Kenya is truly a birdwatchers paradise, with an astonishing total of more than 1,000 species recorded. A fantastic birding safari combining the diverse habitats of Kenya's National Parks & Reserves, its rivers, scrub and open savannahs with Kenya's glorious coastline is what awaits you here at Tambuga Safaris. Enjoy the rainforests, tea and coffee plantations, central highlands whilst seeking out the different bird species. Visit the spectacular Kakamega forests of the western province. Relax on the banks of the Great Rift Valley lakes whilst looking for the various aquatic species.
The combination of meticulous pre-tour planning and organization, and competent, friendly leaders, who willingly share their knowledge and enthusiasm, ensures that each tour is not only successful ornithologicaly but is also an enjoyable holiday. Our guides' knowledge of the local birdlife including migration patterns, nesting habits and rare and unusual sightings is impressive.
The variation in habitat across Kenya means that different areas of the country have very different bird lists, making it a fascinating part of the world for birders to visit. Since so much of the country is open grassland or bush the birds are also relatively easy to see. We always get excited when we have the opportunity to add new birds to our lists and logs, but it's really exciting to meet with fellow birders to compare and share all your field notes.
When to Bird?
For sheer bird numbers the best time to visit Kenya is between October and April when more than 120 migrant species have arrived from the Northern hemisphere, mostly from the Palearctic but with some African migrants such as Forbes-Watson's Swift; there is also the chance of finding one of the passage migrants such as the Sooty Falcon in March-April and October-December. If you're interested in bird-ringing, the latter period is when there's a large bird ringing exercise at Ngulia in Tsavo National Park. The coast is particularly good during this period with large flocks of water birds congregating at Mida Creek and Sabaki Estuary, while The Rift Valley lakes and Amboseli attract a lot of northern waterfowl.
From April to October the Northern Migrants are replaced by birds from the southern hemisphere and Madagascar, but these are much fewer, no more than 10 or 12 species. It is however the time when many of the birds are in breeding plumage following the long rains, which makes species such as the various weavers much easier as well as much more colourful. This is also the best time of year for big game.
In July and August the huge herds of wildebeest and zebra enter the Maasai Mara and provide spectacular game watching. The Mara river regularly collects mixed flocks of vultures and Marabou feeding on the animals that failed to cross the river.
Although all of the holidays are designed specifically for bird watching, we stop wherever possible to search and view some bird species and also for other forms of wildlife, previous tour participants have been able to combine birds with their interests in mammals, butterflies and plants.
5 Days Kenya Birdwatching Safari
10 Days Kenya Birdwatching Safari
11 Days Tanzania Birdwatching
15 Days Kenya Birdwatching
13 Days Kenya Coastal Birdwatching
