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This is a tour for those who want the ultimate African mammal safari experience while also seeing a huge diversity of birds, a disproportional number of these birds being very brightly colored, charismatic and spectacular, with some strategic Drakensberg endemics and incredibly rare raptors being thrown in.
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Southern Ground-Hornbill Photo: Mike Bayman |
This tour should yield elephant, lion, loads of antelope species, crocodile and all the other megafauna that sub-Saharan Africa is famous for, as well as multiple species of bee-eater, roller, kingfisher, cuckoo, hornbill, eagle (including Bateleur), vulture, owl, turaco, seed-eater, stork, and a myriad others. The Kruger National Park boasts 450 bird species! We also target the phenomenally rare Taita Falcon and Cape Parrot, Black-fronted Bush Shrike, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, the magnificent Blue Swallow and many other localized species occurring along the forested Great Escarpment west of the dryer Kruger National Park lowlands.
Day 1: International flight arrives in Johannesburg. We will spend our first night at Kwa Ndaba Game Lodge (approx. 1.5 hours’ drive from the airport), where we will immediately be overwhelmed by an incredibly rich assemblage of Kalahari bird species, quite a lot of them extremely spectacular. The list includes the likes of Northern Black Korhaan, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Southern Pied Babbler, Violet-eared Waxbill, Black-cheeked Waxbill, White-browed Sparrow-weaver, Red-billed Buffalo Weaver, Scaly-feathered Finch, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater and other bee-eaters, Kalahari Robin and a host of others.
O/N Kwandaba Game Lodge.
Day 2: After continued early morning birding, we will continue driving northwards. We will stop at Polokwane Game Reserve for the very localized Short-clawed Lark (picking up other new species as a by-product). In years of good rainfall, it may also be worth stopping at the remarkable Nyl River Floodplain. Occasionally (when flooded), this wetland hosts huge numbers of breeding tropical waterbirds, and this area as a whole supports a staggering 400 bird species! We also recommend a visit to a cliff breeding colony of Cape Vultures which also hosts the only known Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture (1-2 individuals) outside of East Africa! But for this we recommend adding one night to this itinerary. After a stunning day of birding, we eventually reach Tshipise or similar lodge where we will spend the night. Our lodge is well poised for visiting a huge hollow baobab tree where thousands of the rare Mottled Spinetail roost, so we plan to be at this tree before dusk for the spectacle.
Day 3: We start early with a picnic breakfast, heading for the nearby extreme northern part of the Kruger National Park (the Pafuri area) where Bohm’s Spinetail, Meve’s Starling, White-crowned Plover, Arnot’s Chat and many others lurk. Occasionally, Racket-tailed Roller occur alongside the more common roller species (European, Purple and Lilac-breasted).
O/N Pafuri River Camp (low budget), or Pafuri Lodge (quite luxurious) or Punda Maria Rest Camp, Kruger National Park.
Day 4: Continue birding the very exciting extreme north of Kruger, seeing lots of big (and small) mammals as a by-product.
O/N Punda Maria or Shingwedzi Rest Camp, Kruger National Park.
Day 5: Travel southwards in Kruger, eventually reaching the extremely pleasant (green and shaded) Letaba Rest Camp where we will spend the night. As we travel southwards, the birdlife changes. Specials of the central region of the park where we now find ourselves include African Mourning Dove, Bennett’s Woodpecker and lots more.
O/N Letaba Rest Camp, Kruger National Park.
Day 6: After a final morning of birding in Kruger, we head westwards for the forested escarpment. Here we will bird the marvelous Woodbush Forest, which is inhabited by a critically endangered Yellowwood Forest specialist - Cape Parrot. There are only about 1000 individuals of this fine parrot left on earth, and all of them are in South Africa. This sprawling mountain forest also supports other localized species such as Orange Ground Thrush (we have an interesting method for finding this species), Black-fronted Bush-shrike, Yellow-streaked Greenbul and more. The rare and beautiful Blue Swallow breeds in this area in summer.
O/N Kurisa Moya Nature Lodge, Magoesbaskloof.
Day 7: We will bird the Woodbush area for the entire day.
O/N Kurisa Moya Nature Lodge, Magoesbaskloof.
Day 8: After completing Woodbush birding, we will head for the Abel Erasmus Pass to seek TAITA FALCON. This was only recently discovered as a breeding bird in South Africa, but this site is now probably the most reliable place on earth to find this small but very powerful and very fast falcon. As usual, we may find all sorts of other birds, such as Mocking Cliff Chat, Lanner Falcon, Cape Griffon Vulture, etc. Then we will head for the Dullstroom area. Yellow-breasted Pipit, Gurney’s Sugarbird, Denham’s Bustard, Secretarybird, Eastern Long-billed Lark, Bald Ibis, occasionally Wattled Crane, Black Harrier and other spectacular and localized birds can often be found quartering the green rolling hills around Dulstroom.
O/N Dullstroom.
Day 9: After early morning birding in the lovely Dullstroom area (South Africa’s trout fishing mecca), we depart for Johannesburg for our international flight home.
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Itinerary:
Duration: 9 days
Limit: 4-12
Date: By request
Start: Johannesburg
End: Johannesburg
Price: Approximately R21150 depending on group size and other factors
Price_Includes:
Meals
Accommodation
Entrance fees
Guiding fees
All transport while on tour
Price_Excludes:
International flights
Personal Insurance
Alcoholic Beverages
Gratuities
Laundry Service
Personal expenses such as gifts
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