Day 1. Nairobi: Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, you will be met and transferred to your comfortable hotel just 10 minutes from the airport.

Day 2: Nairobi National Park: After breakfast we will travel to the nearby Nairobi National Park. Although relatively small, its views of the Nairobi skyline and variety of habitats including plains, wetlands and forest, make it an unmissable destination for wildlife. We will see our first wild mammals including giraffe, zebra, hippo, and buffalo, with good chances to see both white and black rhino. Lion and serval are possible too, as well as vervet monkey and baboon. Boasting a list of over 500 bird species, Nairobi NP is a fantastic introduction to Kenyan birding, and we will encounter our first Common Ostrich, White-backed Vulture, Gray Crowned-Crane, African Fish-Eagle, and all manner of endemic African families. We will focus on species that we will not find elsewhere on the tour such as Dusky Turtle-Dove, Black-bellied Bustard, White-headed Barbet, Moustached Grass-Warbler, Rϋppell’s Starling, Abyssinian Thrush, Jackson’s Widowbird, Yellow-throated Longclaw, and more. It is entirely possible that we end up with over 100 species for this first day. Overnight in Nairobi.

Day 3. Selenkay Conservancy: After breakfast we will pack our bags and start the drive south to Selenkay Conservancy, a private conservation area managed by the local Maasai community. Located within the Amboseli ecosystem, Selenkay is home to elephant, giraffe, lion, lesser kudu and gerenuk, and exemplifies the human-wildlife relationship intrinsic to the Maasai people. After lunch we will explore the conservancy led by Maasai trackers, before a sundowner with incredible views of Mount Kilimanjaro. Unlike within the National Parks, here we will be able to go on a night drive to search for owls and nightjars, as well as nocturnal mammals like spotted hyena and aardvark. We will stay in a traditional style tented camp with all modern comforts. Overnight at Porini Tented Camp.

Day 4. Selenkay Conservancy: We will spend the morning birding the incredibly productive thornscrub savanna looking for local specials like Buff-crested Bustard, Von der Decken’s Hornbill, Red-and-yellow Barbet, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Pink-breasted Lark, Northern Pied Babbler and White-headed Buffalo-Weaver. In the afternoon we will visit a Maasai village to learn about their rich history and culture.

Day 5. Amboseli National Park: This morning we will travel straight to the nearby Amboseli National Park for two full days exploring this world-famous site. Renowned for its spectacular wildlife-viewing, with the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro forming an unforgettable background throughout. Famous for its elephants which have been studied for over 50 years, they are undoubtedly the star of the show. Family groups can be found throughout the park, and we will enjoy world-class viewing of these incredible animals. The list of mammals present within Amboseli is long, with highlights including lions, cheetah, giraffe, buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, impala, Thompson’s and Grant’s gazelle, waterbuck, and more. The birding is absolutely mind-blowing, with over 500 species recorded, and over 100 species per day definitely possible. The sweeping grasslands are home to Secretarybird, Kori Bustard, Common Ostrich, and a variety of sandgrouse, lapwings, larks, and pipits, while Lanner, Eurasian Hobby, and Montagu’s and Pallied Harriers may be seen searching for prey. Areas of scrub can be especially productive in the early morning, and we will search for East African specials such as Blue-naped Mousebird, Rufous Chatterer, Fischer’s and Hildebrant’s Starlings, Slate-colored Boubou, Spotted Palm Thrush, Rosy-patched Bushshrike, Eastern Violet-backed and Gorgeous Sunbirds, and many more.

Even in the heat of the day the lakes of Amboseli support waterbirds such as Great White and Pink-backed Pelicans, Greater and Lesser Flamingos, and a host of waterfowl, shorebirds, and herons. We will search for Palearctic migrants such as Little and Temmink’s Stint, Wood and Marsh Sandpiper, and assorted plovers and lapwings. Special attention will be given to finding some of Amboseli’s most cryptic marsh birds such as the bizarre Greater Painted-Snipe and possibly Baillon’s Crake.Birds of prey are diverse here, including Martial and Tawny Eagles, Black-chested and Brown Snake-Eagles, Gabar and Eastern-Chanting Goshawks, and White-backed, Rϋppell’s and Lappet-faced Vultures.We will search the lush vegetation around the lodge for Gray-headed Kingfisher, African Paradise-Flycatcher, Eastern Gray Woodpecker, Speckled Mousebird, and Variable Sunbird, making sure not to miss the extremely localized Taveta Golden-Weaver. At dusk a Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl may emerge from the trees, and multiple species of nightjar forage over the lawn. Overnight at Ol Tukai Lodge.

Day 6. Amboseli National Park: We have a second full day to explore the park, making sure to target birds not seen the day before. There will be ample time to enjoy the incredible wildlife-viewing and photography opportunities. Overnight at Ol Tukai Lodge.

Day 7. Tsavo West National Park: After breakfast we will travel to a comfortable lodge in Tsavo West National Park, spending the afternoon exploring this new and varied landscape known for its ‘red’ elephants – colored by the volcanic dust. This is where the famous ‘Tsavo man-eaters’, two lions that preyed on dozens of workers building a railway, were killed in 1898. Indeed, the ‘Big Five’, (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo) are all present, alongside hundreds of birds including a suite of species that we will have yet to encounter. Tsavo specials include Vulturine Guineafowl, Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill, Plain Nightjar, Golden-breasted Starling, Red-naped Bushshrike, Three-streaked Tchagra, Pringle’s Puffback, Black-capped Social-Weaver, Somali Bunting, and Black-bellied, Tsavo and Hunter’s Sunbirds, among many others.

We will also be on the lookout for freshly-arrived migrants from Europe including Isabelline and Pied Wheaters, Marsh and River Warblers, and possibly even White-throated Robin and Basra Reed Warbler. Overnight at Kilaguni Serena Lodge.

Day 8. Tsavo West National Park: Today we will visit Mzima Springs, a lush oasis featuring crystal-clear natural pools filtered through volcanic lava from the Chyulu Hills. It is famous for hippos and crocodiles, and attracts all kinds of other wildlife. We have a full day to explore making sure to target species missed the day before. Overnight at Kilaguni Serena Lodge.