from the lodge along the entrance road in search of the more secretive species of the area such as Scaly Francolin, African Hill Babbler, White-starred Robin, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Mountain Yellow Warbler, White-browed Crombec, Yellow-bellied Waxbill and Oriole Finch. Mid-morning we will leave the cool climate of Mt. Kenya for more arid country in the North, specifically the Samburu Game Reserve. The drive will offer spectacular scenery, and the grasslands along the roadside are a great place for Black-winged Plover, Black-shouldered Kite, Dusky Turtle Dove, Greater Blue-eared Glossy Starling, Tacazze Sunbird and Speke's Weaver.

Days 5 & 6
Two full days in Samburu Game Reserve, one of the most exciting reserves in East Africa. The semi-desert habitat and the rich woodlands along the Ewaso Nyiro River are teeming with wildlife and explorations of the fantastic reserve will produce an almost overwhelming array of bird species: Palm-nut and Hooded Vultures, Bateleur, Martial Eagle, African Hawk-eagle, Crested and Yellow-necked Francolins, Vulturine Guineafowl, Buff-crested and White-bellied Bustards, Black-faced and Liechtenstein's Sandgrouse, Red-bellied Parrot, African Scops-owl, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Somali Bee-eater, Rufous-crowned Roller, Von der Decken's Hornbill, Red-and-yellow Barbet, Bearded Woodpecker, Pink-breasted Lark, African Bare-eyed Thrush, Rosy-patched Bush-shrike, Hunter's and Black-bellied Sunbirds, Golden-breasted and Fischer's Starlings and the stunning Somali Bunting.

Mammal life is also prolific, and we should be able to find many species not yet seen elsewhere on our tour. These include the mighty African Elephant, the distinctive Grevy's Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe the delicate Gerenuk and the magnificent Beisa Oryx. While other possibilities include Striped Hyena, Common Waterbuck, Eland, Impala, Thomson's Gazelle, Kirk's Dik-dik, Olive Baboon, Black-faced Vervet Monkey and Dwarf Mongoose. All three of the regions large cats Lion, Leopard and Cheetah can also be found here. The Ewaso Nyiro River also contains a large number of Nile Crocodile.

Day 7
On our last morning in Samburu we will visit the nearby Buffalo Springs Game Reserve. The slightly different habitat is home to many specialties including Somali Ostrich, Lappet-faced Vulture, Ruppell's Griffon-Vulture, Eastern Pale Chanting-goshawk, Pygmy Falcon, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Somali Courser, White-headed Mousebird, Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill, Nubian and Cardinal Woodpeckers, Chestnut-headed Sparrow-lark, Yellow-vented Eremomela, Spotted Morning-Thrush, Mariqua Sunbird, Taita Fiscal, Golden Palm Weaver, Black-capped Social Weaver and African Silverbill. Like Samburu it is also home to a good selection of mammals.

We then depart mid-morning for the Naro Moro River Lodge located on the northern edge of Mount Kenya at a height of 2,155m and some 16 km south of the Equator. On the way we will make a stop at the Meru Forest, where many unique species can be found. Much of the bird life here resembles the coastal avifauna of Kenya. Here we will search for White-eared Barbet, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Crowned and Trumpeter Hornbills, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Black-headed Apalis, African Crested-flycatcher and Black-bellied Glossy-starling amongst others. Our lodge is set in the perfect setting of highland forest, flowing brooks, and gorgeous flower filled grounds. The birding in this area is also very good and we may see Long-crested Eagle, African Black Duck, African Emerald Cuckoo, Narina Trogon, Red-eyed Dove, Sulphur-breasted Bush-shrike, Tropical Boubou, Chin-spot Batis, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, African Black-headed Oriole and Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu.

Day 08
Leaving early we will make an ascent onto Mt Kenya entering the vast and pristine montane forest of Mt Kenya National Park. Making our way up the winding road to the Meteorological Station we will keep and eye out for such birds as African Goshawk, Mountain Buzzard, Rameron Pigeon, Red-fronted Parrot, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Waller's Starling, Abyssinian Crimson-wing and Black-headed Waxbill. At just above 3000m, birds more commonly seen at this higher altitude are Jackson's Francolin, Abyssinian Ground-thrush, Olive Thrush, Cinnamon Bracken-warbler and Moorland Chat. Mid-day we will transfer to Lake Nakuru National Park allowing time to search for several key species along the way. A large rocky escarpment en route is a favorite roosting spot for the Mackinder's Eagle Owl and with some luck we should be able to locate this highly sought-after species. The Acacia scrub by a nearby lake is a favourite haunt for Yellow-billed Duck, Red-winged Starling, Little Rock-thrush, Pale Flycatcher and Purple Grenadier.

Later we arrive at Lake Nakuru National Park, which is called by some, the greatest birding spectacle on earth! Huge numbers of Lesser Flamingos feed in the shallow alkaline water, sometimes up to a million, with smaller numbers of Greater Flamingos. Exploring the Acacia woodland and the lakeside marshes we will no doubt encounter many wonderful avian delights: African Fish-eagle, African Harrier-hawk, Pink-backed and Great White Pelicans, Hildebrandt's Francolin, Blacksmiths Lapwing, Grey-headed Gull, Broad-billed Roller, Levaillant's Cuckoo, Green Wood-hoopoe, Rufous-necked Wryneck, Grey Woodpecker, Northern Anteater-chat, Brown-crowned Tchagra and African Firefinch.

Day 9
A full day exploring Lake Nakuru National Park where birds not already mentioned include Hamerkop, Grey Crowned Crane, African Spoonbill, Secretary Bird, Hottentots Teal, Tawny Eagle, Kittlitz's Plover, Red-chested and Klaas' Cuckoos, Greater Honeyguide, White-browed Robin-chat, Arrow-marked Babbler, Grey-crested Helmet-shrike, Rüppell's Glossy-starling, and Golden-breasted Bunting.

Mammals are also abundant in the park and it is one of the few places in East Africa where the endangered White Rhino can be found, while others we hope to find include Rothschild's Giraffe and Reedbuck. Predators are also found here in good number and include Lion and Leopard.

Days 10 & 11,
After a final early morning at Lake Nakuru National Park our destination for the next 2 days is a fresh-water lake in the north called Lake Baringo. Here the combination of a large lake in semi-desert country and the nearby Baringo cliffs provide the perfect habitat for a great diversity of bird life. Specialties in this area are Dark Chanting-goshawk, Heuglin's Courser, Northern White-faced Owl, Greyish Eagle-owl, Slender-tailed Nightjar, Jackson's and Hemprich's Hornbills, Red-fronted Warbler, Somali Tit, Beautiful Sunbird, Bristle-crowned Starling, Golden-backed and Little Weavers and Northern Red Bishop. Other possibilities in the area include Goliath Heron, Yellow-billed Stork, Lanner Falcon, Verreaux's Eagle, White-bellied Go-away-bird, Blue-naped Mousebird, Lilac-breasted Roller, Madagascar Bee-eater, Red-fronted and D'Arnaud's Barbet, Northern Crombec, Pygmy Batis, Cardinal Quelea and Eastern Paradise-whydah.

Day 12
The morning we will depart for Nairobi, making several birding stops en route. Our first destination is the Kinnangop Plateau where we hope to find the endemic Sharpe's Pipit. This species has been on the decline in the last few years, mainly due to habitat loss, but with some luck we'll be able to locate this very special bird. Next will be the Gatamaiyu Forest on the Kikuyu Escarpment, an area of middle-elevation forest, which is home to several species not yet seen on the tour. The main target birds in this area are Cameroon Scrub-warbler, White-tailed Crested-flycatcher, Placid Greenbul, Black-fronted Bush-shrike and the nomadic Abbott's Starling. Our final birding stop is at the Limuru Pond located just off the main highway. A large ridge overlooks the pond and from this vantage point we should be able to locate Madagascar Pond-heron, Intermediate Egret, White-backed and Maccoa Ducks, White-faced and Fulvous Whistling-ducks and Black Crake.

Finally we arrive back in Nairobi and after a final meal at the airport we prepare for our night flight back to the UK.

Day 13
Arrive back in the UK, concluding this amazing tour.