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SOUTH AFRICA Birding and Wildlife Safari 13 DAYS | Choose Your Dates

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SOUTH AFRICA Birding and Wildlife Safari 13 DAYS | Choose Your Dates BLUE WAXBILL BY DEREK KEATS SOUTH AFRICA Birding and Wildlife Safari 13 DAYS | Choose your dates Immerse yourself in the natural PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS wonders of South Africa, • Explore South Africa’s famed Kruger National Park, one of the continent’s largest game reserves, for the chance to spot nearly 500 home to amazing scenery, bird species, as well as the “Big 5” — lions, elephants, Cape buffalo, iconic African wildlife, and leopards, and rhinoceros. • Seek out Highveld grassland species such as Wing-snapping more than 800 bird species. Cisticola, Eastern Long-billed Lark, and Denham’s Bustard at Verloren World-renowned habitats Vallei Nature Reserve. • Hike the escarpment forest of Mount Sheba and look for area and biological diversity are specialties like the Knysna Turaco, Southern Double-collared Sunbird, and Narina Trogon. the focus as you journey from • View stunning landscapes as you watch the sun set over Blyde River the Highveld grasslands of Canyon, the third largest canyon in the world. Mpumalanga province to the • Explore the grassland around Wakkerstroom and track down scarce inhabitants like Blue Korhaan, Secretarybird, and Grey Crowned cliffs and gorges of the Blyde Crane, plus the globally threatened Rudd’s Lark and Botha’s Lark. River Canyon, and through transitional habitats before WHAT’S INCLUDED? leveling out in the bush plains • Bilingual local guide of Kruger National Park. For • Driver • Accommodations birders, this translates to a • Activities superb range of species to be • Private transportation • Meals seen, including many regional • Beverages with meals and country-specific endemics. • Carbon offsetting LION IN KRUGER NATIONAL PARK holbrooktravel.com | 800-451-7111 BLYDE RIVER CANYON BY DR. THOMAS WAGNER ITINERARY possibly Yellow-breasted Pipit, Southern Bald Ibis, and Blue Crane. From here, finish the drive with the aim of reaching BLD = BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER Mount Sheba late in the afternoon, with some time to relax before dinner. Elevation: 5,300 feet; Afro-montane forest and grassland habitats. Overnight at Forever Resorts. (BD) DAY 1 - EN ROUTE Depart the United States for South Africa. DAY 4 - BLYDE RIVER CANYON Rise early to explore the surrounding escarpment forest on DAY 2 - JOHANNESBURG foot. Although the number of species found in this habitat Today will be arrival day, with most participants arriving type is not very high, several will likely not be seen again on evening flights. For those participating in the optional anywhere else on the tour. Some of the specialties you’ll be pre-trip extension and arriving from Cape Town, we’ll spend looking for include Knysna Turaco, Grey Cuckooshrike, the afternoon visiting the nearby Rietvlei Nature Reserve as Southern Double-collared Sunbird, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, an opportunity to become familiar with some of the more Narina Trogon, Cape Batis, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, common species. A few of the regular birds we can expect here and White-starred Robin. Return to the lodge for a relaxed include Black-winged Kite, African Pipit, Rufous-naped Lark, breakfast before packing up and driving through to your next Crowned Lapwing, Dark-capped Bulbul, Fiscal Flycatcher destination, situated on the edge of the Blyde River Canyon. and White-throated Swallow. Mammals to be seen include Along the way, do some general birding for species such as white rhinoceros, eland, plains zebra, blesbok, and springbok, Red-throated Wryneck, Amethyst Sunbird, Neddicky, and among others. Afterwards, return to the hotel with some time Streaky-headed Seedeater. Arrive to your accommodation in free before dinner. Meet the group at the hotel restaurant for the early afternoon, allowing some time to relax during the dinner and orientation at 7 pm. (*Temperatures in South hottest part of the day. Later in the afternoon, stroll up to the Africa range from high 80s to mid 50s in the summer months, viewpoint overlooking the canyon while searching for Lazy with chances of afternoon thunderstorms. In the winter, you can expect low 60s to mid 30s with minimal chance of rain. Elevation is 5,600 feet above sea level. You can find predominantly open “Highveld Grassland” habitats.) Overnight at Africa Sky Guest House. (D) DAY 3 - MOUNT SHEBA After an early breakfast, check out of your hotel and head northwest. Much of today will be spent traveling, with a birding stop along the way if time allows, perhaps visiting a small pan (seasonal, rain-filled body of water) where you’ll have a chance to search for species such as White-backed Duck, Yellow-billed Duck, Little Grebe, Great-crested Grebe, Purple Heron, and Common Moorhen. Continue driving through the small Highveld town of Dullstroom before birding your way through to Mount Sheba via the beautiful Verloren Vallei Nature Reserve, where you’ll search for some Highveld grassland species such as Wing-snapping Cisticola, Eastern Long-billed Lark, Yellow Bishop, Denham’s Bustard, and SECRETARYBIRD BY LOU NEWMAN Cisticola, Brimstone Canary, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, This 57-mile journey often produces some incredible viewing. Cinnamon-breasted Bunting, and Green-backed Camaroptera Break up the journey around mid-day, stopping for lunch along the way. Enjoy watching the sun set over the and a chance to stretch your legs at Tshokwane picnic site, magnificent Blyde River Canyon before returning for dinner. before continuing on to Skukuza. Arrive in the late afternoon Elevation: roughly 3,840 feet; Cliffs and gorges, forest, and for some time to relax in camp before dinner. Overnight at thicket habitats. Overnight at Forever Resorts. (BD) Skukuza Rest Camp. (BD) DAY 5 - SATARA, KRUGER DAY 8 - SKUKUZA, KRUGER Start the day off with a birding walk to search for a few more Explore the area around Skukuza, with the same approach species that you may not have seen yet, including White- as at Satara, where you’ll be out during the morning and throated Robin-Chat, Yellow-fronted Canary, Mocking afternoon and relaxing in camp during the warmer periods Cliff-Chat, Familiar Chat, and Striped Pipit. Have breakfast around mid-day when activity typically dies down. Start off back at the lodge and then depart for Kruger National Park. exploring the Sabie River, where you may encounter White- Along the way, search for species such as Cape Vulture, Cape browed Scrub-Robin, Eastern Bearded Scrub-Robin, Orange- Rock-Thrush, Mocking Cliff-Chat, Mountain Wagtail, and breasted Bushshrike, Ashy Flycatcher, Golden-breasted with luck, Taita Falcon. Arrive at the Kruger National Park Bunting, and White-fronted Bee-eater. On the river itself, entrance gate around mid-day. After grabbing a bite to eat, you may find White-crowned Lapwing, Three-banded Plover, spend most of the rest of the afternoon driving through Goliath Heron, and with luck, African Finfoot. Return mid- to your camp. The drive is about morning for breakfast, after which 30 miles away, but a multitude you’ll bird in the camp where of new species will be there to Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Collared distract you, such as Magpie Sunbird, Crowned Hornbill, Shrike, Tawny Eagle, White-backed White-browed Robin-Chat, and Vulture, Brown-headed Parrot, and Long-billed Crombec may all be Green-winged Pytillia. Mammals seen. After some time relaxing, will also be well-represented, with take an afternoon drive in the impala, blue wildebeest, kudu, area, hoping to find some of the and southern giraffe all likely to usual thicket species such as Blue be seen on the way. You may also Waxbill, Red-billed Firefinch, bump into some of the “Big Five,” Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, with African elephant and African Natal Spurfowl, and Brubru, buffalo in particular being likely before returning just before the possibilities. Elevation varies from camp gates close and in time for a about 800 feet at Satara to 1,920 feet lovely dinner, possibly even adding at Pretoriuskop. Habitats: mainly greater galago to the list in the savanna, with various sub-types process. Overnight at Skukuza Rest such as basalt sweetveld, Sabie River Camp. (BD) thickets, and Pretoriuskop sourveld. Overnight at Satara Rest Camp. (BD) LILAC-BREASTED ROLLER BY ROGER CULOS DAY 9 - PRETORIUSKOP Early this morning, drive to a DAY 6 - SATARA, KRUGER nearby bird hide, where you’ll Enjoy a full day to explore the area not only hope to add some around Satara camp. Begin birding in the area to the north species to your list in the form of African Darter, Malachite of camp, where you may see Chestnut-backed Sparrowlark, Kingfisher, African Pied Kingfisher, Water Thick-knee, Double-banded Sandgrouse, Namaqua Dove, Kori Bustard, and African Jacana, but also hopefully get some excellent and Red-crested Korhaan. Species such as Gabar Goshawk, photographic opportunities, as the hippos often come fairly Sabota Lark, Burnt-necked Eremomela, and African Pipit close to the front of the hide. Spend some time here before should also be seen. Afterwards, return for a late breakfast in perhaps birding around the Skukuza plant nursery for a little camp, followed by a short birding stroll before taking some while. After breakfast, make your way to the oldest camp, time to relax during the hotter parts of the day. Later in the Pretoriuskop, situated in the southwest corner, for your afternoon, head out once more to try and add a few species last night in Kruger, likely arriving in the early afternoon. to your list, and hopefully bump into more large mammals. After settling in and relaxing for a while, head out on an In particular, the Satara area offers excellent habitat for lions. afternoon drive for a few target species such as Green-capped Overnight at Satara Rest Camp. (BD) Eremomela, Grey Penduline-Tit, Brown-headed Parrot, Little Bee-eater, Yellow-throated Petronia, and Bushveld Pipit. DAY 7 - SKUKUZA, KRUGER Return to camp and have some time to get ready for dinner.
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