Tag: Birdwatching

International Tour General Information

Reservation Deposits

10% DISCOUNT FOR TOURS PAID IN FULL 90 DAYS PRIOR TO TOUR

10% deposit is required to reserve your space.

50% is due 90 days prior to start of tour.

100% is due 60 days prior to start of tour.

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT IS $500.00 UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE

Refunds and Cancellations

100% Refund 90 or more prior to start of tour.

50% Refund 60-89 days prior to start of tour.

25% Refund 45-59 days prior to start of tour.

NO REFUNDS LESS THAN  45 DAYS PRIOR TO START OF TOUR UNLESS SPOT CAN BE FILLED IN WHICH A 25% REFUND WILL BE ISSUED.

Trips DO NOT include airfare, food, drinks, tips, or other expenses not specifically mentioned in the tour description.

Winter in the Bahamas 5-Day Birding Tour

January 9-14, 2020

Cost $1500.00 Per Person – Minimum 2 – Maximum 3 – Double Occupancy

We have a Caribbean adventure waiting for you this January, 2020. What better time of the year to escape and end up in a tropical paradise? We’ll be birding in the Bahamas on two different islands- Grand Bahama Island and Abaco. We’ll be staying at the luxurious Island Seas Resort featuring two restaurants on the property, a bar, hot tub, and it’s own private beach. The resort is centrally located in Freeport, Grande Bahamas. This tour will not have any strenuous hiking. Instead relax in the beautiful Garden of the Groves where wintering Blackpoll Warblers abound. Other frequent avian visitors to the garden include Loggerhead Kingbird, Gray Kingbird, Cuban Pewee, Greater Antillean Bullfinch, Least Grebe, Cuban Emerald, Smooth-billed Ani, Thick-billed Vireo, and many wintering warblers. Bahama Mockingbird can be seen around the island from the cruise port to Paradise cove and established populations of Peach-faced Lovebird can be seen in the market square. The eastern side of the island will produce Bahama Warbler, Western Spindalis, Red-legged Thrush, and Olive-capped Warbler. We’ll have the opportunity to view cave bats at Lucaya National Park. We will also do a day trip to Abaco as well for a rare glimpse of the Cuban Parrot of the Bahama race as well as Bahama Swallows and Bahama Yellowthroat. Here is a breakdown of the daily activities for this tour:

1/9-Arrive in Freeport, Grand Bahamas.
Bird in the Garden of the Gates in the evening.

1/10- We’ll visit the Garden of the Groves on Midshipman road. We’ll also stop at the abandoned Emerald Golf Course for White-cheeked Pintail and other wintering ducks on the way back to the resort.

1/11- Take ferry to Abaco. Bird around island for Cuban Parrot, Bahama Yellowthroat, Kirtland’s Warbler, and Bahama Swallow.

1/12- Visit beaches around the island for wintering shorebirds and observe Bahama Woodstar.

1/13- Pine forest and Lucaya National Park for Olive-capped Warbler, Bahama Warbler, Western Spindalis, Bananaquit, and Black-faced Grassquit

1/14- Birding at the Rand Nature Center

Anyone interested in nature will fall in love with the Bahamas if you have never been here before. The natural areas are truly natural, the people are so welcoming, and the food is amazing! Vegetarians will enjoy a common Bahamas dish of pigeon peas and rice and seafood lovers will appreciate the fried conch. Price for this tour will be $1500 per person/double occupancy minimum 2 persons. This price includes resort stay, transportation around the islands, entry fees to parks and gardens, professional guides, and daily ebird checklists. It does not include your transportation to Grand Bahama island, food/drinks, or tips. Don’t miss this opportunity to a few days in the Caribbean this winter with Archaeopteryx Birding and Nature Tours! Please email archaeopteryxtours@gmail.com or call 609-553-0757 for more information.

14 Day Birding & Wildlife Tour of Sri Lanka

February 18-March 3, 2020

Archaeopteryx Birding and Nature Tours and Ornithvacations are partnering up for this 14-day tour of Sri Lanka in 2020. This tour will encompass many different habitats with the possibility of 220+ bird species including 34 endemics as well as butterflies, mammals, and reptiles. Excellent opportunities for photos as well as knowledgeable guides. Sri Lanka located in the tropical Indian ocean, as a teardrop of India, yet isolated from the mainland so it holds a high diversity of bird life. Among them are vibrant endemics from Elusive Ceylon Whistling Thrush to widespread Sri Lanka Lesser Flameback are Red- faced Malkoha, Ceylon Blue Magpie, Ceylon Jungle Fowl, Ceylon Spurfowl and tiny Ceylon Hanging-parrot. Amazingly camouflaged Serendib Scops Owl is definitely a thrill to locate and to see at it‟s day roost in its typical rainforest undergrowth habitat. Diurnal Chestnut-backed Owlet is not to forget! Not only are there birds, but the tour usually yields a number of other wildlife including Asian Elephant, Spotted Dear, seveal species of Monkeys and Mongooses, Indian Jackal, several species of Sqirrels, Mugger Crocodile and other herpetofauna as well as an exciting sight of the Leopard. Butterflies are also close encounters, where 20- 30 species are effortlessly seen. Our tour will be co-led by OrnithVacations Bird Specialist Tour Leader, Tharanga Herath, (Field Ornithologist and Bird and Wildlife Artist). Here is the itinerary for our tour:

Day 01 & 02 –Arrive at the Bandaranaike International Airport just north of Colombo and travel to Sigiriya Sanctuary/World heritage site- Although Sigiriya is a great site for a birder and a wildlife enthusiast, it is also one of the major historical attractions, which gave rise to the world famous Ancient Rock Fortress, which is placed in the middle of the wilderness. Here will see Woolly- necked Stork, Sri Lanka Lesser Flameback, Crimson- backed Flameback, Brown- capped Pigmy Woodpecker, Crimson-fronted Barbet, Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher, Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Indian Cuckoo, Grey-bellied Cuckoo, Alexandrine Parakeet, Shahin Falcon, Crested Treeswift, Bar-winged Flycatcher- Shrike, Indian Pitta, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Black-headed Cuckoo-shrike, Sri Lanka Swallow, Sri Lanka Woodshrike, Black- capped Bulbul, Ashy Prinia, Jungle Prinia, Thick- billed Flowerpecker, Brown- capped Babbler, White-rumped Shama, Orange-headed Thrush, Indian Blue Robin, Tickell‟s Blue Flycatcher, Jerdon‟s Bush Lark, Brown Fish Owl, and Long- tailed Nightjar.

Day 03 & 04–Kitulgala
This site is located in the wet zone of the country and we look for the endemics that you get in tropical rainforest habitat. In addition it contains nice open woodlands and cultivations which provide good opportunities to watch for forest loving birdlife.
Highlights include the Sri Lanka Hanging- parrot, Layard‟s Parakeet, Chestnut- backed Owlet, Serendib Scops Owl, Stork- billed Kingfisher, Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Malabar Trogon, Chestnut- headed Bee-eater, Green-billed Coucal, Yellow-fronted Barbet, Sri Lanka Lesser & Crimson- backed Flamebacks, Legge‟s Flowerpecker, Sri Lanka Swallow, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Gold-fronted Leafbird, Loten‟s & Purple-rumped Sunbird, Sri Lanka Crested Drongo, Black- headed Cuckoo-shrike, Black- naped Monarch, Black- capped Bulbul, Orange- billed Babbler, Dark- fronted Babbler, Lesser Hill Myna, Spot- winged Thrush, Tickell‟s Blue Flycatcher, Brown- breasted Flycatcher.

Day 05 & 06 – Nuwara- eliya & Horton Plains
Scenic and cool area with mountainous landscape located high over 6000 feet altitude provides haunts for a set of endemic birds found in high hills such as Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, Crimson-backed Flameback, Yellow-Eared Bulbul, Pied Bush Chat, Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush, Indian Blackbird, Indian Blue Robin, Pied Ground-Thrush, Indian Pitta, Sri Lanka Bush-Warbler, Blyth‟s Reed Warbler, Kashmir Flycatcher, Grey-Headed, Canary & Dusky Blue Flycatchers, Sri Lanka White-Eye, Hill Swallow, Black-throated Munia, Velvet- fronted Nuthatch, Forest Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler.

Day 07, 08, 09 – Tissamaharama area, Yala & Bundala National Parks (Ramsar wetland)
Dry Zone region, which comprises large number of wetlands, scrublands and grasslands providing habitats for large number of waders and other waterfowl and for a large number of migratory species. A great place for several owl species including days roosts. Here we’ll see Common, Wood, Marsh, Curlew and Broad- billed Sandpipers, Little Stint, Lesser Sand, Kentish, Little- ringed, Pacific Golden and Grey Plovers, Small Pratincole, Red- necked Phalarope, Yellow- wattled Lapwing, Indian Thick- knee, Great Thick-Knee, Pintail Snipe, Watercock, Grey- headed Swamphen, Pheasant- tailed Jacana, Black-Winged Stilt, Caspian, Great- crested, Lesser-crested and Little Terns, Barred Button Quail, Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl, Indian Peafowl, Spot-billed Pelican, Oriental Darter, Cotton Pygmy Goose, Lesser Whistling Duck, Asian Openbill, Painted Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Black- headed Ibis, Eurasian Spoonbill, Yellow Bittern, Black Bittern, Pied Crested Cuckoo, Sirkeer Malkoha, Blue- faced Malkoha, Yellow- crowned Woodpecker, White-naped Flameback, Coppersmith Barbet, Sri Lanka & Orange- breasted Green Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Crested Hawk, Crested Serpent, White- bellied Sea & Grey- headed Fish Eagles, Brown Wood Owl, Brown Fish Owl, Indian Scops Owl, Jungle Owlet, Indian Little Nightjar, Sand Martin, Indian Reed-warbler, Baya & Streaked Weavers, Sri Lanka Woodshrike, Small Minivet, Jerdon‟s Leafbird, Marshall‟s Iora, Ashy Woodswallow, White-Browed Bulbul, Brahminy Starling, Oriental Skylark, Ashy-crowned Sparrow-lark, Jerdon‟s Bush Lark

Day 10 –Udawalawe National park and surrounding areas
Another great open woodland habitat areas comprising grasslands, scrublands and wetlands for Eurasian Spoonbill, Lesser Adjutant, Woolly- necked Stork, Black- shouldered Kite, Pallid Harrier, Crested Serpent, Crested Hawk, White- bellied Sea and Grey- headed Fish Eagles, Blossom- headed Parakeet, Blue- faced Malkoha, Sirkeer Malkoha, Pied & Grey- bellied Cuckoos, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Coppersmith Barbet, Indian Roller, Yellow Wagtail, Blyth‟s Pipit, Red- rumped Swallow, Jerdon‟s Bush Lark, Marshall‟s Iora, Yellow- eyed Babbler, Tawny- bellied Babbler, Thick- billed Flowerpecker, and Rosy Starling

Day 11, 12, 13 Sinharaja World heritage site
This is the main site where we look for most of the country‟s endemics. Sinharaja Forest Reserve is the largest and most diverse eco system in Sri Lanka, which comprises tropical evergreen forest. Highlights include Slaty- legged Crake, Sri Lanka Spurfowl, Sri Lanka Junglefowl, Black Eagle, Crested Goshawk, Brown- backed Needletail, Sri Lanka Green Pigeon, Emerald Dove, Sri Lanka Hanging- parrot, Layard‟s Parakeet, Green- billed Coucal, Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Malabar Trogon, Lesser Yellownape, Crimson- backed Flameback, Yellow-fronted Barbet, Crimson- fronted Barbet, Red- faced Malkoha, Sri Lanka Frogmouth, Chestnut- Backed Owlet, Serendib Scops Owl, Black- capped Bulbul, Black Bulbul, Orange Minivet, Sri Lanka Blue Magpie, Sri Lanka Crested Drongo, Green and Large- billed Leaf Warblers, Brown-capped Babbler, Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler, Ashy-headed Laughing-thrush, Orange- billed Babbler, Sri Lanka Hill Myna, White- faced Starling, Lesser Hill Myna, Brown- breasted Flycatcher, Spot- winged Thrush, Sri Lanka Scaly Thrush, Legge‟s Flowerpecker, Velvet- fronted Nuthatch

Day 14- Departure back to Bandaranaike International Airport and end of tour.

Other possible wildlife highlights during the tour:
Leopard, Asian Elephant, Indian Jackal, Ruddy Mongoose, Brown Mongoose, Wild Boar, Black- naped Hare, Spotted Deer, Sambar, Mouse Deer, Purple Faced Leaf Monkey, Bear Monkey, Tufted Grey Langur, Toque Macaque, Common Palm Squirrel, Giant Squirrel, Flame Striped Jungle Squirrel, Dusky Striped Jungle Squirrel, Kangaroo Lizard, Green Garden Lizard, Common Skink, Green Pit Viper, Mugger Crocodile, Hard- Shelled Terrapin, Land Monitor, Water Monitor

Spaces are limited to 8 individuals, so sign up soon! Price will be $4,525 per person* double-occupancy. $400 single supplement.

Exploratory Birding Photography Tour of the island of Trinidad

March 20-27, 2019

$1200.00 per person double occupancy available only!

*Exploratory Trips- Trips used to prepare for future “full fare” tours

Let Archaeopteryx Birding & Nature Tours Take you to a tropical paradise this March, 2020. We’ll be visiting the island of Trinidad off the coast of Venezuela for a first time photo birding tour. This exploratory rate will only be offered once, so why not take a break from the gray, cold days of March to vacation in the tropics with us! With so much that Trinidad has to offer, we’ll be staying in a very localized area, about an hour to an hour and a half drive away from the Port of Spain. We’ll be finding new and different bird species everyday and we’ll focus on finding the two endemic species to the island, the Trinidad Piping-Guan and the Trinidad Motmot. We’ll visit a couple of breweries and many local restaurants to get a taste for the local cuisine. Our accommodations will be shared rooms in guest houses with plenty of nature on the property. Therefore, we will not be charging a singles supplement for this trip. Here is our tentative itinerary:

3/20- Arrive in the evening and head to St. Anns to check into our accommodations. We can bird a little around the property until sunset. Some of the birds we’re expected to see around the property include Bananaquit, Palm Tanager, Blue-black Grassquit, Blue-gray Tanager, White-lined Tanager, Chivi Vireo, Golden-fronted Greenlet, Forest Elaenia, Yellow-breasted Flycatcher, and Orange-winged Parrot

Visit Tommy’s Brewing Company in the evening for dinner and to start our tour off with a few local brews (open until 11pm)

3/21- Royal Botanical Gardens for Zone-tailed Hawk, Cocoa Woodpecker, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Streaked Flycatcher, Cocoa Thrush, Spectacled Thrush, Crested Oropendola, and Carib Grackle

Visit the Samba Brewing Company & Winery in the afternoon

3/22- A dream-come-true for hummingbird enthusiasts! Yerette Hummingbird Sanctuary for White-necked Jacobin, Ruby-topaz Hummingbird, Black-throated Mango, Tufted Coquette, Long-billed Starthroat, White-chested Emerald, Copper-rumped Hummingbird, Piratic Flycatcher, and Purple Honeycreeper

3/23- Waller Field for Barred Antshrike, Sulphury Flycatcher, White-winged Swallow, Pale-vented Pigeon, Short-tailed Swift, Fork-tailed Palm-Swift, Southern Lapwing, Wattled Jacana, Savanna Hawk, and Epaulet Oriole

3/24- We’ll begin the morning by visiting Morne Bleu for the endemic Trinidad Piping-Guan. We’ll also have a chance to see Hepatic Tanager, Scaled Pigeon, Band-rumped Swift, and Green Hermit.

We’ll then drive south to the Asa Wright Nature Center for Silver-beaked Tanager, White-flanked Antwren, Bearded Bellbird, Violaceous Euphonia, White-shouldered Tanager, Channel-billed Toucan, Bay-headed Tanager, Rufous-breasted Hermit, Guiana Trogon, and Green Honeycreeper

3/25- Carli Bay for Gray-cowled Wood-rail, Rufous Crab Hawk, Yellow-headed Caracara, Green-rumped Parrotlet, Yellow-chinned Spinetail, Pied-water Tyrant, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Yellow Oriole, Bicolored Conebill, and Saffron Finch

3/26- Blanchisseuse Road for Gray-rumped Swift, Trinidad Motmot, Blue-headed Parrot, Golden-headed Manakin, Black-tailed Tityra, and Yellow-rumped Cacique

After a morning of birding we’ll drive back to the airport area to stay overnight for our flights home on the 27th. We’ll eat lunch at the Youthful Vegan in the Port of Spain (open until 3:30pm). The price for this trip will be $1,200 per person (this price includes water, snacks, all checklists emailed, transportation around the island (including to and from the airport), and professional guides. The price does not include your airfare to Trinidad, food, alcohol, or tips.

Spring Migration In Denmark

May 7-13, 2020

Cost $1355.00 per person – Minimum 2 – Maximum 3 – Double Occupancy (2 Spaces Remaining)

Last year Archaeopteryx Tours had an opportunity to visit the beautiful country of Denmark during peak migration in early May. We’re now offering tours annually focusing on the migratory birds returning home to nest in the wetlands, forests, and agricultural areas around the country. One of the highlights of the tour will be to visit the Skagen Fuglefestival at the northern tip of the country where migratory raptors can be seen soaring almost non stop on their way north to Norway and Sweden. Temperatures can range from freezing into the 70’s and 80s F (26 C), but typically they stay around the 50-60 F (13 C) range for this time of the year. And we’ll be able to take advantage of the extra daylight hours during our tour. Here is the sample itinerary for the spring of 2020:

May 8th- Arrive at Copenhagen airport the afternoon of May 8th. We’ll stop for a short walk around Gentofte So (a city park with a lake a walking path around it). We’ll see waterfowl, including Mute Swan, Graylag Goose, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Eurasian Coot, Common Wood-Pigeon, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Black-headed Gull, Eurasian Magpie, Eurasian Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, Eurasian Blackbird, and Common House-Martin. We’ll try and call out a Bearded Reedling. From here, we’ll take a 3-hour trip to Aarhus to spend the night.

May 9th- We’ll wake up early and get on the road to Skagen to attend the day’s field trips with the Skagen Fugle Festival. Festival field trips start at 7am, so we will have to leave very early, but you can nap in the car en route. The festival field trips include everything from forest, beach, or meadow birds and of course the raptor migration highlight. We can choose which ones we’d like to attend, or go based on a rare sighting. We’ll spend the day at the festival and spend the night in Skagen.

May 10th- We’ll attend morning field trips with the festival and start driving back south in the afternoon. We’ll spend the night in Hemmet to begin birding fresh in the morning. There’s a wetland area to the southwest of Skagen we may stop if there’s time. Here we’ll have a possibility to find Water Rail, Great Bittern, Bluethroat, and Sedge Warbler if we do not see them during the festival.

May 11th- Birding around Langkaervej. This is a mix of wetlands and agricultural fields and most of the birding will be done from the car with the exception of a few birding blinds on the property we can hide in to take photos and scan for birds along the wetlands areas. We should see Ring-necked Pheasant, Eurasian Moorhen, Northern Lapwing, Ruff, Gray Heron, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Greater Whitethroat, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Western Yellow Wagtail, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Eurasian Linnet, Meadow Pipit and Corn and Reed Buntings. We may be lucky and find Common Cuckoo.

We’ll then scan the agricultural fields for Eurasian Dotterel, Northern Wheatear, Eurasian Marsh-Harrier, and White Wagtail.

Another area close by should get us Barnacle Geese, Eurasian Spoonbill, and Whinchat. We’ll head by to the Aarhus area in the evening to spend the night.

May 12th- We’ll bird around Velkommen til True Skov. Our target bird will be the Common Cuckoo. Since this is a very secretive and difficult bird to photograph, we’ll devote the morning to it. We should also see Little Grebe, Common Swift, Mew Gull, Common Buzzard, Eurasian Jay, Willow Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Wren, and European Robin. Plus butterflies nectaring on the wildflowers in the fields.

We can take a break to eat lunch and then head over to Egå Engsø. This is a lake area with trails for hiking or biking. Our target bird in this area will be the White-tailed Eagles. We should also see Common Shelduck, Pied Avocet, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Common Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, and Yellowhammer.

Take the ferry and drive back to Copenhagen to spend the night.

May 13th- Depending on flight schedule there are several areas north of the city to explore and bird. An entire day or morning of birding can be done if your flight is in the later afternoon or evening. We could possibly pick up additional species such as Tree Pipit, Lesser Whitethroat, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Tawny Owl, Rook, Dunnock, Red-necked Grebe, Song Thrush, Eurasian Bullfinch, Marsh Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Eurasian Treecreeper, Great Cormorant, Coal Tit, and European Stonechat are possibilities. No trip to Copenhagen would be complete without stopping at the Naturbutikken store affiliated with Bird Life International to pick up souvenir birding books, t-shirts, pins, etc. from your trip.

Price for this tour will be $1355 per person. The price includes pick up/drop off from the Copenhagen airport, all stays, transportation around the country, water and snacks, professional guide, and a shared ebird checklist. Book early and save!

Maximum 3 participants double occupancy

Please contact us for additional trip details.

Austrian Alps in Springtime

May 25-June 4, 2020

Cost $1700.00 per person – Minimum 2 – Maximum 4 – Double Occupancy (2 Spaces Remaining)

Arrive in Salzburg, Austria to the sound of music of breeding European songbirds surrounded by beautiful parks and fields of wildflowers. Birding will occur each morning leaving afternoons to explore the history and culture of the area.

Maximum 2 participants double occupancy

Please contact us for additional trip details.

Alsace Region, France Birding, History, & Vineyards

Stand-alone or as Pre-Austria Add-on

*Cost $800.00 Per Adult & $250.00 Per Child under 16 – Minimum 2 – Maximum 4 – Double Occupancy (2 Spaces Remaining)

There’s so much to do in the Alsace region of France. This tour is designed to try and encompass a little bit of everything the area has to offer. We’ll be birding in natural areas each morning and plan to visit a historical site and/or winery in the afternoons. Children are welcomed and even encouraged to attend this tour. You’ll be picked you up from the Basel airport in Switzerland on May 20th. Here is a tentative itinerary for the tour:

Day 1: Visit La Maison de l’eau et de la riviere- Puberg
Environmental education center with hiking/birding for adults and activities for kids. Kids can also attend guided ornithological trips and learn about the animals and hydrology of the region, including aquatic macro-invertebrates.

Louis Eschenauer winery in the afternoon

Day 2: Stop at the Northern Vosges Regional Nature Park (a Unesco International Biosphere Reserve) visitor center for trail maps and do some light birding for a couple of hours. Arrive back at the visitor center and explore the 12th century castle rooms. Climb to the top of the castle for an amazing view of the surrounding forest.

Visit the rock dwellings museum carved into the cliffs above the village of Graufthal in the afternoon.

Day 3: Chateau Fort de Fleckenstein- Nature hike in the morning around the castle grounds. There are chances to see Common Kingfisher and Black Stork around the wetland areas here. After this, explore the castle and possibly, the castle of challenges. The castle of challenges is a 3 hour family-friendly activity where families work together to complete medieval-themed quests in a forest setting. There is a restaurant on the castle grounds.

Visit town of Cleebourg for wineries (Cave Vinicole de Cleebourg, Juncker Thierry, Graff Jacky Elisabeth, and Niess Edith wineries)

Day 4: Strasbourg. Parc de l’Orangerie- has a botanic garden, boating lake, mini zoo, and stork reintroduction center on its property.

Wineries (Cremant and Alsace Wines Arthur Metz, Vins Thierry Martin, Terres a Vin). Strasbourg has a vegetarian restaurant called Velicious, specializing in veggie cheese and wine pairings, seitan “meat” entrees, and even a kids menu with veggie hot dogs.

Day 5: Haguenau Forest for light hiking/birding in the morning. Visit the holy site of the big oak within the forest.

Afternoon at the aquatic leisure center. The aquatic center has indoor pools and water slides for kids, but also a spa including hot tub, steam room, and sauna for adults.

Wendling Vins et Winery

The price for this tour will be $800 per adult and $250 per child under 16. This fee includes lodging, transportation, and all entry fees to parks and attractions. It does not include food or alcohol. Contact Archaeopteryx tours at archaeopteryxtours@gmail.com or by calling 609-553-0757.

10 Day Birding & Big Game Tour of Kenya

June 18-June 27, 2020

Archaeopteryx and Cisticola Birding and Nature Tours are partnering up for this 10-day tour of Kenya in 2020. This tour will encompass many different habitats with the possibility of 400+ bird species plus Africa’s Big 5 mammals! Excellent opportunities for photos as well as knowledgeable guides.

DAY 1: ARRIVAL
On arrival, you will be received by your Tour Leader from Cisticola Tours LTD. You will then proceed to your hotel, located just outside the main city.
If we have some hours to spare this day, depending on flight arrivals, we may enjoy some birding at a local spot in the city.
Night in Nairobi.

DAY 2: NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK
We shall spend the day in this park. This is Kenya’s oldest National Park, located just 7 kilometres from the edge of the Nairobi city centre, Kenya’s capital city. Indeed, this is Kenya’s capital birding location with over 500 species recorded in the park. Some species to expect in the park include the Secretarybird, African Water Rail, Spotted Thick-knee, Black-winged Plover, African Finfoot, Pangani Longclaw, Jackson’s Widowbird, Kori Bustard, Hartlaub’s Bustard, Saddle-billed Stork, African Yellow White-eye, Common Nightingale, Ruppell’s Robin-chat, Northern Pied Babbler, White-tailed Lark, Rufous-naped Lark, Somali Short-toed Lark, Red- throated Tit, Speke’s Weaver, Yellow-throated Sandgrouse, Martial Eagle, African Crowned Eagle, Wahlberg’s Eagle, African Quail-finch, Zebra Waxbill, Harlequin Quail, Lappet-faced Vulture, Violet Wood-hoopoe, Nairobi Pipit, Grassland Pipit, Siffling Cisticola, Croaking Cisticola and Desert Cisticola.
The park also hosts four of the African Big Five (Black Rhino, Cape Buffalo, African Lion and Leopard) and many other interesting animals that you’ll enjoy during the visit.
Night in Nairobi.

DAY 3: THIKA TO MT. KENYA
On this day, we shall start our birding around the vast Thika area, where we shall make several stops for local birds and also visit the Ol Donyo Sabuk area; targeting species such as the Hinde’s Babbler, Northern Pied Babbler, African Hill Babbler, Meyer’s Parrot, African Green Pigeon, Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon, Black-and-white Mannikin, Bearded Scrub Robin, Red- capped Robin-Chat, Lead-coloured Flycatcher, Hartlaub’s Turaco, Purple-crested Turaco,
Lemon Dove, Crimson-rumped Waxbill, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Red-billed Firefinch, Grey- Olive Greenbul, and Spot-flanked Barbet.
We shall enjoy lunch here.
Later we proceed to Mt. Kenya for more birding around our lodge.
Night in Mt. Kenya.

DAY 4: MT. KENYA
This day will be spent enjoying more birds in Mt. Kenya forest. We shall start from our lodge and scout deeper inside the forest; along the trails and wetlands. Birds to expect include African Cuckoo-Hawk, Mountain Buzzard, Crowned Eagle, Alpine Swift, Purple-throated Cuckoo- Shrike, Grey Cuckoo-Shrike, Mountain Wagtail, Cape Wagtail, Slender-billed Greenbul, Mountain Yellow-Warbler, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Black-throated Apalis, Black-collared Apalis, Chestnut-throated Apalis, White-browed Crombec, Hunter’s Cisticola, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Crowned Hornbill, African Black Duck, Red-fronted Parrot, Hartlaub’s Turaco, Spectacled Weaver, Grey-headed Negrofinch, Scaly Francolin, Brown-backed Scrub-Robin, Rueppell’s Robin-Chat, Abyssinian Crimsonwing, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Black-fronted Bushshrike, Malachite Sunbird, Golden-winged Sunbird, Eastern Double-collared Sunbird, Black-headed Waxbill, Olive Ibis, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Slender-billed Starling, Abbott’s Starling, Sharpe’s Starling, Kenrick’s Starling, Waller’s Starling, Kikuyu White-eye, Fine- banded Woodpecker, White-headed Wood-Hoopoe, Bar-tailed Trogon, Yellow-crowned Canary, Dusky Turtle Dove, African Green Pigeon, Lemon Dove, African Olive Pigeon and Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon.
We shall likely see local monkeys, squirrels and antelopes, among other mammals.
Night in Mt. Kenya.

DAY 5: TO LAKE BARINGO
We shall leave heading for Lake Baringo. On the way we shall enjoy some birding spots, such as a site where Cape Eagle-Owls like to roost. If time allows, we shall stop briefly at a roadside dam, to check for some waterfowl. In the afternoon, we shall enjoy a nature walk around the Baringo area scouting for owls and nightjars; among many other beautiful birds.

Birds to expect here include the Spotted ( & Greyish) Eagle-Owl, Northern White-faced Scops Owl, Shikra, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Verreaux’s Eagle, Slender-tailed Nightjar, Heuglin’s Courser, Blue-capped Cordon-bleu, D’Arnaud’s Barbet, Black-throated Barbet, Brubru, Grey- headed Bushshrike, Three-streaked Tchagra, Spotted Thick-knee, Senegal Thick-knee, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Nubian Woodpecker, Crimson-rumped Waxbill, Little Weaver, Jackson’s Golden-backed Weaver, Northern Masked Weaver, White-billed Buffalo-Weaver, White-bellied Canary, Beautiful Sunbird, Black-headed Plover, Jackson’s Hornbill, Hemprich’s Hornbill, Northern Red Bishop, Brown-tailed Rock Chat, Mocking Cliff-Chat and Bristle-crowned Starling, among many other wonderful species of this region.
Night in Baringo.

DAY 6: LAKE BARINGO
We shall start the day with a boat ride over Lake Baringo, in search of water birds like African Jacana, Black Crake, Goliath Heron, Little Bittern, Purple Heron and White-faced Whistling Duck. The boat ride experience will also help you enjoy the beauty of the lake and see the local African Fish Eagles advertising their territories as they hunt too. We shall then return to the lodge for breakfast. After breakfast we shall scout the local scrubland and the nearby cliffs seeking birds we may have missed the previous day.
We shall then return to our lodge for lunch. After lunch, we shall relax for some time enjoying our lodge views. Later in the afternoon, we shall have another walk seeking nightjars and owls, among other birds.
Night in Baringo.

DAY 7: LAKE NAIVASHA
We shall drive onwards to Lake Naivasha. There will be more birding stops enroute. On arrival, we shall bird around our lodge and the lake shores. Expected species include Mosque Swallow, Lyne’s Cisticola, Chestnut Sparrow, Abyssinian Wheatear, Nyanza Swift, Mottled Swift, White- fronted Bee-eater, Mocking Cliff Chat, Bearded Woodpecker, Plain-backed Pipit, Giant Kingfisher, Grey-backed Fiscal, Grey-crested Helmet-Shrike, Brimstone Canary, Cape Teal, Pied Avocet, Black Heron, Goliath Heron, Lesser Flamingo, Maccoa Duck, Great White Pelican,

Common Greenshank, Ruff, Green Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, Hilderbrandt’s Francolin, Arrow-marked Babbler, Black-lored Babbler, African Fish Eagle, Verreaux’s Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Osprey, Hybrid Lovebird, Red-throated Wryneck, Golden-breasted Bunting, Buff-bellied Warbler, Grey Crowned Crane, Black Cuckoo and Hoopoe.
Here we shall also enjoy a boat ride either this afternoon or the following morning. This will help us reach more aquatic species and also enjoy the lake’s beauty.
Night in Naivasha.

DAY 8 AND 9: MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE
Described by many as the top reserve in Kenya, this area will have lots to offer from the Big Five, herds of grazing mammals, to the amazing birdlife. The magical Annual Wildebeest Migration is also a spectacle that has made the area very famous. Birding will likely be busy with several transects across this vast savannah. We shall spend time in the reserve trying the different habitats. Each area will provide a different habitat and we shall be seeking different species on each section of the reserve. Likely species include Southern Ground-Hornbill, Rufous-bellied Heron, Pennant-winged Nightjar, Square-tailed Nightjar, Dusky Nightjar, Schalow’s Turaco, Grey-crested Helmetshrike, Red-necked Spurfowl, Red-winged Francolin, Bare-faced Go-away- bird, Rufous-chested Swallow, Lappet-faced Vulture, Short-toed Snake-Eagle, White-headed Vulture, Ruppell’s Vulture, Secretarybird, Grey Kestrel, Temminck’s Courser, Rosy-breasted Longclaw, Green-capped Eremomela, Black Coucal, African Quailfinch, Kori Bustard, Bush Pipit, White-tailed Lark, Flappet Lark, Singing Bush Lark, Athi Short-toed Lark, Rufous-tailed Weaver, Grey-capped Social Weaver, Karamoja Apalis, Black-backed Cisticola, Long-tailed Cisticola, Pale Wren-Warbler, Usambiro Barbet, Familiar Chat, Sooty Chat, Wattled Plover, Woolly-necked Stork, Saddle-billed Stork and Magpie Shrike.
Nights in the Mara.

DAY 10: MASAI MARA TO NAIROBI
On this day, we shall start with some more birding around Mara. Later we shall drive to Nairobi; with birding on the way. We may stop at a roadside swamp near Nairobi for more waterfowl. We

shall arrive in Nairobi later in the afternoon. We shall then take an airport transfer marking the end to our great tour.

Other wildlife observed during the tour: Leopard, African Lion, Savannah Elephant, Cheetah, White Rhino, Black Rhino, Nile Crocodile, Nile Hippo, Cape Buffalo

Spaces are limited to 10 individuals. Price will be $3,950 per person* double-occupancy. $350 single supplement. Price includes all professional guides, meals, lodging, travel, and ebird lists. It does not include airfare, alcohol, or tips.

 

Please check here for opportunities to join us on our global travels. These tours will be open to 2-4 persons and included lodging, ground transportation, and entry fees. Airfare, food, and any other special needs will not be included.

Recent Trip to Cape Town area of South Africa tallied 206 species over 10 days.

These trips will be a series of day trip from a central hotel targeting local hotspots.

Due to how we will operate these special trip, they will be super affordable and you get one or two great guides with you each day and Beck is a great photographer so those who love to take photos will be right at home joining us. These trips will be somewhat more relaxed but still net lots of great birds and butterflies.