July 25-August 9, 2026 with Terry Stevenson
As in previous years our 2026 Wild Kenya: A Tented Camp Safari took place during the latter part of July and through the first week of August. This specially arranged tour is limited to just six participants, who join Terry Stevenson and his long-time driver/guide John Ngige while visiting the famous Nairobi National Park (only 20 minutes from our first hotel), Lakes Naivasha and Elementaita – two prime spots within the Great Rift Valley, the arid northern bush country at Samburu (great for Cheetah this year), and the gorgeous Aberdare Mountains – where our lodge over-looks a floodlit waterhole and mineral lick. Perhaps most spectacular though, was our visit to the vast grasslands and riverine forests of Masai Mara where we spent three nights at the famous Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp. Joined by local driver/guide Protus, we wandered the plains in an open-sided 4X4 Landcruiser, enjoying birds that varied from huge ostrich to tiny cisticolas, vultures on Lion kills, spurfowl, bustards, and lapwings. In the forests we found turacos, hornbills, barbets, and wattle-eyes, and at the seasonal pools, a wide variety of storks, ibis, herons and egrets. However, for many visitors it is the repeated encounters with Africa’s famed big game that remain the memories of a lifetime; herds of African Savanna Elephant (with so many mothers and playful babies this year), Northern Giraffe, hundreds of Plains Zebra, watchful Tsessebe, Hippo in the rivers, Lion, and countless hundreds of thousands of Blue Wildebeest on their annual migration.
We began our tour with a visit to Nairobi National Park where highlights in the grasslands included our first Common Ostrich, Helmeted Guineafowl, an unexpected pair of Dusky Turtle-Doves, White-bellied Go-away-bird, Gray Crowned-Crane, Long-crested Eagle, Little Bee-eater, Long-tailed Fiscal, the newly described Sentinel Lark, Northern Pied-Babbler, Superb Starling, and Purple Grenadier. At the waterholes we enjoyed a trio of birds named ‘African’ – a Darter, a Sacred Ibis, and a Spoonbill, together with Hamerkop (sole member of its family), Water Thick-knee, and Malachite Kingfisher. Of course, we also saw our first mammals, beginning with Wahlberg’s Epauletted Fruit Bat at the park gate, we soon moved on to Olive Baboon, Plains Zebra, a mother Black Rhino with a very small baby, Common Hippopotamus, Northern Giraffe, Hartebeest, and Impala.
‘The Park’ as it’s locally known was a great way to start the tour, but the day was not over and we returned to our hotel at Karen Country Club in time to do an afternoon forest walk. A pair of spectacular Hartlaub’s Turacos were the highlight for most of the group, with skulking Rüppell’s Robin-Chat and White-starred Robin close behind, while other notable species included Speckled Mousebird, Black-backed Puffback, Black-collared and Yellow-breasted apalises, White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher, and Baglafecht and Spectacled weavers. Some spectacular sunbirds, including Amethyst, Scarlet-chested and Variable rounded off a truly great first day!
The following morning we headed north and stopped briefly at Manguo Swamp where African Swamphen was the highlight. We then continued further, dropped in to the Great Rift Valley and took a one hour boat trip on freshwater Lake Naivasha. What a trip it was, with great close looks at African Jacana, a variety of storks, herons and egrets, some very tame Great White and Pink-backed pelicans, African Fish-Eagle, and Giant and Pied kingfishers.
Heading further north, we soon arrived at the alkaline Lake Elementaita where sadly rain spoiled our afternoon birding. However, we certainly made up for it the next day, as we spent the morning slowly driving the northern shore; with fantastic light flooding the area, the photographers had a wonderful time, capturing many shots of both Greater and Lesser flamingos (about 8000 in total), Blue-billed and Cape teals, another spectacular mix of water-birds, with migrant shorebirds including Marsh Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Little Stint and Ruff. Five Southern Ground-Hornbills were a major highlight in the grasslands, while in the acacia woodland we found African Harrier-Hawk, Common Scimitarbill, Northern Red-fronted Tinkerbird, Bearded, Cardinal and Mountain Gray woodpeckers, Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike, White-bellied Tit, Red-faced Crombec, and Violet-backed Starling.
New mammals included Sykes Monkey, Cape Hare, Spotted Hyena, Common Warthog, the rare Rothchild’s Giraffe (sadly now considered part of a whole complex of ‘subspecies’ known as Northern Giraffe), the not so common Common Eland, and Kirk’s Dikdik.
Leaving the Rift Valley behind, we drove east (stopping at our regular spot for Cape Eagle-Owl) before continuing to Naro Moru and spending a night in the old lodge along the banks of the Naro Moru River. A walk in the grounds gave us Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Red-fronted Parrot, Red-faced Crombec, Yellow-whiskered Greenbul, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, and Mountain Wagtail. While new mammals included, the Southern Tree Hyrax at a day roost, and a family of striking Guereza – a gorgeous long-haired black-and-white monkey!
We then continued around the northern side of Mt. Kenya, and dropped to the semi-arid desert land for a three night stay at Samburu. We were now with a totally different avifauna and some localized neat mammals too! With an estimated world population of less than 3000, the rarest was Grevy’s Zebra – and we had great close looks at about 90! We also saw the other four ‘local specials’ including Desert Warthog, Reticulated Giraffe, Beisa Oryx, and Gerenuk. African Savannah Elephants were in good numbers, and one morning we had a fabulous encounter with a mother Cheetah and her kitten, and then another adult female the very same afternoon.
New and memorable birds included Somali Ostrich, Vulturine Guineafowl, Crested Francolin, Chestnut-bellied, Black-faced and Lichtenstein’s sandgrouse, Kori, White-bellied and Buff-crested bustards, a gorgeous female Greater Painted-Snipe, Goliath Heron, Secretarybird, Hooded Vulture, Bateleur, Black-chested and Brown snake-eagles, Martial Eagle, Eastern Chanting-Goshawk, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Blue-naped Mousebird, Violet Woodhoopoe, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, African Gray, Eastern Yellow-billed and Northern Red-billed hornbills, Pygmy Falcon, Pygmy Batis, Rosy-patched Bushshrike, a white morph African Paradise-Flycatcher, Taita Fiscal, Mouse-colored Penduline-Tit, Pink-breasted Lark, Spotted Morning-Thrush, Eastern Violet-backed and Hunter’s sunbirds, White-headed Buffalo-Weaver, Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver, Golden Palm Weaver, and Red-billed Quelea (seasonally the world’s most numerous bird).
Returning south towards Nairobi, we stopped along the way at The Ark, a lodge over-looking a flood-lit waterhole and mineral-lick in the Aberdare National Park. The habitat here is montane forest, so once again we had a new and different mix of birds and mammals. Unfortunately within 30 minutes of arrival we found ourselves in thick cloud with the waterhole barely visible, however the weather cleared a little around tea-time and the following morning was beautiful and clear. Giant Forest Hog is the special here, and we did great, with close looks at 13. We also saw at least one pair of Rusty-spotted Genet with babies, two tiny Suni, a pair of White-tailed Mongoose (one with a black tail), and our first Southern Bushbuck. New birds included African Black Duck, Scaly Spurfowl, Hunter’s Cisticola, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, African Hill Babbler, and many gorgeous Golden-winged Sunbirds.
The final part of our tour took us back to Nairobi for an overnight stay, and then on a flight to the world-famous Masai Mara Game Reserve and a three night stay at Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp. We then took daily game-drives in an open-sided Landcruiser, crossing the savanna grasslands (scattered here and there with classic-shaped Balanites trees), the Mara River to the east, and the wandering Oloololo Escarpment – a stunning backdrop to the west.
The mammals, are of course, always a major highlight here, and we all enjoyed watching and photographing herds of elephant of all ages, a mother hyena with two babies, eighteen Lions (including three big-maned males and two females eating a freshly killed wildebeest), Black-backed Jackal, several thousand Plains Zebra, Cape Buffalo, Northern Giraffe, hippos, warthogs, and a large variety of antelopes including Common Eland, Waterbuck, Bohor Reedbuck, Tsessebe, Coke’s Hartebeest, Impala, Southern Bushbuck, and Thomson’s Gazelle. Most impressive though were the hundreds of thousands of Blue Wildebeest – a truly impressive sight as they spread across these seemingly endless grasslands during their annual migration from the Serengeti.
Masai Mara is not just about mammals though, and we also enjoyed many new birds; Red-necked Spurfowl, African Green-Pigeon, Black-bellied Bustard, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Ross’s and Schalow’s turacos, African Openbill, African Woolly-necked Stork, Lappet-faced Vulture, Rüppell’s Griffon, Western Banded Snake-Eagle, Dark Chanting-Goshawk, Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill, D’Arnaud’s and Double-toothed barbets, Lesser and Greater honeyguides, Red-throated Wryneck, Meyer’s Parrot, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Black-crowned Tchagra, Rufous-chested and Mosque swallows, Sooty Chat, Swahili Sparrow, and Yellow-throated Longclaw.
With so many memories of what a Kenya safari has to offer, we left our camp behind and took the return flight to Nairobi – a comfortable way to finish our tour, with meals and rooms available before transferring for our international departures and the journey home.
Our next Wild Kenya: A Tented Camp Safari runs July 17 to August 1, 2027!
Mammals and Reptiles
Wahlberg’s Epauletted Fruit Bat (Epomophorus wahlbergi) About 15 at the gate to Nairobi National Park.
Thick-tailed Greater Galago (Otolemur crassicaudatus) Two came to the bird-feeding platform at The Ark.
Blue Monkey (Cerocopithecus mitis) Up to 15 were seen daily at Kichwa Tembo.
Sykes (Blue) Monkey (Cerocopithecus mitis albogularis) A single troop of 33 were in the Acacia woodlands at Lake Elementaita.
Red-tailed Monkey (Cerocopithecus ascanius) We saw a few of these attractive monkeys at Kichwa Tembo.
Vervet Monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) About 45 at Lake Elementaita, and 120+ at Samburu.
Olive Baboon (Papio anubis) Very common and widespread throughout the tour.
Guereza (Colobus guereza) More commonly known as Black-and-white Colobus, we saw 5 of these gorgeous monkeys at Naro Moru.
Cape Hare (Lepus capensis) One at Lake Elementaita.
Unstriped Ground Squirrel (Xerus rutilus) We saw a total of 15 at Samburu.
Ochre Bush Squirrel (Paraxerus ochraceus) One at The Residences, and 2 at The Ark.
Black-backed Jackal (Lupulella mesomelas) Surprisingly few, with just a single pair at Masai Mara.
Rusty-spotted Genet (Genetta fieldiana) Good close looks at a pair and 2 young at The Ark.
Common Slender Mongoose (Herpestes sanguineus) Singles at Samburu and The Ark.
Banded Mongoose (Mungos mungo) Two ‘mobs’ (yes, that’s what they’re called) were seen at Masai Mara.
Common Dwarf Mongoose (Helogale parvula) Five were on a termite hill as we were leaving Samburu.
White-tailed Mongoose (Ichneumia albicauda) One on the night drive at Lake Elementaita, and then 2 together (one with a black tail) at The Ark.
Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta) Three on the night drive at Elementaita, 4 at The Ark, and then 2 adults, and a mother and 2 babies at Masai Mara.
Lion (Panthera leo) We saw a total of 18 at Masai Mara; these included, 3 very large-maned males, 2 females eating a freshly killed wildebeest, and a variety of different sized young ones.
Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) Wonderful close views of a mother and her youngster, and then another female, all at Samburu.
African Savanna Elephant (Loxodonta africana) Many great close views this tour, with large bulls, females, adolescents, and small babies; in all we saw about 550, mostly at Samburu and Masai Mara.
Southern Tree Hyrax (Dendrohyrax arboreus) Six at Naro Moru, and about 20 at Masai Mara; surprisingly many were in daylight.
Grevy’s Zebra (Equus grevyi) This rare zebra (with a world population of less than 3000) was quite common at Samburu where we saw a total of about 90.
Plains Zebra (Equus quagga) Formerly known as Burchell’s Zebra, they were very common and widespread in Nairobi NP (60), Naivasha (15), Elementaita (100+), Samburu (160), and Masai Mara (3000+).
Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) Great looks at a mother and very small baby at Nairobi NP.
White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) We saw this introduced species at Nairobi NP (6), and Solio (5).
Desert Warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus) Four at Samburu.
Common Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) Five at Lake Elementaita, 6 at The Ark, and about 40 at Masai Mara.
Giant Forest Hog (Hylochoerus meinertzhageni) Fantastic close looks (including some huge males) at The Ark; in total we saw 13.
Common Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) Forty at Nairobi NP, 1 at Naivasha, and about 75 at Masai Mara.
Northern Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) Eleven at Nairobi NP, and 80+ at Masai Mara.
Northern (Rothschild’s) Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi) Often considered a distinct species, we saw 1 at Elementaita.
Reticulated Giraffe (Giraffa reticulata) We saw about 90 of these beautiful giraffes at Samburu.
Southern Bushbuck (Tragelaphus sylvaticus) Five at The Ark, and 2 at Masai Mara.
Greater Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) We saw a single female at Samburu.
Common Eland (Tragelaphus oryx) Two on our night drive at Elementaita, and then a single and a herd of 9 at Masai Mara.
Cape Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) Four at Nairobi NP, 2 at Elementaita, 18 at The Ark, and a herd of about 650 at Masai Mara.
Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) Quite common and widespread in wooded grasslands with water; in all we saw about 170.
Bohor Reedbuck (Redunca redunca) Three at Masai Mara.
Beisa Oryx (Oryx beisa) We saw a total of 38 at Samburu.
Tsessebe (Damaliscus lunatus) In East Africa more commonly known as Topi; we saw about 80 at Masai Mara.
Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus cokii) Often considered a distinct species, Coke’s Hartebeest; we saw 9 at Nairobi NP, and 1 at Masai Mara.
Blue Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) About 50 at Lake Naivasha, and then hundreds of thousands on the plains in the Mara Triangle – truly spectacular!
Suni (Neotragus moschatus) We saw 2 of these tiny antelopes at The Ark.
Kirk's Dik-dik (Modoqua kirki) One at Elementaita, and at least 100 at Samburu.
Impala (Aepyceros malampus) Very common and widespread throughout the tour; in all we saw about 660.
Gerenuk (Litocranius walleri) We saw 17 of these delicate long-necked antelopes at Samburu.
Grant’s Gazelle (Nanger granti) We saw a total of about 140 at Samburu.
Thomson’s Gazelle (Eudorcas thomsoni) About 90 at Lake Elementaita, and perhaps due to the long grass only 25 at Masai Mara.
Reptiles:
Southern African Rock Python (Python natalensis) Some of our group saw 1 (about 10 feet long) in the grounds of Kichwa Tembo.
Red-headed Rock Agama (Agama agama) About 10 at Samburu.
Mwanza Flat-headed Agama (Agama mwanzae) We saw a striking purple and pink male at Masai Mara.
Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) We saw a total of 19 (including some huge ones) at Nairobi NP.
Water Monitor (Varanus niloticus) Two singles at Masai Mara.
Tropical House Gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia) Small numbers in buildings at Elementaita and Masai Mara.
Marsh Terrapin (Pelomedusa subrufa) Also known as Helmeted Terrapin, we saw a few at a variety of pools at Masai Mara.
You can see my complete trip report on eBird at this link: https://ebird.org/tripreport/563259
You can download a combined PDF of this page and the eBird report at this link: https://fieldguides.com/triplists/ket26TRIPLIST.pdf
-- Terry Stevenson (aka Honeyguide)