Pwani Birding Safari 10 days / 9 nights

18 photos

Amboseli, Tsavo West National Park, Taita Hills Sanctuary, Tsavo East National Park, Shimba Hills National Reserve, Watamu Beach

Description

Included/Excluded

Tour Plan

Reviews

This is a unique coastal birding safari that is an immersive experience moving from inland savannas to diverse coastal habitats. It offers opportunities to focus on the region’s unique avian life, including endemic species, by visiting key locations like the Arabuko Sokoke Forest, Taita Hills and the Sabaki River mouth. For a lucky birding enthusiast, this tour is perfect, characterized by opportunities of close-up sightings of elusive species such as the Sokoke Scops Owl or the endemic Clarke’s Weaver, and combines birding with opportunities to see large mammals and other marine life. The experience is tailored to focus on specific rare and endemic birds, with an expert birding photography guide.

Memorable Aspects:

High Chances of spotting the famous Super Tuskers of Amboseli National Park.
At Tsavo West, you get to see stunning volcanic landscapeslike the Shetani Lava Flows and the Mzima Springs with their underwater viewing tank, and diverse habitats, from bushlands to grasslands, and a wide variety of birdlife.
A Safari stay at the iconic Salt Lick Safari Lodge highlighted by its unique architecture of elevated rooms on stilts overlooking a floodlit waterhole.
The unique experience of sighting the red-dusted elephants of Tsavo East National Park
The wonders of Shimba Hills National Park, Arabuko Forest & The Sabaki River Mouth!
Star Gazing, the Indian Ocean, Iconic Views of Mt. Kilimanjaro, African Big 5, Kenya’s Endemic birds and abundant Birdlife!
Diverse Wildlife Viewing: Beyond the Big 5, there are chances of capturing a wide array of wildlife, including cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, gazelles, wildebeest and even hyenas.

Photography Tips:

Timing is Key:November to April (with migrant and breeding plumage). June to October (dry season with clear skies, easier travel and bird activities concentrated around water shores)
Golden hours: The early morning and late afternoon, providing soft, colourful light and increased bird activity.
Bird Hides: Utilize strategically placed hides to get close to birds without disturbing them, especially for elusive nocturnal species in the late evening.
Back to the Wind: Where possible, yourself with the wind at your back, as many birds take off into the wind, presenting their fronts to your lens.

Itinerary at a glance

Day	Highlights	Overnight
Day 1	Transfer to Amboseli National Park. Afternoon Game drive.	Amboseli
Day 2	Morning & afternoon Game Drives Amboseli.	Amboseli
Day 3	Transfer to Tsavo West National Park. Afternoon Game drive.	Tsavo West
Day 4	Early morning game drive. Breakfast and transfer to Salt lick Taita Hills Sanctuary. Afternoon game drive. Sundowner experience.	Taita Hills
Day 5	Transfer to Tsavo East National Park. Afternoon Game Drive.	Tsavo East
Day 6	Drive to Shimba Hill National Park. Lunch at the Lodge. Game Drive & Nature Walk.	Shimba Hills
Day 7, 8, 9	Transfer to Watamu & spend the days Birding at the coastal lowland. You will visit the Abakuko forest, Sabaki River & Mida Creek.	Wataamu Beach
Day 10	Departure. Drive to Mombasa MOI Airport for departure flight.

Included/Excluded

Full board accommodation (breakfast, lunch and dinner) while on safari
PRIVATE transport and game drives in our top of the range customized 4 x 4 Land Cruisers (complete with a pop-up roof and sliding windows for optimized game and sightseeing)
Complimentary bottled mineral water per person per day often provided during game drives
Services of a professional, experienced English-Speaking safari driver/guide
Game drives and Park entrance fees to the listed parks and national reserves on the itinerary.
Game drives and Park entrance fees to the listed parks and national reserves on the itinerary.
Sundowner experience in Amboseli National Park
All meet and greet services
All arrival and departure transfers
24 hours stand-by contact number
Safari accessories: - First aid kit, wildlife referral books, a pair of quality binoculars, cool box and fire extinguisher.

International flights - From/to home (we can help select your flights, but you'll have to book them on your own)
Tips & gratuities to hotel, lodges, camp staff and driver guide(s). (Note that gratuities should be given as a reward of exceptional service and is at your own discretion)
Any costs incurred from optional activities
Items of personal nature, e.g. Telephone call bills, laundry etc.
Meals and beverages, other than specified
Visa fees-you can apply a visa online easily through the following government website, www.ecitizen.go.ke
Any other items not included in the itinerary

Tour Plan

Day 1 Nairobi to Amboseli National Park

Your Coastal Kenya Birding Tour begins as we collect you from your hotel, residence, or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Preferably before 8:00am, our driver-guide will meet you for a safari briefing before an easy drive via the Nairobi-Mombasa Road to Amboseli National Park.

(In case of late arrival, accommodation and transfer can be arranged at an extra cost).

The journey offers a mix of scenery, including the bustling city of Nairobi, open plains, and eventually, the magnificent backdrop of the snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain.

You will arrive at the Lodge in time for lunch then spend the afternoon enjoying game drives in the park as we look for the local birds among other animals against the backdrop of Africa's highest mountain-Mount Kilimanjaro.

Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation options:

Budget: Sentrim Amboseli , AA Amboseli Lodge
Luxury: Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge , Kibo Safari Camp , Ol Tukai Lodge

Day 2 Explore Amboseli National Park.

An early morning game drive will be ideal for this day. During this time of the morning, weather permitting, you can see the snowcapped Mt Kilimanjaro which is at the Tanzanian border. Most of the predators might also be spotted as they wade through the wet grass back to their hiding areas. Amboseli is well known to harbor one of the largest 'Tuskers' Tim and Echo, the most researched Elephant.

You will thereafter go back to the lodge for lunch as you recharge for an afternoon game drive to cover the remaining part of Amboseli National Park.

Dinner and overnight at your Lodge.

Day 3 Amboseli to Tsavo West National Park

Begin with a sunrise drive for another final chance to catch Amboseli’s wildlife at its most active.

Return to the Lodge for breakfast then proceed to Tsavo West National Park.

Enjoy scenic views of the hills and valleys during the drive. The roadside has some great birds to see. You will stopover at the Shetani and Chaimo Lava Flows, a must see in Tsavo West National Park then continue to your Lodge for lunch.

Later visit Mzima Springs, famous for its large schools of underwater hippos and crocodiles and fish. The hippos and crocodiles can be seen busking on the bushes around or guarding their eggs on the sand as you walk along the shores.

Mzima Springs is a superb wetland where birding can also be done

Dinner and overnight at your Lodge.

Accommodation options:

Budget: Ngulia Safari Lodge , Rhino Valley Lodge
Midrange: Severin Safari Camp
Luxury: Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge , Voyager Ziwani Camp , Kipalo-hills

Day 4 Tsavo West to Taita Hills Sanctuary.

Breakfast at your Lodge. Game drive enroute as you drive to Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, a journey of approximately 2-3 hours. Taita Hills Wildlife sanctuary is a privately owned wildlife sanctuary located in Taita-Taveta county that covers an area of 110 square kilometers.

Head out mainly searching for the local endemics, Taita White-eye, Taita Thrush and Taita Apalis. This indeed forms a great location on our Coastal Kenya Birding Tour and the endemics here are always a highlight.

There are many other exciting birds of this area that we shall enjoy; as you seek the endemics.

Lunch, dinner and overnight stay at Saltlick Lodge, a unique experience with its elevated walkways and platforms overlooking a watering hole.

Accommodation:

Midrange: Taita Hills Safari Resort & Spa
Luxury: Salt Lick Safari Lodge

Day 5 Taita Hills to Tsavo East National Park

Just opposite Tsavo West is her sister park Tsavo East National Park. The two are separated by the Nairobi Mombasa highway and wildlife moves freely between the two parks. Together they form one of the largest parks in the world.

After an early morning game drive in Taita Hills, return to the lodge for breakfast. Then drive to Tsavo East, famously known as the land of 'red elephants' and ‘man-eaters' lions of Tsavo.

The red elephants are the same color as any elephants but the reddish color of the soil turns them brownish-red as they bathe in the mud to cool their bodies. The man-eaters’ lions became famous in 1898 during the construction of the Kenya Uganda railway after a pair of large man-eating lions killed dozens of workers.

You will enjoy a game drive as you head to your lodge for lunch. Later you will visit Mudanda Rock, a 1.6km inselberg ideal for wildlife viewing and Aruba dam. Birding and other wildlife will be very interesting and you can expect lots of diversity.

Dinner and overnight at your Lodge.

Accommodation options:

Budget: Sentrim Tsavo Lodge , Voi Wildlife Lodge , Man Eaters Lodge , Manyatta Camp
Midrange: Ashnil Aruba Lodge , Swara Camp – Il Campo
Luxury: Satao Camp

Day 6 Tsavo East to Kenya, South Coast - Diani (via Shimba Hills National Park)

After an early breakfast, have an en-route game drive as you drive out of the park. Drive south to the Shimba Hills, a remnant of the southernmost mountainous forests of Kenya.

You will arrive around midday, have lunch and spend the afternoon birding, game drives and a guided nature walk to Sheldrick Falls. These falls offer a refreshing break and an opportunity to spot colobus monkeys. focusing on its unique flora and fauna, including the Sable antelope.

Shimba Hills National Reserve is home to the last breeding herd of Sable Antelope in Kenya. It is one of the most beautiful ungulates.

Accommodations:

Midrange: Shimba Hills Lodge

Day 7, 8, 9 Shimba Hills to Watamu (Arabuko Sokoke Forest, Sabaki River and Mida Creek)

Birding at the coastal lowland is best during early morning hours, we shall maximise the mornings for forest birding. Forest birding will start early on both days; with afternoons dedicated to aquatic habitats. We hope to see many birds species during these forest walks. The local endemic Sengis and monkey species will also be plenty.

In the afternoons, we shall visit the marine wetlands for some water birds. On one afternoon, we shall visit Mida Creek, for the marine shorebirds, terns and gulls depending on the tides, among many other abundant birds. Another afternoon we shall visit the Sabaki River Mouth, which is a haven for gulls and terns.

On one evening at Arabuko, we shall try a search for nocturnal species of owls and nightjars.

3 Nights in Watamu.

Accommodations:

Budget: Turtle Bay Beach Resort , The One Watamu Bay , Sandies Tropical Village
Midrange: Medina Palms , Temple Point Watamu
Luxury: Hemingways Watamu , Diamond Malindi Resort

Day 10 Departure

This will be the last day with us on your visit to Kenya.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Moi International Airport, Mombasa for your departure or onward travel, marking the end to our lovely Coastal Kenya Birding Tour.