We provide Tailor-made Half/One Day Birding Tours within the Greater Nairobi Region!
Aren’t we good ay? We’ve even structured some half day or one day birding tours from within the Greater Nairobi Region to favour people who possibly don’t have much time but would like to get a professional birding tour in the metropolis of Nairobi!
Maybe you’re in Nairobi on business and you have some spare time after your busy work conference, or you’re a local resident who would just like a nice day out birding, or you’re just a passionate birder who has some time on your hands to enjoy the beautiful birds of Nairobi – even if it’s only for a few hours! These birding day tours in Nairobi are custom-made to favour the needs of our clients. Just let us know how much time you have and what habitats or bird species you would like to see, and our professional bird guides will help to ensure you have the experience of a lifetime! You can also mix and match the different locations below to try and fit in as a many sites as possible. There are a wide array of sites to choose from within the Greater Nairobi Region, and each site has its own unique variety of species which we’ll help you find. Many interesting species we have recorded in the different Nairobi sites, such as the Hinde’s Babbler, African Hill Babbler, Broad-billed Roller, Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon, Olive Pigeon, Malachite Sunbird, Golden-winged Sunbird, Red-chested Flufftail, Black-collared Apalis, Black- throated Apalis, Stout Cisticola, Croaking Cisticola, Jackson’s Widowbird, Red-collared Widowbird, Hybrid Lovebird, Meyer’s Parrot, Slender-billed Greenbul, Grey-olive Greenbul, Maccoa Duck, White-backed Duck, African Black Duck, Brown-chested Alethe, Hartlaub’s Turaco, Purple-crested Turaco, Red-capped Robin-chat, Bearded Scrub Robin, Lead-coloured Flycatcher, Pallid Honeyguide, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Narina Trogon, Bar-tailed Trogon, Ayres’s Hawk-eagle, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, Great Sparrowhawk, Mountain Buzzard, African Crowned Eagle and Martial Eagle… and many many more.
So what are you waiting for? Join the flock on one of our day birding tours from Nairobi!
Around Nairobi – Half/One Day Birding Tour
Nairobi National Park
Set on the city’s southern outskirts, Nairobi National Park is one of Africa’s smallest national parks (117 sq km), but boy does it pack a punch! With wide open plains and a backdrop of the city’s impressive skyline, it’s the only national park that borders a city. Hosting a wide variety of wildlife including the endangered black rhino (one of the park’s success stories), lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, buffaloes, giraffes. Most impressively the park has an incredible amount of diverse birdlife, with over 520 species recorded. If you’re a birding enthusiast or simply want a fun day out with us and learning along the way then you will not be disappointed. Join us on an unforgettable One Day or Half Day Birding Tour from Nairobi!
Photo credit: Bob Longhorn
Gatamaiyu Forest
Gatamaiyu Forest, part of the larger Kereita Forest, is unlike any other place close to Nairobi. Situated about 55km from Nairobi, the 4722 hectare Kereita forest is an indigenous forest at the southern-most end of the Aberdares range, covering ridges and valleys at an average altitude of about 1800m above sea level. Its unspoiled beauty makes this place a true paradise, thanks largely to Kijabe Environment Volunteers (KENVO), a local community based organization that works to conserve this rich biodiversity which is a designated Important Bird Area (IBA). With gorgeous species such as the Bar-tailed Trogan – it’s a magical place to spent the day birding!
Join us on an unforgettable One Day or Half Day Birding Tour from Nairobi!
Manguo Swamp
Manguo Swamp is a fresh water lake on the Nairobi-Naivasha Road, only 40 minutes from Nairobi’s busy Central Business District. It offers a laid-back day where you’ll get the chance to soak in the tranquility and beauty of the huge array of birdlife seen here, where the comical looking Red-knobbed Coots is a favourite! It’s also a fantastic site for palearctic passage migrants such as the Northern Shoveler, Garganey, Eurasian Marsh Harrier and Yellow Wagtails. Also there is big chance of getting to see the incredible but now unfortunately rare Grey Crowned Crane. Join us on an unforgettable One Day or Half Day Birding Tour from Nairobi!
Ol-Donyo Sabuk National Park
Dominated in montane forest, the Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park is home to 45 species of bird species including the White-browed Sparrow Weaver, Grey- headed Sparrow, African Pied Wagtail, Mourning Dove, Augur Buzzard, African Hawk Eagle and the stunning Red-capped Robin Chat, Purple-crested Turaco and Lead-coloured Flycatcher. Buffalo’s also come in numbers here with other awesome wildlife such as bushbucks, leopards, olive baboons, aardvarks, porcupines, mongoose, pythons and monitor lizard. The mountain’s summit also offers spectacular scenic views of Mount Kenya too! Join us on an unforgettable One Day or Half Day Birding Tour from Nairobi!
Karura Forest
Karura Forest Reserve is located in the northern part of Nairobi city. At 1,041 hectares, it is one of the largest urban gazetted forests in the world! The forest holds nearly all the 605 species of wildlife found in Nairobi including three types of antelope. It is managed by Kenya Forest Service (KFS), and is fantastic home for Kenyan birdlife, with well over 50 species being recored in one day! It also has a fantastic cafe situated on the forest edge, so you can sip on a cappuccino whilst listening to the majestical calls of the Long-crested Eagle! Join us on an unforgettable One Day or Half Day Birding Tour from Nairobi!
Photo credit: Bob Longhorn
Oloolua Forest
Hidden away in the up market suburb of Karen is 250 hectares of the indigenous tropical dry Oloolua Forest that is home to the Institute of Primate Research (IPR). The National Museums of Kenya, the institution that runs this bio-medical research facility, established the 5km long Oloolua Nature Trail in part of this forest, providing an oasis of tranquility for city residents looking to escape the city hustle and bustle.
The most spectacular of the attractions in the forest is a 20-foot waterfall close to the forest entrance. As you pick your way along the trail to the waterfall, you’ll go past a wooden tower that was constructed for viewing a Crowned Eagle’s nest that was situated nearby.Scientists use this tower to study the Crowned Eagle’s behaviour in its natural habitat! Join us on an unforgettable One Day or Half Day Birding Tour from Nairobi!
Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost has a rich history. It holds seemingly unending caves that were only just discovered in 1996. An exploration and excavation by archeologists revealed 8,000 to 12,000 year old human remains. Obsidian rock artefacts from the Late Stone Age, over 2.5 million years ago, were also discovered! Visitors can also walk and crawl through the labyrinth of caves!
There are also many bird species to be found at Paradise Lost, where there is a lovely nature trail taking you through the forest of indigenous and exotic trees while also enjoying the crisp fresh air of the outdoors! Join us on an unforgettable One Day or Half Day Birding Tour from Nairobi!
Ondiri Swamp
The stunning Ondiri Swamp is a kilometre from Kikuyu Town in Kiambu County and about 500 metres from the southern bypass. The swamp has its natural uniqueness in that it’s the only quaking bog (wet spongy and shaky ground that has no foundation) in Kenya and is the second deepest wetland in Africa. It also home to a spectacular amount of birdlife, where species such as Yellow-billed Stork are a particular treat! Join us on an unforgettable One Day or Half Day Birding Tour from Nairobi!
Ngong Road Forest Sanctuary
Ngong Forest Sanctuary is one of only very few forests in the world that exists within a city. Only 6 kilometres from Nairobi’s central business district, the forest is a lovely escape from hustle and bustle of the East African Capital! It also, holds a large array of birdlife, where’s not uncommon to come across an African Crowned Eagle among many more fascinating Kenyan bird species. After Ngong, we’ll go to the nearby Kibuku Forest you’re likely to come across species such as Hunter’s Cisticola, Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle and Grey Cuckooshrike! Join us on an unforgettable One Day or Half Day Birding Tour from Nairobi!
Nairobi City Park
As parks go in this city, Nairobi City Park stands above most in its rich biodiversity. A recent biodiversity survey of the Park by Friends of Nairobi City Park identified about 988 species of flora and fauna. The forest is indigenous, with a number of tree species that are endemic to Kenya. The Nairobi City Council’s Environment Department is based here, and maintains a large Tree and plant nursery in the Park, with a sale yard where members of the public can buy plants.
This Park was established in 1921 as a zoological garden on a 91 hectare area, and formally declared a public park in 1925. Much like the other green spaces in the city, it was not spared encroachment by land grabbers who, despite all efforts by conservationists to protect it, progressively hived off over a third of its area over the years. A ray of sunshine finally broke through the clouds hanging over this Park when the government, through a legal Notice appearing in Kenya Gazette Supplement No.59 dated 4th September 2009, declared the remaining 60 hectares of Nairobi City Park a protected area. Join us on an unforgettable One Day or Half Day Birding Tour from Nairobi!
Nairobi Arboretum
The Arboretum was established in 1907 by Mr. Batiscombe, then Deputy Conservator of Forests, to try and introduce forestry trees for Kenya. It was established as a national reserve in 1932 and in 1996 it became a public owned reserve. It was a trial plot for fast growing exotic tree species, to meet the high demand of fuel wood required for the newly constructed Kenya- Uganda railway line and thus help save Kenya’s indigenous forests. The best thing though, because it’s very well maintained the birdlife is fantastic! If it’s a beautiful stroll you’re after with a huge pinch of exotic birds on the way this half day trip is for you! Join us on an unforgettable One Day or Half Day Birding Tour from Nairobi!
Outside Nairobi – One Day Birding Tour
*Great White Pelican - Photo credit: Bob Longhorn
Lake Naivasha
The World Famous Lake Naivasha has an abundance in Wildlife and Birdlife alike, and being just an hour and a half away from Nairobi, it’s no wonder why this stunning lake is so popular!
It’s the most productive of all the Rift Valley lakes, so you can only imagine how much this place has to offer. This place is a birding spot not to be missed. With over 400 species of birds known from the area, we promise you an unforgettable One Day or Half Day Birding Tour from Nairobi!
Hell's Gate National Park
Who wants to be confined to 4 wheels anyway? Named for the hellacious volcanic activity beneath the park, Hell’s Gate is the one of the many few national parks in Africa that actually allows you to walk or cycle in. This place will take your breath away. There’s nothing like coming face to face with a herd of zebras on a plain old bicycle. Trust me they look a lot bigger when there’s nothing between you and the striped beast than your bicycle. I swear it got bigger, right? ? With spectacular scenery including the towering cliffs, water-gouged gorges, huge rock towers, scrub clad volcanoes and kettle-like plumes of geothermal steam, there’s a lot this place has to offer. And the best thing is, the birdlife is spectacular too! From the exquisite Superb Starling to the all impressive Verreaux’s Eagle, there’s a lot of birding to keep you occupied – so join us on an unforgettable One Day or Half Day Birding Tour from Nairobi!
*Cape Buffalo & Yellow-billed Oxpecker - Photo credit: Bob Longhorn
*Golden-winged Sunbird
Gatamaiyu Forest
The Gatamaiyu Forest is a remnant tract of forest included within the Kikuyu Escarpment Forest, located 30km NW of Nairobi. Much of the forest was logged in the 1950’s and 1960’s, but it has recovered well since then. The trees in the forest are quite tall, and most of the birds are high up in the canopy. Birding around the camp site is very good, as many forest edge species can be seen closer to the ground there. Species to look forward to include: Hartlaub’s Turaco, Golden-winged Sunbird, Black-collared Apalis, Mountain Oriole, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Fine-banded Woodpecker, White-starred Robin, African Hill Babbler, Black-fronted Bush-Shrike, Montane White-eye, Brown-capped Weaver, Bar-tailed Trogon, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird and the rare Abbott’s Starling. Join us on an unforgettable One Day or Half Day Birding Tour from Nairobi!
Around Diani Beach – Half/One Day Birding Tour
Shimba Hill's National Reserve
Shimba Hills, a local protected area within the coastal region, is one of the best birding and game drive spots in the Kenyan southern end. This area is famous for hosting the Sable Antelope, one of the most beautiful ungulates in Kenya and is also home to a large population of African Elephants. Close to the Tanzanian border, this park offers the chance to see species from further south while just a short drive from Kenya’s most popular coastal spots.
Around Malindi or Watamu – Half/Full Day Birding Tour
*Sokoke Scops Owl - Photo credit: Bob Longhorn
Arabuko Sokoke National Park
Arabuko Sokoke is biologically the most important coastal forest in East Africa and hosts many fascinating species. We’ll explore different sections of the forest and make transects that will sample all the local habitats and also explore different forest classes and local wetlands. Some beautiful erosion sites will be visited for its scenery and some additional birds. There’s also a big population of local endemic Sengis and monkey species to see.
Dakatcha Woodlands
Dakatcha Woodlands is the only known nesting site of the endemic Clarke’s Weavers worldwide. This vast woodland certainly has a lot to offer and the objective of this tour is to unlock the potential of this little known region. We will spend time in the local Brachystegia and Cynometra forests searching for local forest specialties and also sample the scattered wetlands and some semi-arid open habitats around the Galana ecosystem for more endemic species. A few known productive grasslands will also be sampled. Interesting landscapes and erosion sites will also be visited, such as Hell’s Kitchen.
*Fischer's Turaco - Photo credit: Bob Longhorn
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