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9-day Namaqualand and Kalahari (Kgalagadi) Tour

We usually recommend this amazing tour, which incorporates some of South Africa’s most remote regions, to birders who have already spent two or three weeks in South Africa and who are now looking for something different (but who cannot resist visiting this splendid country again). This is a tour filled with spectacular avian endemics, Kalahari Lions and other megafauna, and spectacular floral displays (in spring).

This is a birding adventure in which a very large number of localized southern African endemics will be encountered, and big mammals such as Kalahari Lion will be an unavoidable by-product. We start by driving to Springbok in northern Namaqualand without delay. From here, we can bird the endemic-rich, beautiful desert mountains of one of the most famous flower areas on earth (Namaqualand has a huge plant diversity and in spring flower shows are incredibly impressive). In addition, we can also access the desert coast just south of the Namibian border. Then we head inland for some incredibly localized birds inhabiting the region called “Bushmanland”. Then we bird the surroundings of the impressive huge “waterfall in the desert” (Augrabies Falls) and associated gorge before heading for one of Africa’s great game parks, the Kalahari Gemsbok Park - which has recently become part of the HUGE Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park extending far into neighbouring Botswana. This game reserve is on a par with Kruger and Etosha, except more isolated, being set in one of South Africa’s most remote wilderness areas. Not only is this park inhabited by Africa’s charismatic megafauna such as lion and gemsbok (oryx), but it also hosts a lot of endemic birds, many of them spectacular (Crimson-breasted Shrike, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Southern Pied Babbler, Kori Bustard and a real host of others). The national park is a truly phenomenal place for raptors and owls.

For those wanting a shorter trip just to the Kalahari, we recommend our 5-day birding trip there (see below). Our 5-day trip involves flying both ways to Upington, thus greatly reducing the driving time to this remote and sparsely populated corner of South Africa wedged between Namibia and Botswana.

We suggest combining this 9-day trip with a few days of birding around Cape Town to find the very large number of fynbos and Agulhas Plains endemics lurking amongst truly splendid scenery (Cape Fold Mountains, beautiful winelands, white sand beaches, etc.). We also recommend the 8-day Zulu Kingdom Birding Tour, or the 14-day Subtropical South African Birding Tour (time and cost permitting) to make your South African birding experience much more complete.

Day 1: We drive from Cape Town fairly directly to Springbok (about 5 ½ hours’ drive). But, we do stop for lunch at a site in the rugged Cederberg Mountain range where Protea Canary, the most difficult of the Cape fynbos endemics, is almost guaranteed. This is also a good site for several other canary species, the lovely Fairy Flycatcher and many other birds. After the Cederberg, we traverse some flat desert plains where Ludwig’s Bustard, Blue Crane and many other endemics occur. Eventually we reach the stunning mountains of northern Namaqualand around the towns of Kamieskroon and Springbok. We will spend the night in the Goegap Nature Reserve, which will give us free access to this reserve both night and day. Previous night drives here have yielded Double-banded Courser, owls, nightjars and lots of small mammals including AARDVARK. There is always a chance for the rare Cape Eagle Owl. During the day, we will look for a host of exciting endemics such as Karoo Eremomela (very common), Layard’s Tit-babbler, Chat Flycatcher, Namaqua Sandgrouse, Karoo Lark, Dusky Sunbird, Pale Chanting Goshawk, Damara Canary and the skulking Cinnamon-breasted Warbler. This nature reserve is famous for its Namaqualand flower spectacle in August/September (although the timing and extent of the show varies a lot from year to year).

O/N Goegap Nature Reserve or Naries Namakwa Retreat near Springbok.


Day 2: After some early morning birding around Goegap Nature Reserve, we will head for the diamond coast, just south of the Namibian border. Here our target bird is the incredibly localized Barlow’s Lark. But, there is an excellent chance of Lanner Falcon (on nests), Greater Kestrel and many other specials en route to the intriguing coastal village of Port Nolloth, just north of which is the sandy desert (where diamonds are mined) inhabited by Barlow’s Lark. Time permitting, we can visit the oasis of Alexander Bay where the Orange River, which forms the border between South Africa and Namibia. Apart from being a great place for finding Orange River White-eye, we will also find a lot of other species here, which is actually recognized by Ramsar as being a very important waterbird site. We will return to Springbok for the night.

O/N Goegap Nature Reserve or Naries Namakwa Retreat near Springbok.


Day 3: After further fine birding around Springbok, we will head inland for other highly localized endemics – Red Lark, Stark’s Lark, Sclater’s Lark, Black-eared Sparrow-lark, Burchell’s Courser (with luck), Double-banded Courser and others. Before dusk, we will also take a drive due north from Pofadder (where we will spend the night) to the Namibian border for Rosy-faced Lovebird, a really tough bird in South Africa with its stronghold in Namibia. At this site we should also find a lot of other species, including the stunning Swallow-tailed Bee-eater.

O/N Pofadder Hotel.


Day 4: We will have more time for some of the really difficult birds such as Sclater’s Lark and Burchell’s Courser, before eventually heading to the impressive Augrabies Falls. Here, the Orange River - South Africa’s largest river - plunges down an impressive waterfall into a ravine that hosts Black Stork (not always easy to find), cliff-nesting raptors and the endemic Bradfield’s Swift. Namaqua Warbler is abundant in the national park, and Cinnamon-breasted Warbler is possible. Swallow-tailed Bee-eater adds a stunning flash of colour and Scimitar-billed Woodhoopoe lurks. The place is full of all kinds of other small but excellent birds such as Brubru, Cardinal Woodpecker and African Pied Wagtail to name but a few.

O/N Augrabies Falls National Park.


Day 5: After final birding at Augrabies Falls, we head to the Kalahari proper. Here we will spend three days birding amongst the large beasts (such as Kalahari Lion) for a suite of spectacular bird species. The exciting list includes the likes of Crimson-breasted Shrike, Kori Bustard, Red-billed Francolin, Pygmy Falcon, Northern Black Korhaan, Violet-eared Waxbill, Black-cheeked Waxbill, Shaft-tailed Whydah, Southern Ant-eating Chat, Lilac-breasted Roller, Ashy Tit, Kalahari Robin, Marico Flycatcher, White-browed Sparrow-weaver, several sandgrouse species and LOADS of others. The Kalahari is one of the best places in southern Africa for finding owls – and there is a plethora of species. And, it is also one of the best places for raptors, including a number that are rare in other parts of South Africa such as the beautiful Red-necked Falcon. As usual for the western semi-deserts of South Africa, we will also find localized larks such as Fawn-colored Lark and Pink-billed Lark. We will do a night drive.

O/N Twee Rivieren Rest Camp, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.


Day 6: Continued Kalahari birding and optional second night drive.

O/N Nossob Camp, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.


Day 7: Continued Kalahari birding and optional further night drive.

O/N Mata Mata Camp, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.


Day 8: After final Kalahari birding we will depart for Upington, focussing on finding species so far missed. We may find Chat Flycatcher, Spike-heeled Lark, Abdim’s Stork (summer), Karoo Thrush, Red-eyed Bulbul and all sorts of other species. We may visit the sandgrouse hide at Spitskop Nature Reserve especially if recent reports are good. Time permitting, we can visit Witsand Nature Reserve with its striking white sand dunes. We should find species more typical of denser woodland than in the Kalahari itself, including Yellow-billed Hornbill, Lappet-faced Vulture and Monotonous Lark (in late summer). We can either catch a late flight out of Upington to either Cape Town or Johannesburg, or we can spend the night in Upington and fly out the next day.

O/N Upington.


Day 9: Fly from Upington to Cape Town (we can also potentially make the long drive back to Cape Town or to Johannesburg, both of which take a full day, if birders want to save on costs).



Itinerary:

Duration: 9 days

Limit: 4-12

Date: September 2009

Start: Cape Town

End: Cape Town

Price: TBA

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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