The Agulhas Plain, Garden Route and Karoo: The Africa Intro Tour
(7 Days)

Birds: 10/10
Scenery: 10/10
General tourism value: 9/10

Day 1: Drive from Cape Town to Hermanus, stopping at Sir Lowry's Pass, Betty's Bay and Harold Porter Botanical Gardens on the way.

Day 2: Drive through the Agulhas Plain from Hermanus to De Hoop Nature Reserve, visiting Cape Agulhas and other sites of interest.

Day 3: Explore De Hoop and Potberg before driving through to Knysna. Overnight at the Bush Lodge, Phantom Forest.

Day 4: Explore the Knysna forests and surrounds. Overnight at the Bush Lodge, Phantom Forest.

Day 5: Drive from Knysna to the Karoo National Park via the Sedgefield Lakes and through the spectacular Swartberg Pass.

Day 6: Explore the Karoo National Park, taking a guided night drive in the evening. Overnight at Karoo National Park.

Day 7: Spend the last morning in the Karoo National Park, before returning to Cape Town with a scenic detour through Ceres and Baines Kloof Pass.

Overview:

This tour builds on the Agulhas Plain and Garden Route Tour VIII, taking a trip to one of the best single localities in the Karoo for viewing a diverse array of this region's special endemics.

The Karoo National Park combines spectacular mountain scenery with the very best of Karoo birding. The Khoisan hunter-gatherers, the oldest inhabitants of South Africa, called the central plateau the 'Karuu', or "place of great dryness". Belying its barren appearance, the Karoo is home to some 5 000 species of plant, including one third of all the world's succulent plant species. The park represents one of the more spectacular parts of the Karoo, with the impressive Nuweveld escarpment, which rises to 1 900 m, forming the backdrop for the lower plains.

Despite only 170 bird species having been recorded in the park, it is extremely important for Namib-Karoo endemics, as well as supporting a host of other arid-zone specials. The lowland plains are particularly good for Ludwig's Bustard, Karoo Korhaan, Spike-heeled and Karoo larks, Greybacked Finchlark, Tractrac and Karoo chats, Karoo Eremomela and Rufous-eared Warbler. Black-headed Canary occurs whenever there is seeding grass and water. The belts of riverine woodland hold Namaqua Warbler and provide food, shelter and breeding habitat for many other species. The thicket and scrub on the slopes support Layard's Titbabbler and Southern Grey Tit. The secretive and localised Cinnamon-breasted Warbler, Rock Pipit, Pale-winged Starling and Ground Woodpecker occur in rocky gorges and kloofs while the Sickle-winged Chat is found on the grass and scrub of the plateau. The newly described Karoo Long-billed Lark is common throughout the park. Other arid-zone species occurring here are Dusky Sunbird, Pale Chanting Goshawk, Pririt Batis, Fairy Flycatcher, Cape Penduline Tit and White-throated Canary. The Gamka Dam on the Grootplaat holds the only permanent surface water in the park and it supports a host of waterbirds, including Cape Shoveller, South African Shelduck and Yellowbilled Duck. The cliffs near the dam hold breeding Black and Booted eagles and Black Stork.