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ENDEMIC TOUR2 Namibia Like our South African endemics tour, our Namibian one also sacrifices some areas that are extremely rich overall but without endemics. On our endemics tours, we focus on almost cleaning up on endemics, not birds that can be found in other African countries. Namibia shares a host of exciting endemics with Angola, and these are the birds we focus on finding during this 11-day tour. We start at Daan Viljoen Game Reserve just outside of Windhoek, then go to the Waterberg Plateau National Park, both reserves harbouring exciting specials such as Ruppell’s Parrot, Rosy-faced Lovebird, Rockrunner, Hartlaub’s Spurfowl and many others. Then we head to the great Etosha National Park for a couple of days, where we look for coursers, larks, Pygmy Falcon, Sociable Weaver, Black-faced Babbler, Bare-cheeked Babbler, Violet Woodhoopoe, Damara Hornbill, Crimson-breasted Shrike and as always lots more. Next, we embark on an exciting journey to the Angolan border for the super-localized and rare Cinderella Waxbill, Rufous-tailed Palm-thrush and others, before driving southwards along the endemic-rich Namib Escarpment. We bird such famed sites as the Spitzkoppe (for Herero Chat and several others) and the Erongo Wilderness, before ending the trip on the desert coast at Walvis Bay. Here, we should find Damara Tern, a plethora of shorebirds including localized species such as Chestnut-banded Plover, Namibia’s only true endemic, Dune Lark as well as Gray’s Lark. This trip can be combined with the South Africa Endemic Tour. Itinerary Day 1: Windhoek Day 2: Waterberg Pleateau Day 3: Mokuti Lodge Day 4: Kunene River Lodge Day 5: Kunene River Lodge Day 6: Hobatere Game Reserve Day 7: Uis Day 8: Erongo Wilderness Lodge Day 9: Spitzkoppe Day 10: Walvis Bay Day 11: flight leaves Walvis Bay
Day 1: Flight arrives in Windhoek. O/N Daan Viljoen Game Reserve, where we have a chance of seeing our first Namibian specials, such as ROCKRUNNER, MONTEIRO’S HORNBILL, SHORT-TOED ROCK-THRUSH, etc. Day 2: Drive to the beautiful Waterberg Plateau National Park which is one of the prime sites for RUPPELL’S PARROT and HARTLAUB’S SPURFOWL, but also hosts a suite of other exciting specials such as BRADFIELD’S SWIFT, AUGUR BUZZARD, DAMARA HORNBILL, ROSY-FACED LOVEBIRD and many others. BLACK MONGOOSE, DAMARA DIK-DIK and other special mammals can also usually be found.
Day 3: We spend a night at Mokuti Lodge bordering on Etosha. This is one of the best sites for BLACK-FACED BABBLER. We will also have a little time for birding inside Etosha National Park, where we will look for specials such as BURCHELL’S SANDGROUSE and CHESTNUT WEAVER (nomadic and unpredictable but usually present in late summer). O/N Mokuti Lodge
Day 4: We drive through Etosha, exiting the northern gate before traversing Namibia’s most densely-populated region lying between Etosha and Angola. Eventually, we leave all the people behind and go to an incredibly remote part of Namibia west of Ruacana. Here at the Kunene River Lodge, RUFOUS-TAILED PALM-THRUSH breeds right next to the chalets, CINDERELLA WAXBILL sometimes feeds in the lodge grounds and GREY KESTREL usually puts in an appearance. While eating dinner at the lodge, we have seen BAT HAWK hunting at dusk. MADAGASCAR BEE-EATER is another special common in this area. O/N Kunene River Lodge
Day 5: A full day birding the exciting Kunene River Valley. O/N Kunene River Lodge
Day 6: We drive due south to Hobatere Game Reserve which borders on Etosha, and straddles the Nambian Escarpment. This is a great place to find VIOLET WOODHOOPOE, BARE-CHEEKED BABBLER, ORANGE RIVER FRANCOLIN, HARTLAUB’S SPURFOWL and many other localised birds. It’s a fantastic place for owls, such as GIANT EAGLE OWL, SOUTHERN WHITE-FACED SCOPS OWL AND AFRICAN SCOPS OWLET. O/N Hobatere Game Reserve Day 7: Driving southwards, we look for BENGUELLA LONG-BILLED LARK around Namibia’s highest mountain. We also have our first chances at birds such as BURCHELL’S COURSER, DOUBLE-BANDED COURSER, NAMAQUA SANDGROUSE, GRAY’S LARK, RUPPELL’S KORHAAN and other Namib denizens. O/N Uis Day 8: Getting deeper into the Namib Desert with its imposing mountains, we find that WHITE-TAILED SHRIKE and MONTEIRO’S HORNBILL become common, along with some of the other Namibia/Angola endemics we may have previously missed. O/N Erongo Wilderness Lodge (or Spitzkoppe if group size is small)
Day 9: Final birding the fabulous Erongo Mountains before heading for the Spitzkoppe,”the Matterhorn of Namibia”, which is an imposing batholith rising straight out of the desert plain. This is the best place to find HERERO CHAT, and some of the Namib plains species such as GRAY’S LARK and BURCHELL’S COURSER are also sometimes present a little away from the slopes. STARK’S LARK and KAROO LONG-BILLED LARK can usually be located. In late summer during years of good rainfall, CHESTNUT WEAVER and MONOTONOUS LARK can be prevalent. Eventually, we head for the coast, where we spend two nights in Walvis Bay.
Day 10: We look for Namibia’s only true endemic, DUNE LARK, near Walvis Bay. At Swakopmund, we search for GRAY’S LARK. Estuary-associated birds include DAMARA TERN, CHESTNUT-BANDED PLOVER, both FLAMINGO species, and a host of waders. O/N Walvis Bay again. Day 11: Final birding before flight leaves Walvis Bay
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Itinerary: Duration: 11 days Limit: 4-12 Date: 12-22 September 2009, 2010, 2011 Start: Windhoek Depart: Walvis Bay Price: TBA Price_Includes: Meals Accommodation Park entrance fees Guiding fees All transport while in southern Africa Price_Excludes: International flights Personal Insurance Alcoholic Beverages Gratuities Laundry Service Personal expenses such as gifts
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© 2008-2010 Birding Ecotours · www.birdingecotours.co.za was updated March 2010 |
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