Eastern
South Africa: Birds and Beasts
October 11 - 26, 2015
16 days / 15 nights ZAR 43,980 FULL!
See detailed itinerary below.
Western Cape Pre-trip Extension
October 4 - 10, 2015
7 days / 6 nights ZAR 17,970 Just 2 spots left!
Click HERE for details. (Can be combined with our Namibia tour)
Drakensberg Plateau Post-trip Extension (including Lesotho)
October 26 - 29, 2015
4 days / 3 nights ZAR 9,530
Click HERE for details.
All prices are in South African Rand, subject to change depending on exchange rate at the time of payment.
Experience AFRICA!
The Eastern Seaboard of South Africa offers some of the best birding in all of Africa and on this tour we will sample some of the diversity that makes this part of the country essential to any birder’s travels. In addition to being home to over 750 bird species, the region offers magnificent landscapes, modern infrastructure and the full big game experience - a birder and wildlife lover's dream trip with comfort and convenience. Typically we could expect a birdlist in the region of 400 birds, sprinkled with a good number of endemics and unbelievable game viewing.
**You will need to arrive a day early to stage for the first day of the tour. You should depart from the US on October 9 in order to arrive in Johannesburg on October 10. You may stay at any hotel you like on the night of the 10th, but we will make arrangements for your first night in Johannesburg if desired (expenses on Oct. 10 not included in the tour price).
Day 1 (Oct. 11)
Our first day starts in the City of Johannesburg, where you would have arrived the previous day from various International destinations or from the Cape pre-trip extension. After a short meet and greet we’ll get all the luggage in the vehicles and head straight to our first destination, the Rust-de-Winter area and more specifically Zaagkuilsdrift Road, an area very popular with local birders. We can expect a good selection of typical bushveld species but the real drawcard here is a whole host of species more typical of the dry west, which are pretty much at the edge of their range here. Highlights to look for include the spectacular Crimson-breasted Shrike, always a crowd favorite, as well as species like Violet-eared Waxbill, Kalahari Scrub-Robin, White-throated Robin-Chat, Marico Flycatcher, Southern Pied Babbler, Great Sparrow, Ashy Tit and many more. Further along this road we’ll come to another top birding spot, Kgomo-Kgomo Floodplain. For a couple of weeks in years of good rainfall this place comes alive and arguably offers some of the most spectacular birding in the country. Even when there is not much water around there is always some rewarding birding to be had. During drier spells there is usually quite a spectacle with hundreds of Black-winged Pratincoles filling the sky, Temminck’s Courser can be plentiful at times and an added cast made up of Chestnut-backed Sparrowlarks and Shaft-tailed Whydahs. On occasion, a Harrier or two complete the picture. We will overnight in the general area and most lodges offer some excellent birding on their grounds.
Overnight TBA (BLD)
Day 2 (Oct 12)
After some early morning birding we head further north, arriving in the town of Polokwane around lunch time. A short stop at the Polokwane Game Reserve should hopefully net us the Southern African endemic, Short-clawed Lark. From here a quick stop in Tzaneen for Pied Mannikin and, time permitting, even a short visit to the nearby stakeout for Bat Hawk. We continue to our destination in the Magoebaskloof were we will have our first taste of forest birding. Species to look for include Knysna Turaco, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, White-starred Robin, Gorgeous and Black-fronted Bush-Shrikes, Swee Waxbill and, with luck, we could even find African Wood-Owl after dinner.
O/N Magoebaskloof (BLD)
Day 3 (Oct 13)
We’ll start the day with some more forest birding and if we missed Short-clawed Lark the previous day we might even pop in at another stakeout nearby where we also have a good chance of finding the elusive Shelley’s Francolin. We continue our journey towards the historic mining village of Pilgrim’s Rest, where we will stay at Mount Sheba, a superb spot that will offer us some more Afromontane forest to bird. This is one of the best sites in the country for Orange Ground-Thrush. Forest birding can be hard work but often the reward is worth its weight in gold, with tantalizing species such as Cape Batis, Yellow-throated Woodland-Warbler, Olive Bush-Shrike, Lemon Dove and African Emerald Cuckoo waiting to be found. Birding the surrounding grasslands can be equally rewarding and here we’ll hope to find Wing-snapping Cisticola, Denham’s Bustard and possibly even Secretarybird. The scrub and Protea-dotted slopes hold Gurney’s Sugarbird, Wailing Cisticola and Buff-streaked Chat.
O/N Mount Sheba (BLD)
Day 4 (Oct 14)
After some more birding around the magnificent Mount Sheba, we head for the savannahs of the famous Kruger National Park with the odd birding stops and lunch break en-route. We could possibly also make a slight detour to a rugged cliff face on the side of the escarpment that used to be the best spot in Africa to see the rare Taita Falcon. A pair of these rare falcons used to breed here annually but it seems that one of the pair might have perished and sightings, while still possible, are now far more irregular. Cape Vulture is also common here. Another option is a quick drive into the Blyde Canyon where we often find Half-collared Kingfisher, African Finfoot and, if we are very lucky, Thick-billed Cuckoo. Once we enter the park proper our focus, while still on birds, will also divert a bit to the possibility of sightings of any of the Big 5.
O/N Kruger National Park (BLD)
Day 5 (Oct 15)
The rich bushveld of the Kruger National Park offers very rewarding birding and we will use every opportunity today to explore as much of the area as possible. The possibility of the ‘Big 5’ (Lion, Leopard, African Buffalo, African Elephant and Rhinoceros) ever present, of course we’ll also encounter a whole host of other exciting mammals which may include the likes of Cheetah, African Wild Dog, Hippopotamus, Giraffe, Warthog, Greater Kudu and many more. Of special interest here are some of the larger terrestrial birds as well as birds of prey that are difficult or nearly impossible to find reliably outside protected areas such as Kruger. These include Kori Bustard, Southern Ground Hornbill, Martial Eagle, Bateleur, Lappet-faced Vulture, Secretarybird and Saddle-billed Stork. Other typical bushveld birds that we will encounter are Southern Yellow-billed and Southern Red-billed Hornbills, Southern White-crowned Shrike, Red-billed and Yellow-billed Oxpeckers, Brown-headed Parrot, Purple-crested Turaco, Crested and Swainson’s Francolin, White-crowned Lapwing, Grey-headed Bushshrike, Lilac-breasted Roller and African Mourning Dove, among others. At our camp for the night there is the possibility of an optional night drive and we highly recommend taking at least one of these during the trip. Several nocturnal mammals such as Serval, African Civet, Aardvark, Small and Large Spotted Genets and African Wild Cat are possible as well as some nocturnal or crepuscular birds such as Spotted and Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Square-tailed Nightjar and Bronze-winged Courser.
O/N Kruger National Park (BLD)
Day 6 (Oct 16)
Our final full day in Kruger would have arrived all too soon for some but we intend to make the best of the time we have left and will concentrate on slightly different habitats today with the focus on areas of open grassland, waterholes and broad-leaved woodland hosting species such as African Cuckoo-Hawk, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Green-capped Eremomela, Bennet’s Woodpecker and even Bushveld Pipit. The damp depressions around streams sometimes yield Black Coucal and in season the odd Corncrake. This area is particularly good for the elusive Black Rhino and Lichtenstein’s Hartebeest.
O/N Kruger National Park (BLD)
Day 7 (Oct 17)
We have a fairly long but scenic drive from the Kruger National Park, where we will do a last bit of birding before breakfast, to the small hamlet of Wakkerstroom, which stands in stark contrast to the habitats we’ve visited thus far. Wakkerstroom in situated on the Highveld plateau dominated by rolling hills and upland grassland. Several special birds occur here, with a good number of them being endemic and difficult to find elsewhere. We should arrive in time for some afternoon birding and usually our first port of call is the marsh just on the outskirts of town where we have a good chance of finding skulkers like Little Rush Warbler, African Rail and even a Red-chested Flufftail if we are very lucky. More common species include African Purple Swamphen, Purple Heron, Cape Shoveller, Cape Weaver and we often find Grey-crowned Cranes roosting here in the late afternoons.
O/N Wetlands Guest House or similar in Wakkerstroom (BLD)
Day 8 (Oct 18)
After an early morning coffee we head out in search of Wakkerstroom’s two very special and endemic Larks, Rudd’s and Botha’s, the former critically endangered. In our search for these two dowdy denizens of the grasslands we’ll also be on the lookout for their more common cousins, Eastern Clapper, Eastern Long-billed, Pink-billed and Red-capped Larks. Wakkerstroom isn’t just about LBJ’s, though - Yellow-breasted Pipit, Blue Korhaan and Cape Canary will add a subtle touch of color and in the village the striking Bokmakierie is usually an easy find alongside the peculiar Red-throated Wryneck. We’ll also visit a local sit in search of White-bellied Korhaan, Denham’s Bustard and at another spot we’ll look for the enigmatic African Rock Pipit and Buff-streaked Chat. Some of the other birds that we might encounter include Bald Ibis, Jackal Buzzard, African Pied Starling, Cape Crow, Sentinel Rock-Thrush, Grey-winged and Red-winged Francolins and the ‘often-heard-but-rarely-seen’ African Quail-Finch.
O/N Wetlands Guest House or similar (BLD)
Day 9 (Oct 19)
A quick spot of birding in the morning for birds we might have dipped on the previous day before we pack the vans and continue our journey south, this time to one of Kwazulu-Natal’s premier birding spots, Mkuze Game Reserve. We should arrive in the park mid- to late afternoon and after checking in we’ll waste no time finding some of the spectacular birds that call this remarkable area home. We'll drive down to the Sand Forest, a dry and localized type of forest that is home to several spectacular species such a Pink-throated Twinspot, Four-coloured Bushshrike, Neergaard’s Sunbird, Crested Guineafowl and Rudd’s Apalis, before we head back to camp.
O/N Mkhuze Game Reserve (BLD)
Day 10 (Oct 20)
We have a full day ahead to explore the incredible diversity of Mkhuze, not just birds but also a whole host of fascinating mammals, from one of Africa’s smallest antelope, the Suni, to the largest mammals, the African Elephant. African Wild Dog sighting is a very real possibility as is sighting of Cheetah and even Serval. Although the mammals will have our attention at time, we will continue to watch for interesting birds such as Black-bellied Bustard, Senegal Lapwing, several Vulture species, Martial Eagle, White-crested Helmetshrike, Grey Penduline Tit. At one of the large wetlands, species such as Pink-backed and Great White Pelican, African Openbill, Yellow-billed Stork, Goliath Heron and Whiskered Tern are possible. Several good hides are situated in the park, mostly overlooking waterholes, and we will take some time to enjoy these spots which often produce some of the most memorable moments of the trip.
O/N Mkhuze Game Reserve (BLD)
Day 11 (Oct 21)
We’ll spend the morning birding in camp where birding can be top-notch. We often find birds such as Red-fronted Tinkerbird, Eastern Bearded Scrub-Robin, Green Twinspot, Eastern Nicator and Purple-crested Turaco in camp. After breakfast we’ll head out and exit the park’s eastern gate which will enable us to stop at several pans (natural, shallow and often ephemeral water bodies, usually with no in- or out flow) en route, where we will search for African Pygmy Goose, Lesser Jacana and Black Heron. Lizard Buzzard and several other species of raptor are often encountered on this road. We’ll arrive in St.Lucia mid-afternoon, in time to head down to the estuary mouth for a rare taste of shore birding. Several Tern species should be present; for the last few seasons a Sooty Tern has been regular at the Tern roost.
O/N St.Lucia Wetlands or Kingfisher Lodge (BLD)
Day 12 (Oct 22)
An early morning departure will see us at the gates of the Isimangaliso Wetland Park (Eastern Shores section) in time for a truly magnificent day’s birding. Various habitats straddle this section of the park, from coastal dune forest, wetlands and moist coastal grasslands to exotic plantations at Cape Vidal. Several good hides have been built over the last few years and we’ll spend some time at these, ticking off several wader species as well as possible African Pygmy Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Heron and a number of duck species. At Mission Rocks we’ll search for Woodward’s Batis, Brown Scrub-Robin and Livingstone’s Turaco and sometimes we encounter Southern Banded Snake-Eagle here. Cape Vidal itself is usually good for Green Twinspot, Grey Waxbill, Green Malkoha, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher and Black-throated Wattle-eye. We also have the chance of encountering Samango Monkeys here alongside their more common cousins the Vervet Monkeys - just be sure to watch them closely while we enjoy our packed picnic lunch here or they will help themselves to a portion! The drive back to town will have slightly fewer birding stops but we’ll keep our eyes peeled for specials such as African Crowned Eagle, Yellow-throated Longclaw, African Cuckoo-Hawk, Collared Pratincole and Croaking Cisticola.
O/N St. Lucia Wetlands or Kingfisher Lodge (BLD)
Day 13 (Oct 23)
We’ll bird the well known Gwala Gwala trail at the edge of town before breakfast. Here we often encounter birds such as Lemon Dove, Livingstone’s Turaco, Olive Bushshrike, African Emerald Cuckoo, Trumpeter Hornbill, African Green Pigeon and Brown Scrub-Robin. After breakfast we’ll stop at the bridge over the estuary for some Weaver action and we could tick Yellow, Golden and Southern Brown-throated Weavers here. En route to Eshowe we’ll stop at Mtunzini in the hope of finding Palmnut Vulture. This is usually a good spot for them, and also makes a good stop for lunch. From Mtunzini we’ll head to Amatikulu Nature Reserve where we’ll look for Swamp Nightjar, Broad-tailed Warbler, Croaking Cisticola and Brown-backed Honeybird. We’ll arrive at our lodge in the town of Eshowe later that evening.
O/N Birds of Paradise B&B or similar (BLD)
Day 14 (Oct 24)
Our first stop today will be at Ongoye forest, a remnant patch of coastal scarp forest which straddles the hills for about 20km between Eshowe and Empangeni. This is the only spot in Southern Africa where Green Barbet can be found. The forest here is also good for Green Twinspot, Narina Trogon, Chorister Robin-Chat, Grey Cuckoo-Shrike, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, African Crowned Eagle and Striped Pipit. We’ll use a different route back to Eshowe, travelling through rural Zululand, giving us an exciting and eye-opening perspective on the everyday life of the Zulu people. Back in Eshowe we’ll enjoy lunch before heading out of town to a good stakeout for Southern Tchagra and we’ll also enjoy more forest birding at another nearby forest.
O/N Birds of Paradise or similar (BLD)
Day 15 (Oct 25)
Up at the crack of dawn, we’ll head to a nearby stakeout for Blue Swallow. This critically endangered breeding migrant to South Africa occurs in small numbers annually and we hope to connect with it here. We’ll also look for Black-bellied Bustard, Denham’s Bustard and may even visit a nearby patch of forest that may hold Cape Parrot and Orange Ground Thrush. We’ll return to the lodge for breakfast before making our way to the busy port city of Durban but en-route we might stop at Bulwer or Karkloof for more forest birding with emphasis on finding Bush Blackap, Cape Parrot, Knysna Turaco, Forest Canary and Orange Ground Thrush. We’ll make the most of all possible birding spots en –route, arriving in Umhlanga just north of Durban in the late afternoon.
O/N at one of several top Guesthouses in town (BLD)
Day 16 (Oct 26)
Early morning birding in the gardens and time permitting also at the Umhlanga NR, here we’ll have another shot at Barrat’s Warbler, Rufous-winged Cisticola and several species of Weaver. Birding today will depend on the timing of your international flights out. For those who have signed up for the Drakensberg (Mountains of the Dragon) extension, we’ll head out shortly after breakfast. For those not going on the extension, you will be transported to the airport for your departure at the appropriate time.
B
PRICING DETAILS
Price includes:
~ Lodging in comfortable hotel/lodges/B&Bs
~ All meals as indicated
~ All land transportation
~ Transfers
~ Entrance fees
~ Expert local birding guide at a ratio not to exceed 1 guide per 6 birders
~ Cheepers! tour leaders
~ Pre-trip gift package
~ Post-trip electronic group checklist, photo disk, and trip report
Price does NOT include:
~ International airfare to Johannesburg and from Durban, South Africa
~ Alcoholic drinks
~ Travel insurance
~ Gratuities
~ Expenses of a personal nature such as laundry, phone calls, extra drinks and snacks, etc.
PAYMENT INFORMATION:
Deposit of $900 with registration (registration form can be downloaded from a link at the end of this page). Balance is due on or before June 1, 2015.
Checks should be made payable to Cheepers! Birding on a Budget and mailed with the registration form to:
Cheepers! Birding on a Budget
Post Office Box 385
Spring Valley, OH 45370
Cancellation policy:
Cancellation should be made in writing (email or snail mail)
More than 6 months prior to departure – full refund of deposit
Between 4 and 6 months prior to departure – 50% refund of deposit
Less than 4 months prior to departure – No refund of deposit
If cancellation occurs after full payment is made, a refund will be given only if the vacant spot is filled.
Trip insurance is recommended.
You can compare prices offered by various trip insurance companies at this website:
http://www.quotewright.com/?sub_id=6056
Cheepers! Birding on a Budget LLC reserves the right to make changes in the itinerary if the need should arise due to unforeseeable circumstances such as weather, landslides, and other natural phenomena, as well as suggestions by local guides in order to take advantage of an unusual birding opportunity. Lodging is subject to change based on availability.
Contact us:
email: cheepers@sbcglobal.net
oz1221@sbcglobal.net
snail mail: PO Box 385, Spring Valley, OH 45370
Phone: 937-862-4505
937-974-0802 (Jim's cell)
937-974-0803 (Cindy's cell)
Download the registration form here:
October 11 - 26, 2015
16 days / 15 nights ZAR 43,980 FULL!
See detailed itinerary below.
Western Cape Pre-trip Extension
October 4 - 10, 2015
7 days / 6 nights ZAR 17,970 Just 2 spots left!
Click HERE for details. (Can be combined with our Namibia tour)
Drakensberg Plateau Post-trip Extension (including Lesotho)
October 26 - 29, 2015
4 days / 3 nights ZAR 9,530
Click HERE for details.
All prices are in South African Rand, subject to change depending on exchange rate at the time of payment.
Experience AFRICA!
The Eastern Seaboard of South Africa offers some of the best birding in all of Africa and on this tour we will sample some of the diversity that makes this part of the country essential to any birder’s travels. In addition to being home to over 750 bird species, the region offers magnificent landscapes, modern infrastructure and the full big game experience - a birder and wildlife lover's dream trip with comfort and convenience. Typically we could expect a birdlist in the region of 400 birds, sprinkled with a good number of endemics and unbelievable game viewing.
**You will need to arrive a day early to stage for the first day of the tour. You should depart from the US on October 9 in order to arrive in Johannesburg on October 10. You may stay at any hotel you like on the night of the 10th, but we will make arrangements for your first night in Johannesburg if desired (expenses on Oct. 10 not included in the tour price).
Day 1 (Oct. 11)
Our first day starts in the City of Johannesburg, where you would have arrived the previous day from various International destinations or from the Cape pre-trip extension. After a short meet and greet we’ll get all the luggage in the vehicles and head straight to our first destination, the Rust-de-Winter area and more specifically Zaagkuilsdrift Road, an area very popular with local birders. We can expect a good selection of typical bushveld species but the real drawcard here is a whole host of species more typical of the dry west, which are pretty much at the edge of their range here. Highlights to look for include the spectacular Crimson-breasted Shrike, always a crowd favorite, as well as species like Violet-eared Waxbill, Kalahari Scrub-Robin, White-throated Robin-Chat, Marico Flycatcher, Southern Pied Babbler, Great Sparrow, Ashy Tit and many more. Further along this road we’ll come to another top birding spot, Kgomo-Kgomo Floodplain. For a couple of weeks in years of good rainfall this place comes alive and arguably offers some of the most spectacular birding in the country. Even when there is not much water around there is always some rewarding birding to be had. During drier spells there is usually quite a spectacle with hundreds of Black-winged Pratincoles filling the sky, Temminck’s Courser can be plentiful at times and an added cast made up of Chestnut-backed Sparrowlarks and Shaft-tailed Whydahs. On occasion, a Harrier or two complete the picture. We will overnight in the general area and most lodges offer some excellent birding on their grounds.
Overnight TBA (BLD)
Day 2 (Oct 12)
After some early morning birding we head further north, arriving in the town of Polokwane around lunch time. A short stop at the Polokwane Game Reserve should hopefully net us the Southern African endemic, Short-clawed Lark. From here a quick stop in Tzaneen for Pied Mannikin and, time permitting, even a short visit to the nearby stakeout for Bat Hawk. We continue to our destination in the Magoebaskloof were we will have our first taste of forest birding. Species to look for include Knysna Turaco, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, White-starred Robin, Gorgeous and Black-fronted Bush-Shrikes, Swee Waxbill and, with luck, we could even find African Wood-Owl after dinner.
O/N Magoebaskloof (BLD)
Day 3 (Oct 13)
We’ll start the day with some more forest birding and if we missed Short-clawed Lark the previous day we might even pop in at another stakeout nearby where we also have a good chance of finding the elusive Shelley’s Francolin. We continue our journey towards the historic mining village of Pilgrim’s Rest, where we will stay at Mount Sheba, a superb spot that will offer us some more Afromontane forest to bird. This is one of the best sites in the country for Orange Ground-Thrush. Forest birding can be hard work but often the reward is worth its weight in gold, with tantalizing species such as Cape Batis, Yellow-throated Woodland-Warbler, Olive Bush-Shrike, Lemon Dove and African Emerald Cuckoo waiting to be found. Birding the surrounding grasslands can be equally rewarding and here we’ll hope to find Wing-snapping Cisticola, Denham’s Bustard and possibly even Secretarybird. The scrub and Protea-dotted slopes hold Gurney’s Sugarbird, Wailing Cisticola and Buff-streaked Chat.
O/N Mount Sheba (BLD)
Day 4 (Oct 14)
After some more birding around the magnificent Mount Sheba, we head for the savannahs of the famous Kruger National Park with the odd birding stops and lunch break en-route. We could possibly also make a slight detour to a rugged cliff face on the side of the escarpment that used to be the best spot in Africa to see the rare Taita Falcon. A pair of these rare falcons used to breed here annually but it seems that one of the pair might have perished and sightings, while still possible, are now far more irregular. Cape Vulture is also common here. Another option is a quick drive into the Blyde Canyon where we often find Half-collared Kingfisher, African Finfoot and, if we are very lucky, Thick-billed Cuckoo. Once we enter the park proper our focus, while still on birds, will also divert a bit to the possibility of sightings of any of the Big 5.
O/N Kruger National Park (BLD)
Day 5 (Oct 15)
The rich bushveld of the Kruger National Park offers very rewarding birding and we will use every opportunity today to explore as much of the area as possible. The possibility of the ‘Big 5’ (Lion, Leopard, African Buffalo, African Elephant and Rhinoceros) ever present, of course we’ll also encounter a whole host of other exciting mammals which may include the likes of Cheetah, African Wild Dog, Hippopotamus, Giraffe, Warthog, Greater Kudu and many more. Of special interest here are some of the larger terrestrial birds as well as birds of prey that are difficult or nearly impossible to find reliably outside protected areas such as Kruger. These include Kori Bustard, Southern Ground Hornbill, Martial Eagle, Bateleur, Lappet-faced Vulture, Secretarybird and Saddle-billed Stork. Other typical bushveld birds that we will encounter are Southern Yellow-billed and Southern Red-billed Hornbills, Southern White-crowned Shrike, Red-billed and Yellow-billed Oxpeckers, Brown-headed Parrot, Purple-crested Turaco, Crested and Swainson’s Francolin, White-crowned Lapwing, Grey-headed Bushshrike, Lilac-breasted Roller and African Mourning Dove, among others. At our camp for the night there is the possibility of an optional night drive and we highly recommend taking at least one of these during the trip. Several nocturnal mammals such as Serval, African Civet, Aardvark, Small and Large Spotted Genets and African Wild Cat are possible as well as some nocturnal or crepuscular birds such as Spotted and Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Square-tailed Nightjar and Bronze-winged Courser.
O/N Kruger National Park (BLD)
Day 6 (Oct 16)
Our final full day in Kruger would have arrived all too soon for some but we intend to make the best of the time we have left and will concentrate on slightly different habitats today with the focus on areas of open grassland, waterholes and broad-leaved woodland hosting species such as African Cuckoo-Hawk, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Green-capped Eremomela, Bennet’s Woodpecker and even Bushveld Pipit. The damp depressions around streams sometimes yield Black Coucal and in season the odd Corncrake. This area is particularly good for the elusive Black Rhino and Lichtenstein’s Hartebeest.
O/N Kruger National Park (BLD)
Day 7 (Oct 17)
We have a fairly long but scenic drive from the Kruger National Park, where we will do a last bit of birding before breakfast, to the small hamlet of Wakkerstroom, which stands in stark contrast to the habitats we’ve visited thus far. Wakkerstroom in situated on the Highveld plateau dominated by rolling hills and upland grassland. Several special birds occur here, with a good number of them being endemic and difficult to find elsewhere. We should arrive in time for some afternoon birding and usually our first port of call is the marsh just on the outskirts of town where we have a good chance of finding skulkers like Little Rush Warbler, African Rail and even a Red-chested Flufftail if we are very lucky. More common species include African Purple Swamphen, Purple Heron, Cape Shoveller, Cape Weaver and we often find Grey-crowned Cranes roosting here in the late afternoons.
O/N Wetlands Guest House or similar in Wakkerstroom (BLD)
Day 8 (Oct 18)
After an early morning coffee we head out in search of Wakkerstroom’s two very special and endemic Larks, Rudd’s and Botha’s, the former critically endangered. In our search for these two dowdy denizens of the grasslands we’ll also be on the lookout for their more common cousins, Eastern Clapper, Eastern Long-billed, Pink-billed and Red-capped Larks. Wakkerstroom isn’t just about LBJ’s, though - Yellow-breasted Pipit, Blue Korhaan and Cape Canary will add a subtle touch of color and in the village the striking Bokmakierie is usually an easy find alongside the peculiar Red-throated Wryneck. We’ll also visit a local sit in search of White-bellied Korhaan, Denham’s Bustard and at another spot we’ll look for the enigmatic African Rock Pipit and Buff-streaked Chat. Some of the other birds that we might encounter include Bald Ibis, Jackal Buzzard, African Pied Starling, Cape Crow, Sentinel Rock-Thrush, Grey-winged and Red-winged Francolins and the ‘often-heard-but-rarely-seen’ African Quail-Finch.
O/N Wetlands Guest House or similar (BLD)
Day 9 (Oct 19)
A quick spot of birding in the morning for birds we might have dipped on the previous day before we pack the vans and continue our journey south, this time to one of Kwazulu-Natal’s premier birding spots, Mkuze Game Reserve. We should arrive in the park mid- to late afternoon and after checking in we’ll waste no time finding some of the spectacular birds that call this remarkable area home. We'll drive down to the Sand Forest, a dry and localized type of forest that is home to several spectacular species such a Pink-throated Twinspot, Four-coloured Bushshrike, Neergaard’s Sunbird, Crested Guineafowl and Rudd’s Apalis, before we head back to camp.
O/N Mkhuze Game Reserve (BLD)
Day 10 (Oct 20)
We have a full day ahead to explore the incredible diversity of Mkhuze, not just birds but also a whole host of fascinating mammals, from one of Africa’s smallest antelope, the Suni, to the largest mammals, the African Elephant. African Wild Dog sighting is a very real possibility as is sighting of Cheetah and even Serval. Although the mammals will have our attention at time, we will continue to watch for interesting birds such as Black-bellied Bustard, Senegal Lapwing, several Vulture species, Martial Eagle, White-crested Helmetshrike, Grey Penduline Tit. At one of the large wetlands, species such as Pink-backed and Great White Pelican, African Openbill, Yellow-billed Stork, Goliath Heron and Whiskered Tern are possible. Several good hides are situated in the park, mostly overlooking waterholes, and we will take some time to enjoy these spots which often produce some of the most memorable moments of the trip.
O/N Mkhuze Game Reserve (BLD)
Day 11 (Oct 21)
We’ll spend the morning birding in camp where birding can be top-notch. We often find birds such as Red-fronted Tinkerbird, Eastern Bearded Scrub-Robin, Green Twinspot, Eastern Nicator and Purple-crested Turaco in camp. After breakfast we’ll head out and exit the park’s eastern gate which will enable us to stop at several pans (natural, shallow and often ephemeral water bodies, usually with no in- or out flow) en route, where we will search for African Pygmy Goose, Lesser Jacana and Black Heron. Lizard Buzzard and several other species of raptor are often encountered on this road. We’ll arrive in St.Lucia mid-afternoon, in time to head down to the estuary mouth for a rare taste of shore birding. Several Tern species should be present; for the last few seasons a Sooty Tern has been regular at the Tern roost.
O/N St.Lucia Wetlands or Kingfisher Lodge (BLD)
Day 12 (Oct 22)
An early morning departure will see us at the gates of the Isimangaliso Wetland Park (Eastern Shores section) in time for a truly magnificent day’s birding. Various habitats straddle this section of the park, from coastal dune forest, wetlands and moist coastal grasslands to exotic plantations at Cape Vidal. Several good hides have been built over the last few years and we’ll spend some time at these, ticking off several wader species as well as possible African Pygmy Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Heron and a number of duck species. At Mission Rocks we’ll search for Woodward’s Batis, Brown Scrub-Robin and Livingstone’s Turaco and sometimes we encounter Southern Banded Snake-Eagle here. Cape Vidal itself is usually good for Green Twinspot, Grey Waxbill, Green Malkoha, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher and Black-throated Wattle-eye. We also have the chance of encountering Samango Monkeys here alongside their more common cousins the Vervet Monkeys - just be sure to watch them closely while we enjoy our packed picnic lunch here or they will help themselves to a portion! The drive back to town will have slightly fewer birding stops but we’ll keep our eyes peeled for specials such as African Crowned Eagle, Yellow-throated Longclaw, African Cuckoo-Hawk, Collared Pratincole and Croaking Cisticola.
O/N St. Lucia Wetlands or Kingfisher Lodge (BLD)
Day 13 (Oct 23)
We’ll bird the well known Gwala Gwala trail at the edge of town before breakfast. Here we often encounter birds such as Lemon Dove, Livingstone’s Turaco, Olive Bushshrike, African Emerald Cuckoo, Trumpeter Hornbill, African Green Pigeon and Brown Scrub-Robin. After breakfast we’ll stop at the bridge over the estuary for some Weaver action and we could tick Yellow, Golden and Southern Brown-throated Weavers here. En route to Eshowe we’ll stop at Mtunzini in the hope of finding Palmnut Vulture. This is usually a good spot for them, and also makes a good stop for lunch. From Mtunzini we’ll head to Amatikulu Nature Reserve where we’ll look for Swamp Nightjar, Broad-tailed Warbler, Croaking Cisticola and Brown-backed Honeybird. We’ll arrive at our lodge in the town of Eshowe later that evening.
O/N Birds of Paradise B&B or similar (BLD)
Day 14 (Oct 24)
Our first stop today will be at Ongoye forest, a remnant patch of coastal scarp forest which straddles the hills for about 20km between Eshowe and Empangeni. This is the only spot in Southern Africa where Green Barbet can be found. The forest here is also good for Green Twinspot, Narina Trogon, Chorister Robin-Chat, Grey Cuckoo-Shrike, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, African Crowned Eagle and Striped Pipit. We’ll use a different route back to Eshowe, travelling through rural Zululand, giving us an exciting and eye-opening perspective on the everyday life of the Zulu people. Back in Eshowe we’ll enjoy lunch before heading out of town to a good stakeout for Southern Tchagra and we’ll also enjoy more forest birding at another nearby forest.
O/N Birds of Paradise or similar (BLD)
Day 15 (Oct 25)
Up at the crack of dawn, we’ll head to a nearby stakeout for Blue Swallow. This critically endangered breeding migrant to South Africa occurs in small numbers annually and we hope to connect with it here. We’ll also look for Black-bellied Bustard, Denham’s Bustard and may even visit a nearby patch of forest that may hold Cape Parrot and Orange Ground Thrush. We’ll return to the lodge for breakfast before making our way to the busy port city of Durban but en-route we might stop at Bulwer or Karkloof for more forest birding with emphasis on finding Bush Blackap, Cape Parrot, Knysna Turaco, Forest Canary and Orange Ground Thrush. We’ll make the most of all possible birding spots en –route, arriving in Umhlanga just north of Durban in the late afternoon.
O/N at one of several top Guesthouses in town (BLD)
Day 16 (Oct 26)
Early morning birding in the gardens and time permitting also at the Umhlanga NR, here we’ll have another shot at Barrat’s Warbler, Rufous-winged Cisticola and several species of Weaver. Birding today will depend on the timing of your international flights out. For those who have signed up for the Drakensberg (Mountains of the Dragon) extension, we’ll head out shortly after breakfast. For those not going on the extension, you will be transported to the airport for your departure at the appropriate time.
B
PRICING DETAILS
Price includes:
~ Lodging in comfortable hotel/lodges/B&Bs
~ All meals as indicated
~ All land transportation
~ Transfers
~ Entrance fees
~ Expert local birding guide at a ratio not to exceed 1 guide per 6 birders
~ Cheepers! tour leaders
~ Pre-trip gift package
~ Post-trip electronic group checklist, photo disk, and trip report
Price does NOT include:
~ International airfare to Johannesburg and from Durban, South Africa
~ Alcoholic drinks
~ Travel insurance
~ Gratuities
~ Expenses of a personal nature such as laundry, phone calls, extra drinks and snacks, etc.
PAYMENT INFORMATION:
Deposit of $900 with registration (registration form can be downloaded from a link at the end of this page). Balance is due on or before June 1, 2015.
Checks should be made payable to Cheepers! Birding on a Budget and mailed with the registration form to:
Cheepers! Birding on a Budget
Post Office Box 385
Spring Valley, OH 45370
Cancellation policy:
Cancellation should be made in writing (email or snail mail)
More than 6 months prior to departure – full refund of deposit
Between 4 and 6 months prior to departure – 50% refund of deposit
Less than 4 months prior to departure – No refund of deposit
If cancellation occurs after full payment is made, a refund will be given only if the vacant spot is filled.
Trip insurance is recommended.
You can compare prices offered by various trip insurance companies at this website:
http://www.quotewright.com/?sub_id=6056
Cheepers! Birding on a Budget LLC reserves the right to make changes in the itinerary if the need should arise due to unforeseeable circumstances such as weather, landslides, and other natural phenomena, as well as suggestions by local guides in order to take advantage of an unusual birding opportunity. Lodging is subject to change based on availability.
Contact us:
email: cheepers@sbcglobal.net
oz1221@sbcglobal.net
snail mail: PO Box 385, Spring Valley, OH 45370
Phone: 937-862-4505
937-974-0802 (Jim's cell)
937-974-0803 (Cindy's cell)
Download the registration form here:
| south_africa_registration_form_10_2015.pdf |