8-Day Budget Bird Watching Photography

Nairobi – Amboseli National Park

Day 1Nairobi – Amboseli National Park Nairobi – Amboseli National Park You'll depart Nairobi and head to Amboseli Park, a 4-5 hour drive. You'll arrive, check in, and have lunch at your lodge. Amboseli is a rich birdlife destination, with over 400 bird species recorded, including the globally threatened Madagascar Pond-Heron, Lesser Flamingo, Lesser Kestrel, and possibly Africa’s most sought–after bird, the Shoebill, which has an all–time record in the area and over 40 birds of prey. The park's diverse ecosystem makes it a hotspot for bird photographers as well. The park also has forty-two of the ninety-four species of the Somali-Maasai biome that occur in Kenya. To find Amboseli a very productive bird watching spot, one needs to get there during and just after the October-December rains. This is when local birds are joined by migrants from the Northern hemisphere, sometimes in fairly large numbers. Migratory birds can be seen from November to April. The best time when a good species is recorded is during November, December, January, April, and May. Main Destination: Amboseli National Park Best Time To Visit June to October and January to February High Season December to March and July to October (Busy) Best Weather June to September and January to February (Little rainfall) Wildlife in Amboseli NP ElephantAbundant GiraffeCommon BuffaloAbundant ZebraAbundant WildebeestAbundant HippoCommon Show more HyenaCommon LionOccasional CheetahOccasional White RhinoNone Bl

Amboseli National Park

Day 2Amboseli National Park Amboseli National Park You'll wake up early to catch the birds at their most active. Focus on the park’s wetlands and swamps, where you can spot water birds like egrets, herons, pelicans, crowned cranes. You'll capture the landscapes and birdlife with Mount Kilimanjaro as the backdrop. You'll stop at Observation Hill for views of the park and Mount Kilimanjaro, This is also a great spot to see raptors and other birds of prey. In the mid-morning, you'll continue to the swamp areas; the Ol Okenya Swamp, where you can see the African jacana, Goliath heron, and grey crowned crane. You'll take a short break at a picnic area to enjoy some tea, observing the birds. You'll explore the park’s grasslands, acacia woodlands, looking out for ground birds like Hartlaub’s bustard, localized Pangani longclaw. You'll head for lunch, return for a second game drive focusing on different habitats to maximize birdwatching opportunities. You'll stop at boreholes where birds come to drink and bathe to see a variety of species. Main Destination: Amboseli National Park Accommodation: Penety Amboseli Resort Mid-range hotel located less than 1hr drive from Amboseli NP Meals & Drinks: All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Amboseli National Park

Day 3Amboseli National Park Amboseli National Park You'll wake up early to catch the birds at their most active, focusing on wetlands & swamps, where you can spot water birds like egrets, herons, pelicans, and crowned cranes. You'll capture the landscapes and birdlife with Mount Kilimanjaro as the backdrop. You'll stop at Observation Hill for views of the park & Mount Kilimanjaro. This is also a great spot to see raptors and other birds of prey. In the mid-morning, you'll continue to the swamp areas; the Ol Okenya Swamp, where you can see a variety of bird species, including the African jacana, Goliath heron, and grey crowned crane. You'll take a short break at a picnic area to enjoy some tea, observing the birds. You'll explore the park’s grasslands, acacia woodlands, looking out for ground birds like Hartlaub’s bustard, localized Pangani longclaw. You'll head for lunch, return for a second game drive focusing on different habitats. You'll stop at boreholes where birds come to drink and bathe to see a variety of species. Main Destination: Amboseli National Park Accommodation: Penety Amboseli Resort Mid-range hotel located less than 1hr drive from Amboseli NP Meals & Drinks: All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Amboseli National Park - Tsavo West National Park

Day 4Amboseli National Park - Tsavo West National Park Amboseli National Park - Tsavo West National Park You'll depart for Tsavo West National Park, one of the best parks to go birding. It is 9065 km square and contains extensive land of grey thorn bush, red ochre sand, which are covered with tall, lush green grasses if you are lucky to be there after good rains. The best time to visit the park is from October to April when the bird migration is on. In this park, you'll see species like the Golden-breasted Starling, Fischer’s Starling, Grasshopper Buzzard, Friedman’s and Singing Bush Lark, Somali Bee-eater, Pringle’s Puffback, Tsavo Sunbird, Taveta golden Weaver, Common White-throat, Brown-breasted Barbet. Thousands of Palearctic migrants move through the Tsavo during migration. Ngulia lodge is one of the best spots to see them. If the trip has been timed correctly, you'll witness some of the bird ringing in action. Ringing is mostly done in November and attracts all interested biologists from all over. Focus on photographing birds in different habitats within the park. Main Destination: Tsavo West National Park Best Time To Visit June to October and January to February (Best for general wildlife viewing; little rainfall) High Season December to March and July to October (Busy) Best Weather June to September and January to February (Little rainfall) Wildlife in Tsavo West NP ElephantCommon GiraffeCommon BuffaloCommon ZebraCommon WildebeestCommon HippoCommon Sho

Tsavo West National Park - Tsavo East National Park

Day 5Tsavo West National Park - Tsavo East National Park Tsavo West National Park - Tsavo East National Park Bird watching photography can be done at any time in Tsavo East National Park throughout the year. Majority of the bird species in Tsavo East National Park are permanent residents, few are migratory and also seasonal European birds as well as the coastal bird species, the best time to spot various birds due to abundant of foliage and fruits in the Tsavo East National Park which are available in this season there are few travelers in the park so the park tend to be quite to be during this period and there are more chances to spot the birds as they are not scared off by the noises in the park which makes the best bird watching in the park. Migrants, the European species, are always present from November to April. You'll continue photographing birds and the unique landscapes. Main Destination: Tsavo East National Park Best Time To Visit June to October and January to February (Best for general wildlife viewing; little rainfall) High Season December to March and July to October (Not busy) Best Weather June to September and January to February (Little rainfall) Wildlife in Tsavo East NP ElephantAbundant GiraffeCommon BuffaloCommon ZebraCommon HippoCommon LionOccasional Show more CheetahOccasional HyenaOccasional Black RhinoVery Rare LeopardRare WildebeestRare Wild DogVery Rare White RhinoNone Accommodation: Voi Wildlife Lodge Mid-range lodge bordering Tsavo East NP wit

Tsavo East National Park - Arabuko Sokoke Forest Rserve

Day 6Tsavo East National Park - Arabuko Sokoke Forest Rserve Tsavo East National Park - Arabuko Sokoke Forest Rserve You‘ll leave Tsavo East National Park and head to Arabuko Sokoke National Reserve, approximately a 1-2 hour drive. Arabuko Sokoke is the largest remaining coastal forest in East Africa and is famous for its biodiversity in mammals, butterflies, amphibians, and birds. The endemic Clarke’s Weaver is also found here. The forest is made up of Miombo Woodland, Cynometra, and mixed forest. Upon arrival, you’ll check into your hotel. Explore the forest to spot species like the Sokoke Scops-Owl, near-endemic Amani Sunbird, Sokoke Pipit & Malindi Pipit, East Coast Akalat, Scaly Babbler, and Mombasa Woodpecker. You'll return to Jacaranda Watamu for dinner and relaxation in the evening. Main Destination: Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve Best Time To Visit July to September and January to February (Less rainfall) High Season December to March and July to October (Not busy) Best Weather July to September and January to February (Less rain) Wildlife in Arabuko Sokoke FR ElephantOccasional BuffaloOccasional LionVery Rare LeopardVery Rare HyenaVery Rare White RhinoNone Show more GiraffeNone Black RhinoNone CheetahNone ZebraNone WildebeestNone HippoNone Wild DogNone Accommodation: Jacaranda Beach Resort Mid-range resort located in Watamu (Beach) +7 Photos +6 Photos Meals & Drinks: All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve

Day 7Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve You'll start your day early to spot the birds at their most active. You'll return to your lodge for breakfast. You'll take a guided walk through the forest to spot more bird species. You'll enjoy a picnic lunch in the forest. You'll capture the unique birds and lush forest landscapes. You will be able to capture various birds like the localized Collared Palm Thrush, Fischer’s Turaco, Mangrove Kingfisher, Scaly-throated & Pallid Honeyguides, Eastern Green Tinkerbird & Green Barbet, and the Green-backed Woodpecker, amongst many others. The Golden-rumped elephant shrew is also a common resident here. The open Miombo woodland offers a good view of the gorgeous Bush-Shrike, Forest and Pale Batis, Dark-backed Weaver, Southern-banded Snake eagle, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Yellow-bellied and Fischer’s Greenbul. Fiery-necked Nightjars and African Wood Owls can commonly be seen in the forest at night. Main Destination: Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve Accommodation: Jacaranda Beach Resort Mid-range resort located in Watamu (Beach) Meals & Drinks: All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve

Day 8Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve After breakfast, you will be provided with transportation for your journey back to Nairobi. You’ll be transferred to Malindi International Airport for your flight back to Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. You’ll be dropped off at the airport to catch your flight home. Main Destination: Nairobi Airport (Nairobi) Accommodation: No accommodation (End of tour) Meals & Drinks: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included) End of tour (See Getting There for more details)End of tour (See Getting There for more details) Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost. You'll be dropped off at the airport. Interested in This Tour? Request a Quote We advise requesting quotes from 3 operators (Learn why) Requests are sent directly to the tour operator If preferred, you can contact the tour operator directly Next: Overview Next: Day by Day Next: Rates Next: Inclusions Next: Getting There Next: Offered By Best price guarantee Your request will be sent directly to the operator If preferred, you can contact the operator directly Next: Request a Quote Request a Quote Disclaimer This tour is offered by Cherish Africa Safaris, not SafariBookings. This operator reserves the right to change rates advertised on SafariBookings. The exact order, contents and rates of this tour are subject to availability. If an accommodation is fully booked, the operator will sugges