Magical Kenya: Exotic Birds & Big Game Galore!

Cheetah © Andrew Whittaker

The African safari of a lifetime, featuring easy world-class birding and unparalleled big game viewing, highlighting the breathtaking migration of some 1.5 million wildebeest and countless zebra across Kenya’s world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve (where we spend a week). During this season of abundance, predators abound, from majestic Lion prides to clans of laughing Hyenas. Exciting daily safaris offer spectacular viewing of herds of African Elephants, rhinoceroses (two species), three subspecies of giraffe, and Beisa Oryx along with many other striking mammals. Birding is exceptional; expect 400+ species, including bee-eaters, rollers, turacos, kingfishers, sunbirds, and glossy starlings. Photographic opportunities are truly exceptional throughout.

Kenya, the jewel in East Africa’s wildlife crown, is one of the world’s premier safari destinations, known for its abundant big game and exceptional bird life, and boasting some of the most breathtaking and stunning wildlife-packed national parks on earth. With 1,150 bird species, Kenya boasts the richest avifauna in all of Africa, made all the more accessible by an up-to-date well-illustrated field guide. Combined with great infrastructure, safe travel, and super-friendly people, our tour provides an African safari of a lifetime, featuring easy world-class birding and unparalleled big game viewing. Kenya’s terrific avian diversity puts it high on the list of “must-visit” destinations, whether you are new to African birding or have visited other countries many times.

Watch MAGICAL KENYA, produced by Andrew Whittaker and Jaqueline Fortuna.

A highlight of our tour is the breathtaking migration of some 1.5 million wildebeest and countless zebra and antelopes crossing into the Mara to graze its rich rolling grasslands—an awe-inspiring spectacle. During this season of abundance predators abound, from majestic Lion prides, Leopards, delicate Serval, and families of elegant Cheetahs to clans of laughing Hyenas.

Exciting daily safaris will offer spectacular viewing of herds of African Elephants, rhinoceros, three subspecies of giraffe, elegant Beisa Oryx, and the unique long-necked Gerenuk along with many other striking antelope. Mammals abound here, and nearly fifty species is our norm! Birding is also truly exceptional; we can expect 400+ species, including countless African specialties such as the sought-after Secretarybird, many raptors, vultures, ostrich, bustards, striking bee-eaters and rollers, hornbills, stunning turacos, shimmering kingfishers and sunbirds, odd mousebirds, gaudy Glossy Starlings, abundant weavers, and colorful waxbills. Other exciting endemic African bird families are represented, too: Hamerkop; guineafowl; blood-drinking oxpeckers; wood-hoopoes; bushshrikes; and wild-looking whydahs and widowbirds.

We are based mostly in three excellent ecolodges in the beating heart of two of Kenya’s world-famous game reserves: the Masai Mara and Samburu National Reserve, both brimming with colorful birds and herds of big game and predators. We also spend two exciting nights in the delightful forested Aberdare Range at the Ark with its famous mammal salt lick, plus an additional three nights divided between fabulous Lake Nakuru and Lake Baringo. This tour is carefully designed to give us time to take in mammal behavior and enjoy (and not be overwhelmed by) the outstanding variety of birds encountered during our daily safaris. Furthermore, mouth-watering birding and mammal watching are also available at all of our lodges, especially in the Mara, where a raised boardwalk leads through bird-rich gallery forest onto a comfortable blind overlooking a delightful pool, which is superb for watching the fascinating antics of Hippos along with many water birds and grazing game.

We begin in Nairobi National Park, famed as a stronghold for the endangered White Rhino and a spectacular assortment of other big game and exotic birds, making for the perfect introduction to our Kenyan safari. This is followed by six days in the incomparable Masai Mara wilderness with its fine, tall, elegant Masai warriors. The park’s ever-growing bird list is over 500 species!

The rich Rift Valley Lakes of Nakuru and Baringo offer an incredible spectacle and exceptional variety of exotic water birds—at times up to half a million Lesser Flamingos, as well as several new big game. Pelicans, cormorants, terns, flamingos, herons, ibis, storks, ducks, and shorebirds line the banks. Our relaxed birding boat trip on Lake Baringo is always a highlight.

Cooler lush forest awaits us in the hills of Aberdare National Park, where our lodge, the Ark, offers amazing viewing platforms above a productive floodlight waterhole and salt lick allowing outstanding close observation of herds of elephants, elegant bushbuck, Giant Hogs, and other exciting mammals, all at eye level or looking down off its multiple decks!

We finish this mega safari with three days in the dry acacia scrublands of another pearl of Kenya, the Samburu National Reserve. Here our delightful lodge overlooks the palms lining the muddy Ewaso Ngiro River and a productive waterhole.

Good to excellent accommodations and food; comfortable customized safari vehicles offer easy wildlife viewing with window seats for all (with tops that pop-up for protection from the sun and allowing those who wish to stand for observation or photography); exciting boat trip on Lake Baringo; moderate pace with midday breaks; easy walking options; climate is pleasant and usually dry by day; expect cooler (to sometimes cold) early mornings or nights, especially in the Aberdares; however, hotter at Lake Baringo, Nakuru, and sometimes in Samburu.

Vulturine Guineafowl flock © Andrew Whittaker