Day 1 (20) / Sept 8 – Amboseli National Park
Following breakfast we depart Nairobi driving through the Athi-Kapiti plains to Amboseli National Park arriving in time for lunch at the Amboseli Ol-Tukai Lodge. Early afternoon will be spent at leisure before embarking on our evening game and bird watching drive, mainly along the Amboseli swamps with our target species being the Two-banded Courser, Kittlitz’s Plover, Chestnut-banded plover and a host of other waterbirds as well as the numerous plain game that favour the swamps. Overnight: Amboseli Serena Lodge.
Amboseli is the second most popular park in Kenya after Maasai Mara, mainly because of the spectacular backdrop of Africa’s highest peak, Mt. Kilimanjaro, which broods over the southern boundary of the park. Due to salinity and damage by elephants leading to terrible erosion, the landscape provides limited vegetation cover for wildlife, so you have a good chance of seeing some of the larger predators. Buffaloes, Lions, Cheetahs, Wildebeests, Hyenas, Jackals, Warthogs, Zebras, Maasai Giraffes and Baboons are among a wealth of animals to be seen here. Birdlife is prolific with over 350 species recorded. There are two permanent swamps Ekongo Narok and Ol-Kenya that host big herds of grazing and wallowing animals and numerous waders; needless to say that it’s probably the best place for a classic Kenya wildlife shot and almost every visitor ends up with an “elephants in front of Mt. Kilimanjaro” photo for their album.
This morning after breakfast we will depart in a convoy with other vehicles and drive to Tsavo West National park through Chyulu gate arriving in time for lunch. After checking into our hotel we embark on our evening bird and game drive. Overnight: Kilaguni Serena Lodge.
Tsavo Park is predominately acacia bush, interspersed with more open pockets of seasonal bushed grasslands. Tsavo has a large river running through the park and the stands of tall acacias along the banks attract many species.
Notable birds to look for in this area include: a variety of Vultures, African Hawk Eagle, Pale-chanting Goshawk, Martial Eagle, Bare-eyed Thrush, Buff-crested Bustard, Chestnut-bellied and Black-faced Sandgrouse, Green Wood Hoopoe, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Red-faced Crombec, Pygmy Batis, Rosy-patched Shrike, Golden-breasted Starling, as well as a wide variety of starlings, weavers and hornbills. |
© J & A Binns |
Tsavo is also one of the best places to see the migratory rollers (Abyssinian and Eurasian), as well as whydahs and indigo birds!
The morning of this day we depart with picnic lunches and devote the day to the Taita Hills, with relict forests that are home to three endemic species, Taita Thrush, Taita Apalis and Taita White-eye. There are other possible species here whose ranges just come over the border from Tanzania, including Stripe-cheeked and Yellow-streaked Greenbuls, Striped Pipit and Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler. Later in the afternoon we’ll drive to our lodge. Overnight: Sagala Lodge
Today we will start early and drive to Malindi cutting across to Kilifi to look for Brown-headed Parrots and Broad-billed Rollers on the Baobab trees along the good dirt roads that run from Mariakani. We aim to arrive in Malindi in the afternoon, where if the tides are right we’ll visit the Mida creek to pick up a few shore birds before heading to our accommodations at the Driftwood Beach Club-Malindi.
Today we will have a full day program at Malindi with an early visit to Arabuko Sokoke Forest and Mida Creek depending on the tides. After lunch at the Driftwood, we will head to the Sabaki River mouth to spend the rest of the afternoon at the estuary. Overnight: Driftwood Beach Club-Malindi.
Arabuko Sokoke Forest is the largest natural coastal forest left in East Africa with three major habitats of Brachystegia woodland, Cynometra Forest with Thickets and Mixed Forest. The forest has a very high biodiversity and we will be looking for many endemic and restricted species of birds, butterflies and mammals recorded here. Among the wealth of birds we will look for, the three near-endemics: Sokoke Scops Owl, Sokoke Pipit and with any great luck, Clarke's Weaver. Other globally threatened species include Southern Banded Snake Eagle, East Coast Akalat, Amani and Plain-backed Sunbirds. Regionally threatened species include African Pitta, Little Yellow Flycatcher, Scaly Babblers and African Crowned Eagles.
Mida Creek is also wonderful with its mudflats and 10km of unspoiled, mangrove-lined swamps that offer an unusual habitat, which is the home of the spectacular Crab Plovers. Other species we'll be looking for here includes White-Fronted and Lesser Sand-plovers, Terek Sandpiper, Sooty Gulls, Black Herons, Crested and Lesser-Crested Terns, among a host of other waders. We may be a few weeks early but this area is a favored feeding and wintering ground for thousands of European and Asian migrant shore birds.
Sabaki River Mouth is unbelievable, with a variety of habitats from sandbanks, mud banks, and dunes, freshwater pools and marshes, scattered bushes and Mangrove swamps. The key species here are visiting flocks of Madagascar Pratincoles, African Skimmers, Whimbrels, Grey Plovers, Pacific Golden Plover, Zanzibar Red Bishop, Zanzibar Sombre Greenbul, Carmine Bee-Eaters, Yellowbill and the rare Broad-Billed Sandpiper among an incredible number of other water birds.
We will have the morning to revisit some of the places we have already visited before transferring to the airport for our flight to Nairobi. Upon arrival we will transfer to Nairobi Serena where our dayroom will be reserved to repack and freshen up before transferring to Jomo Kenyatta airport for our overnight home flight.
Final payment and balance is due May 20, 2007
If you do not request a single room and we are unable to find you a roommate, you will be charged the single supplement.
What is included in the Cost: All ground transportation, game drives, park entrance fees; internal flight from Malindi to Nairobi on Day 7 (25); all meals from Day 1 (20) through dinner on Day 6 (25); all accommodations; services of Professional Guides; Flying Doctors Medical Travel Insurance throughout the safari and bottled water while on game drives.
What is not included in the Cost: International Airfare to Nairobi; Airport taxes (if applicable); Travel Insurance; Items of a personal nature; Beverages; Tips to waiters, porters, guides and drivers.