14 Oct 2026 - 05 Nov 2026 (23 days)
USD11,595 SPACES AVAILABLE
Tour Leader: James Wade Lee
Tour Price (Per person): USD11,595 (GBP8,888 * EUR10,130 * AUD17,902)
Single Supplement: USD1,950 (GBP1,495 * EUR1,704 * AUD3,011)
Flight costs: USD140 (GBP107 * EUR122 * AUD216)
17 Oct 2027 - 08 Nov 2027 (23 days)
USD11,695 SPACES AVAILABLE
Tour Leader: Glen Valentine
Tour Price (Per person): USD11,695 (GBP8,964 * EUR10,218 * AUD18,056)
Single Supplement: USD1,950 (GBP1,495 * EUR1,704 * AUD3,011)
Flight costs: USD140 (GBP107 * EUR122 * AUD216)
01 Nov 2028 - 23 Nov 2028 (23 days)
USD12,300 SPACES AVAILABLE
Tour Leader: Richard Stratton Hatfield
Tour Price (Per person): USD12,300 (GBP9,428 * EUR10,746 * AUD18,990)
Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated, and dates may change*
Kenya Mega birding tour takes in twenty-six days of non-stop birding as we thoroughly explore this famous bird and wildlife country. Not only is this safari specifically planned to obtain a huge list of mouth-watering birds and animals, but also Kenya’s most sought-after endemics and rarities. Our 2007 tour smashed all records with an amazing 817 birds, plus an incredible diversity of large mammals and other wildlife. In fact, on our five Mega tours thus far, we have recorded an unbelievable 912 species (over 80% of Kenya's possible birds!) and 99 mammal species (an average of 77 per tour!). Our recently updated itinerary has been tweaked to cover new sites and recent taxonomical splits – putting our current record in jeopardy.
Our tour begins with an exploration of the lush Shimba Hills and Arabuko-Sokoke Forest. Here we will endeavor to find some of the rarest birds in Africa, including the diminutive Sokoke Scops Owl, Sokoke Pipit, Green-headed Oriole, Amani Sunbird and Clarke’s Weaver. We then travel through both Tsavo West and East Parks, offering excellent game viewing and a huge bird list. The isolated Taita Hills, with its critically endangered species, will no doubt be memorable, and we’ll search all elevations of the Aberdare’s and Mount Kenya’s slopes for avian gems such as Jackson’s Francolin, Bar-tailed Trogon, Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon, localized Hinde’s Babbler and Abyssinian Ground Thrush. We then enter the true arid zone at Samburu-Shaba, where highlights should include Golden-breasted Starling, Vulturine Guineafowl, Williams’s Lark, Somali Bee-eater and Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse. The dry woodlands of Lake Baringo are home to Jackson’s Hornbill, Northern Masked Weaver and Somali Sparrow, while the famous Kakamega forest adds a plethora of forest specials with Blue-headed Bee-eater. Turner’s Eremomela, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat and Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye being notable targets. After exploring the papyrus swamps and moist woodlands along Lake Victoria, we finally enter the plains to visit arguably the most famous game reserve in the world, the fabulous Maasai Mara!
Sharpe's Longclaw, Sokoke Scops & Cape Eagle Owls, Sokoke & Malindi Pipits, Clarke's, Compact & Taveta Weavers, Hinde's & Scaly Babblers, East Coast Akalat, Green Barbet, Green Tinkerbird, Fischer's, White-crested, Ross's & Hartlaub's Turaco, Amani, Plain-backed, Tsavo, Violet-breasted & Golden-winged Sunbirds, Green-headed Oriole, Taita & Abyssinian Ground Thrushes, Taita Apalis, Taita & Kikuyu White-eyes, Jackson's & Elgon Francolins, Aberdare Cisticola, Abbott's, Golden-breasted, Magpie & Fischer's Starlings, Abyssinian Crimsonwing, Somali & Three-banded Coursers, Rock Pratincole, William's & Friedmann's Lark, Jackson's Hornbill, Red-naped Bushshrike, Somali Sparrow, Donaldson-Smith's Sparrow-Weaver, Somali & Blue-headed Bee-eaters, White-headed Mousebird, Turner's & Yellow-vented Eremomelas, Yellow-bellied & Jameson's Wattle-eyes, Vulturine Guineafowl, White-spotted Flufftail, Bar-tailed Trogon, Hartlaub's Bustard, Sooty Gull, Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse, Eastern Black-headed & Forest Batis, Donaldson-Smith's Nightjar, Forbe's-Watson's Swift, White-headed Wood Hoopoe, Pallid Honeyguide, Mombasa & Speckle-breasted Woodpeckers, African Broadbill, Grey-crested Helmetshrike, Papyrus Gonolek, Red-throated Tit, Uganda Woodland, Black-faced Rufous & Basra Reed Warblers, Somali Crombec, Southern & Yellow-bellied Hyliotas, Brown-chested Alethe, Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, Easy Coast Akalat, White-throated Robin, Chapin's & Gambaga Flycatchers, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, Fire-fronted & Zanzibar Red Bishops, Jackson's Widowbird, Red-throated & Brown Twinspots, Grey-headed Silverbill, Steel-blue Whydah, Cuckoo Finch, Papyrus Canary, Southern Grosbeak-Canary, Oriole Finch.
Lion, Leopard, Black & White Rhinoceros, Cheetah, Striped & Spotted Hyenas, Reticulated, Maasai & Rothschild's Giraffes, Angola Pied Colobus, Grevy’s Zebra, Gerenuk, Serval, Golden-rumped Elephant-Shrew, Crested Porcupine, Small-spotted & Blotched Genets, African Civet, African Buffalo, African Elephant, Southern Tree Hyrax, Giant Forest Hog, Lesser & Greater Kudu, Harvey's Duiker, Suni, Sable Antelope
lowland & montane forests, Acacia savanna, papyrus swamps, rivers and wetlands, rocky gorges, grassland, semi-desert, coastal estuaries
warm to hot, dry conditions, but cool at higher elevations and occasional rain can be expected
6 with 1 Rockjumer leader
Our Mega tours are very fast-paced birding adventures designed for the dedicated lister and serious birder. The focus of the tour is to see as many of the endemics and area specials as possible in our given time. In order to cover the necessary route to maximise the species list we tend to spend a single night at most sites and travel large distances. There is very little down time aside from that spent driving from one site to the next. These tours are not suitable for dedicated or avid photographers; inexperienced or new birders; as well as anyone with serious mobility or health challenges.
comfortable to luxurious lodges, a few more basic hotels & tented camps
mostly easy birds with some difficult species
780 - 800+
Olorgasailie Prehistoric sites, Mt Kenya, Aberdare Mountains, Shimba Hills, Maasai Mara, Lakes Elementeita & Baringo, Masaai and other local tribes, African curios
good to excellent - time permitting
This trip far exceeded my expectations. Our guide, Greg de Klerk, was excellent in every way. He took the time to actually teach us about bird and animal behavior. When other tour vehicles were speeding away, we got to sit and really learn. Also our driver, Martin, was superb -- an excellent driver who navigated the rutted roads with great skill, but also proved himself to be an excellent spotter and birder. Greg and Martin made a wonderful team. The selection of game reserves that we visited on this trip was perfect, especially for me as a first-timer. I felt I got an excellent overview of the Kenyan countryside. Our accommodations were all comfortable, but some were better than others. I loved the Wildebeest Eco-Lodge in Nairobi -- a wonderful introduction to the country. Castle Forest felt magical, and even the annoyance of having only one plug per room did not dampen my enthusiasm. The Sopa Lodge at Sambura was comfortable and the staff were very accommodating; I just wish the doors and windows had been a bit tighter to keep out a startling array of large critters (crickets, spiders, and something very large with lots of legs), none of which appeared at any other location. The Lodge at Lake Nakuru was a treat and very unexpected. But I loved the low-key atmosphere of the Pride Inn at Masai Mara -- a lovely location, and again the staff were wonderful. I thought the food offered at the buffets in all our lodges was excellent overall. Thank you for a wonderful experience. I can't wait to go back.
Great trip – close encounters with a lot of target birds and mammals, exciting habitats, comfortable accommodations and an outstanding guide. Glen must be one of the foremost authorities on African birds and I learned a great deal from him regarding ecology, behaviour, systematics and conservation.
David Hoddinott and indeed the drivers and Alison were all amazing - making this a life-changing experience. Everything went far better than expected throughout the tour in my opinion. I do not see how it could have been improved. Well done to all!
The Kenya Mega was a very pleasant experience. We had an especially congenial group with some very good observers. Stephan did a very good job of running the trip, and it ended up exceeding my expectations (I am picky. I have seen over 8M birds, and have done a lot of traveling). Most of the lodges were wonderful, and the Kenyan people we met were very friendly.
This trip was a fantastic experience for me, both as a traveler and as an intermediate birder. Kenya is an extraordinary country to explore, and this itinerary certainly delivered a huge variety of habitats, birds, and landscapes. The days were long, packed, and sometimes demanding, but the rewards were genuinely worth it. One thing I appreciated throughout the tour was how clear it became that the logistics—especially the long hours in the jeep—were simply part of what was needed to make the birding goals possible. In my own line of work, planning and logistics are everything, so I fully understood what was happening behind the scenes. Whenever we had to eat in the vehicle, Stephan always explained honestly why: because there was no smarter alternative if we wanted to reach the planned areas and have the best shot at our targets. And he was right. As for the guiding, Stephan was excellent. He’s tireless in the field, extremely sharp, and incredibly knowledgeable—but what stood out most for me was how approachable he is. As an intermediate birder, I never once felt overlooked or rushed. He taught, explained, and helped me refine my skills without ever making me feel inadequate or behind the group. His patience, clarity, and genuine interest in helping each participant improve made a huge impact on my experience. He was also very receptive to feedback. Whenever we shared observations or suggestions, he didn’t just brush them off; he acknowledged them and showed real appreciation. That kind of attitude goes a long way on a long tour. Regarding the itinerary, while it was certainly comprehensive, I personally feel it might have flowed better in reverse. Starting with the more demanding, longer days and the less captivating sites—and ending with the “wow” locations—would have given the trip a stronger final note. Our last three days felt long and tiring, and they didn’t quite match the excitement of earlier highlights. A reordering could create a more compelling and energizing finish. I also believe that including the Masai Mara would take this tour from excellent to truly iconic. The Mara is one of East Africa’s crown jewels, both for birds and mammals, and we would have happily paid more or added extra days to include it. As part of a “mega” Kenya itinerary, it feels like a natural and very valuable addition. Accommodation-wise, most lodges were very good, some even excellent. A few were more basic but still fine. The main outlier was the Blue Post Hotel, where the rooms we received didn’t reflect what is advertised online. All in all, the experience was memorable, the birding phenomenal, and the group dynamic wonderful. I walked away with new skills, new species, and a renewed appreciation for what such a complex tour takes to run well. I’d happily travel with Rockjumper again—especially if Stephan is leading.
Kenya - Mega Birding Tour 2025 - November 2025
Kenya & Tanzania - Birds & Big Game (Small Group) IV 2025 - April 2025
Kenya & Tanzania - Birds & Big Game (Small Group) II 2025 - April 2025
Kenya & Tanzania - Birds & Big Game (Small Group) III 2025 - April 2025
Kenya - Birds & Big Game (Relaxed) I 2025 - April 2025
Kenya & Tanzania - Birds & Big Game (Small Group) I 2025 - April 2025
Kenya - Mega Birding Tour 2024 - November 2024
Kenya & Tanzania - Birds & Big Game III 2024 - April 2024
Kenya & Tanzania - Birds & Big Game I 2024 - April 2024
Kenya - Birds & Big Game (Relaxed) II 2024 - February 2024
Kenya - Highlights II 2023 - November 2023
Kenya - Highlights I 2023 - October 2023
Kenya & Tanzania - Birds & Big Game IV 2023 - April 2023
Kenya & Tanzania - Birds & Big Game III 2023 - April 2023
Kenya & Tanzania - Birds & Big Game I 2023 - March 2023
Kenya - Mega Birding Tour I 2023 - March 2023
Kenya - Relaxed 2023 - March 2023
Kenya - Highlights 2022 - November 2022
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