Kenya
Kenya Wild Camping Adventure: Rift Valley, Lakes and Mountains
Overview
From the saline and freshwater lakes of the Great Rift Valley to the forests and mountains of Central Kenya, this adventure combines birdwatching, wildlife, hiking, and camping for travellers seeking a more immersive experience of East Africa.
Our first adventure camping journey takes you into some of Kenya’s most spectacular landscapes. Rather than staying in conventional lodges, we will camp beside lakes, in mountain landscapes, and among forests, often with birds and wildlife right around the campsite.
The journey explores the remarkable Great Rift Valley, shaped by shifting tectonic plates, ancient volcanic activity, and spectacular lakes. At Lake Baringo and Lake Naivasha, we’ll look for resident and migratory birds, including flamingos, Verreaux’s Eagles, African Fish Eagles, and many other species, while enjoying excellent photography opportunities.
We then continue into Kenya’s mountainous highlands and forests, walking along lake shores, across African savannah, and through forested trails, including a hike to the impressive 74-metre Nyahururu Falls. Camping in the heart of nature allows us to experience these landscapes at a slower pace and observe birds and wildlife around our tents.
For birders, we’ll search for the elusive, range-restricted endemic Aberdares Cisticola, Kikuyu White-eye, and the (near-)endemic Jackson’s Spurfowl, along with the many other species found across these diverse habitats.
Wildlife encounters will include opportunities to see Elephants, Hippos, Giraffes, Zebras, and Lions, with the possibility of hippos grazing close to camp and spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro across the border.
The camping and transportation will be basic rather than luxurious, but this is part of the experience. Wake up to the sounds of the bush, enjoy a hot cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, and begin the day surrounded by birds, wildlife, mountains, forests, and open landscapes.
This is Kenya beyond the traditional safari—a journey for birders, photographers, wildlife enthusiasts, hikers, and adventurous travellers who want to camp, walk, explore, and experience East Africa in a truly immersive way.
Meals: Dinner
Upon arrival, we’ll meet you at the airport and transfer you to our accommodation, a beautiful campsite overlooking the Great Rift Valley, complete with an infinity pool—an ideal place to unwind after your journey.
Take a refreshing swim or relax on the terrace with your binoculars and begin your Kenyan birding experience. The surroundings offer opportunities to spot Bulbuls, Weavers, Bee-eaters, Wagtails, Speckled and Blue-naped Mousebirds, a variety of Sunbirds, and the ever-present Superb Starling.
Tonight, we’ll stay in tented accommodation with proper beds, allowing you to rest comfortably after your flight. In the evening, we’ll gather together for introductions and a briefing on the journey ahead, including the itinerary and practical details of the trip.
Overnight stay in camp.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
This morning, we’ll board our safari truck for the first time and drive towards Amboseli National Park, located close to the Tanzanian border. With its sweeping savannah landscapes and spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro, Amboseli offers a truly breathtaking introduction to the African wilderness.
Today, we’ll focus on birding outside the park, allowing us to dedicate a full day tomorrow—from morning to evening—to exploring Amboseli National Park itself. We’ll continue towards our camp on the edge of the park, where we can spend the day hiking while our tents are prepared and lunch and dinner are cooked for us.
Along the way, we may encounter Helmeted Guineafowl, although they are quick to run off, so keep your cameras ready! Francolins are also commonly seen, while we’ll keep an eye out for Red-eyed Dove and Namaque Dove.
The open Amboseli savannah is home to impressive species such as Kori Bustards and Secretarybirds, and with some luck, we may also come across Ostriches.
The skies will be equally interesting, so keep watching for raptors including Rüppel’s Griffon, Black-winged Kite, Martial Eagle, Bateleur, Lappet-faced Vulture, and White-backed Vulture.
Overnight stay in camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Today, we will enter Amboseli National Park for a full day of wildlife and birding exploration. As leaving vehicles is restricted to designated areas within national parks, today’s experience will follow a more traditional safari style, allowing us to explore the park from our safari vehicle.
Amboseli is famously known as the “Home of the African Elephant,” and we’ll have excellent opportunities to encounter these magnificent animals. With some luck, we may come across large herds gathered around the swamps or near Lake Amboseli. The park is also home to an impressive range of mammals, including Lions, Buffalo, Wildebeest, Masai Giraffes, Zebras, and Hyenas. The elusive Leopard also inhabits the Amboseli ecosystem, although spotting one can be challenging.
Amboseli is equally rewarding for birders, with more than 400 bird species recorded, including around 40 species of birds of prey. We’ll visit Observation Hill–Nomatior, where the climb is well worth the effort for its spectacular panoramic views across the park and surrounding landscapes.
From the hill, we may spot Greater Flamingo and Black-headed Heron around the water, along with Gray-headed Kingfisher, African Sacred Ibis, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, Gray-crowned Crane, and the elegant African Jacana. We’ll also keep an eye out for three species of Ibis as we explore the park’s diverse habitats.
Overnight stay in camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
After another morning of birding around Amboseli, we’ll begin our drive back towards our base camp on the edge of the Great Rift Valley. Take in the changing landscapes as we leave the Amboseli ecosystem behind and return to the cooler surroundings of the Rift Valley.
The remainder of the day will be spent at the camp, allowing time to relax and prepare for tomorrow’s journey into the hot and dramatic landscapes of Lake Magadi.
Overnight at the Great Rift Valley camp.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
From our base camp, we’ll drive towards Lake Magadi, the southernmost lake in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley. Kenya is home to more than 60 lakes, and Lake Magadi is particularly distinctive for its saline and alkaline waters. The lake is well known for its rich concentration of wading birds, including Greater Flamingo, while remarkably, its waters support just a single species of fish.
Depending on time and conditions, we may make a stop at the Olorgesaillie Prehistoric Site, known as the “factory of stone tools.” Here, we can see numerous stone tools used by our distant ancestors and learn more about the area’s fascinating prehistoric history.
We’ll also have an opportunity to walk along the nature trail, looking for Weavers, Blue-capped Cordonbleu, Lilac-breasted Rollers, Oxpeckers, Red-billed Quelea, and many other bird species.
Overnight in the Lake Magadi area.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
This morning, we’ll explore the surroundings of our campsite, a community conservation resource centre, on foot. The area offers excellent opportunities to look for Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Black-faced Sandgrouse, Kori Bustard, Wood Sandpipers, and two species of Hornbill—African Gray Hornbill and Von der Decken’s Hornbill.
As the day warms up, we can take a refreshing dip in the river before relaxing at camp during the hotter part of the day.
In the late afternoon, we’ll head out in our truck to explore Lake Magadi itself. Along its saline shores, we’ll look for Flamingos and other waders, including the striking African Sacred Ibis and the small but beautiful Little Heron. With some luck, we may also encounter the Nubian Woodpecker.
Overnight in the Lake Magadi area.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
After another morning walk around camp, we’ll begin our drive towards Nairobi, but turn north before reaching the city. Travelling between the Ngong Hills and Mount Suswa, a dormant volcano of spiritual significance to the Maasai people, we continue towards Lake Naivasha.
Unlike the saline waters of Lake Magadi, Lake Naivasha is a freshwater lake, supporting a completely different ecology and wildlife community. We’ll arrive at our campground and enjoy a relaxed afternoon, with time to unwind while our cook prepares dinner. You can also explore the surroundings or enjoy a drink at the bar (not included).
As evening falls, the sounds of the wilderness will become part of the experience. Hippos roam just outside the electric fence surrounding the camp, offering a memorable glimpse into life alongside Kenya’s wildlife.
Overnight at Lake Naivasha.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
This morning, we’ll take a boat ride along the shores of Lake Naivasha, exploring its freshwater ecosystem and rich birdlife. The lake is home to many African Fish Eagles, which nest around its shores and will be a highlight of the boat excursion.
We’ll also look for Gray Heron, Black Heron, Goliath Heron, Great Egret, Little Egret, as well as Spoonbills and Pelicans, including both Great White Pelican and Pink-backed Pelican.
Our boat ride will take us to Crescent Island, where we’ll continue on foot among the wildlife. We’ll walk alongside Giraffes, Impala, Zebra, Gazelles, Bushbuck, and Ostriches, while keeping an eye out for the island’s tortoises along the trail.
The birding continues as we explore the island, with African Paradise-Flycatcher, Buff-bellied Warbler, Gray-capped Warbler, Purple Heron, Red-fronted Barbet, White-headed Buffalo-Weaver, and the island’s impressive seven species of Weaver nesting in the trees. We’ll also keep watch for four species of Sunbirds and the fascinating Greater Honeyguide.
Overnight at Lake Naivasha.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
From Lake Naivasha, we’ll head north through the spectacular landscapes of the Great Rift Valley, with changing scenery and birding opportunities along the way.
We’ll stop for lunch at Lake Elementaita, a shallow alkaline lake renowned for its rich birdlife. The lake is an important breeding and feeding ground for several threatened bird species and is home to flamingos, pelicans, and many other waterbirds.
After lunch, we’ll continue north towards Lake Baringo, one of only two freshwater lakes in the Great Rift Valley, along with Lake Naivasha. Like several other lakes in the valley, Baringo attracts Greater Flamingos, drawn by the algae-rich waters.
The lake supports an impressive variety of waterbirds, including Gray Heron, Goliath Heron, Squacco Heron, Yellow-billed Egrets, African Darters, and Reed Cormorants. Above us, we’ll keep watch for Verreaux’s Eagle and African Fish Eagle, while with some luck we may also spot Shikra or Pygmy Falcon.
Overnight near Lake Baringo.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Today, we’ll explore Lake Baringo on foot and by boat, discovering its diverse habitats and searching for some of the area’s more distinctive species, including the African Skimmer and Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse.
The surrounding hills also offer a chance to look for the Greater Kudu. Sadly, Lake Baringo is now the species’ last stronghold in Kenya, making a sighting here particularly special.
The lake itself is home to abundant Hippos and Nile Crocodiles, while the sounds of Vervet Monkeys and Baboons provide a constant soundtrack to the wilderness.
After dark, we’ll have an opportunity for night birding, with the possibility of encountering the Standard-winged Nightjar, which reaches the edge of its distribution here, as well as the African Scops-Owl.
Overnight near Lake Baringo.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Today, we’ll leave the lakes behind and head into the foothills of the Aberdares mountain range in Central Kenya. Before reaching the forest reserve, we’ll stop at Nyahururu (Thomson’s) Falls for hiking, birding, and time to appreciate the spectacular 74-metre (243-foot) waterfall.
The surrounding habitats offer excellent opportunities to look for Hartlaub’s Turaco, Red-winged Starling, Black-headed Oriole, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, and a variety of Sunbirds. Around the wetland areas, we may encounter Eurasian Moorhen, Red-knobbed Coot, various species of Lapwings and Cormorants, as well as Herons, Ibises, Spoonbills, and Storks.
We’ll also keep an eye out for smaller species, including Rattling Cisticola, Red-cheeked Cordonbleu, African Pipit, White-Eyed Slaty Flycatcher, and the Kikuyu White-eye, whose range is restricted to the Kenyan highlands.
The skies around the falls can also be rewarding, with possibilities of Peregrine Falcon, Augur Buzzard, and Mountain Buzzard. And as we explore, watch for the unmistakable flash of colour from a Pied Kingfisher, Giant Kingfisher, or Malachite Kingfisher passing by.
Overnight in the Aberdares foothills.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Over the next two days, we’ll venture deeper into the Aberdare Mountain Range, an isolated volcanic range known locally as Nyandarua. Rising to impressive heights, the range includes Ol Donyo Lesatima (3,999 m / 13,120 ft) and Kinangop (3,906 m / 12,814 ft), surrounded by dense tropical forests, deep ravines, dramatic volcanic landscapes, high-altitude moorlands, and spectacular waterfalls such as Karuru Falls and Gura Falls.
Our main target during these two days will be the highly range-restricted and unfortunately vulnerable Aberdares Cisticola. We’ll also search for the elusive Jackson’s Spurfowl, a near-endemic species that may potentially even be endemic to the region.
The rich montane habitats also offer opportunities to encounter Hartlaub’s Turaco, Golden-winged Sunbird, African Paradise-Flycatcher, and Moustached Tinkerbird, along with other highland species.
Overnight in the Aberdare Mountains.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Today, we’ll leave the mountains behind and begin our journey back towards Nairobi, hopefully enjoying a final view of Mount Kenya, the highest mountain in the country.
As we make our way towards the city, there may be opportunities for some last-minute birding stops, including along the Sagana River, depending on time and conditions.
We’ll continue to a simple but comfortable hotel near the airport, where we’ll enjoy dinner and say goodbye to our trusty safari truck and tents that have been our companions throughout this adventure.
Tonight, we return to regular beds, giving us a chance to relax and prepare for our departure after an unforgettable journey through Kenya.
Overnight near Nairobi Airport.
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, check out from the hotel and transfer to the airport in time for your scheduled flight. This marks the end of our unforgettable journey through Kenya’s lakes, mountains, forests, and wildlife-rich landscapes.
If you wish to extend your stay and explore more of Kenya, additional nights can also be arranged upon request.
The tour ends with wonderful memories of your East African adventure. Safe travels!
Highlights
- Immersive adventure camping experience combining birding, wildlife, hiking, and exploration across Kenya’s diverse landscapes
- Explore the spectacular Great Rift Valley and its saline and freshwater lakes
- Birding at Lake Magadi, Lake Naivasha, Lake Elementaita, and Lake Baringo
- Full-day wildlife and birding exploration in Amboseli National Park, the “Home of the African Elephant,” with spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro
- Search for 400+ bird species in the Amboseli ecosystem, including raptors, waterbirds, cranes, and African Jacana
- Look for Elephants, Lions, Hippos, Giraffes, Zebras, Buffalo, Wildebeest, Hyenas, and Leopards
- Search for range-restricted and endemic birds, including Aberdares Cisticola, Kikuyu White-eye, and Jackson’s Spurfowl
- Look for flamingos, African Fish Eagles, Verreaux’s Eagles, turacos, hornbills, sunbirds, herons, ibis, storks, and many other species
- Enjoy a boat safari on Lake Naivasha followed by a walking experience on Crescent Island
- Explore Lake Baringo by foot and boat, with opportunities for African Skimmer and Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse
- Experience night birding for species such as Standard-winged Nightjar and African Scops-Owl
- Hike and bird around Nyahururu (Thomson’s) Falls, including the impressive 74-metre waterfall
- Explore the forests, moorlands, ravines, and waterfalls of the Aberdare Mountains
- Experience Kenya’s wilderness at a slower pace, with campside birding, walking, and wildlife observation
- Wake up to the sounds of the African bush with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate while nature comes alive around you
- A journey designed for birders, wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, hikers, and adventure travellers seeking an authentic East African experience
Included
- 13 nights camping, 1 hotel night All meals from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 15. Water, coffee, tea and hot chocolate included during meals, water during drives.
- All activities as described in the itinerary (except optional stop at Olorgesaille). Please note that changes can be made depending on weather, wildlife, the group, or unforeseen circumstances. All entrance fees to sites mentioned in the itinerary.
- Airport transfer on the first and final day. All in-country ground transportation in overland trucks.
- All guiding fees for tour leaders, guides, and crew. Global Rescue Membership (evacuation and rescue services, not travel or health insurance).for the duration of the tour.
