NWS 009: Bird Watching Crab Plover

BIRD WATCHING - CRAB PLOVER ITINERARY

8 Nights/ 9 Days Nairobi - Mombasa - Shimba Hills - Malindi - Arabuko Sokoke - Mida Creek - Nairobi

Day 01: Nairobi
On arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will be met and greeted by our customer service representative and transferred to the luxurious NAIROBI SAFARI LUB HOTEL where you will relax in your air-conditioned suite. Nairobi Safari club, formerly a private club for members only is the ideal place to be. All the rooms in the hotel are suites, six of which are Presidential Suites. Here you can enjoy the clubs sauna, gym, swimming pool, various bars and other amenities. Spend the afternoon at your own leisure, and later in the evening enjoy our. Overnight at NAIROBI SAFARI CLUB (D).

Day 02 & 03: Nairobi - Mombasa - Shimba Hills
After leisure morning breakfast, depart for Mombasa either driving or Flying with a scheduled flight to Mombasa (only 45Minutes Flight) arriving Mombasa at Mid -Morning hours and later be transferred to Shimba Hills National Reserve, Located 48kms from Mombasa town. The reserve is the last remaining habitat of the rare Sable Antelope in East Africa a treat you may not want to Miss!! The hills have a heterogeneous mosaic of vegetation, including grassland, scrub and exotic plantations as well as forest. Certainly holding one of the largest areas of coastal forest in East Africa after Arabuko Sokoke Forest. Here, globally threatened species, restricted-range species, East African Coast biome species occur here among them, Southern banded Snake Eagle, Fischer's Turaco, Spotted Ground Thrush, Sokoke Pipit, East Coast Akalat, Plain Backed Sunbird, Ayres's hawk Eagle, Crowned Eagle, African Pitta, little Yellow Flycatcher, Mangrove King fisher, Eastern Green Tinker bird, Tiny greenbul, Chestnut-fronted Helment Shrike, Green headed Oriole among many more. Lunch at Shiba Hills Lodge. The lodge has 23 standard rooms, 5 triples and 2 suites. Other wildlife available include elephants, colobus Monkey, Giraffe, Buffalo and if lucky you may get to see a leopard. All meals at Shimba Hills Lodge (FB)

Day 04, 05, 06: Shimba Hills - Arabuko Sokoke Forest
After an early morning breakfast, proceed with our safari to Arabuko-sokoke forest. Has an area of 41,600 ha at an altitude of 0-21m above the sea level. It was proclaimed a crown forest in 1932 and gazetted 1943 covering an area of 2,700 ha added in 1968. Arabuko-sokoke has three types habitats namely; Mixed forest 7,000 ha, Brachystegia woodland 7,700 ha on white, very infertile soil and Cynometra forest 11,300 ha with a canopy height of 7-8 m. Here we target species likes Sokoke scopes owl, Clarke's Weaver, Amani sunbird, Ant-eater thrush, Eastern Nicator, Mombasa woodpecker, Fischer Greenbul, Pale Batis, among other globally threaten species that only occurs in this forest. All meals, dinner and overnight will be served at TURTLE BAY BEACH CLUB.

Day 07 & 08: Sabaki River Mouth and Mida Creek
After breakfast, it will be the perfect time for photographing the humbling and magnificent Mangrove forest (the magical trees) of Mida creek. Mida creek has an area of 26100 ha and stretches for almost 40 km along the seashores and it's a fascinating world of cultures to discover, lying at 0-10 m above the sea level. Area comprises a complex of marine and tidal habitats on Kenya's north coast, stretching from just south of Malindi town southwards to beyond the entrance of Mida creek. Habitats include inter-tidal rock, sand and mud, fringing reefs and coral gardens; beds of sea grass; coral cliffs, platforms and islets; sand beaches; and mangrove forests. The sand dunes are great workout to build leg muscles and the tiny sand granules are fantastic as they massage every nerve of your foot - it's natural reflexology. Our species of focus will include among others the Crab plover, Terek Sandpiper, Mangrove kingfisher, Greater Sand plover, Eurasian Oystercatcher among others. All meals, dinner and overnight will be served at TURTLE BAY BEACH CLUB.

Day 09: Malindi - Nairobi - Fly
After our early morning breakfast we bid fare well to Turtle Bay Beach Club and leave for Nairobi with a short drive to Mombasa where we connect our flight to Nairobi or drive back to Nairobi arriving in Mid Morning hours or Late afternoon, thereafter you will be transferred to the airport or connect your flight/ in time for your International departure flight.

Quotation Includes:
- Arrival & Departure Airport transfers
- Transportation in our 07-seater microbus for the duration of the safari, fitted with VHF radio call
- 1 Night at Nairobi Safari Club on Full Board basis
- 2 Night at Shimba Hills lodge on full board basis
- 5 Nights at Turtle Bay Beach Hotel on full board basis
- Exclusive use of the Vehicle
- All Park entrance fees
- Experienced driver guide
- Experienced Bird Watching guide
- A Complimentary soft drinks and mineral water throughout your safari.