Nairobi Arrival & Birding at Nairobi National Park

Our safari began in Nairobi with a midnight toast of Tusker beer before dawn brought us to Nairobi National Park, one of the few wildlife sanctuaries in the world set against a city skyline. Guided by Diana of Cisticola Tours, we spotted nearly 30 bird species—Jackson’s widowbird, purple grenadier, African paradise flycatcher—before visiting the historic ivory burning site. By mid-morning we were airborne to Maasai Mara, welcomed at Kichwa Tembo by Maasai dancers, AndBeyond staff, and a surprise first safari en route to camp. Zebras, giraffes, hyenas, and bee-eaters filled our lens before sundowners and our first Maasai cultural dance sealed the evening.

First Full Safari in Maasai Mara

Day 2 unfolded with sunrise over the Mara Reserve and our first lions—a pride feasting on buffalo, cubs padding close to our jeep. Breakfast under an acacia tree turned surreal when a cheetah appeared, mother and cubs tucked in the grass. By afternoon, Maasai Mara North Conservancy revealed elephants, giraffes, and a rare spectacle of lions being chased by elephants. As dusk fell, clouds blazed red while a local Maasai market and dinner at Kichwa Tembo reminded us that safaris are as much about people as wildlife.

Lion Coalition Fight, Leopard, Big Five Day

Day 3 delivered one of the most dramatic mornings of the trip: a coalition of four male lions roaring and fighting over a buffalo kill while hyenas and vultures circled. A buffalo calf stumbled into the scene, its cries echoing before becoming prey—a sobering circle of life moment. Later, a leopard posed on termite mounds, shifting elegantly through grass, while cheetah cubs lounged nearby. By evening, black rhinos joined our sightings, completing the Big Five. Sundowners with Kilimanjaro glowing pink, and a newborn hyena at dusk, sealed this unforgettable day.

Cheetah Hunts & Camp Encounters

This day was devoted to cheetahs. We waited patiently as a male stalked gazelles, finally unleashing a blistering sprint—only to fail. Later, a lactating female also attempted a hunt but returned hungry, her cubs still waiting. Heartbreaking, yes, but a vivid reminder of how fragile cheetah survival is. Back at camp, the smaller dramas unfolded: vervet monkeys stealing sugar bowls, blue monkeys with infants in trees, an olive baboon blocking the path, and tree hyraxes peering from shadows. As dusk fell, a marabou stork perched solemnly above while the sun melted gold over the plains.

Farewell Mara & Arrival in Amboseli

We said goodbye to Maasai Mara with one last sunrise drive and a hike up the Oloololo Escarpment, where red-tailed monkeys leapt through trees and the Mara spread endlessly below. From the airstrip, our flight carried us over Lake Natron’s pink flamingos before landing in Amboseli. Elephants roamed below, Kilimanjaro played coy behind clouds, and Ol Tukai Lodge welcomed us into its gardens alive with vervet monkeys and birdlife. By sunset, elephants silhouetted against Amboseli’s glowing wetlands introduced us to this “Land of Giants.”

 Lion Cubs, Birds & Super Tusker Craig

The day opened with a lion pride feasting on hippo, cubs tumbling like shadows of their parents. Birding in Amboseli’s wetlands brought over 35 species, from crowned cranes to spoonbills, jacanas, and a juvenile martial eagle. But the highlight came in Tawi Conservancy, where we met Craig, Amboseli’s legendary super tusker, his tusks sweeping the ground as he grazed with calm majesty. As if that wasn’t enough, a mother cheetah with four sons lounged nearby, their playfulness adding tenderness to a day already steeped in awe.

Lion Cubs & Amboseli Wetlands Birding

On our last full day in Amboseli, lion cubs once again stole the spotlight at dawn, their antics framed by Kilimanjaro’s snowy peak. Later, a birding safari through wetlands revealed flamingos, herons, malachite kingfishers, jacanas, grebes, and the magnificent saddle-billed stork. Afternoon drives pursued the iconic “elephants with Kilimanjaro” photograph—elusive as ever—but the golden-hour herds grazing beneath Africa’s highest peak reminded us that sometimes the imperfect frame is the truest memory.

Farewell Amboseli & Birding in Nairobi

Kilimanjaro showed herself in full glory on our departure morning, a final blessing before our flight to Nairobi. At Nairobi National Park, birding with Simon of Cisticola Tours turned into a marathon: 88 species in one day, from rollers and sunbirds to widowbirds trailing crimson and black. A black rhino appeared briefly, a rare, intimate encounter. We celebrated at Carnivore Restaurant with sizzling skewers of ostrich, crocodile, and lamb before boarding our flight home—hearts full, spirits richer, and promises made to return.