27-Day Kenya Birding and Mammal Photography Safari

Arrival time determines the first day's pace. After settling in at Ole Sereni's Emara Wing, an early arrival may leave time for an introductory birding and wildlife-photography session in Nairobi National Park.

An early drive explores Nairobi National Park's grassland, scrub and waterholes. Possible birds include Shelley's Francolin, Red-throated Tit, Hartlaub's Bustard, Moustached Grass Warbler, Northern Pied Babbler, Long-tailed Fiscal, several lapwings, sandpipers, African Rail and Yellow-throated Sandgrouse. The park also supports eland, Grant's Zebra, lions, Coke's Hartebeest, wildebeest and Masai Giraffe. After a lunch break near the main gate, the programme returns to the park before another night at Ole Sereni.

After breakfast, travel toward the Mara with lunch planned around Fig Tree Camp on the Talek River. A late-day riverside drive may produce barbets, Red-fronted Tinkerbird, Klaas's Cuckoo, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, White-browed Coucal, Pallid Honeyguide, Hildebrandt's Starling, Meyer's Parrot, cisticolas and Rufous-naped Lark, with Schalow's Turaco a possibility. Hippos and crocodiles occur in the river, while lions and elephants may also be encountered.

Birding at Crater Lake Sanctuary focuses on wooded and open-country species such as Grey-crested Helmetshrike, Coqui Francolin, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, White-browed Robin-Chat, Pale Flycatcher, bushshrikes, Rattling Cisticola, African Fish Eagle, Tawny Eagle and Lilac-breasted Roller. Masai Giraffe, African Buffalo, Grant's Gazelle and Impala are among the possible mammals. The afternoon can be used for bird photography around Sawela Lodge after lunch and a rest.

Leave the Lake Naivasha area for Masai Mara and enter the reserve en route to Sarova Camp. Warthog, Thomson's Gazelle, elephant, Sooty Chat, Silverbird and Usambiro Barbet are among the possibilities on arrival, while the camp's trees may hold Schalow's Turaco, White-headed Barbet, Spectacled Weaver and Red-fronted Tinkerbird. Following lunch and a break, an afternoon drive searches for cisticolas, Rufous-naped Lark, ground hornbills and Grey Kestrel; cheetah, lion and Spotted Hyena are possible rather than guaranteed.

The first of two full days in Masai Mara uses an early start and extended game-drive time; one of the two days includes a packed lunch in the field. Birds named for this section include Lesser Spotted, Wahlberg's and Martial eagles, Secretarybird, Saddle-billed Stork and Black-winged and African Wattled lapwings. The mammal search may also produce leopard, Serval, Bat-eared Fox and several vulture species. Overnight remains at Sarova Camp.

A second day gives the group more time across the Mara rather than rushing onward. The programme continues to look for raptors, storks, lapwings, vultures and the reserve's varied mammals, revisiting productive areas according to current conditions. Sarova Camp is again the overnight base.

Drive west after breakfast, passing through the Mara before continuing to Kisumu on Lake Victoria. Once the midday heat eases, visit Hippo Point and its remaining papyrus and lakeshore vegetation. Possible birds include Papyrus Canary, Papyrus Warbler, Black-headed Gonolek, Double-toothed Barbet, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Red-chested Sunbird, Woodland Kingfisher, Yellow-throated Greenbul, Blue-headed Coucal and Swamp Flycatcher. Overnight is at the Imperial Hotel.

Continue to Kakamega Forest, with bird activity possible around Rondo Retreat even before the first trail session. The lodge grounds and forest can produce African Crowned Eagle, Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill, Grey-throated Barbet, Bronze Sunbird, Mackinnon's Fiscal and Northern Black Flycatcher. Trail birding then turns to greenbuls, robin-chats, apalises, White-chinned Prinia, White-spotted Flufftail and Great Blue Turaco. Stay at Rondo Retreat.

The first full forest day concentrates on Kakamega's interior and understory. The extensive possibility list includes Grey-chested Babbler, Red-chested Owlet, Chapin's Flycatcher, Turner's Eremomela, Dusky-crested Flycatcher, Blue-headed Bee-eater, several greenbuls, wattle-eyes, Equatorial Akalat, Sharpe's Drongo, Buff-throated Apalis, Green Hylia and Purple-throated Cuckooshrike. Colobus, Red-tailed and Sykes's monkeys may also be seen. Overnight is at Rondo Retreat.

A second day allows further coverage of the same forest without promising a fixed checklist. Other named possibilities include White-tailed Ant Thrush, Chubb's Cisticola, Black-billed Turaco, Mountain Illadopsis, African Emerald Cuckoo, Western Black-headed Oriole, African Green Pigeon, Tambourine Dove, weavers, Forest Flycatcher, Red-headed Malimbe, Brown-chested Alethe and several woodpeckers. The group again returns to Rondo Retreat.

Travel toward Lake Baringo with birding stops along the Keiyo and Tugen escarpments. White-crested Turaco, Little Rock Thrush, Boran Cisticola and Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver are among the route targets; a Kerio View stop may add Moustached Tinkerbird, Chestnut-throated Apalis and Tacazze Sunbird. After descending through Kerio Valley and Kabarnet, check in at Tumbili Cliff Lodge and, if time remains, bird nearby for barbets, Northern Brownbul and Spotted Morning Thrush.

Begin with a pre-breakfast boat excursion on Lake Baringo. The waterbird possibilities include Purple Heron, Goliath Heron, Squacco Heron, Great Egret, Striated Heron, African Darter, Long-tailed Cormorant, African Swamphen, bishops, Northern Masked Weaver and Senegal Thick-knee; fish eagles may be photographed from the boat. Later sessions cover the lodge vegetation and nearby country, including an evening search for owls, nightjars, Pygmy Batis, African Grey Flycatcher, Striped Kingfisher and possible Gambaga Flycatcher. Stay at Tumbili Cliff Lodge.

Morning birding on the cliffs looks for Hemprich's and Jackson's hornbills, Brown-tailed Chat, Mocking Cliff Chat, Lanner Falcon, Magpie Starling, Pygmy Falcon, Rock Kestrel and Northern White-faced Owl. After lunch, continue to Lake Bogoria for Greater and Lesser flamingos. Greater Kudu is another possibility in the reserve. Return to Tumbili Cliff Lodge.

Leave early for Samburu, pausing around Nanyuki for lunch before continuing to Ashnil Camp. Birding begins while entering the reserve, where the dry northern landscape supports Somali Ostrich, Somali Bee-eater, Somali Crombec, Somali Tit and Somali Courser. Grevy's Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe, Gerenuk, Beisa Oryx and Desert Warthog are among the possible mammals.

Use the softer morning light for a long drive through Samburu, then rest during the hottest part of the day before returning to the field in late afternoon. Black-faced, Chestnut-bellied and Lichtenstein's sandgrouse, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, African Bare-eyed Thrush and Rosy-patched Bushshrike are among the named birds. Leopard, Striped Hyena, Black-backed Jackal and slender or dwarf mongooses are possible wildlife encounters. Stay at Ashnil Camp.

An early drive reaches Shaba Game Reserve for Williams's Lark, Masked Lark, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver, Yellow-vented Eremomela and Golden-breasted Starling. After lunch and a rest, the programme continues around Buffalo Springs. Ashnil Camp remains the overnight base.

Travel from Samburu to Castle Forest on Mount Kenya, aiming to arrive around lunch. The lodge offers a simple base with birding possible on foot around its grounds. An afternoon search may include White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Streaky Seedeater, Eastern Double-collared Sunbird, Purple-throated Cuckooshrike, Baglafecht Weaver, Black-tailed Oriole, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill and Hartlaub's Turaco. Stay at Castle Forest Lodge.

Bird the forest road in the morning for possibilities such as Abbott's and Kenrick's starlings, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, Rüppell's Robin-Chat, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Abyssinian Crimsonwing and Kandt's Waxbill. After lunch, return to Nairobi for the night at Ole Sereni's Emara Wing.

Drive from Nairobi to Amboseli and check in at Serena Lodge for lunch. After a midday break, explore the park's marshes and open country for waterbirds and species such as Pangani Longclaw, Double-banded Courser, Ashy Cisticola, Short-tailed Lark and Palm-nut Vulture. Buffalo, elephant and hippo may be seen around the wet areas. Overnight is at Amboseli Serena.

An early session in Amboseli uses the morning light for birds and wildlife against the wider park landscape. Greater and Lesser flamingos may use the saline pools, while other wetlands are freshwater. After lunch and a rest, the programme returns for another afternoon birding and nature drive. Stay at Amboseli Serena.

Continue through Chyulu Hills Gate and the Shetani lava field to Tsavo West, reaching Serena Kilaguni for lunch. The afternoon drive looks for Scaly Chatterer, Pringle's Puffback and Red-naped Bushshrike, with African Wild Dog a possibility rather than an expectation. Overnight is at Serena Kilaguni.

Spend another day in Tsavo West, looking for Pringle's Puffback, Golden-breasted Starling and Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill. Possible mammals include Lesser Kudu, leopard and Fringe-eared Oryx. Morning field time is followed by lunch and a further afternoon session before another night at Serena Kilaguni Lodge.

Transfer to Tsavo East and settle at Ashnil Aruba before a late-afternoon birding drive. The open habitat may produce Chestnut-backed and Chestnut-headed sparrow-larks, Red-winged Lark, Caspian Plover, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Golden Pipit and White-headed Vulture. This section also offers one of the route's opportunities for Egyptian Vulture.

Leave Tsavo East through Sala Gate and travel toward Malindi and Watamu. Birding stops may produce Shelley's Starling and Heuglin's Bustard. Near Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, the search turns to Scaly Babbler, Zanzibar Boubou and Black-winged and Zanzibar Red bishops. Fischer's Turaco is another possibility, while Spotted Ground Thrush is only an occasional coastal visitor. Hemingways Resort is the overnight base.

Explore Arabuko-Sokoke Forest early for Forest Batis, Mombasa Woodpecker, Green Tinkerbird, Pallid Honeyguide, Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike, Sokoke Pipit and Sokoke Scops Owl. Golden-rumped Elephant Shrew and Suni are possible non-bird encounters. If the tide and timing suit, an afternoon visit to Mida Creek may add Crab-plover, Terek Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Roseate Tern, crested terns and Black-bellied Plover. Return to Hemingways Resort.

The final programme depends on the outbound flight. There may be time to revisit the forest, relax or choose an optional activity such as snorkeling before transferring to Malindi Airport. An internal flight then connects with Nairobi for onward travel.