Lake Victoria Gems & Beyond

Lake Victoria Gems & Beyond

43 Views
12 Days From

$7976

$6718

Lake Victoria Gems & Beyond

12 Days Starting in Kisumu, Kenya and ending in Nairobi, Kenya

Visiting: Ciala Resort - Hotel in Kisumu, Kenya Wildlife Impala Park, Dunga Beach, Kisumu, Rusinga Island, Luanda Kotieno beach, Gwasi Hills, Ruma National Park, Kakamega Forest National Reserve, Ahero Irrig Sche., Lake Simbi, Lake Elementaita, Lake Naivasha, Hells Gate National Park, Nairobi, Nairobi National Park Main Gate

Tour operator:

Oluokos Signature

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

2 - 12

Physical rating:

High

Age range:

12-85

Special diets catered:

Vegetarians

Tour operated in:

English

Activities:

Hiking, Sightseeing, Walking

From: $7976 $6718 Operator discount: -$1040 Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$218 -16%

NB: Prices correct on 07-Oct-2024 but subject to change.

This tour is no longer available, please see similar tours below or send an enquiry

Tour Overview

Welcome to Western Kenya! You'll arrive in the morning to start exploring the much more relaxed lakeside city right by the shores of the world's second-largest water body, Lake Victoria.  We will begin our birding by exploring one of the nearby swamps and even venture further into the swamp on a canoe boat. Returning back to the mainland, we will enjoy the boardwalk in search of some papyrus endemics before investigating the Kavirondo escarpments for some amazing bird species. From the lakeshore city, we'll cross over to Rusinga Island expecting more rewards from the lakeshore species. Gwassi Hills combined with Ruma National Park will boost our birding spirit further before we proceed to Kakamega Forest for its unique species and drive to Rift Valley lakes that are well known to have some of the best birding experiences in Kenya.  Our birding experience will come to an end in Nairobi after sampling Nairobi National Park just on the outskirts of the city.

Places You'll See

Lake Victoria Gems & Beyond

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1 : Kisumu And Its Surrounding Environment

Location: Ciala Resort - Hotel in Kisumu, Kenya Wildlife Impala Park, Dunga Beach, Kisumu

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Ciala Resort

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Upon your arrival in the lakeshore city of Kisumu, you will be transferred to Acacia Premier for breakfast and some valuable briefing. From here we will visit while boating and birding. This will 2-hour boat ride will introduce us to some of the Lake Victoria biomes restricted species notably; Greater Swamp Warbler, White-winged Warbler, Little Egret, Papyrus Gonolek, Swamp Flycatcher, other birds including Pied Kingfisher, Whiskered Terns, Yellow-billed Stork, White-winged Tern, Red-chested Sunbird, African Thrush, Black-headed Gonolek, Copper Sunbird, and Slender-billed Weaver. We will have our picnic lunch at the Dunga Community boardwalk where more papyrus bird species will be seen. We will then do our light afternoon birding experience as we explore the lakeshore surroundings where we may see; Double-toothed Barbet, Black-faced Barbet, White-headed Barbet, and much more. As we drive out of the city we will stop at the Kavirondo escarpment for a different altitude which brings different bird species namely; Lizard Buzzard, Red-faced Cisticola, Purple-banded Sunbird, Ross’s Turaco, Great Sparrowhawk, and much more. We will check-in at the Ciala Resort for dinner and the night.

Day 2 : Kisumu - Rusinga Island

Location: Rusinga Island, Kisumu, Luanda Kotieno beach

Accommodation: Lodge

Accommodation Name: Rusinga Island Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, we will wake up for an early birding around this luxurious resort. Our morning birding will enable us to see; Eastern Grey Plantain Eater, Grey Woodpecker, Arrow-marked Babbler, Black-lored Babbler, White-throated Bee Eater, Little Sparrowhawk, Lanner Falcon, African Hobby, and if lucky we will also see the Bat Hawk. We will walk back to the resort for breakfast and then checkout for a ferry crossing on Lake Victoria which is the second largest lake in the world. While on the ferry, we may see White-winged Tern, Whiskered Tern, Little Egret, Pied Kingfisher, and Grey-headed Gull, among others. Upon our arrival, we will do our birding on the slopes of Gembe Hills where we will also enjoy our picnic lunch with great views of the lake. On these slopes, we are looking forward to seeing: Silver Bird, White-headed Saw-wing, Black-lored Babbler, Angola Swallow, Bare-faced Go away Bird. We will later drive to Rusinga Island and proceed with some birding on this pre-historical Island where we will check-in at the rustic Rusinga Island Lodge on the shoreline of the lake. This is a home to some of the most stable African Fish Eagle population, Black Kite, Malachite Kingfisher, Hadada Ibis, Sacred Ibis, Malachite Kingfisher, and much more. Dinner and overnight say at the Rusinga Island Lodge.

Day 3 : Rusinga Island - Gwassi Hills

Location: Rusinga Island, Rusinga Island, Gwasi Hills

Accommodation: Lodge

Accommodation Name: Rusinga Island Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After an early breakfast, we will leave the island for Gwassi Hills. These breathtaking sceneries ride on the shoreline of the worlds’ second largest freshwater lake is comparable to nothing else in Kenya. Gwassi Hills comprises a much overlooked highland massif in southern Nyanza Province with a hitherto completely unknown avifauna. Here we detail our findings with a focus on forested habitats above 1800 m. We confirm the presence of the forest-dependent species, including a globally near-threatened forest raptor, the Crowned Eagle as well as the first known occurrence of the Western Citril in Kenya. We will enjoy our walk exploring the forest's varied terrain with some magnificent birding options while enjoying the greatest views of the Lake Victoria region. We will later travel back to Rusinga Island for the night and dinner.

Day 4 : Rusinga Island - Ruma National Park

Location: Rusinga Island, Ruma National Park, Rusinga Island

Accommodation: Lodge

Accommodation Name: Rusinga Island Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Ruma is the only terrestrial park in the entire lake Victoria region, Kenya. Initially, established as a game reserve to protect the indigenous population of rare Roan Antelopes The park is sandwiched in the Lambwe Valley with the towering Gwassi, Ran’gwa, and Gembe hills while the dramatic Kanyamwa escarpment commands some elegant views around it. The park is home to the not locally spotted Black-backed Cisticola, the migrant Blue Swallows, and the African Moustached Warbler among other birds. We will enjoy a full day of birding and a picnic lunch in this least visited park. In the evening, we will drive back to Rusinga Island Lodge for dinner and the night.

Day 5 : Rusinga Island - Kakamega Forest

Location: Kakamega Forest National Reserve, Rusinga Island, Ahero Irrig Sche., Lake Simbi

Accommodation: Lodge, Lodge

Accommodation Name: Rondo Retreat

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After an early breakfast, we will leave Rusinga Island for the Kakamega Forest. On our way, we will have a stopover at the alkaline Lake Simbi. We are here for the alkaline water birds namely the Black-winged Stilts, Little Grebes, and much more. If are lucky we may also come across the Lesser and Greater Flamingos who are normally migrants from the Great Rift Valley lakes. From Lake Simbi, we will continue with our drive to the Ahero rice paddies where a conglomeration of water birds should be well present. From Ahero we will head to Kakamega Forest arriving here in good time for lunch. This pristine rainforest has very different bird species, most of which are only found in this western area within Kenya. There should be numerous species of greenbuls, among them Joyful Greenbul, Yellow-whiskered Greenbul, and Cabanis’s Greenbul. Other nice birds were Black-headed Oriole, Brown-chested Alethe, Yellow-billed Barbet, Equatorial Akalat, and the majestic Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill. We will walk back to Rondo Retreat for dinner and the night.

Day 6 : Full Day In Kakamega Forest

Location: Kakamega Forest National Reserve

Accommodation: Lodge

Accommodation Name: Rondo Retreat

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning after an early breakfast we will begin our second-day birding in the forest with our main focus on the Isiukhu River, where we expect to see; Red-headed Malimbe, White-headed Wood Hoopoe, and African Blue Flycatcher, African Yellow White-eye, Chubb’s Cisticola, and plenty of others.
The rest of the day will be spent hiking the forest trails. Starting with the fish pond area, where we will be searching for the White-spotted Flufftail and Grey-winged Robin-Chat, Great Blue, and Ross’s. We will walk back to the luxurious Rondo Retreat for dinner and the night.

Day 7 : Kakamega Forest - Lake Elementaita

Location: Lake Elementaita, Kakamega Forest National Reserve

Accommodation: Lodge

Accommodation Name: Pelican Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Leave Kakamega Forest early in the morning for a drive to the less-visited wilderness of Lake Elementaita which has more than 400 bird species having been identified in the area. Lake Elementaita has the largest populations of the Great White Pelicans and flamingos too. It is believed that approximately 90% of all of Kenya’s Black-necked Grebes and Cape Teals are found here. Our walking safari will take us along the shores of the lake to have an up-close view of the feathered visitors from as far as Europe and Asia. Dinner and overnight at the Pelican Lodge.

Day 8 : Lake Elementaita - Lake Naivasha

Location: Lake Naivasha, Lake Elementaita

Accommodation: Lodge, Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We will commit these two days at Lake Naivasha and its surrounding environment. Early breakfast, pack up and drive to Crater Lake Sanctuary, stopover at Lake Oloiden for flamingos and possible water birds then explore the sanctuary where we expect the endangered Grey-crested Helmet-shrike, Scaly-throated Honey-guide, Greater Honeyguide, Southern Black Flycatcher, Grey Woodpecker, Bearded Woodpecker, African Fish Eagles and much more. From Crater Lake, we will drive to the Elsamere Conservation Centre for the Adamson’s museum, a video show, and some English tea on the lawn. While at Elsamere, we will still have some excellent birding opportunities with the most notable bird being the African Fish Eagle. We will later drive back to Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge for dinner and the night.

Day 9 : Lake Naivasha

Location: Hells Gate National Park

Accommodation: Lodge

Accommodation Name: Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We will commit these two days at Lake Naivasha and its surrounding environment. Early breakfast, pack up and drive to Crater Lake Sanctuary, stopover at Lake Oloiden for flamingos and possible water birds then explore the sanctuary where we expect the endangered Grey-crested Helmet-shrike, Scaly-throated Honey-guide, Greater Honeyguide, Southern Black Flycatcher, Grey Woodpecker, Bearded Woodpecker, African Fish Eagles and much more. From Crater Lake, we will drive to the Elsamere Conservation Centre for the Adamson’s museum, a video show, and some English tea on the lawn. While at Elsamere, we will still have some excellent birding opportunities with the most notable bird being the African Fish Eagle. We will later drive back to Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge for dinner and the night.

Day 10 : Hell's Gate National Park

Location: Hells Gate National Park

Accommodation: Lodge

Accommodation Name: Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning after an early breakfast, we will drive to Hell’s Gate National Park where Verreaux's Eagle, Augur Buzzard, Ruppelll’s Vulture, Schalow's Wheatear, Red-capped, and Rufous-naped Lark, and some game will be seen too. We will drive back to the lodge for a late lunch that will be followed by some easy birding on the grounds of the lodge. Dinner and the night will be at Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge.

Day 11 : Lake Naivasha - Nairobi

Location: Lake Naivasha, Nairobi

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Ole Serani Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Early breakfast and depart for the Gatamaiyu forest. This forest perched on Kenya’s Rift Valley escarpment is home to some of the most astounding bird species notably; Hartlaub’s Turaco, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Brown Woodland Warbler, Abbott’s Starling, Cape Wagtail, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Brown-chested Alethe, African Hill Babbler, Hunter’s Cisticola, Green-headed Sunbird, White-browed Crombec, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, African Olive Pigeon, Mountain Buzzard, Olive Ibis, Malachite Sunbird, Common Stonechat, Grey Crowned Crane, Great Egret, Mountain Greenbul, Black-fronted Bushshrike, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Bar-tailed Trogon among other birds. From the forest, we will pass by the Manguo swamp which may provide sights of Maccoa Duck, Southern Pochard, Northern Shoveller, Red-knobbed Coot, Common Moorhen, and much more. Our arrival in Nairobi will be in the evening for dinner and the night at the Ole Serani Hotel.

Day 12 : Nairobi City

Location: Nairobi National Park Main Gate

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Early breakfast with packed lunch depart to Nairobi National Park for a full day of birding, expecting to see a variety of species such as Kori Bustard, Saddle-billed Stork, Ruppell’s Robin-chat, White-tailed Lark, Rufous-naped Lark, Red-throated Tit, Yellow-throated Sandgrouse, Martial Eagle, African Crowned Eagle, Jackson’s Widowbird, African Water Rail, Spotted Thick-knee, Speke’s Weaver, Secretary Bird, Northern Pied Babbler, Pangani Longclaw, African Quail-finch, Zebra Waxbill, Lappet-faced Vulture, Violet Wood-hoopoe, Nairobi Pipit, Croaking Cisticola, Desert Cisticola. After all these fun-filled activities of the day, we will transfer you to the airport for your flight back home.

What's Included

  • 1 bottle of Mineral Water per person per day

    Please bring your reusable water bottle from home. We offer water on board so it will be easy for you to refill.

  • Accommodation

  • Airport Transfers at Destination

  • Entrance Fees

  • Game Drives on Safari

  • Fully Guided

  • Local Taxes

  • Meals – Full Board

What's Not Included

  • All Domestic Transportation (including internal flights)

  • Country Entry Visas

  • Drinks with Meals

  • Free Wi-Fi at Accommodation

  • Tipping and Gratuities

Check out our Q&As

  • What is the fitness level required to do this tour?

    High

  • Is there a supplement for solo travellers?

    Yes

  • Are airport transfers included in this tour?

    Yes

  • Is there any free time to explore places during the tour?

    No, please

  • Are vaccinations required for this tour?

    Yes

  • Are flights included in this tour?

    No

  • Are children permitted to take part in the tour?

    No

  • Are all entrance fees included in the price?

    Yes

  • Will I know the names and details of all the accommodation before I depart?

    Yes

  • Is free Wi-Fi available in the accommodation used?

    Yes, but subject to availability

  • Company Instant Book

    Yes

  • Are all the relevant entry visa’s included in the price of the tour?

    No

  • What currencies are required for this tour?

    Ksh and USD

  • What is the maximum group size?

    12

  • Is there a limit to luggage that can be brought on the tour?

    Yes, 25 kg

  • Will passengers from another country be participating in the tour?

    Yes

  • Is the tour coach air conditioned?

    No

  • Do you require a visa for this holiday?

    Yes

  • Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?

    Yes

  • What is the standard of the hotels on this tour?

    3 stars plus

  • What is the tipping policy?

    Discreet

  • Can you assist with pre or post tour accommodation?

    Yes

  • Will there be an escort accompanying this tour?

    Yes

  • What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

    You can change your date and push it forward by months or even by one year

  • Can I join the tour once it has departed?

    No, please. You need to join at the beginning

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    We only pair single travelers who know each other very and are not strangers

  • Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?

    Please check the provided link for more details https://www.theoluokos.com/africa-travel-tips/#1646030146065-90e66ea2-40ee

  • Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?

    Yes, please. We have handpicked accommodation facilities that only confirm our standards in accordance with the global tourism trends and regulations.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    We have been in the market for mover 10 years

  • What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?

    We are yet to get any though we are signatories of several environmental policies at the global level. We are trusting that we will be accredited in the near future

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    You will receive a tour dossier that contains all the important details that you need to know in advance.

  • Am I contributing to any charity by booking the tour?

    Yes. Your booking with us goes a long way to the host communities and in benefiting our environment

Reviews from travellers on this tour

Cisticola Birding Tours  

Birding in Western Kenya

04-Nov-2021

We enjoyed birding the Katotoi Hills with Ouma and later met up with Christine. Their warm hospitality made the day very exciting and we also got to learn a lot about the Teso people. The birds were nice, without forgetting the landscapes, that graced the hills.

1 Select your preferred date

Thursday - Monday

Oct 10, 2024 - Oct 21, 2024
$7976 $6718

Operator discount: -$1040

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$218

Sunday - Thursday

Nov 10, 2024 - Nov 21, 2024
$7976 $6718

Operator discount: -$1040

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$218

Tuesday - Saturday

Dec 10, 2024 - Dec 21, 2024
$7976 $6718

Operator discount: -$1040

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$218

Book with Confidence

  • Free Date Changes

    Oluokos Signature allows you to make 2 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 60 days before the start of the tour.

  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    Oluokos Signature allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform oluokos signature, 60 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    Oluokos Signature requires a minimum deposit of 30% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 21 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of oluokos signature charges.

    Up to 61 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

    At 41 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.

    At 32 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.

    At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

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