(10 Days) Meru National Park / Samburu / Lake Nakuru / Lake Baringo / Lake Naivasha

Day 1 - Depart Nairobi past Central highlands i.e Embu/Meru towns to Meru National Park. Afternoon bird watching. Dinner and overnight at a lodge or campsite.

Day 2 - Full day bird watching, all meals and overnight at a lodge or campsite.

Day 3 - Depart Meru National park for Samburu arriving in time for lunch. Afternoon Bird watching. Dinner and overnight at a lodge or campsite.

Day 4 - Full day bird watching in Meru National Park. All meals and over night at a lodge or campsite.

Day 5 - Depart Samburu after breakfast for lake Nakuru National park. Lunch and afternoon bird watching.

Meru National Park.

Day 6 - Early morning bird watching before departing for lake Baringo in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight at a lodge or campsite.

Day 7 - Full day bird watching. All meals and overnight at a lodge or campsite.

Day 8 - Breakfast at lake Baringo and depart for lake Naivasha to arrive in time for lunch. Afternoon bird watching . Dinner and overnight at a lodge or campsite.

Day 9 - Full day bird watching in Naivasha. All meals and overnight at a lodge or campsite

Day 10 - After breakfast return to Nairobi.

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Nairobi national park/Lakes Naivasha/Baringo/Victoria & Nakuru/Kakamega Forest/Dunga Swamp/Busia Grasslands/Yala Swamp/Samburu /Thompson's Falls/Mount Kenya & Wajee Camp(16 Days)

Day 01: Nairobi National Park
After an early breakfast we leave for Nairobi National Park with packed lunch.

Day 02: Nairobi - Lake Naivasha - An early dawn birding call before breakfast. Leaving Nairobi after breakfast, Limuru is our first designated stop-over point. Our next proper stop miles off the beaten track is a lovely area of mid elevation mountain forest; lake Naivasha. Move on down to Lake Naivasha Simba Lodge arriving here in the evening for dinner and overnight.

Days 03 and 04 : Lake Naivasha- Lake Baringo - Waking up by the calls of birds this morning we do our pre-breakfast birding on the lush grounds of the lodge underneath very giant acacia trees. Back to the lodge for dinner and overnight. Next morning after an early breakfast we do boating in search of more birds before leaving for Baringo passing the wonderful views of the Great Rift Valley with a significant change in habitat taking us into dry thorn scrub. Arrive in Baringo and check in at the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 05: Lake Baringo - This morning we wake up at dawn for our usual pre-breakfast birding. Returning back to the lodge for breakfast and then meet by the jetty for a boat trip along the lake edge. Cruising slowly along the reedy edge of this immense lake in search of more birds. Back to the lodge for dinner and then check the list of the birds we watched before we retire to bed.

Day 06: Kakamega Forest - After an early breakfast we set off on our journey towards Kakamega rain forest. On our way we expect to see more birds. Our arrival is in the evening at Rondo Retreat Centre set in the Kakamega rain forest for dinner and overnight.

Day 07: Kakamega Forest - Wake up early at dawn for an early breakfast and after this for a drive and walks in the forest expecting to see more new species. From here we head to the pump house. Back for lunch at the lodge then set off again for an afternoon birding. Back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 08: Lake Victoria- Kakamega - Today we leave early so as to get to Lake Victoria before the sun gets up. Armed with picnic breakfast and lunch drive we drive down the escarpment for Dunga swamp where we do have boats organised and we paddle out together along the edge of papyrus reeda where we expect to see new species. After these we settle down for our picnic lunch and may be a few cool drinks. After lunch we will continue doing some afternoon birding here and there. Leaving Kisumu our next stop is on the main road overlooking an area with a few paddy fields. Now escaping from the heat we drive back to Kakamega stopping along the way for birding. Back to the lodge ends this excellent day as we now settle for dinner and an overnight.

Kakamega Forest.

Day 09: Kakamega - After an early breakfast we will stroll around the gardens. We now move on to 'Zimmerman plot.' After all these we drive to Rondo for lunch after that leave Kakamega forest for Busia stopping at the River Nzoia bridge for Little Swifts with our target bird being Angola Swallows we continue walking down to view the rocks in this fast flowing river. Continuing on for another 20km we stop in search of: Senegal Coucal, Olive-bellied Sunbird and the rare Orange-tufted Sunbird, Red-headed Lovebirds. We arrive in Busia in the evening and settle for a rest, dinner and overnight.

Day 10: Busia Grasslands - Yala Swamp -This morning after an early breakfast we leave our hotel for Busia Grasslands via Mungatsi Market, along Walawatzi river within a private farm at Kiseka where we are in search of the migrant Blue Swallows. Leaving these magical grassland habitats we now head to Siaya where we arrive in the afternoon for an exciting afternoon where you can simply chill out as you update your ornithology diary or walk around and get familiar with the locals. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 11: Yala Swamp- Lake Nakuru - This morning after breakfast we have an opportunity of visiting Yala Swamp for some bird watching and canoeing. Leave Yala Swamp for a long drive to Lake Nakuru having a lunch brake in Kericho. A roadside stop at a marshy pond may to see more birds. Dinner and overnight at Lake Nakuru lodge.

Day 12: Lake Nakuru - Mt Kenya - After an early breakfast we set off on an ornithological drive through the park. After lunch we now leave Lake Nakuru with our last visit to the lake's shore to see flamingos, terns, gulls and other commoner shorebirds. Setting off towards Mt Kenya we stop at Thomson Falls where we are hoping to see Sharpe's Starling before continuing with our drive having another roadside stop by the small quarry in search of Mackinder's Eagle-owl which is also our target species. We arrive at the Naro Moru River Lodge dinner and overnight.

Thompson Falls

Day 13: Mount Kenya - Samburu - After breakfast we take a short walk along the river. After this we drive towards the awesome peak of Mount Kenya continuing on to the entrance gate of Mount Kenya national park and birding the woodland edge. We drive deeply into the park making our way up and through the forest and stopping for more birds. We continue driving up to 10,000ft where we stop at the Met Station. From here we head back down towards the gate for our picnic lunch. After lunch we now set off for Samburu. Entering this dry country heralds in a hot and dry environment and with our ornithological drive to the lodge. Our arrival at Samburu Serena Lodge is late in the evening for dinner and overnight.

Day 14: Samburu - After breakfast it is time to scan the environment around the lodge grounds. Back to the lodge for lunch we have time for a short siesta. Later on leave, for an afternoon birds' drive now taking a different route in search of more birds. Back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 15: Samburu - Mount Kenya - After a quick coffee or tea we leave for an early birds' drive. Back for breakfast then leave Samburu game reserve for Mount Kenya with some rewarding sightings. We now drive out of the gate from this point and move on towards the cooler elevation of Mt Kenya. Our next stop is in the lower forest on our way to the Mountain Lodge which is our next destination. We arrive at this fantastic lodge that is built overlooking a natural salt lick for dinner and overnight.

Day 16: Mt Kenya - Nairobi Via Wajee Camp - After breakfast check directions of the forest and superb views of Mount Kenya. Returning for breakfast and after this its time to depart the Mountain lodge for Nairobi. From here we will stop at the Blue Post Hotel in Thika, near Nairobi. After some cool drinks we will search the grounds of this hotel and walk alongside the river. From here we drive to the cosmopolitan city of Nairobi city where this expedition ends at Boulevard hotel just before 1700 hours.

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