Southern & Central Exclusive Fly in Birding Tour

Johannesburg, Beira Rio Savanne, Catapu, Chemba, Gorongosa Park & Mountain, Johannesburg

January 2019 – December 2019 11 Days

Rio Savanne Mphingwe Camp - Catapu

1 ITINERARY SOUTHERN & CENTRAL MOZAMBIQUE

Days Destination Summary

Day 1 Johannesburg We will meet and depart from OR Tambo to Beira – 4 hours. to Overnight Hotel Muzimbiti Beira

Birding on route Day 2 & 3 Rio Savanne Overnight Hotel Muzimbiti

Birding on route Day 4 Rio Savanne Overnight Mpingwe Camp to Catapu

Day 5 Catapu to Birding on route Chemba and Overnight Mpingwe Camp Back

Birding on route Day 6, 7, 8 Catapu Overnight Hotel Mpingwe

Birding the area on route Day 9 Catapu Overnight Girassol Lodge to Gorongosa

Birding on route Day 10 Gorongosa Overnight Hotel Muzimbiti to Beira

Birding on route Day 11 Beira Overnight Hotel to Johannesburg

Tour Concludes

2 Day 1 : Johannesburg to Beira

Beira is the fourth largest city in Mozambique . It lies in the central region of the country in where the Pungwe River meets the Indian Ocean . Beira had a population of 397 368 people in 1997, which grew to 533 825 in 2017. It holds the regionally significant Port of Beira which acts as a gateway for both the central interior portion of the country as well as the land-locked nations of Zimbabwe , Zambia and Malawi . Birding along the floodplains we will target Olive Bee-eater, Eurasian Bittern, Locust Finch, Short- tailed Pipit, Black-rumped Buttonquail, Southern Banded Snake-eagle, Red-necked Falcon, Bat Hawk, African and Western Marsh-Harriers, Pallid and Montagu’s Harriers and Magpie Mannikin . Also Birding small patches of forests for Tiny Greenbul, Livingstone’s Flycatcher, Plain-backed Sunbird and Red-throated Twinspot .

Beira Beira

Road to Beira Pungwe Floodplain

Brown-headed Parrot Grey-headed Parrot Red-necked Falcon African Marsh Harrier

Allen’s Gallinule Black Coucal Bat Hawk Southern Brown-throated Weaver Bird photos courtesy of Maans Booysen

Overnight at Hotel Muzibiti Lodge 3 Day 2 & 3 : Rio Savanne

Birding along the floodplains we target Olive Bee-eater, Eurasian Bittern, Locust Finch, Short- tailed Pipit, Black-rumped Buttonquail, Southern Banded Snake-eagle, Red-necked Falcon, Bat Hawk, African and Western Marsh-Harrier, Pallid and Montagu’s Harrier and Magpie Mannikin . Birding small patches of forests for Tiny Greenbul, Livingstone’s Flycatcher, Plain-backed Sunbird and Red-throated Twinspot .

Birding Rio Savanne

Scenes along the way to Rio Savanne

African Quail Finch Lesser Seed-cracker Locust Finch Red-headed Quelea

Wattled Crane Collared Pratincole Southern Banded Snake-Eagle Montagu’s Harrier

All photos courtesy of Maans Booysen

Overnight at Hotel Muzimbti 4 Day 4 : Rio Savanne to Catapu

Early morning departure. Birding en-route along the floodplains and woodland pockets, targeting Eurasian and African Golden Orioles, Red-winged Warbler, Short-winged Cisticola, Black-and-white and Livingstone’s Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Hyliota, Cabanis’s Bunting, East Coast Akalat, Green-backed and Speckle-throated Woodpecker, Racket-tailed Roller, Grey- headed Parrot, African and Eurasian Hobby, Kirk’s Francolin, Southern Banded Snake-Eagle and Crowned Eagle .

Scenes along the road Charcoal seller

Retz’s Helmut-shrike Grey-headed Kingfisher Western Violet-backed Sunbird

Black & White Flycatcher Red-winged Warbler African Golden Oriole Bird photos courtesy of Maans Booysen

Overnight at Mapingwe Camp 5 Day 5 : Catapu to Chemba and Back

Chemba District is a district of Sofala Province in Mozambique . The principal town is Chemba . The district is located in the north of the province, and borders with in the northeast, in the southeast, Maringué District in the southwest, and with of in the northwest. In the district, there are 10 000 farms which have on average 2.6 hectares (0.01 sq mi) of land. The main agricultural products are corn, cassava , cowpea , peanut, pearl millet , sorghum , and sweet potato. Birding will target Lowland forest and dambos in particular looking for Bohm’s Bee-eater and Red- backed Shrike .

Dona Ana Bridge

Marsh Tchagra Copper Sunbird Black-winged Bishop Bohm’s Bee-eater

Western-banded Snake Eagle Blue-spotted Wood Dove African Mourning Dove Little Bitten

Bird photos courtesy of Maans Booysen

Overnight at Mphingwe Camp 6 Day 6, 7 & 8 : Catapu

Birding will target Lowland forest and dambos looking for Miombo Blue-eared Starling, Black-and- white Flycatcher, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon, Pied Mannikin, Kirk’s Francolin, Grey-headed Parrot, African Pitta, White-chested Alethe, Red-winged Warbler, Lesser Seedcracker, East Coast Akalat, Green-backed and Speckle-throated Woodpeckers, Barred Long- tailed Cuckoo, Blue Quail, Black-headed Apalis, Green Malkoha, Tiny Greenbul, Plain-backed and Western Violet-backed Sunbirds, Narina Trogon and African Broadbill .

Coutada 12

Black-headed Apalis Tiny Greenbul White-chested Alethe East coast Akalat

African Pitta Green-backed Woodpecker African Broadbill Woodward’s Batis Bird photos courtesy of Maans Booysen

Mphingwe Camp - Catapu

Overnight at Hotel Mphingwe Camp 7 Day 9 : Catapu to Gorongosa

Early morning departure, birding en-route for African and European Hobbies, Red-necked Falcon, Racket-tailed Roller, Magpie and Red-backed Manikins, Lesser Seedcracker, Black-winged Bishop, Moustached Grass Warbler . Montane forests for Pallid Honeyguide, Brown-backed and Green- backed Honeybirds, African Golden Oriole, Variable and Copper Sunbirds, Yellow-bellied and Southern Hyliota, Spotted Creeper, Red-faced Crombec, Pale Batis, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, Stierling’s Wren-warbler, Arnott’s Chat, Green-backed and Speckle-throated Woodpeckers, Chestnut-fronted Helmet-shrike, Red-throated Twinspot, Orange-winged Pytilia, Black-eared Seedeater, Dickinson’s Kestrel, Böhms and Mottled Spinetails, Brown and Grey-headed Parrot . Overnight at Sakkie’s Camp, Gorongosa.

Gorongosa

Twinspot Indigobird Silvery-checked Hornbill Plain-backed Sunbird Broad-billed Roller

Moustached Grass Warbler Broad-tailed Paradise Whydah Miombo Starling Dwarf Bitten Bird photos courtesy of Maans Booysen

Overnight at Girassol Lodge 8 Day 10 : Gorongosa to Beira

Early morning departure, birding en-route for African and European Hobbies, Red-necked Falcon, Racket-tailed Roller, Magpie and Red-backed Manikins, Lesser Seedcracker, Black-winged Bishop, Moustached Grass Warbler . Montane forests for Pallid Honeyguide, Brown-backed and Green- backed Honeybirds, African Golden Oriole, Variable and Copper Sunbirds, Yellow-bellied and Southern Hyliota, Spotted Creeper, Red-faced Crombec, Pale Batis, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, Stierling’s Wren-warbler, Arnott’s Chat, Green-backed -and Speckle-throated Woodpecker, Chestnut-fronted Helmet-shrike, Red-throated Twinspot, Orange-winged Pytilia, Black-eared Seedeater, Dickinson’s Kestrel , Böhms and Mottled Spinetails, Brown- and Grey-headed Parrots .

Gorongosa National Park

Red-faced Crombec Southern Hyliota Speckled-throated Woodpecker Short-winged Cisticola

Black-eared Seedeater Cabanis’s Bunting Arnot’s Chat Collared Palm-Thrush

Bird photos courtesy of Maans Booysen

Overnight at Muzimbiti

9 Day 11 : Beira to Johannesburg

Early morning departure for Johannesburg

We venture back to Johannesburg today having spent 11 days viewing Birds and Wildlife. We sincerely hope that you have had some fun whilst increasing your Life lists. We thank our local community Tour Leader - Maans Booysen for sharing his knowledge with us.

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

“I just wish the world was twice as big and half of it was still unexplored”. David Attenborough

10 Important Info

This price includes

Accommodation All meals 2 litres water per day All Guiding fees Tolls Fuel Park Entrance fees Transportation will be in a 4 x 4 Air-conditioned vehicle 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 All / any Airfares Visas 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.

11