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BIRDING AFRICA THE AFRICA SPECIALISTS South Africa post-Flock Ultimate Endemics Tour Leaflet 2022 Black Harrier © Tertius Gous 31 January – 7 February 2022 (Western South Africa) 7 – 22 February 2022 (Eastern South Africa) South Africa 2022 BIRDING Tour leader: Michael Mills AFRICA THE AFRICA SPECIALISTS Birding Africa Tour Summary Tour Africa Birding Summary Tour Africa Birding Target all SA's endemics • small group • West and East sections • Sugarbirds and Rockjumpers • see over 500 bird species and 50 mammals Cape Rockjumper © Tertius Gous • excellent lodges and meals Our Ultimate Endemics South Africa tour has been at Grootvadersbosch, hoping to fi nd Chorister Cape Siskin © Tertius Gous Michael's incredible focus, dedication and ability to designed to give you the best chance to see South Robin-Chat, before heading to the famous locate and show Africa's toughest birds is probably Africa’s endemics, near endemics and regional savannas of the Kruger National Park. Next we unequalled on the continent. He has led dozens of specials, plus a wide variety of African mammals, bird highlands grasslands around Wakkerstroom tours across Africa and his experience in locating in just over three weeks. Th e tour runs as two back- where Yellow-breasted Pipit and Rudd's Lark birds on just the soft est of calls or briefest of views to-back sections, giving those short of time the occur, before winding our way through KwaZulu- impresses those who travelled with him. opportunity to join just part of the trip. Natal's reserves, Mkhuze, Bonamanzi, St Lucia and Eshowe/Dlinza where we hope to fi nd Woodward's We start in the west, leaving Cape Town to the Batis, Rudd's Apalis and Pink-throated Twinspot. east and pausing in the fynbos of the Hottentot's Dates (2022) We end off in the highlands around Underberg Holland mountains to search for specialties such Western South Afr 31 Jan – 7 Feb and Sani Pass, where top birds could include as Cape Rockjumper and Victorin's Warbler. Drakensberg Rockjumper and Cape Parrot. Eastern South Africa 7 – 22 Feb On the plains of the Overberg we'll search for Agulhas Long-billed Lark and Southern Tchagra, before visiting the forests of Grootvadersbosch for Tour Focus Prices + Single Supplement Knysna Warbler and Knysna Woodpecker. From Western S Africa $3350 + $240 here we enter the arid scrublands of the Karoo Our itinerary also off ers good chances to see a Eastern S Africa $4550 + $280 and Bushman to look for arid-country specialties great diversity of South Africa’s mammals and such as Karoo Eremomela, Karoo Korhaan and reptiles. While birding, we’ll look out for big cats Includes all ground costs except the internal fl ight Red Lark. To complete our western circuit we loop such as lion and cheetah, giants such as African from Cape Town to Johannesburg (c. $100) back to Cape Town with a night on the coastal elephant, rhinoceros, hippopotamus and giraff e, or scrublands of the West Coast along the way, hoping small social mammals such as banded mongoose to fi nd Black Harrier and Southern Black Korhaan. and meerkats. Book online In the east we start off in the grasslands and A species checklist will be handed out to you Visit www.birdingafrica.com bushveld around Johannesburg before heading as part of your tour booklet and is available Deposit ($150) by credit card north to arid savanna around Polokwane beforehand upon request. Let us know if you have Email [email protected] where Short-clawed Lark is the top speciality. target species or want to know more about the A short was east we visit Afromontane forest species we might encounter. 2 | South Africa 2022 - post-Flock Ultimate Endemics South Africa 2022 - post-Flock Ultimate Endemics | 3 INTRODUCTION Our Ultimate Endemics tour of South Africa offers seabird-rich oceans and expansive Karoo desert some of the most comfortable and productive shrublands. Each area offers many unusual birding in Africa. With its famously high endemic localized birds: Cape Rockjumper, Cape Sugarbird, count and good infrastructure, South Africa allows Blue Crane, a plethora of larks and several striking for an easy introduction to Africa’s birds, tricky bustards. Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding specials and localized endemics. Leaflet Tour Africa Birding We then visit the east, which is blessed with a Add a dash of fine weather, good food, great wine more tropical climate, higher rainfall and taller and impressive African mammals, and you’re in for mountains. We explore its mammal-rich savannas, a real treat. Afromontane forests, highland grasslands, rugged mountains and coastal forests. Impressive species Our itinerary has been carefully and expertly tallies abound, with specials such as Southern designed to maximize the number of bird species Bald Ibis, Blue Korhaan, Yellow-breasted Pipit, and endemics. All of South Africa’s key habitats Taita Falcon, Knysna Turaco and Pink-throated and landscapes are included, and some of Africa’s Twinspot. best places to watch big game, such as African elephant, lion, leopard and the more specialized Our recent tour saw all of South Africa’s endemics, cheetah and wild dog. a stunning 526 bird and over 40 mammal species. Visit birdingafrica.com, click on trip reports.. We start with exploring the west, which holds the world-famous and flower-rich fynbos biome, Southern Black Korhaan © Tertius Gous Cape Sugarbird © Tertius Gous Accommodation and meals For Eastern South Africa, please plan to arrive in Johannesburg by the night of 7 February 2022. Accommodation and meals are of a high standard, Departure is possible from Durban from 17h00 on and vary from lodges and guest houses to rustic 22 February 2022. bush camps and small hotels. Rooms all have private facilities and hot water. Please email [email protected] a copy of your proposed flight details for approval before Meals are Western-style. Please advise if you are paying for your ticket. vegetarian and what foods you enjoy, so that we can cater for you. Walking Water is safe to drink throughout so we do not supply bottled drinking water. This tour requires a low degree of fitness with no big hikes. Most walks will be done at a gentle pace, cross fairly flat terrain with only a few exceptions. International flights For Western South Africa, please plan to arrive Group size in Cape Town by the night of 31 January 2022. Departure is possible from Cape Town from 20h00 Maximum 7 participants. on 7 February 2022. 4 | South Africa 2022 - post-Flock Ultimate Endemics South Africa 2022 - post-Flock Ultimate Endemics | 5 ITINERARY AND MAP WEST EAST Western Itinerary Day W1 31 Jan 2022 Arrive. Overnight in Cape Town. Day W2 1 Feb 2022 Cape Town to Overberg via Hottentot's Holland Mrs. Overnight Malagas. Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Day W3 2 Feb 2022 Overberg to Grootvadersbosch. Overnight near Grootvadersbosch. Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Day W4 3 Feb 2022 Grootvadersbosch to Ceres. Overnight in Ceres. Day W5 4 Feb 2022 Ceres to Calvinia via Tankwa Karoo. Overnight in Calvinia. Polokwane E4 Magoebaskloof Day W6 5 Feb 2022 Calvinia to Bushmanland. Overnight in Brandvlei. E5 Day W7 6 Feb 2022 Brandvlei to West Coast. Overnight in Langebaan. 1 E3 Central Kruger Day W8 7 Feb 2022 West Coast to Cape Town. Tour ends. Fly to Johannesburg if continuing. Brandvlei E6 Southern Kruger Eastern Itinerary W6 E7 Day E1 7 Feb 2022 Arrive. Overnight in Johannesburg. Johannesburg Day E2 8 Feb 2022 Birding the greater Johannesburg area. Overnight in Johannesburg. Calvinia E1 – E2 E11 Day E3 9 Feb 2022 Johannesburg to Polokwane, birding en route. Overnight in Polokwane. W7 Mkhuze & Day E4 10 Feb 2022 Polokwane GR. PM to Magoebaskloof. Overnight at Magoebaskloof. Wakkerstroom Bonamanzi W5 E8 – E9 E10 Day E5 11 Feb 2022 Magoebaskloof to central Kruger NP. Overnight at Satara Rest Camp. E12 West Day E6 12 Feb 2022 Central to southern Kruger. Overnight at Berg-en-dal rest camp. Coast St Lucia Day E7 13 Feb 2022 Kruger to Wakkerstroom. Overnight near Wakkerstroom. Ceres E15 Eshowe E13 Day E8 14 Feb 2022 Full day in Wakkerstroom area. Overnight near Wakkerstroom. Sani Pass E14 Day E9 15 Feb 2022 Full day in Wakkerstroom area. Overnight near Wakkerstroom. W8 W4 Durban Day E10 16 Feb 2022 Wakkerstroom to Mkhuze Game Reserve. Overnight in Mkhuze.. Grootvdb. Underberg E16 Day E11 17 Feb 2022 Mkhuze to Bonamanzi. Overnight at Bonamanzi. Cape Town W2 W3 W1 Day E12 18 Feb 2022 Bonamanzi to St Lucia. Overnight in St Lucia town. Overberg Day E13 19 Feb 2022 St Lucia to Eshowe. Overnight in Eshowe. Day E14 20 Feb 2022 Dlinza Forest, then drive to Underberg. Overnight in Underberg. Day E15 21 Feb 2022 Sani Pass day trip. Overnight in Underberg. Day E16 22 Feb 2022 Birding around Underberg before driving to Durban. Tour ends. 6 | South Africa 2022 - post-Flock Ultimate Endemics South Africa 2022 - post-Flock Ultimate Endemics | 7 DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY ---- Western South Africa ----- Victorin’s Warblers and confiding Cape Spurfowl. Nearby, along the coast, we enjoy close up views Day W1: Arrive Cape Town of African Penguin and Cape, Bank and Crowned Cormorants. If time allows we will search for the Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Welcome to Cape Town! If you are getting off the for the country’s most difficult endemic, Fynbos Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Flock Cruise you'll be collected from the docks and Buttonquail, before continuing on to the Overberg taken to your hotel. If flying in you will be picked area, hopefully with our first Blue Cranes en route. up from the airport.
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