South Africa is a spectacularly beautiful country, rich in wildlife. In the southwest there are two unique habitats, the stark heath-like fynbos and the expansive semi-desert Karoo. In the northeast, South Africa metamorphoses into golden-green grasslands and tropical savanna where species diversity increases dramatically. Spectacular species include a host of bee-eaters, hornbills, kingfishers, barbets, and sunbirds. We can expect to see over 400 species on this tour.

Day 1: Blouberg
Arrive in Cape Town and transfer to Blouberg, with staggering views of Table Mountain.

Day 2: Pelagic
The waters off Cape Town are regarded as one of the best pelagic spots in the world. Sailing from Simonstown we will be awed by the spectacle of thousands of seabirds of 15 to 20 species squabbling over scraps behind fishing trawlers. Once you have fought off the crippling views of Black-browed, Shy and Yellow-nosed albatrosses, White-chinned Petrel, Cape Gannet and Sooty Shearwater, we will sift through the clouds of birds in search of less common species.

Day 3: Cape Peninsula
The Cape Peninsula is exceptionally beautiful. We spend the day searching for fynbos endemics such as Orange-breasted Sunbird, Cape Sugarbird and Cape Siskin. We visit Kommetjie, home of the Benguela-endemic African Black Oystercatcher, as well as Bank, Crowned and Cape cormorants. Continuing to the Cape of Good Hope we stop at Boulder's Bay to mingle with the African Penguins. Our final stop is Strandfontein, a series of settling ponds supporting a remarkable variety of waterfowl.

Day 4: West Coast
This dry coastline is incised by a series of wetlands holding fantastic densities of shorebirds. In the spectacular Langebaan Lagoon, Palaearctic waders abound. Resident shorebirds include the scarce Chestnut-banded Plover. The adjacent terrestrial vegetation supports a variety of very local specialties. The most absorbing are Black Harrier, Southern Black Korhaan and Cape Long-billed Lark.

Day 5: Sir Lowry's Pass to De Hoop
Daybreak finds us at Sir Lowry's Pass. Here we search for two spectacular fynbos endemics, the Cape Rockjumper and Victorin's Warbler. Situated 125 miles (200 km) east of Cape Town, the Agulhas plain stretches from the Langeberg Mountains to the southern tip of Africa. Here we seek the highly range-restricted Agulhas Long-billed Lark and Agulhas Clapper Lark. Other spectacular specialties include parties of stately Blue Crane and Stanley's Bustard.

Day 6: De Hoop to Wilderness
The morning will be spent at Potberg mountain, which holds the last Cape Vulture breeding colony in the region. Other targets are the endemic Southern Tchagra, Pied Starling, Orange-throated Longclaw and Pearl-breasted Swallow. We also visit the Heuningnes Estuary to look for the highly endangered Damara Tern. In the afternoon we drive through to Knysna exploring the Wilderness Lakes en-route.

Day 7: Garden Route
The Garden Route winds over mountainsides dappled with fynbos flowers before it plunges into the thickly forested gorges where cola-hued rivers flow. Among the forest specialties we search for here are Forest Buzzard, Knysna Turaco, Narina Trogon, Knysna and Olive woodpeckers, Chorister Robin, Olive Bush Shrike, Swee Waxbill and Forest Canary.

Day 8: Garden Route to Karoo NP
We greet the dawn in the Swartberg Mountains before descending into the hot and arid Karoo National Park. This park combines spectacular mountain scenery with the very best of Karoo birding; it is packed with Karoo endemics. The lowlands are good for Karoo Korhaan, Spike-heeled and Karoo larks, Grey-backed Finch-Lark, Tractrac and Karoo chats, and Rufous-eared Warbler. The thicket and scrub also support Layard's Tit-Babbler. The secretive and very restricted Cinnamon-breasted Warbler, Rock Pipit, Pale-winged Starling and Ground Woodpecker occur in rocky gorges while the Sickle-winged Chat is found on the grassy plateau. The newly described Karoo Long-billed Lark is common throughout the park.

Day 9: Karoo NP
This park combines spectacular mountain scenery with the very best of Karoo birding; it is packed with Karoo endemics. The lowlands support Spike-heeled Lark, Gray-backed Finch-Lark, Karoo Chat, and Rufous-eared Warbler. The secretive Cinnamon-breasted Warbler, Pale-winged Starling, and Ground Woodpecker occur in rocky gorges, while the Sickle-winged Chat is found on the grassy plateau. The newly described Karoo Long-billed Lark is common throughout the park.

Day 10: Karoo NP to Johannesburg
We return to Cape Town and fly to Johannesburg.

Days 11-12: Wakkerstroom
The area surrounding Wakkerstroom supports some of Africa’s most threatened species. Here we will search for the critically endangered Rudd’s Lark, Botha’s Lark and Yellow-breasted Pipit. The rolling grasslands also support magnificent endemics such as the striking Southern Bald Ibis, the elegant Blue Korhaan, and the Buff-streaked Chat. The rank vegetation is also home to magical widows, francolins, cisticolas, weavers, bishops and whydas.

Days 13-14: Kruger National Park
We leave at the crack of dawn to make the most of our time at Kruger. Birding here is fantastic with many species recorded in the park’s camps. While looking for birds we will undoubtedly bump into the countless numbers of large mammals, including the possibility of lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and the beastly rhinoceros.

Day 15: Kruger NP to Johannesburg
Today we will spend the morning soaking up the remainder of Kruger’s excellent birding and game viewing opportunities, before heading back to Johannesburg to catch international flights home, or to join the Drakensberg extension. Note: On the 2009 tour, you will spend the night of Day 15 in Johannesburg.

Day 16 (2009 only)
Departure or start extension.

Drakensberg: The Barrier of Spears extension (7 days)
For those people who just can’t leave South Africa without both Rockjumpers and a Bearded Vulture, we offer a Drakensberg extension. To add even more spice, before we visit these monoliths, we take in the coastal forests of the Umlalazi Nature Reserve and the many waterbirds on the Lake St. Lucia wetlands. There are also some magnificent forests along the Natal escarpment, and we shall bird these based from a great hotel with an even better view. The last few days are spent near the incredible Sani Pass. At 11,500 ft. (3,500 m.) this is the gateway into the mountain kingdom of Lesotho. The base of the pass should reveal Bush Blackcap and Drakensberg Prinia. Higher up we seek Gurney’s Sugarbird, Drakensberg Siskin, Drakensberg Rockjumper, and Mountain Pipit. At the end of this tour you will not have left much in South Africa behind!

Tour info:

CLIMATE: Generally warm to hot, with afternoon showers likely, and perhaps an evening chill in Wakkerstroom. 

DIFFICULTY: Easy. There will not be any difficult hikes. Much of the birding is from the car.

ACCOMMODATION: Very good throughout.