South Africa boasts the highest total of endemic bird species of any African country. In addition, a rich seabird assemblage and large numbers of more widespread, yet no less spectacular, African birds and large mammals occur. Add to this the rich botanical heritage and scenic splendor of Africa’s most varied country, fine food and wines, comfortable accommodations, first-world infrastructure and superb value for money. It’s not hard to see why this is our biggest selling destination!
As South Africa is our backyard and our team of guides are some of the country’s most experienced birders, we have specially designed several different tours to maximize various aspects of our magnificent country.
Most popular is the combination of our two-week Eastern South Africa tour and six-day Cape Extension. Eastern South Africa offers the classic African savanna of the world-renowned Kruger National Park (we also stay at an adjoining exclusive private game reserve), the teeming Zululand game parks, the endemic-rich mist-belt forests and grasslands of the Natal Midlands and the lofty peaks of the magnificent Drakensberg. Target birds include Southern Bald Ibis, Bearded Vulture, the rare Taita Falcon, Blue and Wattled Crane, Barrow’s and Blue Korhaan, Pel’s Fishing Owl, Ground Woodpecker, Rudd’s and Botha’s Lark, the endangered Blue Swallow, Spotted Ground Thrush, Drakensberg Rockjumper, Gurney’s Sugarbird and the lovely Pink-throated Twinspot. Our chances of achieving the classic ‘Big Five’ (Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Buffalo and Rhino) are excellent and less common mammals on the route include African Wild Dog, Cheetah, the endemic Black Wildebeest and even Aardvark.
The Mother City, Cape Town, widely considered one of the world’s most beautiful cities, is our axis for exploring the breathtaking Cape Peninsula, the succulent Tanqua-Karoo, flower-laden West Coast and teeming offshore pelagic waters. Cape targets include the comical Jackass Penguin, Black Harrier, Ludwig’s Bustard, the elusive Cinnamon-breasted Warbler, attractive Victorin’s Warbler, stunning Orange-breasted Sunbird and Cape Sugarbird. The last two mentioned species belong to families entirely endemic to southern Africa. These combined tours produce up to an incredible 500 bird and 50 mammal species.
Our Cape Wildflowers and Birding tour is scheduled to take in the very best of the Fairest Cape, at a time when the Cape Fynbos biome and Namaqualand Spring flowers are at their peak. This wildflower display is one of the Mother Nature’s most colorful ceremonies and a once-in-a-lifetime event that no nature-lover should miss. Whilst we are in the region, we will explore the Mother City, enjoy the breath-taking revolving cable-car trip to the top of Table Mountain, visit famous wine estates, revel at Southern Right Whales frolicking just off the coast, seek out-of-the-way endemic birds in the plains of Bushmanland and safari in the famous Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park. Here the huge blond-maned Kalahari Lions hunt Gemsbok and other big game, and chances for the seldom seen Brown Hyena are better than anywhere else.
The Best of the West, Cape Town to Windhoek tour is a two-week adventure that can be taken in conjunction with our overland Namibia, Botswana and Zambia tour. Besides covering much of the same ground as our Wildflowers and Birding tour, we also include a pelagic birding trip off the Cape and the endless plains of southern Namibia and the Great Fish River Canyon, one of the world’s deepest and largest gorges.
Our South African Mega-Birding Tour is the ultimate South African adventure. We visit every far-flung corner of our beautiful land and target all 146 regionally endemic bird species! From Barlow’s Lark in Port Nolloth to Black-rumped (Hottentot) Buttonquail at Cape Point and Short-clawed Lark near Polokwane, we will traverse deserts, Fynbos, high mountain passes, tropical dune forests and prime Acacia savanna. In the course of this 24-day tour, we can expect to amass a huge bird list, observe scores of mammal and herp species and intimately get to know one of the world’s most spectacular countries.
Tour details:
South African Endemics Mega-Birding Tour I: 24 September-17 October (24 days)
South African Endemics Mega-Birding Tour II: 27 September-20 October (24 days).
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
US$ 4,950 per person, US$ 420 single supplement.
The traveler has the option to share accommodation with another participant, if available, in which case the single supplement will no longer apply.
Also see tour packages in:
Africa
South Africa
Birdwatching
Wildlife Viewing
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