Destination Overview
Mount Kenya, Africa's second-highest mountain, is situated on the Equator, approximately 200 kilometers north of Nairobi, and reaches a towering height of more than 5,000 meters. It is a well-known location for trekking excursions and a superb location for birding day excursions. The most stunning panoramas in East Africa is found on Mount Kenya, which has rocky tops covered in glaciers and middle slopes covered in forest. Due to its exceptional and irreplaceable cultural and biological importance, it is one of the few World Heritage sites in Africa.
Aside from the stunning scenery, the mountain and its surrounding forest are an Important Bird Area (IBA) for a number of Kenyan endemic and range-restricted species. It is a thriving haven for many East African montane bird species. A day spent here birding will introduce you to some of central Kenya's unique biodiversity.
Two of the five forest blocks to the west of Mount Kenya are ideal for a birding day trip: Gathiuru and Kahurura. These forest portions total more than 20,000 acres and are made up of a variety of habitats, including cultivated fields, plantations, and native trees. Hence, the variety of habitats helps explain why there are so many distinct bird species in the area. The two woodlands are connected by a road. These forests are also crossed by the Nanyuki and Wathituga Rivers, the latter of which serves as a natural border between the two. The Kahurura path (near Nanyuki town) has a more pure forest and is less degraded. Some of the more distinctive tree species include Podo, Brown Olive, and African Pencil Cedar.
Riverine trees along the Nanyuki River are home to parties of the endemic Mt. Kenya Guereza (a species of Colobus Monkey that is endemic to Kenya). Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters swoop up and down for insects, as do Little and White-rumped Swifts. A few African Pied Wagtails visit the riverbanks as well.
Past the gated barrier, the route continues through a planted forest of cypress trees, where Chestnut-throated apalises and Forest Cicadas can be heard calling. Double-collared Sunbirds (both Eastern and Northern), Yellow-crowned Canaries, and African Dusky Flycatchers are frequently seen in secondary flowering bush plantations.
If you take the first twisting route on the right, it leads to an open space that is surrounded by native trees. In this wide space, the local forest scouts set their camp. Abyssinian Thrush, Yellow-whiskered Greenbul, Kikuyu White-eye, a bird native to Kenya, and Yellow-breasted Apalis are frequently seen here. After a few kilometers, the route splits and returns to the main path. The main road continues on the right, while a few additional, narrower trails on the left take you to the cultivated fields of the nearby farmers. Particularly for raptors, birding across these fields may be highly rewarding. In the potato fields, rodents are common, and Black-shouldered Kites, Long-crested Eagles, Mountain, and Augur Buzzards typically hunt them down. Often, Common Quails call.
Despite the track's repeated meandering, it is surprisingly smooth. Nonetheless, it could become muddy and difficult to navigate through during the wet season. It is advised to operate a vehicle with four wheels. It is advised to begin birding in the morning and finish by early afternoon because it frequently rains in the afternoon. It is preferable to organize the birding day tour to start in the Gathiuru forest portion and travel through to the opposite end of the Kahurura forest section in order to avoid getting caught in the steep terrain.
