Birding Endemics Western & Cape Town, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Pelagic Birding, Cape Peninsula, Betty’s Bay, Rooi Els, Tankwa , , Brandvlei, Springbok, , Lambert’s Bay, Langebaan, Cape Town via West Coast National Park

January 2019 – December 2019 12 Day

1 ITINERARY WESTERN & NORTHERN CAPE Days Destination Summary

Day 0 We will explore the Cape Peninsula Birding Hot Spots. Arrive Cape Town Visit to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Overnight Hotel

Day 1 Kirstenbosch, We will explore the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and then on to Strandfontein & Cape Strandfontein and end off at The Cape of Good Hope . of Good Hope Overnight Hotel

Early morning boat trip doing Pelagic Birding, whole day (weather permitting). Day 2 Pelagic Birding Trip Overnight Hotel An early morning departure for the Hottentots-Holland Mountains, Betty’s Day 3 Betty’s Bay & Rooi Els Bay & Rooi Els. Overnight Hotel

Paarl, Leaving Cape Town for the town of Paarl were we will visit the Wildflower Day 4 Ceres, Reserve. In the afternoon we will head to Ceres, gateway to the Tankwa Tankwa Karoo Karoo. Overnight Hotel Short drive to the semi arid central plateau of the Karoo, Day 5 Ceres & Calvinia Via Karoopoort narrow canyon. Birding on route. Overnight Hotel

Day 6 Calvinia & Brandvlei Early morning departure – searching for scarce inhabitants of this region. Overnight Hotel Early morning departure – full day birding. We will stop at Day 7 Calvinia & Springbok Goegap Nature Reserve. Overnight Hotel Early morning departure – to Port Nolloth near the Namibian border, Late Day 8 Springbok & afternoon revisit to Goegap Nature Reserve Port Nolloth Overnight Hotel

Early morning departure. We cross the coastal plain to the Atlantic Ocean at Day 9 Springbok & Lambert’s Bay, visiting the Gannet colony. Lambert’s Bay Overnight Hotel Early morning revisit to the Gannet colony. There after to the Berg River Day 10 Lambert’s Bay to Estuary. Langebaan Overnight Hotel

On the final day of our tour we will bird in the West Coast National Park, Day 11 Langebaan to thereafter we head to Cape Town. Cape Town via Overnight Hotel West Coast Nat Park

Day 12 Departure After breakfast the tour will conclude at Cape Town Airport

TOUR CONCLUDES

2 Day 0: Arrival in Cape Town.

Cape Town - Southern Africa’s dry west is a fascinating and unique area. With a great diversity in fauna and flora including two botanical regions found nowhere else on earth; the Cape Floristic Region and the Succulent Karoo. The area also hosts a range of special bird endemics and stunning scenery. Cape Town is one of ’s most historically important cities. It was here, in the Mother City, where the first European colonists set foot in South Africa, which also marked the beginning of the South African slave trade. It was home to perhaps the world’s most famous political prisoner, Nelson Mandela, who was held on the tiny Robben Island in Table Bay.

Cape Town After arriving in Cape Town we start our exploration of the Cape Peninsula’s picturesque beauty at local birding hotspots. Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens on the slopes of Table Mountain. It is home to various endemics restricted to the Macchia-like Fynbos vegetation here on the southern tip of Africa. Cape Sugarbirds , Orange-breasted Sunbirds in the Protea gardens. Cape Spurfowls on lawns and in denser cover areas we find Cape Grassbird , Cape Bulbul, Karoo Prinia, Southern Double-collared Sunbird, Olive Thrush and Southern Boubou . The indigenous forest area on the upper slopes offers Forest Canary, Cape Batis, African Olive Pigeon and Lemon Dove . Overhead we look out for displaying Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk and African Goshawk .

Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve . Situated on the southern tip of the Cape Peninsula and the south- western extremity of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve offers a variety of birding opportunities to visitors, but also holds some of the most breath taking scenery in Africa. Together with the numerous endemic species, the Reserve also offers some of the best land based seabird watching in the world. Here we find Cape Sugarbird, Orange-breasted Sunbird and maybe Black Harrier, Cape Siskin and Grey-winged Francolin . Chacma Baboon, Bontebok, Cape Mountain Zebra and Eland can also be found here.

Grey-winged Francolin Black Oystercatcher Cape Grassbird Red-winged Starling Peregrine Falcon Bird photos courtesy of Maans Booysen

Overnight at Hotel Cape Town 3 Day 1: Kirstenbosch, Strandfontein & Cape of Good Hope

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is acclaimed as one of the great botanic gardens of the world. Few gardens can match the sheer grandeur of the setting of Kirstenbosch, against the eastern slopes of Cape Town’s Table Mountain.

Cape Sugarbird Orange-breasted Sunbird Cape Spurfowl Forrest Canary Cape Siskin Bird photos courtesy of Maans Booysen

Strandfontein Water Works. Although the uninitiated will often turn up their noses at the idea of voluntarily visiting a sewage farm, such places are often exceptionally rich in birdlife. This is especially true of the extensive Strandfontein sewage works, arguably the best waterbird locality close to Cape Town. A major advantage is the opportunity to bird from the comfort and security of your car, which can be used as a moving hide. The vast network of reed-fringed pans which radiate out from the sewage plant buildings is connected by good gravel roads. Black-necked and Great Crested Grebes, Maccoa Duck, Southern Pochard and Cape, Hottentot and Red-billed Teals, Cape Shoveler, Yellow-billed Duck and South African Shelduck, Purple Swamphen, Wood Sandpiper, Little Stint, Swift, Sandwich and Levaillant’s Cisticola, White- throated and European Swallows, Brown-throated Martin , and African Sedge, Cape Reed and African Marsh Warblers , Cape Bulbul, African Marsh Harrier, Cape and White-breasted Cormorants .

Cape Teal Hottentot Teal Greater Flamingo Lesser Swamp Warbler Bird photos courtesy of Maans Booysen

Overnight at Hotel Cape Town 4 Day 2: Cape Town Pelagic Birding (Weather permitting)*.

Pelagic Birding Cape Town (Saturday or Sunday, weather permitting, if not possible we will do the Pelagic on the way back) The Benguela current off Cape Town supports a wealth of pelagic seabirds. Vast numbers of albatrosses, prions, petrels and shearwaters are found towards the edge of the continental shelf. It is excellent birding year-round on the optional pelagic trip. Both Yellow-nosed, Black-browed and Shy Albatrosses can be seen with Spectacled and White-chinned Petrels, Southern & Northern Giant Petrels, Wilson’s Storm Petrel, Sooty Shearwater and Cape Gannet . When commercial fishing trawlers are encountered birding can be truly spectacular, seabirds in feeding frenzy on offal in the wake of the vessel. Careful scanning might present us with rarities such as Northern Royal and Wandering Albatrosses . Cetaceans like Bryde’s and Southern Right Whales always likely to be encountered. This pelagic trip is a highlight of a South Africa birding trip. On our way back we visit the African Penguin colony and on rocky shorelines African Black Oystercatcher, Bank, Cape and Crowned Cormorants .

White-chinned and Pintado Petrels Great-winged Petrel Shy Albatross

Black-browed Albatross Great Shearwater Pintado Petrel Bird photos courtesy of Maans Booysen

Pelagic Birding Zest for Birds The south- offers the best sea birding in South Africa. The cold Benguela Current brings highly nutrient-rich waters up from the south, and the strong winds (predominately from the south- east) create an upwelling that brings all the nutrients to the surface. This, in turn, sustains the phytoplankton that form the basis of the marine food chain. Pelagic fisheries thrive in the area, and discards from the trawlers provide a constant food source for pelagic birds.

Photos courtesy of Trevor Hardaker

Overnight at Hotel Cape Town 5 Day 3 : Betty’s Bay & Rooi Els

Betty’s Bay & Rooi Els Only an hour’s drive from Cape Town , Betty’s Bay is a picturesque seaside village situated between Pringle Bay and Kleinmond .

Betty’s Bay Hottentots-Holland Mountains An early morning departure for the Hottentots-Holland Mountains in search of the Cape Rockjumper, Ground Woodpecker and Sentinel Rock Thrush on rock outcrops. In thick fynbos we will search for the Victorin’s Warbler . We may see Klipspringer and Chacma Baboon here as well. We will stop at the Herhold Porter Botanical Gardens in Betty’s Bay which is an excellent site to find Cape endemics. Another chance for Victorin’s Warbler, Cape Siskin. Brimstone Canary, Black Saw-wing and Malachite Sunbird are more common here.

Cape Rockjumper Victorin’s Warbler Cape Siskin Brimstone Canary

Ground Woodpecker Sentinel Rock Thrush African Penguin Colony Rooi Els Bird photos courtesy of Maans Booysen Rooi Els Rooi Els perches like a child's puzzle piece on the edge of Route 44, the first little seaside village after leaving Gordon's Bay , before the landmark Hangklip rock face. Rooi Els (sometimes spelt Rooiels or Rooi-Els), like its neighbours Pringle Bay , Betty's Bay and Kleinmond , borders the Kogelberg Nature Reserve , forming part of the larger Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve. The smallest of these towns, Rooi Els (Red Alder) is also a registered conservancy in its own right. Birders love Rooi Els for the endemic Cape Rockjumper , rock thrushes and other unusual birds

Overnight at Hotel Cape Town 6 Day 4 : Cape Town to Ceres

Cape Town to Ceres via Paarl Leaving Cape Town for the town of Paarl, dominated with the huge granite inselberg. Here we will visit the Wildflower Reserve where Cape Sugarbird, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Fiscal Flycatcher and Protea Canary are a possibility in Protea stands.

Our greatest challenge today is Knysna Warbler which is a secretive skulker. Forest Buzzard is possible overhead. Forest Canary are common while Buff-spotted Flufftail are a secretive challenge.

Paarl Paarl Wildflower Reserve

Forest Canary Buff-spotted Flufftail Yellow Canary Protea Canary Cape Eagle Owl Bird photos courtesy of Maans Booysen

Ceres That afternoon we head for Ceres which is the gateway to the Tankwa Karoo, another chance for Protea Canary in mountain passes. Karoo Thrush, White-backed Mousebird, Layard’s and Chestnut-vented Tit-babblers, Acacia Pied Barbet and Fairy Flycatcher . Ceres

Layard’s Tit-babbler Fairy Flycatcher Acacia Pied Barbet White-backed Chestnut-vented Mousebird Tit-babbler Bird photos courtesy of Maans Booysen

Overnight at Hotel 7 Day 5 : Ceres to Calvinia

Calvinia A short drive to the semi-arid central plateau of the Karoo renowned for its endemic larks chats and canaries.

We will proceed to the Succulent Karoo via Karoopoort a narrow canyon with rocky slopes. Which can provide Cinnamon-breasted Warbler, Layard’s and Chestnut-vented Tit-Babbler, Grey Tit, Acacia Pied Barbet, White-backed Mousebird, Pririt Batis, Mountain Wheatear and Fairy Flycatcher.

Cinnamon-breasted Warbler Mountain Wheatear Pririt Batis Grey Tit

We will proceed Northwards onto the open flats of the Karoo, which reveals Karoo Long-billed, Karoo, Spike-heeled, Large-billed and Red-capped Larks , Karoo Eremomela, Rufous-eared Warbler, Grey Tit, Karoo, Sickle -winged and Tractrac Chats, White -throated, Yellow and Black - headed Canary . Pale Chanting Goshawk on perches and Verreaux’s and Booted Eagle over head, while, Namaqua Warbler, Karoo Prinia and Grey-backed Cisticola can also be found.

Karoo Long-billed Lark Red-capped Lark Rufous-eared Warbler Sickle-winged Chat

Black-headed Canary Yellow Canary Pale-chanting Goshawk Verraux’s Eagle Bird photos courtesy of Maans Booysen

Overnight at Hotel 8 Day 6 : Calvinia to Brandvlei

Brandvlei Karoo Brandvlei lies halfway between Calvinia and on the Great Pans of the Northern Cape. This is a place where the San Bushmen roamed.

We will search for the scarce inhabitants of this unique botanical region.

Pale-winged Starling, Karoo Long-billed, Karoo, Sclater’s, Red and Large-billed Larks, Karoo, Sickle-winged and Tractrac Chats, Fairy Flycatcher and the nomadic Black-eared Sparrow-Lark. Burchell’s Courser can be a challenge while White-backed Mousebird, Pirrit Batis, Ashy Tit, Rufous-eared Warbler should be easier to find. Namaqua Sandgrouse, White-throated and Black-headed Canary. Karoo Eremomela, Grey-backed Cisticola and Dusky Sunbird. Non endemic species like Double-banded Courser, Kori Bustard, Martial Eagle and Lanner Falcon can be seen as well.

Burchell’s Courser Black-eared Sparrow-Lark Namaqua Sandgrouse Pale-winged Starling

Spike-heeled Lark Karoo Eremomela Sclater’s Lark Karoo Long-billed Lark

Tractrac Chat Grey-backed Cisticola Dusky Sunbird Kori Bustard

Bird photos courtesy of Maans Booysen

Overnight at Hotel 9 Day 7 : Calvinia & Springbok

Goegap Nature Reserve The Goegap Nature Reserve with its granite peaks and sandy plains is dominated by the Carolusberg which has the highest point in the area. Goegap’s wildflower garden has an enormous collection of succulents endemic to the area. A visit to the Goegap Nature Reserve will make a lasting impression with the spectacular annual display of wildflowers in spring. We will stop at Acacia lined water courses and rocky slopes where we look for Black-headed Canary, Karoo Eremomela, Cinnamon-breasted Warbler, Layard’s and Chestnut-vented Tit- Babblers.

Quiver Trees These trees are a keystone species of this region; many animals rely on their existence for a variety of reasons . They offer one of very few high points in this desolate vegetation that can act as a vantage point for birds of prey and as nesting sites for other birds. The succulent nature of the leaves and flowers is also an important source of moisture for a range of animals. Due to the absence of growth rings in this monocot species, it is very difficult to tell how long the bastard quiver tree lives. It is suspected, however, that they grow very slowly and live between 250 and 350 years.

Ludwick’s Bustard Red Lark Karoo Lark Karoo Korhaan

Bat-eared Fox Namaqua Warbler Karoo Chat

Bird photos courtesy of Maans Booysen Overnight at Hotel 10 Day 8 : Springbok to Port Nolloth

Port Nolloth is a seaport town in the Namaqualand region on the Diamond coast of the Northern Cape province in South Africa. Port Nolloth is situated 143km northwest of Springbok. The town was established as a small-vessel harbour and railway junction in 1854 for the copper- mining industry, Port Nolloth ’s narrow, shallow entrance harbour makes it unsuitable for ore carriers. It is, instead, a centre for the small-scale diamond recovery and crayfishing industries, and the only resort on the Diamond Coast. Port Nolloth is as laidback as it sounds. Nothing much happens very fast here, and as a result, holiday makers are attracted to the town to soak up the worriless atmosphere, and the sun.

Port Nolloth

Early start to Port Nolloth near the Namibian border. Here the main focus is Barlow’s Lark, Cape Long-bill Lark and Cape Penduline-tit. Late afternoon revisit to Goegap Nature Reserve to pick up on missed ones.

Barlow’s Lark Cape Penduline-tit Cape Long-billed Lark Bird photos courtesy of Maans Booysen

Overnight at Hotel 11 Day 9 : Springbok to Lambert’s Bay

Lambert’s Bay The unpretentious, picturesque seaside village of Lambert's Bay lies up the West Coast, 280 kilometres north of Cape Town. This coastal town has been proclaimed 'the Diamond of the West Coast' because of its white beaches, wildlife and lobsters. Although primarily a fishing town it has become a significant tourist attraction due to its moderate all-year climate.

Lambert’s Bay

We cross the coastal plain to the Atlantic Ocean at Lambert’s Bay for the immense colony of Cape Gannets. Here we also find Bank, Cape & Crowned Cormorants as well as Hartlaub’s and Kelp Gulls and. African Black Oystercatcher

Cape Gannet Bank Cormorant Bird photos courtesy of Maans Booysen

Overnight at Hotel 12 Day 10 : Lambert’s Bay to Langebaan

Langebaan town is located on the eastern shore of Langebaan Lagoon in the Western Cape province of South Africa . Langebaan is situated 120 km north of Cape Town , just off the R27 , about 28 km from Vredenburg and 20 km from Saldanha Bay . The Lagoon stretches for 17 km from Saldanha Bay across to to Geelbek in the South. In places it is up to 4 km wide.

Langebaan Early morning revisit to the Cape Gannet colony. Thereafter to the Berg River estuary to pick up shore-birds such as Eurasian Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Kittlitz’s and Chestnut-banded Plover . There is also great numbers of Greater and Lesser Flamingos, Cape Shoveler, South African Shelduck and various other waterfowl. The Strandveld coastal vegetation holds Cape Penduline-tit, Karoo and Large-billed Larks, Fiscal Flycatcher and Pearl-breasted Swallow . We will try to locate the elusive Protea Canary in rocky valleys near Clan William if missed earlier.

Clan William

Black Harrier Southern Black Korhaan Grey-winged Francolin Bird photos courtesy of Maans Booysen

Overnight at Hotel 13 Day 11 : Langebaan to Cape Town via West Coast National Park

West Coast National Park The West Coast National Park was established in 1985 to conserve the Langebaan Lagoon, including the islands in Saldanha Bay, and coastal stretches from Yzerfontein to Langebaan. The habitats in the park are varied, and it is of international and national importance in respect of both terrestrial and marine life. The diverse habitats of the Langebaan Lagoon include salt marshes and wetlands, granitic islands with large breeding populations of seabirds, varied rocky and sandy shores of the coastal strip, the parabolic coastal dune fields and terrestrial lowland fynbos communities on calcareous soils.

West Coast National Park

Langebaan Flamingos, Kelp Gulls and African Black Oystercatchers Langebaan to Cape Town via West Coast National Park We will end the final day of our tour of South Africa’s Western and Northern Cape in the West Coast National Park. Expect to see Black Harrier as well as Common Ostrich, Southern Black Korhaan, Grey-winged Francolin and Cape Penduline-tit. Mammals like Eland, Red Hartebeest and Grysbok can also be seen here.

Red Hartebeest Eland Grysbok

Overnight at Hotel 14 Day 12 : Cape Town Departure

Departure We conclude this tour having spent 12 enjoyable days viewing Birds and increasing our life lists. We thank our local community guides for sharing their knowledge with us.

After breakfast the tour will conclude at Cape Town International Airport.

We sincerely hope we have enriched your trip with a unique Escape to the Wild….

“Everyone likes birds. What wild creature is more accessible to our eyes and ears, as close to us and everyone in the world, as universal as a bird”.

David Attenborough

15 Important Info

This price includes

Accommodation All meals 2 litres water per day All Guiding fees Park Entrance fees Tour price quoted is per person sharing Single supplement can be arranged at an additional cost (+- 25% additional)

This price excludes

Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks Internet, laundry, phone calls, room service etc. Personal travel / medical insurance (we highly recommend you take Travel insurance in case of any emergency). Gratuities (tips)

Important Information

Please keep all your valuables safe, secure and insured. Due to unforeseen circumstances we may be forced to alter our itinerary at short or no notice however we will try our best to stick to the original tour programme.

Travel Tips

Ensure you have packed a torch and extra batteries It can be cooler in the early mornings and evenings therefore ensure you have a warm jacket, scarf, etc. Ensure you travel with all your medication including a Prescription’s from your Doctor. Binoculars, Camera’s etc. Comfortable walking / hiking shoes that cover your entire foot.

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