Destination
Mt. Kenya National ParkOverview
Castle Forest Lodge is covered in 3 days of forest birding (Mount Kenya) Several of Kenya's endemic species will be seen during the birding tour in the thick highland forest, bamboo forest, and alpine moorlands of Nyeri, Aberdare National Park & Kinangop Plateau, Mount Kenya, and Aberdare Forests.
Prices Inclusive Of
Park fees (For non-residents)
All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
A professional driver/guide
All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)
All Taxes/VAT
Prices Exclusive Of
Tips
Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees.
Tour Activities
Tour activities will depend on the location we visit.
Tour Schedule
Day 1: Nairobi – Castle Forest Lodge (Mount Kenya)
The three days of forest birding begin early in the morning at 6 a.m. from Nairobi, traveling through Thika and Muranga on the way to Castle Forest Lodge (Mount Kenya), where you will check in and bird until lunchtime. After lunch, we'll trek deeper into the forest to continue birding and search for new species of birds.
Day 2: Castle Forest lodge – Nyeri – Aberdare National Park
Although forest birds tend to be shy and elusive, we will rely more on bird cries on this day as we begin our forest birding early in the morning and follow the existing nature trail to seek for bird species that we may require or missed on our prior trip.
There will be intermittent calls from Grey, Chestnut-throated, Black-throated, and Black Collared Apalises. Some fascinating species to watch on the trails include Kandt's and Yellow-bellied Waxbills, Mountain Yellow Warbler, and Moustached Tinkerbird.
The trip will travel to Nyeri after lunch in order to search for the Cape Eagle Owl and the unique Hinde's Babbler. A local community guide who is knowledgeable about the locations where the birds roost and feed will follow the group as they travel through private farms while birding here.
Day 3: Aberdare National Park - Kinagop - Nairobi
Driving through the Aberdares National Park, we will continue our woodland birding expedition in search of the endemic Aberdares Cisticola and Jackson's Francolin. Other bird species of note include Moorland Chat, Buff-spotted Flufftail, and Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird. We'll also be on the lookout for Cassin Hawk Eagles, which are true forest raptors that have only a few verified sightings in Kenya. These raptors hunt through the canopy, using the foliage and dim forest light to capture their prey. The Cassin Hawk Eagle is mostly found in the rainforests of the Congo Basin, which extend from Nigeria through western Uganda, Liberia, and Togo, as well as more recently, western Tanzania. The scenery at Aberdare National Park served as the basis for the film The Lion King.
We will leave the park through the Mutubio Gate and travel to the Kinangop Plateau and Ndunyu Njeru town in search of further endemics including the Sharpe's Longclaw, Long-tailed Widowbird, Jackson's Widowbird, African Snipe, Lesser Jacana, and many others.
Return to Nairobi is anticipated at 6:00 AM.
Tips
The first and second days will include walking, so bring a pair of comfortable walking shoes.
Deer (Horse) Flies, which have a painful bite, are present in the forest throughout the months of February and March (carry enough insect repellent)
It is good to have a heavy fleece because it can get chilly in the forest on occasion; temperatures can drop as low as 7 degrees right before dusk.
Animals can be seen in Aberdares National Park; bring a raincoat, as there might be an unexpected shower.
