11-Day Kenya Birding Safari

11-Day Kenya Birding Safari: A Journey Through Nature’s Paradise

Kenya is one of Africa’s top birding destinations, home to over 1,100 bird species spread across diverse habitats — from lush montane forests to open savannas and Rift Valley lakes. This 11-day Kenya Birding Safari offers an exceptional chance to explore the country’s most rewarding birding hotspots. Each destination reveals unique species, spectacular landscapes, and unforgettable encounters with Africa’s wildlife. Whether you are a seasoned birder or a nature lover, this itinerary promises thrilling sightings and inspiring experiences every single day.

---

Day 1: Birding in Nairobi National Park

Your birding adventure begins just outside the capital city at Nairobi National Park, the only national park located within a city’s boundaries. The park’s open grasslands, acacia woodlands, and wetlands support a remarkable variety of birds and mammals. As you set out on your first morning drive, the calls of cisticolas fill the air while bee-eaters and sunbirds flash bright colors against the savanna. The park’s proximity to the city makes it a surprising sanctuary for both resident and migratory birds. Alongside the birdlife, you may also see lions, giraffes, and rhinos in their natural habitat — a truly unique start to your Kenyan safari.

Target Birds:

• Kikuyu White-eye

• Collared Sunbird

• Rüppell’s Robin-Chat

• Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater

• Singing Cisticola

• Black-crowned Night-Heron

• Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle

• Red-throated Tit

• Cape Robin-Chat

• Moustached Grass-Warbler

• Common Ostrich

---

Day 2–3: Birding at Mount Kenya National Park

Next, the journey leads to Mount Kenya National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its lush montane forests, bamboo zones, and alpine moorlands. Birding here is magical, with cool misty mornings filled with the sounds of turacos, warblers, and sunbirds. The trails around the forest edges and river valleys offer close encounters with forest specialists found nowhere else in the world. You’ll explore various altitudes, each revealing new species adapted to the changing climate. The scenery of snow-capped peaks, cascading waterfalls, and dense greenery makes birdwatching here an unforgettable experience.

Target Birds:

• Olive Ibis

• Hartlaub’s Turaco

• Red-fronted Parrot

• Brown Woodland Warbler

• African Hill Babbler

• Eastern Mountain Greenbul

• Black-fronted Bushshrike

• Yellow-bellied Waxbill

• Kandt’s Waxbill

• Mountain Oriole

• Scaly Spurfowl

• Doherty’s Bushshrike

• Mountain Yellow Warbler

• Slender-billed Greenbul

• Waller’s Starling

• Abyssinian Crimsonwing

• Grey-headed Nigrita

• Olive Sunbird

• Tacazze Sunbird

• Silvery-cheeked Hornbill

• White-tailed Crested Flycatcher

• Mountain Wagtail

• Red-backed Wagtail

• Moustached Tinkerbird

• Hunter’s Cisticola

---

Day 4–5: Birding in Samburu National Reserve

From the misty slopes of Mount Kenya, you descend into the semi-arid region of Samburu National Reserve, located in northern Kenya. The landscape changes dramatically — doum palms, thornbush, and rocky hills dominate the scenery. Samburu’s dry climate supports several bird species unique to northern Kenya and Ethiopia, making it a hotspot for endemics. Early morning and late-afternoon drives offer the best viewing as hornbills, sandgrouse, and bustards emerge to feed. The Ewaso Nyiro River attracts birds and mammals alike, creating spectacular opportunities for photography. The vibrant plumage of the Vulturine Guineafowl and the musical calls of bushshrikes make birding here particularly exciting.

Target Birds:

• Somali Bee-eater

• Somali Ostrich

• Somali Sparrow

• Somali Courser

• Somali Bunting

• Somali Tit

• Buff-crested Bustard

• Kori Bustard

• Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse

• Black-faced Sandgrouse

• Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse

• Donaldson-Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver

• Rosy-patched Bushshrike

• Vulturine Guineafowl

• Black-throated Barbet

• Grey Wren-Warbler

• Banded Parisoma

• Brubru

• Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver

• White-headed Buffalo-Weaver

• Red-fronted Prinia

• Violet Woodhoopoe

• Namaqua Dove

• Blue-capped Cordon-bleu

• Yellow-vented Eremomela

---

Day 6–7: Birding at Lake Nakuru National Park

Your safari continues into the heart of the Great Rift Valley at Lake Nakuru National Park, famous for its alkaline lake and flamingo populations. The park is a paradise for waterbirds, raptors, and woodland species. As you explore around the lake’s edges and acacia woodlands, you’ll encounter flocks of pelicans and dazzling clouds of flamingos painting the water pink. Birdwatching here combines open views and intimate encounters with colorful species perched among the yellow-barked acacias. The park also shelters endangered rhinos and Rothschild’s giraffes, adding to the experience. The sheer density of birdlife makes this one of Kenya’s top birding destinations.

Target Birds:

• Great White Pelican

• Pink-backed Pelican

• Greater Flamingo

• Lesser Flamingo

• Western Osprey

• African Fish Eagle

• Hildebrandt’s Spurfowl

• African Thrush

• African Black-headed Oriole

• African Skimmer

• Whiskered Tern

• Common Greenshank

• Ruddy Turnstone

• Little Rock Thrush

• Green-headed Sunbird

• Little Sparrowhawk

• Kittlitz’s Plover

• Yellow-billed Duck

• Narina Trogon

• White-fronted Bee-eater

• Klaas’s Cuckoo

• Brimstone Canary

• Black-backed Puffback

• Abyssinian Wheatear

• Chinspot Batis

• Village Indigobird

• Black Cuckoo-shrike

• White-headed Barbet

• Grey-capped Warbler

• Black-lored Babbler

• Long-crested Eagle

• White Helmetshrike

• Grey-crested Helmetshrike

• Grey-headed Bushshrike

---

Day 8–10: Birding in Maasai Mara National Reserve

No Kenyan safari is complete without the Maasai Mara National Reserve, a vast savanna teeming with wildlife and bird species. Early morning drives reveal large flocks of starlings, weavers, and bustards moving through the golden grasslands, while raptors soar overhead. The Mara’s open plains are perfect for spotting ground-nesting birds and observing raptors hunting. During the migration season, thousands of wildebeest attract scavengers such as vultures and eagles, offering thrilling photographic opportunities. The diversity of species here, from tiny cisticolas to powerful eagles, makes every moment exciting for birders.

Target Birds:

• Schalow’s Turaco

• Miombo Wren-Warbler

• Sooty Chat

• Red-necked Spurfowl

• Rosy-throated Longclaw

• Winding Cisticola

• Temminck’s Courser

• Yellow-throated Sandgrouse

• Magpie Shrike

• Rufous-bellied Heron

• Tabora Cisticola

• Stout Cisticola

• Pectoral-patch Cisticola

• Hooded Vulture

• Lappet-faced Vulture

• Rüppell’s Vulture

• White-backed Vulture

• Grey-capped Social-Weaver

• Capped Wheatear

• Secretarybird

• Senegal Lapwing

• Black-winged Lapwing

• Hildebrandt’s Starling

• Banded Martin

• Yellow-mantled Widowbird

• Melodious Lark

• Rufous-tailed Weaver

• Black-chested Snake-Eagle

• Tawny Eagle

• Martial Eagle

• Usambiro Barbet

• Speckle-fronted Weaver

• Violet-backed Starling

• Black-bellied Bustard

---

Day 11: Birding at Manguo Swamp and Return to Nairobi

On your final day, you’ll stop at Manguo Swamp, a small but rich wetland located near Limuru on the route back to Nairobi. The area’s shallow waters and surrounding grasslands attract a wide range of waterfowl and warblers. It’s a peaceful location that provides a perfect closing to your birding adventure, allowing you to reflect on the diversity of Kenya’s avifauna. The swamp’s calm atmosphere, combined with the sound of reed warblers and the shimmer of sunbirds, makes this last stop a serene and rewarding experience before heading back to the city.

Target Birds:

• African Swamphen

• White-backed Duck

• Blue-billed Teal

• Red-knobbed Coot

• Lesser Swamp Warbler

• Common Reed Warbler

• Glossy Ibis

• Malachite Sunbird

• Golden-winged Sunbird

• Hunter’s Cisticola

---

Conclusion: A Birder’s Dream in Kenya

In just eleven days, this Kenya Birding Safari immerses you in every habitat the country offers — highland forests, dry northern plains, Rift Valley lakes, and open savannas. You’ll encounter hundreds of bird species, including endemics and migratory visitors, each adding color and music to your journey. With expert guides, comfortable lodges, and endless photographic opportunities, this itinerary captures the essence of birdwatching in Kenya.

If you dream of exploring these incredible birding destinations, request a customized quote today and let us plan your perfect Kenya Birding Safari — whether you prefer a safari van or a 4×4 jeep.