OVERLAND SOUTHERN AFRICA:

NAMIBIA, BOTSWANA AND ZAMBIA (16 days)

WESTERN CAPE PRE-TRIP: SOUTH AFRICA (6 days)

DATES

WESTERN CAPE PRE-TRIP: November 7 – 12, 2008

NAMIBIA, BOTSWANA & ZAMBIA: November 12 – 27, 2008

COST (PER PERSON)

NAMIBIA, BOTSWANA, ZAMBIA (main trip)

DOUBLE: $7450; SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: $750

DEPOSIT: $1000

WESTERN CAPE (Pre-trip)

DOUBLE: $2175; SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: $200

INCLUDES

From Cape Town, South Africa, 15 nights lodging; all meals from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 16; soft drinks at meals, all ground transport from Cape Town; all activities noted in itinerary; reserve entrance fees; all costs of driver/guide; two guides including local expert; porterages & tips.

Extension: From Cape Town, South Africa, five nights lodging; all meals from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 6; soft drinks at meals, all ground transport from Cape Town; all activities noted in itinerary; reserve entrance fees; all costs of driver/guide; two guides including local expert.

NOT INCLUDED

Air fare to Africa, alcoholic drinks, activities not mentioned in the itinerary, telephone calls, travel insurance, laundry, visas & airplane departure taxes, and other items of a personal nature.

PARTICIPANTS

Minimum: 6 Maximum: 10

DIFFICULY LEVEL

Easy with occasional moderate walks.

LEADERS

Fraser Gear, our local expert, will be leading with Forrest Davis, President of High Lonesome BirdTours. Fraser was born and raised in Johannesburg. Upon completion of his education, he followed his passions and set out to explore Africa and Madagascar. This led on to a career in conservation work, beginning with habitat rehabilitation projects on private game reserves bordering the Kruger National Park. As his interest in wildlife blossomed, Fraser started guiding and as a consequence, has spent many years in the region’s top wildlife and birding sites. In the process, he honed his skills as a bird guide and naturalist and is also one of the few qualified game trackers in South Africa. Fraser is now guiding birding and nature trips throughout Africa and Madagascar for Rockjumper Birding Tours. Fraser’s passion for birds is infectious and his birding skills are complemented by an impressive knowledge of general wildlife and the African and Malagasy environment.

OVERVIEW

This exciting Overland NBZ tour visits some of the major highlights of three of Africa’s most remarkable countries, all offering vast areas of pristine wilderness. From the ochre-coloured dunes of the Namib Desert to the lily-choked backwaters of the Okavango Delta, the flamingo-studded lagoons of the Skeleton Coast to the game-filled waterholes of Etosha National Park and the breath-taking Victoria Falls, these countries provide incredible contrasts and an eco-tourism experience like no other. Our comprehensive overland tour combines the numerous endemic and “special” birds and animals of the dry, western deserts and Okavango region with the more widespread and spectacular savanna species, never neglecting the incredible scenery and prolific wildlife for which the region is famous. Spending quality time observing mammals, large and small, will be a major aspect of this tour and we should see creatures ranging from Elephant-Shrews to Elephants, Fur Seals to Hippopotamus and an exciting range of charismatic African big game including the fabled “Big 5” (Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Buffalo and Elephant). 

For those wanting to get the most out of their Southern African experience an extension is offered to the Western Cape. The Mother City, Cape Town, widely considered one of the world’s most beautiful cities, will be our base for three of our first five nights of the Western Cape tour. From here we will range out to explore the varied ecosystems conveniently accessible from our comfortable base. Time will be spent exploring the breathtaking Peninsula, the succulent Karoo, flower-laden West Coast and teeming pelagic waters to round off our South African adventure.

The trip will have a birding emphasis, but we want to experience all that Africa has to offer in a relaxed and comfortable style. Our accommodations will be "best available" with private baths, and our food will be regional and excellent. We will ride in comfortable safari vehicles with everyone on a window seat. We will have a driver as well as our guides.

ITINERARY

Day 1, 12^th November: Cape Town to Walvis Bay.  Today we plan to arrive on the Namibian coast at midday on a direct flight from Cape Town. After settling into our hotel, we will set off to explore this fascinating area. The marine coast, offshore guano islands, saltpans and estuaries around Walvis Bay and Swakopmund to the north literally teem with water birds. At this time of year most of the migrants and shorebirds are in the bay and we can expect some wonderful wader watching. Thousands upon thousands of Greater and Lesser Flamingo feed along the fringes of the bay alone make the trip worthwhile! Marine cormorants, especially Cape, form impressive lines as they stream out over the cold ocean in search of food. We will scan these large flocks in search of both Crowned and Bank Cormorant which occur in much lower numbers. Great White Pelicans are prominent throughout the area and specialities of the pans include the localized Chestnut-banded Plover, Hartlaub’s Gull and Damara Tern, the latter being a breeding endemic. The striking African Oystercatcher may be seen along the rocky shores and waders to be expected on the extensive mudflats in the lagoon include White-fronted and Black-bellied Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Marsh Sandpiper, Red Knot, Sanderling, Bar-tailed Godwit, and Pied Avocet.  Some of the rarities for southern Africa that are possible at this time of year include Eurasian Oystercatcher and Red-necked Phalarope.

Day 2; 13^th November: Walvis Bay Area.  After an early breakfast, we head out to explore the productive dry Acacia woodland and rocky grassland of Daan Viljoen National Park.  Some of the habitats that occur in this reserve are similar to those we will have birded the afternoon before, so it will give us a second opportunity to “cleanup” the specials of the area. These may include Monteiro’s Hornbill, Carp’s Tit, Short-toed Rock Thrush and Rockrunner. Other great birds that we will try to record are Orange River Francolin, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, African Red-eyed Bulbul, the diminutive Cape Penduline Tit, Mountain Wheatear, Long-billed Pipit, Red-headed Finch, Violet-eared Waxbill and Yellow Canary. Mammals are prolific and we hope to see the endangered Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra, the regal Gemsbok, Giraffe, playful troops of Chacma Baboon and small herds of Blue Wildebeest.

We will return to Windhoek in order to start our journey across the Central Highlands of Namibia. Roadside birding is rewarding and we will watch out for Verreaux’s Eagle, Black-chested Snake-Eagle, Pale Chanting-Goshawk, Black-shouldered Kite, the beautiful Rufous-crowned Roller, the diminutive Long-billed Crombec, Southern Anteater-Chat, Karoo Chat, Mariqua and Chat flycatchers, Cape Crow, Pale-winged Starling, Rufous and Cape Sparrow and Lark-like Bunting.  The scenery is dotted with huge, golden Social Weaver nests and we may be fortunate in locating the Pygmy Falcon, which utilizes these nests as a convenient home.

After crossing over the escarpment, we descend towards the coast and the terrain becomes increasingly desolate, until we reach the seemingly lifeless gravel plains. We will make frequent stops in the desert to scan for Ostrich (these wild, desert birds represent one of the few genetically pure populations of this species in southern Africa), the endemic Rüppell’s Korhaan and the almost white desert race of Tractrac Chat.  However, our main target bird on these plains is the endemic and localized Gray’s Lark.  This diminutive and inconspicuous bird forages in small groups over the most inhospitable of terrain, where it tends to blend in with the gravel itself.

It is only a few hours before we arrive at our overnight destination, Walvis Bay. If time allows, we will bird the highly productive lagoon in the afternoon.

Day 3; 14th November: Walvis Bay area.  First thing in the morning we will make for the dunefields to the south of town as they are home to another endemic lark - the handsome Dune Lark.  Like many of the desert larks, its plumage coloration perfectly matches that of its environment: the deep ochre sands of the Namib dune sea.  Other birds that we may encounter whilst searching for this bird are Chestnut-vented Tit-babbler, Black-chested Prinia, Dusky Sunbird, Cape White-eye (the distinctive local form recently split as Orange River White-eye) and Common Waxbill. Here we will also have time to explore the tallest and most beautiful sand dunes in the world.

             The marine coast, offshore guano islands, saltpans and estuaries around Walvis Bay and Swakopmund to the north literally teem with water birds. At this time of year most of the migrants and shorebirds are in the bay and we can expect some wonderful wader watching. Thousands upon thousands of Greater and Lesser Flamingo feed along the fringes of the bay alone make the trip worthwhile! Marine cormorants, especially Cape, form impressive lines as they stream out over the cold ocean in search of food. We will scan these large flocks in search of both Crowned and Bank Cormorant which occur in much lower numbers. Great White Pelicans are prominent throughout the area and specialities of the pans include the localized Chestnut-banded Plover, Hartlaub’s Gull and Damara Tern, the latter being a breeding endemic. The striking African Oystercatcher may be seen along the rocky shores and waders to be expected on the extensive mudflats in the lagoon include White-fronted and Black-bellied Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Marsh Sandpiper, Red Knot, Sanderling, Bar-tailed Godwit, and Pied Avocet.  Some of the rarities for southern Africa that are possible at this time of year include Eurasian Oystercatcher and Red-necked Phalarope.

In the afternoon, we will visit the historic town of Swakopmund, a German village transported into the middle of the desert! Freshwater pans at the edge of town are home to other wetland inhabitants such as Eared Grebe, Cape and Red-billed Teal and Cape Shoveler. Thereafter, we will explore the famed Welwitschia Plains where we will seek out one of the world’s most bizarre plants. The Welwitschia is a coniferous tree (most closely related to the Pinon Pine) that, despite its immense age, grows to just a few feet tall and only had two leaves. They survive in the bone dry gravel plains of the Namib and we will also look for two species of colourful beetles that only survive around these unique trees.

Day 4; 15^th November: Walvis Bay to Erongo Mountains, via Spitzkoppe. Today, we leave early for the Spitzkoppe, a series of impressive granite inselbergs rising out of the desert plains. This is one of the premier sites in the country for Herero Chat, Namibia’s most elusive endemic and we will require luck and patience to find this localized bird. Whilst searching around the base of the mountains, we may also find Augur Buzzard, the attractive Rosy-faced Lovebird, the near-endemic Bradfield’s Swift, Pied Barbet, Sabota Lark and Karoo Long-billed Lark, Layard’s Tit-babbler, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Bokmakierie (a near-endemic bushshrike), White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, White-throated Canary and Cinnamon-breasted and Cape Bunting.  White-tailed Shrike, arguably Namibia’s most striking endemic, should also entertain us here.  The agile Klipspringer and Koakoveld Rock Hyrax may also be seen, and brilliantly coloured Namibia Rock Agamas are common.  Other reptiles we may encounter whilst birding this area are the impressive Boulton’s Namib Day Gecko, Bibron’s Gecko, Bradfield’s Dwarf Gecko and Namaqua Sand Lizard.  We will also seek out San (Bushman) rock-paintings in secluded overhangs, a reminder of the original inhabitants of this region. The surrounding gravel plains occasionally produce Ludwig’s Bustard, whilst Namaqua Sandgrouse, Stark’s Lark and Gray-backed Sparrow-Lark are more regular.

            We will continue northwards, stopping at a site for Burchell’s Courser en route.  It will require luck to find this species, as it is nomadic and hence unpredictable, though we should locate the striking Northern Black Korhaan, Double-banded Courser and flocks of Spike-heeled Lark. Further to the north, we will search for the endemic Rüppell’s Parrot, the localized Violet Woodhoopoe and the handsome Southern Pied-Babbler.

            Our destination for the next night is a lodge situated in spectacular surroundings within huge boulders in the ancient Erongo Mountains.

Day 5; 16^th November: Erongo Mountains to Okaukuejo, Etosha National Park. Today’s target species requires a pre-dawn walk to a vantage point near the lodge. En route we should find the rock-loving Freckled Nightjar but the bird in question is another endemic, the bizarre Hartlaub’s Francolin, which is only likely to be seen at first light when coveys emerge to vocalize atop prominent boulders.  Other birds likely at this locality are Gabar Goshawk, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Barred Wren-Warbler, Kalahari Scrub Robin, the wing-flicking Familiar Chat, White-tailed Shrike (particularly approachable individuals reside around the lodge) and Black-cheeked Waxbill. The strange Dassie Rat (so unique as to belong to its own family) may also be seen poking its whiskered nose from a rock crevice and a variety of interesting reptiles scurry over the rocks.

                After our early morning walk and a leisurely breakfast, we will have some time to relax around our lodge before heading northwards to the world-famous Etosha National Park. We will begin our exploration of this park at the main camp of Okaukuejo.

Day 6; 17^th November: Okaukuejo area, Etosha National Park. The word “Etosha” means “Great White Place” in the local Herero language and nowhere else is the “great whiteness” of the enormous pan more evident than around Okaukuejo. Etosha is one of Africa’s premier big game destinations and medium and large mammals teem around the huge pan itself in numbers that defy explanation when considering the aridity of the land. Waterholes are dotted around the park and these will often be the focus of our attention as it is here that streams of thousands of mammals come daily to drink. Often, up to an incredible dozen species of mammals can be seen at once as they mill around the saline water. June and July are the best times to visit these wonderful hubs of activity as parched game walk for miles around to quench their thirst. Commonly encountered species are the regal Gemsbok (a type of Oryx), Greater Kudu, Springbok, Giraffe, Elephant, Warthog, Kongoni (Hartebeest), Blue Wildebeest, Burchell’s Zebra and Black-faced Impala. These waterholes don’t only attract the attention of thirsty grazers and photographers, but also of the park’s predators who know where to come for an easy meal! Visits to waterholes should produce Black-backed Jackal, African Wild Cat, prides of lazing Lion, Spotted Hyena and often even Cheetah and Leopard. Photographic opportunities are unrivalled.

Birds are also abundant in and around Okaukuejo camp and we may see Gray Go-away-bird, Eurasian Hoopoe, Southern Yellow-billed and Red-billed Hornbill, Cardinal Woodpecker, Wattled Starling and the ubiquitous Cape Starling, Brubru, and Mariqua, White-breasted and Scarlet-chested Sunbird and Green-winged Pytilia. A pair of Pygmy Falcon sometimes roost in the camp’s Social Weaver colony.

We will spend the afternoon searching the open grasslands and sparse Acacia savanna for birds such as the huge Martial and Tawny Eagle, the elegant Red-necked Falcon, Greater Kestrel, the magnificent Kori Bustard (the world’s heaviest flying bird), Spotted Thick-knee, Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark, Red-capped and Pink-billed Lark, Capped Wheatear and flocks of angry-looking Scaly-feathered Weaver. In the evening, hundreds of Double-banded and Namaqua Sandgrouse come to drink at the waterhole and occasionally Barn and Marsh Owl hunt in the vicinity.  Mammals are also frequent at the waterhole after dark and we have a good chance of seeing Black Rhinoceros, African Elephant, Lion and Black-backed Jackal.

Day 7, 18^th November: Okaukuejo to Halali, Etosha National Park   After some early morning birding, we will leave Okaukuejo and drive eastwards to the rest camp at Halali.  Along the way, we will stop at a spot, which represents an isolated population of the endearing Rufous-eared Warbler. The Halali area is famous amongst birders as a site for Violet Wood-hoopoe and Bare-cheeked Babbler, both denizens of the taller Mopane woodland in the central part of the park.  Other species in this area include the spectacular Bateleur, Shikra, Helmeted Guineafowl, Meyer’s Parrot, Fawn-colored Lark, flocks of quizzical White Helmetshrike, White-crowned Shrike and Yellow-throated Petronia.  The camp itself is an excellent location for finding roosting owls and we hope to locate Southern White-faced and African Scops Owl and Pearl-spotted Owlet.

            Here too, we will have an opportunity to spend time at a floodlit waterhole after dark. The evening’s pageant is likely to commence again with hundreds of sandgrouse flying in to drink, with later visitors including nightjars, owls and a plethora of mammalian possibilities. African Elephant, Black Rhinoceros and Greater Kudu are regular, whilst Porcupine, African Wild Cat, Leopard and even the bizarre Aardvark have all been seen drinking here. Honey Badger often make a nuisance of themselves in the camp, rummaging through rubbish bins in search of scraps, and we hope to track down the local family of these curious animals.

Day 8; 19^th November: Halali to Namutoni, Etosha National Park. We will spend this morning birding the productive mixed woodland and grassland mosaic around Halali.  Our final destination today is the rest camp of Namutoni, centered on an old German fort in the eastern part of the park.

As we travel eastwards from Halali towards Namutoni the scenery becomes ever greener and the vegetation taller.  We will be searching for a number of species that we may not yet have encountered: Red-crested Korhaan, Crowned Lapwing, Burchell’s Sandgrouse, Namaqua Dove, Red-faced Mousebird, African Gray Hornbill, Groundscraper Thrush, White-browed Scrub Robin, Burnt-necked Eremomela, Chinspot Batis, Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver, Chestnut Weaver, flocks of Red-billed Quelea (sometimes numbering many thousands) and Blue Waxbill. Vultures are often numerous around Namutoni and may include Lappet-faced, White-headed and wheeling flocks of White-backed.

The shallow Fischer’s Pan lies to the north of Numatoni and is an eastern extension of the main Etosha Pan. Water levels vary tremendously and the pan is sometimes completely dry, but if water is present we may find flamingos, huge Saddle-billed and Yellow-billed Stork, Red-billed Teal, South African Shelduck and large numbers of migratory waders. Further to the north of Namutoni lie extensive grassy plains, home to large herds of Gemsbok, Springbok and Blue Wildebeest. The unique Secretary-bird and elegant Blue Crane are possible here and we may find both Eastern Clapper Lark and the diminutive Desert Cisticola.   

            Mammals are also plentiful in the dense woodland south of camp and include Spotted Hyena, African Elephant, Giraffe, Black-faced Impala and two antelope largely restricted to this part of the park: the huge Eland and the diminutive Damara Dikdik. Here too we will search for the most elusive of the five babbler species occurring in Namibia, the Black-faced Babbler.

Day 9; 20^th November: Etosha National Park to Rundu. After some final birding in the Namutoni area, we will depart for the drive eastwards to Rundu, gateway to the Caprivi Strip. Our route takes us through the dense thorn savanna east of Etosha National Park, and then traverses increasingly well-developed tropical woodland. We arrive at our lodge on the banks of the Okavango River in the late afternoon with time to explore some of the rich woodland close to Rundu, where we will search for such specials as Coqui Francolin, Common Scimitarbill, Black Cuckooshrike, the richly-coloured Rufous-bellied Tit, Arnot’s Chat, Green-capped Eremomela and Red-headed Weaver.  Our lodge overlooks wetlands situated across the Kavango in Angola and scanning this area may produce Spur-winged Goose, Rufous-bellied Heron, Dwarf Bittern and Coppery-tailed Coucal.

Day 10; 21^st November: Rundu to Shakawe, Okavango Delta. Our day starts with a dawn excursion to the Rundu “waterworks” to search for such gems as Hottentot Teal, African Swamphen, African Rail, Senegal Coucal, Red Bishop, Grosbeak Weaver and Zebra Waxbill. Following the Kavango River eastwards towards the Caprivi Strip, we will begin to encounter birds typical of the Okavango Delta including White-rumped Babbler and Gabon Boubou. The rich teak woodlands in this area support a highly specialized avifauna, many of these typical of the extensive Miombo broad-leafed woodlands of Central Africa and we will stop frequently to search for such specials as Bradfield’s Hornbill, the seldom-recorded Tinkling Cisticola and the rare Sharp-tailed Starling.

            In the afternoon, we cross into Botswana to the idyllic Xaro Lodge, situated on the banks of the Okavango River. Set in pristine riverine forest overlooking the endless waterways and papyrus swamps of the Okavango Delta, the lodge is a birder’s paradise and we will be based here for two nights.

            We will begin our exploration of the area right in the lodge grounds, where the extensive woodland behind camp supports Crested Francolin, African Green-Pigeon, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Green Wood-hoopoe, Striped Kingfisher, Black-collared Barbet, Lesser Honeyguide, Arrow-marked Babbler, Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike, Retz’s Helmetshrike, Violet-backed and Meves’s Starling, African Yellow White-eye, Lesser Masked-Weaver, and three species of firefinch including the localized Brown Firefinch, Terrestrial Brownbul and White-browed Robin-Chat. A wide variety of herons, egrets and kingfishers occur along the river and the extensive papyrus reedbeds adjacent to the lodge are home to Chirping Cisticola, Greater Swamp-Warbler, Southern Brown-throated Weaver and Holub’s Golden-Weaver and Fan-tailed Widowbird. The striking Little and elegant White-fronted Bee-eater breed in the vicinity.

Day 11; 22^nd November: Shakawe area. Most of the day will be spent exploring the channels and floodplains below the lodge, aboard motorized launches.  We will search for the fabulous Pel’s Fishing Owl, White-backed and Black-crowned Night-Heron, Pink-backed Pelican, Darter, Goliath, Purple, Black, Striated and Squacco Heron, the rare and localized Slaty Egret, African Openbill and Marabou Stork, the strange Hamerkop, Sacred, Glossy and Hadada Ibis, Black Crake, African Snipe, Blacksmith and Three-banded Plover, Wattled and Long-toed Lapwing, Water Thick-knee, African Skimmer, Pied, Giant and Malachite Kingfisher, the huge Coppery-tailed Coucal, African Pied Wagtail and African Stonechat. African Fish-Eagle is ubiquitous and African Marsh-Harrier is commonly seen quartering the reedbeds here.

              Some of the animals we could encounter are pods of Hippopotamus lazing in the shallows and good numbers of Nile Crocodile. If we are extremely lucky, we may spot the shy Sitatunga (a swamp-dwelling antelope) or Common Reedbuck.

            After dinner, we will search for nocturnal birds in the lodge grounds, including African Wood Owl, African Barred-Owlet and Fiery-necked Nightjar.

Day 12; 23^rd November: Shakawe to Mahango Game Reserve.  After some final birding in the Shakawe area, we will depart on the short drive back across the border into Namibia and spend the day in Mahango Game Reserve. Situated along the Okavango River just north of Botswana, this unique park protects habitats ranging from attractive papyrus swamps to climax teak woodland and is a superb birding locality. We will search the open floodplain here for Woolly-necked Stork, African Spoonbill, White-faced Whistling and Knob-billed Duck and the regal and endangered Wattled Crane.  Hirundines are in evidence and we will search for Lesser Striped, Wire-tailed and Gray-rumped Swallow and the large Banded Martin. The adjacent woodland is home to amazing numbers of birds including Lizard Buzzard, Dark Chanting-Goshawk, Dickinson’s Kestrel, Crested Barbet and Bearded Woodpecker. More open areas support Flappet and Rufous-naped Lark, African, Buffy and Plain-backed Pipit and African Quailfinch.

Despite the presence of large mammals, one is allowed to get out of one’s vehicle in Mahango and it is this freedom which makes birding here so special. We will be careful whilst walking since Hippopotamus, Elephant and Nile Crocodile are all common. Elegant Red Lechwe graze on the floodplain and if we are very lucky we may also see the shy Chobe Bushbuck.  Other special mammals occurring here are the spectacular Sable and Roan antelopes and rare Tsessebe. We should see herds of these last three mentioned animals in the park as they forage and rest amongst the ubiquitous Elephants, Impala, Greater Kudu and troops of Chacma Baboons that make this park a fascinating wildlife adventure.

            We then continue on to lodge, which like Xaro Lodge, overlooks the Okavango River and a number of Okavango specials may be seen in camp.

             In the evening, we will try again for African Wood Owl and may well see the resident Barn Owl. A night drive will also be available and we may see Spotted and Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Marsh Owl and mammals including the unusual Zorilla.

Day 13; 24^th November: Mahango to Katima Mulilo via Caprivi National Park. Leaving the Kavango River, we continue eastwards towards Kasane through the Caprivi National Park. This area is characterized by broad-leafed Mopane woodland.  This tree is the host of the Mopane worm, a delicacy to the local people.

At Katima Mulilo, we will birding nearby wetlands and woodland for African Mourning-Dove, impressive family groups of Southern Ground-Hornbill, Pale, Southern Black and Ashy Flycatcher, Gray Tit-Flycatcher, Yellow-fronted Canary and Golden-breasted Bunting. Another major target here is the beautiful Schalow’s Turaco.

Thereafter, we will drive to Kalizo Lodge east of Katima which is perched on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River. Superb birding is possible around lodge itself. Wetlands here may well yield the likes of the highly sought after Lesser Jacana, White-headed Lapwing and Greater Painted Snipe while in the riverine forests we may pin down African Barred Owlet, African Green Pigeon, White-browed Robin-Chat and Retz’s Helmetshrike. The broad-leafed woodlands and savanna are rich with birdlife and gems like Orange-breasted Bushshrike, Red-billed Firefinch and Cut-throat Finch are all possible in our days birding. As the day draws to a close we may get lucky with a sighting of the rare Bat Hawk as it leaves the riverine forest in search of bats.

Day 14; 25^th November: Katima Mulilo to Livingstone. After early morning birding along the Zambezi, we will cross into Zambia on the new bridge over the Zambezi at Katima Mulilo and head to Livingstone. 

After settling in to our lodge outside Livingstone, we will visit the world famous Victoria Falls.  These falls have rightly been considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and we will spend some time appreciating the immense spectacle of the Zambezi River plunging 300ft into the gorge below. The continual spray from the falls has created a verdant rainforest and we will undoubtedly find some interesting birds here which may include Trumpeter and Crowned Hornbill, Bearded Scrub Robin, Yellow-breasted Apalis, various sunbirds including Amethyst, Collared and Purple-banded, Black-backed Puffback, Tropical Boubou and Red-winged Starling. 

Livingstone is also one of the meccas for purchasing traditional African art and crafts and we will have time to browse through the markets, which offer a wide range of carvings (in both wood and stone), kitchen utensils and basket-ware.

Day 15; 26^th November: Livingstone area. Today we have a full day exploring the area around Livingstone. In the morning we will visit the Livingstone Sewage Works which is an excellent birding destination. Greater Painted-Snipe, Lesser Moorhen and Lesser Jacana are usually in residence and the reedbeds support populations of skulking Red-faced Cisticola, Little Rush Warbler and Lesser Swamp Warbler. Both Gray-headed and Southern Gray-headed Sparrow, a recent taxonomic split, can be found together in the town of Livingstone.

            In the afternoon we will venture out on a boat and explore the Zambezi River on a sunset cruise. We may well see some of the larger mammals coming down to drink and some of the crepuscular birds starting to move around. Afterwards we will return to our lodge for a sumptuous dinner.           

Day 16; 27^th November: Livingstone to Johannesburg.  Depending on flights, we may have sufficient time today for some final birding in this fascinating area. Return international flights will be from Livingstone.

Western Cape Pre-trip

7^th to 12^th November 2008 (6 days)

Day 1, 7^th November: Arrival in Cape Town. We arrive in Cape Town and begin our exploration of the picturesque Cape Peninsula at one of the local birding hotspots.

            Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens lies on the slopes of Table Mountain and is home to a plethora of endemics restricted to the Macchia-like Fynbos vegetation of the southern tip of Africa: Cape Spurfowls scurry across the lawns, the magnificent Protea gardens are home to spectacular Cape Sugarbirds and Orange-breasted Sunbirds, whilst Cape Bulbul, Olive Thrush, the attractive Cape Grassbird, Karoo Prinia, Bokmakierie, Southern Boubou and Southern Double-collared Sunbird may be found in areas of denser cover.  We will search for African Goshawk and Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk that occasionally display above the indigenous forest that cloaks the slopes above the gardens. These forests are also home to African Olive Pigeon, Lemon Dove, Cape Batis and Forest Canary.

Day 2, 8^th November: Seabird outing.  The cold upwelling of the Benguela current off Cape Town supports a wealth of pelagic seabirds, with vast concentrations of albatrosses, petrels, shearwaters and prions gathering in the deeper water at the edge of the continental shelf. At this time of the year the boat trips are better than in the summer months due to the possibility of vagrants from the Subantarctic, the birding is excellent year-round and we hope to see Shy, Black-browed and Yellow-nosed Albatross, Antarctic and Northern Giant-Petrel, Cape and White-chinned Petrel, Sooty, Great, Manx and Cory’s Shearwater, Wilson’s and European Storm-Petrel, Cape Gannet and Parasitic Jaeger.  If we manage to locate one of the commercial fishing trawlers, the birding can be truly spectacular, with a cloud of seabirds following in the wake of the vessel to feed off the fish offal.  Once the excitement has subsided, we will carefully search through the thousands of birds present for rarities such as Wandering and Grey-headed Albatross and Grey (Pediunker) or Spectacled Petrel.  Cetaceans are almost always encountered and we have a good chance of seeing Southern Right and Bryde’s Whale and Dusky Dolphin. It goes without saying that a day off the Cape is likely to be a highlight of any trip to South Africa.

Whilst in False Bay we will also visit the famous Jackass Penguin colony, watch for the endemic African Oystercatcher along the adjacent rocky shoreline and scan the offshore islets for their breeding populations of Crowned, Bank and Cape Cormorants.

The weather and ocean conditions off the Cape are extremely unpredictable, so our daily schedule will remain flexible to optimise our birding on land and at sea.

Day 3, 9^th November: The Cape Peninsula. A diverse array of birding habitats are present around Cape Town and today we will visit a variety of sites ranging from wetlands to fynbos and marine shoreline.  We commence at dawn atop the rugged Hottentots-Holland Mountains, in search of one of South Africa’s finest endemics: the handsome Cape Rockjumper.  Though strikingly plumaged and conspicuous by their vocalisations, these charismatic birds possess an incredible ability to disappear amongst the boulders and we may have to be patient if we wish to enjoy long sightings of these elusive creatures.  Rock outcrops here also support Ground Woodpecker, White-necked Raven, Cape Rock Thrush, Familiar Chat and Long-billed Pipit, whilst the thick mountain Fynbos is the favoured habitat of Orange-breasted Sunbird, Cape Siskin and the beautiful, endemic Victorin’s Warbler.  If we are very lucky, we may flush a Black-rumped Buttonquail underfoot or stumble upon a Cape Eagle-Owl at its daytime roost.  Chacma Baboon is fairly common here but we will have to scan the rocky ridges carefully for the agile Klipspringer.

            After enjoying this spectacle we travel to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve.  This wonderful park showcases the most south-western point of the continent and is very popular amongst birders and more general tourists alike. Here we should find the enigmatic Cape Sugarbird and the stunning Orange-breasted Sunbird, both of which are South African endemics and perhaps the impressive Black Harrier, Grey-winged Francolin, Cape Grassbird and Cape Siskin. We will explore the network of roads to less visited parts of the reserve visiting secluded coves and searching for the elusive Cape Mountain Zebra and Bontebok antelope. In addition we should find Eland, Bontebok and Chacma Baboon. If time allows we will spend the rest of the day at the productive Strandfontein Water Works.

Day 4, 10^th November: Cape Town to Ceres via the West Coast National Park.  Our first site of interest today is the West Coast National Park, including the globally important wetland sites of the Berg River estuary and Langebaan Lagoon.  Large numbers of waders spend the northern winter here and we will check for Red Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Grey Plover, Terek Sandpiper, Greater Sand Plover and Eurasian Curlew, as well as Kittlitz’s and the localised Chestnut-banded Plover.  In addition to the shorebirds, these areas also support large numbers of Greater and Lesser Flamingos, South African Shelduck, Cape Shoveler and other waterfowl. The surrounding short, coastal vegetation (Strandveld) is home to the endemic Southern Black Korhaan, Grey-winged Francolin, Grey Tit, Cape Penduline-Tit, Karoo Lark, Capped Wheatear, Fiscal Flycatcher and the magnificent Black Harrier, surely one of the world’s most attractive raptors. In the mid afternoon we will make the drive through to the farming village of Ceres, gateway to the Tanqua Karoo.

Day 5, 11^th November: Ceres and the Tanqua Karoo.  Just a short drive from the village of Ceres is the semi-arid, central plateau of South Africa known as the Karoo, a land of endless vistas and spectacular sunsets, renowned for its endemic larks, chats and canaries.  We leave the famous fruit-growing valley of Ceres before reaching our first stop at Karoopoort, a narrow canyon that forms the gateway to the Succulent Karoo.  Birds inhabiting the arid, rocky slopes and Acacia-filled watercourses of this area include White-backed Mousebird, Acacia Pied Barbet, Mountain Wheatear, Layard’s Tit-babbler and Chestnut-vented Tit-babbler, the dainty Fairy Warbler, Pririt Batis, whilst the adjacent reedbeds are home to the endemic Namaqua Warbler.  One of the area’s most charismatic birds is the highly localised Cinnamon-breasted Warbler.  Though fairly vocal, this species is highly elusive and seeing it in its habitat of jumbled boulders and rocky scree will require a combination of patience and perseverance.

            Continuing northwards onto the open flats of the Karoo, we will watch the roadsides carefully for Karoo and Spike-heeled Lark, Tractrac, Sickle-winged and Karoo Chat, the elusive Karoo Eremomela, Rufous-eared Warbler and Yellow and White-throated Canary.  Pale Chanting-Goshawk and Eurasian Kestrel perch conspicuously on any vantage points and, if we are lucky, we may also find Verreauxs’ Eagle, Booted Eagle or Lanner Falcon.  We will also stop to listen for the distinctive flight calls of Namaqua Sandgrouse and the strange, dawn croaking of the Karoo Korhaan, which may help us to locate these cryptically coloured birds. If very fortunate we may see the nomadic Ludwig’s Bustard striding through the desolate plains.

Day 6, 12^th November: Ceres to Cape Town and departure. This morning we depart from Ceres for Cape Town where our tour will conclude

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