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Kenya - Mega Birding Tour

© Cheetah by Adam Riley
Kenya - Mega Birding Tour 2026

14 Oct 2026 - 05 Nov 2026 (23 days)

USD11,595 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: James Wade Lee

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Tour Price (Per person): USD11,595 (GBP8,982 * EUR10,231 * AUD18,096)

Single Supplement: USD1,950 (GBP1,511 * EUR1,721 * AUD3,043)

Flight costs: USD140 (GBP108 * EUR124 * AUD218)

Kenya - Mega Birding Tour 2027

17 Oct 2027 - 08 Nov 2027 (23 days)

USD11,695 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: Glen Valentine

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Tour Price (Per person): USD11,695 (GBP9,059 * EUR10,319 * AUD18,252)

Single Supplement: USD1,950 (GBP1,511 * EUR1,721 * AUD3,043)

Flight costs: USD140 (GBP108 * EUR124 * AUD218)

Kenya - Mega Birding Tour 2028

01 Nov 2028 - 23 Nov 2028 (23 days)

USD12,300 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: Richard Stratton Hatfield

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Tour Price (Per person): USD12,300 (GBP9,528 * EUR10,853 * AUD19,196)

Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated, and dates may change*

This tour is the ultimate African birding and wildlife adventure. Over three weeks of non-stop birding, we hope to see more than 700 bird species, plus an incredible diversity of wildlife, superb scenery, wonderful lodges and tented camps, and super-friendly Kenyans.

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. Our tour concludes after exploring the papyrus swamps and moist woodlands along Lake Victoria!

Top Birds

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 and Ross's Turacos; 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; Papyrus Canary; Southern Grosbeak-Canary; Oriole Finch.

Top Mammals

Lion; Leopard; Black & White Rhinoceros; Cheetah; Striped & Spotted Hyenas; Reticulated & Maasai Giraffes; 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.

Habitats Covered

lowland & montane forests, Acacia savanna, papyrus swamps, rivers and wetlands, rocky gorges, grassland, semi-desert, coastal estuaries

Expected Climate

warm to hot, dry conditions, but cool at higher elevations and occasional rain can be expected. One morning at high altitude (3 650m) in very cold conditions (freezing).

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumer leader

Tour Pace & Walking

DIFFICULT: This is a high-intensity “mega” tour designed for passionate listers and serious birders who enjoy a fast-paced schedule. Due to its demanding nature, it’s not recommended for avid photographers, inexperienced birders, or anyone with mobility or health limitations.

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.

Accommodation

Moderate to comfortable, some safari tented camps, a few basic lodges

Ease of Birding

Demanding. Some species density is low, forest birding present typical challenges. Several difficult target species.

Number of Species Expected

700+

Other Attractions

Mt Kenya, Aberdare Mountains, Shimba Hills, Lakes Elementeita & Baringo, Masaai people, African curios

Photographic Opportunities

Worthwhile to good but limited by time constraints.

What our clients say about us

Gregory de Klerk
SK - Kenya 2024

Greg de Klerk was a wonderful leader. He knew exactly how to lead this relaxed tour. He always made sure that the needs of everyone in group were being met. He also demonstrated incredible knowledge of both the birds and the animals. I would go anywhere with him on another related tour.

Glen Valentine
ID, Kenya 2021

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
Anon, Kenya - Mega

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!

Stephan Lorenz
LVY, Kenya - Mega Birding Tour 2025

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.

André Bernon
VW, Kenya 2018

Thank you for a wonderful experience! The tour exceeded my expectations. Andre Bernon is an extremely talented and knowledgeable guide. His eyes and ears are incredible and he is very thoughtful with his guests.

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Route Map

Tour Route Map

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