Kenya - In The Shadow of Kilimanjaro

Mt Kilimanjaro and a Maasai Giraffe

From Maasai Mara we move further southeast to the plains at the base of Mt Kilimanjaro. The first stop was Amboseli National Park, only 25 miles from the summit of the extinct volcano, with it's grasslands and swamps coming from underground rivers flowing down the flank of Kilimanjaro. Getting views of the tallest free-standing mountain in the world was tricky most of the time, but it did peak out of the clouds often enough.

eBird list Ambosel NP

The 19,341 foot Kilimanjaro rises over 16,000 feet from its base

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse

Egyptian Goose

African Elephant

Great White Pelican

Grey-headed Kingfisher

Grey-crowned Crane

Long-toed Lapwing

Marabou Stork

Purple Heron

Rock Agama

Saddle-billed Stork

Spotted Hyaenas

Spotted Thick-knee

Yellow Baboon

Yellow Baboon

Further east were the sister parks of Tsavo West and Tsavo East National Parks which form the largest protected area in Kenya. In between we spent half a day in the isolated sky island Taita Hills for some unique and rare birds in the tiny remnant rain forest there. 

eBird list Tsavo West
eBird list Taita Hills
eBird list Tsavo East

Tsavo West

Black-faced Sandgrouse

Brown-hooded Kingfisher

Snow capped Mt Kilimanjaro and a Baobab Tree

Knob-billed Duck

Nile Crocodile

Never trust a smiling crocodile

Rosy-patched Bush-Shrike

Southern Ground Hornbill

Square-tailed Nightjar

Tavata Golden-Weaver

Water Thick-knee

Tsavo East

Tsavo East plains

Galana River

Black-headed Lapwing

African Elephant. The red soil stains the water the elephants use to bathe in

  

Capped Wheatear

Cheetah

Two-banded Courser

For the Dr Dolittle fans, a "Pushmi-pullyu" Maasai Giraffe

Golden Pipit

Heuglin's Bustard

Critically endangered Hirola (Hunter's Hartebeest)

Displaying male Kori Bustard

Northern Carmine Bee-eater

Red-winged Lark

Somali Courser

White-throated Bee-eater

One more post to go for our Kenya segment of the trip - the coastal forest.