| South African Birding
Tour |
| A comprehensive 17 day birding tour of Southern
Africa taking in the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Lesotho, Mpumalanga,
Gauteng and Limpopo Province. Experience a staggering variety
of habitat including the unique Cape Fynbos, the succulent Karoo,
the Drakensberg wilderness and a wonderful diversity of lagoon,
estuary, marsh, grassland, pan and bushveld - plus a pelagic
off Cape Town. Target over 500 birds including 135 Southern
African endemics.
BirdWatch Cape acts as agent only
for this tour and not as principal
operator. The optimum time for this
trip is October/November. Any time
September – February is suitable. |
| Price available on request |
| The price is inclusive
of all entrance fees, meals and accommodation
with the exception of the evening
meal when on your own in Cape Town
or Simonstown at the start of the
trip. |
Conditions of payment – 10%
deposit to secure the booking with the balance payable six
weeks before tour departure. (four weeks for small groups)
Payment by Bank Transfer. Credit Card facility available for
groups of five or fewer.
The tour can be can be customised
to meet your specific needs. We
have included a number of cultural
breaks and these may be substituted
with additional birding. We can
also, within limitations, shorten
or lengthen the trip. |
Cape Gannet
Photograph Ria Grant |
 Day 1
Arrive Cape Town International Airport and transfer to your Simonstown accommodation. We spend the rest of the day on the southern peninsula - Kommetjie for all the marine cormorants; Cape Point Nature Reserve and Lighthouse and the African Penguin breeding colony at Boulders Beach. Overnight Central Hotel, Simonstown. |
Top Birds - Bank, Cape and Crowned Cormorant, Cape Gannet, African Penguin, African Black Oystercatcher |
| Day 2
Pelagic day. Our pelagic trip to the continental shelf approximately
25 nautical miles south of Cape Point should yield 20 + species.
We depart Simonstown at 07H00 and return about 15H30. Overnight Central Hotel, Simonstown.
Top Birds – dependant upon the time of year
but count on a variety of Albatross, Petrel, Shearwater, Skua
and Gull
|
Day 3
Today we focus on some of the Cape Mountain Fynbos endemics including the much sought after Cape Rock-jumper. We spend time at Sir Lowry's Pass and Rooi Els. Our afternoon is spent at Strandfontein Treatment Works - one of the most important wetlands in South Africa. Overnight Breakwater Lodge or Waterfront City Lodge. |
Cape Rock-jumper
Photograph courtesy Nicol Mutch, Scotland |
Top Birds - Cape Rock-jumper, Cape Sugarbird, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Victorin's Warbler, Cape Siskin, Cape Rock Thrush, Cape Grassbird |
| Day 4
An early morning visit to the Constantia Greenbelt and then
a few hours at Kirstenbosch Botanical gardens - one of the
world’s leading indigenous gardens on the eastern slopes
of Table Mountain. Later in the day, and weather permitting,
we enjoy a cable car ascent of Table Mountain. In the afternoon
we visit Robben Island in Table Bay - former prison home of
Nelson Mandela. Overnight Breakwater Lodge or Waterfront City Lodge.
Top Birds - Knysna Warbler, Southern Boubou, Cape
Batis
|
Day
5
A day at the West Coast National Park approximately 80 km
north of Cape Town. This park was established for the preservation
of our unique strandveld which supports some of the Karoo
bird specials. The Park encircles the Langebaan Lagoon which
in summer hosts the largest number of migrant waders in South
Africa. Overnight Riviera Hotel on the banks of the Berg River
- a simple though comfortable country hotel with en suit facilities.
Top Birds - Black Harrier, Southern Black Korhaan,
Grey-winged Francolin, Fiscal Flycatcher, Grey Tit, Cape Penduline-tit,
White-throated Canary, Larklike Bunting
|
| Day 6
We leave some time today to fill the gaps in our Western Cape
list before heading eastwards for the mountains shielding
the Tanqua Karoo. Overnight The Village Guest House, Ceres.
Top Birds - Cape Long-billed Lark, Sickle-winged
Chat, Chestnut-banded Plover |
Spotted Thickknee
Photograph Ria Grant |
Day 7
Today we begin our drive northward into the Tanqua Karoo - a remote area of semi desert with stark, geologically interesting landscapes. Of the species seen in the Tanqua about 35 will be Southern African endemics. Overnight The Village Guest House.
Top Birds - Karoo Korhaan, Ludwig's Bustard, Karoo Lark, Rufous-eared Warbler, Tractrac Chat, Ground Woodpecker, Black-headed Canary, Namaqua Sandgrouse |
|
| Day 8
Our final day in the Western Cape is spent in the Tanqua as
we head slowly back toward Cape Town. We overnight in a Western Cape hotel - accommodation well placed for the airport.
Top Birds - Cinnamon-breasted Warbler, Fairy Flycatcher,
Pririt Batis, Acacia Pied Barbet, Karoo Eremomela
|
Day
9
Fly to Durban. On arrival we drive to the Drakensberg foothills. Late afternoon birding around
Creighton may produce Broad-tailed Warbler and Black-rumped
Buttonquail. Overnight in Creighton.
Top Birds - Blue Crane, Cape Longclaw, Southern Grey-headed
Sparrow, Broad-tailed Warbler and Black-rumped Buttonquail
|
| Day 10
A 4x4 ascent of the ruggedly beautiful Sani Pass. Not only
is the scenery magnificent, the birds are special as well
– a nice complement to your Cape Mountain birding. Overnight in Creighton.
Top Birds - Drakensberg Siskin, Drakensberg Rock-jumper,
Gurney's Sugarbird, Bush Blackcap, Sentinel Rock Thrush, Barratt's
Warbler, Mountain Pipit, Cape Vulture
|
Day
11
Weather permitting, a pre-dawn vehicle ascent of Hlabeni Mountain
arriving in time to pick up some of the highly threatened
Cape Parrots as they leave on their daily foraging route to
the surrounding areas. Overnight at the Eshowe B&B.
Top Birds - Cape Parrot, Forest Buzzard, Red-necked
Francolin, Greater Double-collared Sunbird, Forest Canary
|
| Day 12
We spend the earlier part of the morning birding the Dlinza
Forest -rich in specials with the only canopy walkway in the
country. Later we visit the coastal town of Mtunzini to look
for the Palm-nut Vulture.
| A visit to a large nearby wetland may give us Lesser Jacana and African Pygmy Goose. Our day’s birding ends at the town of St Lucia. We overnight at the St Lucia Wetlands B&B . |
Cape Batis
Photograph courtesy Cape Bird Club |
Top Birds - Chorister Robin-chat, Spotted Ground
Thrush, Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon, Lesser Jacana, African
Pygmy Goose, Palm-nut Vulture, Black-throated Wattle-eye
|
Day
13
A pre-breakfast walk along the Gwalagwala Forest Trail will
provide a variety of avian delights. After breakfast, on the
road to Cape Vidal, we look for the elusive Southern Banded
Snake-Eagle. Our destination this evening is Bonamanzi Game
Farm where we will overnight.
Top Birds – Livingstone’s Turaco, Woodward’s
Batis, Brown Scrub-robin, Red-capped Robin-chat, Southern
Banded Snake-eagle, Rudd's Apalis
|
Day 14
Today we pay a visit to Mkhuze Game Reserve - arguably South Africa’s premier birding destination that also supports a wide mammal variety. We return to Bonamanzi for a late dinner.
Top Birds - Natal Spurfowl, Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, Neergaard's Sunbird, Pink-throated Twinspot |
Lilac-breasted Roller
Photograph Ria Grant |
|
Day
15
Dawn finds us waiting for African Broadbill to start its remarkable
buzzing display activity. Later (and weather permitting) we’ll
take a drive to the Hluhluwe River floodplain to look for
Rosy-throated Longclaw.
After some final birding at Bonamanzi we set off on a five hour drive to our overnight stop at Wakkerstroom in the highlands of Mpumalanga. Overnight Wakkerstroom Country Inn.
Top Birds - African Broadbill, Lemon-breasted Canary,
Burchell's Coucal, White-throated Robin-chat, Rosy-throated
Longclaw, Gorgeous Bush-shrike, Green Malkoha
|
| Day 16
The morning is spent birding in the moist grasslands around
Wakkerstroom. Later that afternoon we bird the broad-leafed
woodland north of Tshwane Metropole (Pretoria) before arriving
at our last overnight stop. Overnight KwaNdaba Lodge.
Top Birds - Blue Korhaan, Rudd’s Lark, Eastern
Long-billed Lark, Spike-heeled Lark, Botha’s Lark, Pale-crowned
Cisticola, Yellow-breasted Pipit
|
Day
17
The main attraction today is the Acacia veld of the Pienaar’s
River floodplain. A dawn departure gives us a good chance
of finding some of the striking Acacia specials. From here,
sadly, we head southwards to Johannesburg International Airport
for your evening flight home.
Top Birds – Northern Black Korhaan, Ashy Tit,
Southern Pied Babbler, Karoo Thrush, Kalahari Scrub-robin,
Barred Wren-Warbler, Black-chested Prinia, Marico Flycatcher,
Crimson-breasted Shrike, Southern White-crowned Shrike, Scaly-feathered
Finch, Violet-eared Waxbill and Shaft-tailed Whydah |
 |
Contact Us:
+27 (0)72 635 1501 (Chris)
+27 (0)82 880 7093 (Mark)
+27 (0)72 211 9863 (Nadia)
Fax: +27 (0)21 592 7438 |
|
PO
Box 215
Newlands
7725
South Africa
e-mail us:
info@birdwatch.co.za
|
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© 2008-20010 BirdWatch Cape. All Rights Reserved. |
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