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Kenya - Birds & Big Game (Relaxed)

© African Elephants on the Maasai Mara by David Hoddinott
Kenya - Birds & Big Game (Relaxed) 2027

01 Apr 2027 - 13 Apr 2027 (13 days)

USD7,495 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: Tyler Davis

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Tour Price (Per person): USD7,495 (GBP5,768 * EUR6,586 * AUD11,505)

Single Supplement: USD840 (GBP646 * EUR738 * AUD1,289)

Kenya - Birds & Big Game (Relaxed) 2028

01 Apr 2028 - 13 Apr 2028 (13 days)

USD7,900 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: André Bernon

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Tour Price (Per person): USD7,900 (GBP6,080 * EUR6,942 * AUD12,126)

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

Our Kenya Relaxed tour highlights some of Africa’s most iconic and famous wildlife reserves. Our tour begins with an exploration of Nairobi – one of the most species diverse cities in the world – before heading a little further north to Mount Kenya, shrouded in montane forest. After our time in the cool forests, we continue north to the dry savanna and riverine woodland of Samburu and Buffalo Springs for a completely new suite of birds and mammals. We’ll then head southwest and descend to the nutrient-rich Lake Nakuru in the Great Rift Valley, with its inexhaustible numbers of Lesser Flamingos. Lastly, we head further south towards the vast plains of what is arguably one of the most fabulous game reserves in the world, the justifiably famous Maasai Mara! This tour offers incomparable wildlife and birding in the space of just two weeks!

Top Birds

Superb Starling; Lilac-breasted Roller; Grey Crowned Crane; Kori Bustard; Martial Eagle; Secretarybird; Saddle-billed Stork; Jackson’s Widowbird; Silvery-cheeked Hornbill; Kikuyu White-eye; Bar-tailed Trogon; White-headed & Grant’s Wood Hoopoes; Vulturine Guineafowl; Somali Courser; Somali Bee-eaters; Lesser & Greater Flamingos; African Fish Eagle; Grey-crested Helmetshrike; Hartlaub's & Schalow’s Turacos; Bare-faced Go-away-bird; Yellow-throated Sandgrouse.

Top Mammals

the “Big Five” (African Elephant; African Buffalo; Leopard; Lion; Black & White Rhinoceroses); Cheetah; Spotted Hyena; Rothschild’s & Maasai Giraffe; Guereza; Hippopotamus; Grant’s & Thompson’s Gazelles; Common Warthog.

Habitats Covered

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

Expected Climate

warm to hot, dry conditions, but cool at higher elevations and rain may be expected

Max Group Size

6 with 1 Rockjumper Leader

Tour Pace & Walking

Our Relaxed series of tours are designed to focus on having an enjoyable holiday with a bird and wildlife focus. Where possible; we have reduced or removed long drives, single night stays and poor/rustic accommodation. We have also sought to reduce or remove difficult hikes, narrow/muddy trails and otherwise oppressive environmental conditions. Early starts and night birding are mostly optional, and we will not spend much time searching for difficult and/or skulking species. These tours are not suitable for hardcore birders and listers, or dedicated photographers.

Accommodation

safari lodges and hotels

Ease of Birding

mostly easy birding, slightly tougher in forest

Other Attractions

Maasai and other Kenya indigenous people, African curios

Photographic Opportunities

excellent

What our clients say about us

Heinz Ortmann
RL, Kenya

Heinz Ortmann was charming and funny, outstanding on the birds and other animals, and excellent in dealing with the logistics. I would be very happy to travel with Heinz again.

Stuart Elsom
IS, Kenya 2022

Stuart took my "hit list" and ensured that I saw as many as possible. Driver/guide Jack and local guides also helpful. Accommodation and food generally good. One negative was that Landcruiser was cramped and difficult to enter and exit, but apparently a 4X4 is necessary for this tour. Overall very happy with the tour and total list. Other participants also enjoyed it.

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.

Gregory de Klerk
JB, SB & CB, Kenya 2018

We very much enjoyed our East Africa experience, finding it to be the adventure we dreamed it would be. With Greg de Klerk as our excellent and informative guide and the incredible wildlife, the tour exceeded our expectations. Greg took care of us all throughout the tour and was extremely patient and considerate to make certain that all were able to find the birds we were seeking. We had a group with different levels of birding experience and Greg worked so well with all. Thanks to all who made this wonderful experience happen for us.

Quinton Paul Josop
CH - Kenya & Tanzania 2024

This was one of the best five of the 53 guided birding tours I have taken! Paul Josop is not only a truly excellent local guide who knows African birds and their calls phenomenally well, but is also extremely pleasant to deal with, polite, supportive of all levels of participant birding skills and very thoughtful. Paul also has an infectious sense of humor: We all laughed a lot on this tour! He loves to teach participants the finer points of the biology of the animals and plants encountered on a tour; he also managed group dynamics very well. It is clear that Paul enjoys guiding and he is very focused on getting all of the tour participants onto every bird species we encountered: He is living proof of my dictum that ""A good local guide is a thing of joy"". Our two local guide/drivers, Roger in Tanzania and Edson in Kenya, were also excellent: They dealt very well with severely pot-holed African roads and erratic African drivers and traffic; they also pointed out very many birds and big game as we bounced through the national parks, reserves and paved roads, all filled with aggressive opposing traffic! They have my highest recommendation. However, I do urge the local tour operator, Tanzania Birding and Beyond, to have their Land Cruiser passenger seats rebuilt - they were singularly uncomfortable on our long drives. This Rockjumper tour has my highest recommendation for all levels of participants' birding skills.

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