EAST AFRICA's
WILDLIFE AND BIRD DIVERSITY

Various flight schedules are possible and Mark or co-leader Benson Mugambi will meet all travelers at the Nairobi Airport. However, most travelers will depart February 9 (West Coast in the morning, East Coast evening) for London, arriving morning February 10. At 10:00 AM we continue on British Air, to arrive in Nairobi at 9:30 PM. We transfer to our nearby hotel for a good night's sleep. Northwest combines with KLM to have a similar schedule.

After a late breakfast we'll tour the city viewing the University, markets, and the National Museum, where we enjoy exhibits on regional culture, geology and natural history. After lunch we'll visit Nairobi National Park, a beautiful landscape where we have a good chance to find lion, cheetah, and even black rhino. The park has a diverse birdlife, and we will walk through the Athi River woodlands to the hippo pools. This lunch only paid individually.

Following a leisurely breakfast we head north through the homeland of Kenya's largest tribe, the Kikuyu. Their mud and thatch homes are scattered among fields of corn, vegetables, coffee and pineapples. We arrive for lunch at Mountain Lodge, situated beside a pond and natural salt lick high on Mt. Kenya, Africa's second highest mountain at 17,000 ft. The mountain forests of East Africa are endangered, most having been logged and cultivated with tea and temperate vegetables. Rare and shy forest animals can be seen here. Rhino, Elephant, Giant Forest Hog, Suni Antelope, and Bushbuck are but a few. Dozens of birds are limited to these heights.

The forest around the lodge will be alive with birds this morning. Guenon and Colobus Monkeys are often seen, and we can watch from the many balconies and walk some short forest trails. We continue north to lunch at beautiful Naro Moru Lodge on the western shoulder of Mt. Kenya in a lower-elevation forest. Here we will walk the forested riverside trail in search of Hornbills, Turacos, Parrots, Trogons and Cinnamon-chested Beeaters. After a fine lunch we continue north to Samburu National Park. En route we pass through the frontier town of Isiolo, where the traditionally-clad Samburu, Somali, Turkana, Rendille and Boran tribes gather to trade. We spend two nights at Samburu Park, overlooking the river where animals gather.

During morning and evening safaris we'll search out the arid-land specialties of Samburu. Unique mammals of the region include the Reticulated Giraffe, Beisa Oryx (an antelope), Grevy's Zebra and the long-necked Gerenuk Antelope. Elephant, Lion, Leopard and Cheetah are here too. A river runs through the park and is the focal point of the ecosystem. The birdlife is astounding; Raptors, Hornbills, Bustards and Kingfishers being especially well-represented.

After a morning safari in Samburu we continue west across the spectacular arid north and descend into the Rift Valley arriving this evening at shimmering Lake Baringo at 3,000 feet. The Lake Baringo Club is a flowered lakeshore oasis.

Before breakfast we walk along the nearby escarpment. On the cliff and in the scrubby forest beneath are found plant and animal species difficult to find elsewhere, including Jackson's and Hemprich's Hornbills, Verreaux's Eagle, Cliff Chat and Bristle-crowned Starling. Following breakfast we walk along the shoreline, where we can approach Hippos, Goliath Herons and dozens of other waterbirds Baringo is famous for. We depart after lunch for freshwater Lake Naivasha, where we overnight. Naivasha lies at 7000 ft., and the area is seething with waterfowl, shorebirds and raptors.

At noon we cross the Tanzanian border at Namanga and then continue to Tarangire NP. Wildebeeste, Zebra, great herds of Elephants and myriad birds are attracted to Tarangire's water and rolling grasslands studded with massive Baobabs. Tarangire is one of Africa's most beautiful landscapes, and our tented camp is perched on a bluff overlooking the panorama.

Morning and evening wildlife drives in Tarangire NP. Tarangire tented lodge.

After a final Tarangire wildlife drive this morning we continue west through the arid Rift Valley and then climb steeply to the 8000 ft. rim of Ngorongoro Crater NP. Two thousand feet below lies the savannah floor of the 10-mile wide volcanic caldera. The Crater supports the densest population of ungulates on earth, as well as lions, Cheetahs and rhinos. Thousands of Wildebeest, antelope and zebras forage the perennially green highland grasses. We spend this cool night at a lodge on the crater rim.

This morning we descend into the Crater via a rugged one-way road. Watch for Lions and Rhinos. The Crater has one of the few secure Black Rhino populations in East Africa. At mid-day we drive up to the cool rim and continue down the western slope of the Ngorongoro Highlands and across the Serengeti Plains to Lake Ndutu Lodge located at the edge of Serengeti National Park where we spend three nights. A small, personal lodging, Ndutu is the closest accommodation to The Migration on the plains in every direction

The Serengeti ecosystem protects the worldÕs largest population of ungulates; over one million Wildebeeste and nearly half a million Zebra annually follow the rains from plains to savannah to woodland. It is a view into the Pleistocene. WeÕll find Lions and Hyenas, and probably Leopards and Cheetahs. Antelope include Topi, Hartebeeste, Dikdik, Eland, Steinbok, and GrantÕs and ThompsonÕs Gazelles. We spend one night at the splendid Seronera Lodge, built over and into a Kopje (ancient granite outcrops) where Hyraxes and Baboons still reside. Two nights we are at famed Ndutu Lodge, beside a flamingo lake and in the heart of the plains where two million Wildebeeste, Zebra, and gazelles are raising young and avoiding predators. Fabulous.

This morning a final safari across the Plains to reach Olduvai Gorge at the base of the Ngorongoro Highlands. Olduvai is the most famous site in anthropology. An African excavator who aids the international researchers with their Olduvai digs will provide an informal lecture, and there is an excellent museum. Afterwards we continue east over the highlands to the Lake Manyara Hotel, perched at the edge of the Rift Valley escarpment overlooking Lake Manyara.

After an early walk on the delightful hotel grounds we continue to Arusha, where those on the Coast Extension will board their plane for Mombasa. Those not extending will continue to the border at Namanga, and on to Nairobi for dinner before catching the late-evening flight back to Europe.

We arrive in Europe this morning and connect with flights arriving in the US this same evening.

At 11:00 a.m. we fly from Arusha to Mombasa, where we are met by our drivers and take a short tour of Mombasa before continuing two hours north to Malindi and our beautiful hotel on the beach overlooking the Marine Park where we will snorkel. This afternoon and the next three days we will have a variety of relaxing options.

These days we will visit the market in the old town of Malindi and walk through a Giriama village to the home of friend, Rodgers Karabu. At least one early morning we will have a bird and nature walk in relict Sokoke Forest to search for rare lowland birds and Golden-backed Elephant Shrew with talented local guides. Nearby is Mida Creek, one of the largest mangrove-lined estuaries on the East African coast and home to thousands of interesting waterbirds, many wintering from Europe. There is also the ruined 14th century Arab city of Gedi, set amidst the encroaching forest. And each day we can swim and snorkel. In the afternoon of the last day we fly to Nairobi, and in the late evening our flight leaves Nairobi for London.

We arrive in London this morning and connect with flights arriving in the US this same evening.