Guide: Marc Cronje
Summary: During the tour the temperature ranged from 5º to 44ºC. We recorded 52 mammal species, over 470 species of birds and 17 species of reptiles. The species mentioned in the daily summaries are only some of those seen.
Day 1: OR Tambo International Airport to Dullstroom
Our birding adventure of Eastern South Africa got off with us meeting for breakfast after the group arriving from North America. We got to know each other briefly, chatted about the day’s plan and soon we were on the road heading east towards the quiet town of Dullstroom. A few scheduled stops along the way at the different pans gave us Greater Flamingo, Pied Avocet, Red-billed Teal, Whiskered Tern, Maccoa Duck, Southern Pochard, a good find of Black-necked Grebe, a big flock of White-backed Ducks and Banded Martin. We also enjoyed seeing all the Southern Red Bishops and Long-tailed Widowbirds displaying over the open grasslands. Closer to Dullstroom we enjoyed views of migratory White Storks and Common Buzzards and had Black-winged Kites hunting.
Our well-deserved lunch was enjoyed in Dullstroom as we chatted away about the plans for the trip and the good start we had. After a slight break we headed out in search of a special target, the Cape Eagle Owl. This is the only real chance we have for the species on the trip- our efforts of climbing up the hill were rewarded with great views of this magnificent Owl. Other highlights included, Gurney’s Sugarbird, the endemic Buff-streaked Chat, Malachite Sunbird, White-throated Swallow, endemic Bokmakierie, Wailing Cisticola and Southern Masked Weavers building their iconic nests.
We enjoyed a tasty meal at one of the quaint restaurants in town as we enjoyed the local SA wine and updated our lists. We celebrated a great first day and chatted about our different birding adventures. A good sleep was in order as tomorrow is an exciting day exploring the grasslands and forest around Dullstroom.
Day 2: Dullstroom
Our morning started with a cup of coffee and traditional South African rusks and soon we headed off to explore the grasslands of Dullstroom. In the gardens we had African Olive Pigeon, Dark-capped Bulbul, Cape Robin-Chat and Cape White-eye. We had a stunning morning in the grasslands near Dullstroom and the weather played its part. The birding was amazing, and we had good views of a flock of the country’s National bird- the Blue Crane, Cape Longclaw, the sought after Yellow-breasted Pipit, brief views of Common Quil, Cape Vulture, Jackal Buzzard, a stunning Long-crested Eagle, a family of the near endemic Bokmakierie, Levaillant’s Cisticola, Buff-streaked Chat, Pied Starling, Ant-eating Chat, Cape Weavers and Yellow Bishops displaying. We also enjoyed views of Mountain Reedbuck, Blesbok and Black Wildebeest in the grasslands. After an exciting morning we enjoyed brunch back in town before taking a break to edit photos and explore the town.
Our afternoon exploring the greater Lakenvlei area to the south-east side of Dullstroom was rewarding and we had good views of Cape Canary, Black-winged Lapwing, a flock of Southern Bald Ibis close to the car, Nicholson’s Pipit, Alpine Swifts, Blue Cranes, Denham’s Bustard and a great, in the open sighting of Red-chested Cuckoo. We also were treated to a stunning sunset over the rolling green grasslands in the wonderful area of South Africa.
Dinner was once again enjoyed in town as we chatted away about some of the sightings for the day and updated our lists. We spoke a bit about trips we are planning for 2024 and about the interesting a wildlife that can be seen on different trips. A dessert of our local Amarula liquor went down well with everyone.
Day 3: Dullstroom to Blyde River Canyon
We woke to a glorious morning in Dullstroom, and after our morning coffee and rusks headed out on our last drive in the area. We took the Elandspruit road and had good views of Cuckoo-finch, Dark-capped Yellow Warbler, Cape Grassbird, Olive Thrush, Red-throated Wryneck, Wing-snapping Cisticola, Brown Snake Eagle and Amur Falcons. A delicious breakfast was enjoyed after a fabulous morning.
Our drive down the escarpment and up to the Blyde River Canyon was uneventful. We enjoyed roadside sightings of Cut-throat Finch, White-winged Widowbird, White-bellied Sunbird, Red-faced Mousebird and Diederik Cuckoo. The Blyde River Canyon is the third largest canyon in the world, after the Grand Canyon in the United States and the Fish River Canyon in Namibia and is the largest ‘green canyon’ due to its lush subtropical foliage, with the deepest precipitous cliffs of any canyon on the planet.
Our walk along the rocky woodland around the lodge, gave us sightings of Red-capped Robin-Chat, Greater Double-collared Sunbird, Mocking Cliff Chat, Sombre Greenbul, Purple-crested Turaco, White-necked Raven, Southern Boubou and a great view of a Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk feeding on a vlei mouse- what a sighting to end a terrific year of birding in 2023.
We all enjoyed a great meal at the restaurant overlooking the three rondawels. We had a wonderful sunset to end the year and a lonely evening of chatting about birding, the places we all hope to go and some of the memorable sightings from 2023. A good bottle of South African Merlot was welcomed by all, and we all hit the sack way before midnight, as tomorrow an exciting day awaits us. In with new and out with old. Bring on 2024!
Day 4: Blyde River Canyon to Magoebaskloof
Happy new year. How lucky are we to be able to start our year birding in South Africa along the Blyde River Canyon. Our walk took us along the Kadisi Trail, with views of some of the canyon’s wonderful geological formations and scenery. Our walk produced good views of Mocking-Cliff Chat, Collared Sunbird, Cape Batis, White-throated Robin-Chat, stunning Violet-backed Starling, Willow Warbler, Bar-throated Apalis and Brown-hooded Kingfisher. The Narina Trogon played hard to get, and we only heard the bird. Our scrumptious breakfast was enjoyed before we headed off to the beautiful indigenous montane forests of Magoebaskloof. Our scenic drive was enjoyed by all, and we chatted away about the history of SA and some of the birding to be expected going forward. A few roadside stops gave us our first views of, Broad-billed Roller, Village Indigobird, Familiar Chat, one of many Rattling Cisticolas, Stierling’s Wren-Warbler, Orange-breasted Bushshrike, Acacia Pied Barbet, Wahlberg’s Eagle and Cape Vultures circling above the colony on the back end of Mariepskop. The Lesser Masked and Village Weavers entertained us as we watched them build their fascinating nests.
Our lunch stop, overlooking the Magoebaskloof valley, gave us good views of Black Sparrowhawk, Alpine, Little, White-rumped and African Black Swifts. Just before checking in to our spectacular accommodation, we enjoyed close views of the skulking Barratt’s Warbler. Other garden birds included, Cape Canary, Cape Grassbird, Sombre Greenbul, and Yellow-crowned Bishop.
Our afternoon was used to head for the bushveld and grassland areas towards Polokwane. The main target for the afternoon was the highly localised and endemic Short-clawed Lark and some of the Kalahari species know from the area. The Lark played ball and we had great views on a bird close to the car and displaying above the grasslands- what an incredible sight. Other noteworthy birds seen were, Black-throated Canary, Kalahari Scrub Robin, Scaly-feathered Finch, Marico Flycatcher, Barred Wren-Warbler, Black-chested Prinia, Cape Penduline-Tit and the stunning, Crimson-breasted Shrike. What a great day and start to our 2024 birding year.
A tasty and delicious home cooked meal was waiting for us at our lovely accommodation. We celebrated another great day chatting away over a nice bottle of wine and updated our lists. A short walk around the rooms gave us good views on the resident African Wood Owls and we also heard Buff-spotted Flufftail calling- a bird we can target tomorrow. We all enjoyed a good night’s rest after a great day of birding and wonderful start to 2024.
Day 5: Magoebaskloof
We started our day with an early cup of coffee and headed out to explore the magnificent Woodbush indigenous forest. This is undoubtedly the best forest birding spot in the entire Limpopo/Mpumalanga area, if not the country. The morning was quite overcast with patches of rain, but the birding was still good, and we had great sightings of Cape Parrot, Square-tailed Drongo, Black-fronted and Olive Bushshrike, Narina Trogon, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, Grey Cuckooshrike, White-starred Robin, Cape Batis, Barratt’s Warbler, Yellow-streaked Greenbul and Olive Woodpecker. An impressive list of forest birds. We used the late morning to bird the Bushveld areas around Tzaneen and target a few specials from the area. Our main targets were the Blue-spotted Wood Dove and Magpie Mannikins that showed well and have us great views. Other good birds seen were, Dusky Indiogobird, Scarlet-chested and Amethyst Sunbird, Thick-billed Weaver, White-browed Robin-Chat, Purple Heron, Horus Swift, Spectacled and African Golden Weaver, Purple-crested Turaco showing us its stunning plumage, a close Yellow-bellied Greenbul and great views on the gorgeous Violet-backed Starlings. A planned visit to a local nest site of Crowned Eagle gave us good scope views on juvenile bird on the nest.
We enjoyed lunch in town and had a chat about the new birds we had seen and laughed and joked about a few funny incidents from the morning. A scheduled stop at the Local Bat Hawk roost treated us to great views on a perched bird, that then flew over us. These amazing birds consume mainly bats with the bats being caught and eaten on the wing, with 5 to 6 bats being consumed in a single feeding session, their entire daily food requirement in caught within 20-30 minutes at dusk.
After an excellent day we freshened up and took in the surroundings of our lovely accommodation before enjoying another tasty home cooked meal. With our stomachs full we all retired for a good night’s rest after a successful day birding in SA.
Day 6: Magoebaskloof to Kruger National Park (Pafuri-Makuleke concession)
We begin our morning with a walk around the gardens of our lodge targeting a few of the species we still needed, we had a wonderful morning enjoying the forest and its birds. A few noteworthy sightings included Narina Trogon displaying and showing well, a stunning Orange Ground Thrush, Knysna Turaco, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, White-starred Robin and Black-fronted Bushshrike. After a successful morning we enjoyed a delicious breakfast before saying our goodbyes to Magoebaskloof and hit the road the bird rich northern Kruger.
We had a smooth drive and had good roadside views of Black-chested Snake Eagle, Broad-billed Roller and Long-crested Eagle. We used the drive to chat about our targets for Kruger, the mammals we hope to see and what to expect for the next few days. We enjoyed a scenic drive through the mountains to Kruger. On arrival at Punda Maria gate in northern Kruger the birds started to flow in. A colony of stunning Red-headed Weavers at the gate got the Kruger list going. Our drive up to the magical Pafuri area of Kruger where we ate spending the next three nights was successful and we had good views on lots of the common Kruger birds- which for the ladies on the trip was excellent as a lot of these birds were new. The birding in Kruger is always good as soon as you enter the park. A few good species on the drive were, Brown-snake Eagle, African Grey Hornbill, European Bee-eater, the beautiful Lilac-breasted Roller, Klaas’s and Jacobin Cuckoo, White-backed Vulture and Saddle-billed Stork feeding close to the car. As with this great park the mammal viewing was good, and we had close sightings on a herd of Elephants with babies, Big Bull Elephants, Impala, Nyala, Greater Kudu, Steenbok, Burchell’s Zebra and Southern Giraffe.
We arrived at our stunning lodge on the banks of the Levuvhu River to a friendly greeting from the staff, we checked in to our very comfortable tents and enjoyed our high tea watching a pod of Hippopotamus playing in the water. The Makuleke concession is 24 000 hectares in size and is home to remarkable geological and natural heritage that makes this region one of the most special in Africa. The “triangle” is created by two major rivers: the Limpopo, which has its origin in the Angolan highlands more than 65 million years ago. And the powerful Luvuvhu River, which is still actively making its way through the changing landscape today. The biological diversity is stunning – from the Mopane bush over the Fever Tree Forest and the famous Baobabs.
Our first afternoon drive saw us heading to Reedbuckvlei one of the many pans in the Makuleke concession. Our drive was a great success and we enjoyed views of Monotonous Lark calling close to us, Swainson’s Spurfowl, Meves’s Starling, African Cuckoo, Common Buttonquail in the open which was amazing. We approached a dead tree close to the pan and had European, Blue-cheeked, Southern Carmine and White-fronted Bee-eaters all in one tree- what a postcard picture. Sunset over the pan was breathtaking- the scene with sun setting behind the Fever tree forest behind the pan was just phenomenal. The birds did not disappoint, and we had African Openbill, White-faced Whistling Duck, Goliath Heron, African Jacana, African Mourning Dove, White-crowned Lapwing, Knob-billed Duck and Giant Kingfisher all enjoying the great water levels after the good rains the area has had. The drive back to camp was excellent and we had a close sighting on the rare and sought after Three-banded Courser on the road- a special sighting and bird for the area and for SA. A Square-tailed Nightjar posing for pictures on the road was the cherry on top. We also enjoyed good views of Large-spotted Genet and Four-toed Sengai.
We had a delicious meal under the stars on the lodge deck chatting about our great day. We all enjoyed the setting and had a few good laughs and chats about birding stories from our adventures. A good night’s rest was in order and as we walked back to our tents the camps Wood Owl was there to greet us- what an end to an amazing day in Kruger. We fell asleep to Spotted Hyena, Red-Chested Cuckoo and Hippopotamus calling from the river below our tents.
Day 7 & 8: Full Days Pafuri/Makuleke concession
The day started with an impressive dawn chorus and stunning sunrise in the bush. You got to love Africa. This morning we decided to head to one of the big pans, Banyini pan- the area had some good rains and as the pan had filled up it meant the birding is exciting in this area. Our drive to the pan gave us sightings of Red-crested Korhaan, Black Cuckoo, Woolly-necked and Saddle-billed Stork, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Martial and Lesser Spotted Eagle, Southern Ground Hornbill, Mosque Swallow, Yellow-billed Oxpecker on some Buffalo and Chinspot Batis. A herd of Eland was a welcome mammal addition. A target stop to look for the localised Arnot’s Chat worked well and we had excellent views on four of these special birds. Our walk around the pan was very rewarding, and apart from the special scenery, the birding was just incredible. Some of the special birds seen included, African Pygmy Goose, Southern Pochard, Allen’s Gallinule, Dwarf Bittern, Senegal Coucal, Grey-headed Parrot and Striped Kingfisher. We used the heat of the day to relax and have some down time in camp. Some of took advantage and enjoyed a jog in camp as part of our Nature Travel Active safaris.
Our afternoon drive was enjoyable as we drove a section along the Levuvhu River. We had a close sighting on a relaxed herd of Elephants which the group loved. The herds of Zebra, Nyala, Greater Kudu and African Buffalo made for a great drive. Some of the birding highlights included, Steppe Eagle perched close to us, Orange-breasted Bushshrike, Burnt-necked Eremomela, Red-billed Oxpecker, Tropical Boubou, African Harrier-Hawk, the special Bohm’s Spinetail and Trumpeter Hornbills. At our sunset stop we had a pair of Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl put on a show. Our drive back have us good views on a Large-spotted Genet and White-tailed Mongoose- an excellent mammal for the trip.
We enjoyed super delicious meal back at camp, chatting about the amazing birding we enjoyed and updated our lists. We chatted about a few good birding countries in Africa before turning in for the night. The night sounds included, Spotted Hyena, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl booming away, Barn Owl, African Wood Owl and Spotted Hyena.
Our second morning was used to explore the vast and beautiful Fever Tree Forest that is on the concession. The forest is the largest fever tree forest in the Southern Hemisphere. Our birding highlights for the morning included, Cardinal, Bennett’s and Bearded Woodpecker, Gorgeous Bushshrike, Scaly-throated, Lesser and Greater Honeyguide, Common Scimitarbill, Retz’s Helmetshrike, Marico Sunbird, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Ruff and Grey-backed Camaroptera. Seeing a herd of Eland on foot in the forest was special for everyone. We relaxed again during the heat of the day and took the opportunity to catch up on some listing, chat about birding and get a few winks of sleep.
Our afternoon was used to head to one of famous views on the concession- Lanner gorge. The view from on top of the gorge is breathtaking and is one of the magical spots on the concession. On route we had an amazing sighting of a pair of Racket-tailed Rollers displaying in the Mopani thickets that sat in the open and gave us stunning views on this sought after roller. To watch the bird rolling and displaying was awesome. Other good birds seen for the afternoon included, Double-banded Sandgrouse, African Black Swift, Lappet-faced Vulture, Black Cuckooshrike and the gorgeous Long-tailed Paradise Whydah. Our drive at night heading back to camp was rewarding with us seeing Spotted Eagle-Owl, Fiery-necked and Square-tailed Nightjars. A clan of Hyena walking on the road was an added mammal bonus. After such a successful day we enjoyed another lovely meal as we sipped on some good South African wine and chatted away about the day. The night sounds of African Wood Owl, Plains Zebra, Verreaux’s Eagle Owlsnd Spotted Hyena, Bubbling Casinas and Painted Reed frogs acted as our chorus as we fell asleep.
Day 9: Pafuri to Shingwedzi
Our last morning on this beautiful and diverse area of northern Kruger was used to explore the area west of camp along the Levuvhu River. A stunning sunrise greeted us as we enjoyed our morning coffee. Some of the sightings for the morning included a highly vocal Thrush Nightingale- which gave us a brief view, this is always a great bird to see in Kruger, Red-billed Firefinch, Arrow-marked Babbler, Mosque Swallow, Marsh Warbler, Lesser Grey Shrike, Grey-headed parrot posing for us and a beautiful Harlequin Quail posing in the road for us. We all enjoyed the scenic drive along the route and a clan of Spotted Hyena was our best mammal sighting for the morning. We said our goodbyes after breakfast to the wonderful staff at the lodge and started to head south towards the Shingwedzi river.
The day heated up quickly, on our drive to Shingwedzi we enjoyed multiple good sightings of African Elephant, Buffalo, Burchell’s Zebra, Waterbuck, Giraffe, Greater Kudu and Impala. Some birds seen on the drive included, African Hawk Eagle, Bateleur, Burchell’s Coucal and Marabou Stork. We reached Shingwedzi and enjoyed a relaxing lunch along the river and some down time before heading out on an afternoon drive. Our afternoon drive was eventful, and we had an amazing sighting of a tusker elephant feeding right next to us- the beauty of the north of Kruger. Noteworthy birds included Tawny Eagle bathing in the Shingwedzi river, Saddle-billed Stork, Yellow-throated Petronia, Magpie Shrike and a stunning perched Bateleur. A beautiful sunset was enjoyed as we updated our ever-growing lists before enjoying dinner at the camp’s restaurant. A good night’s sleep was on the cards after an exciting day in Kruger.
Day 10: Shingwedzi to Letaba
Our morning begun with coffee and rusks as we enjoyed the morning sounds at Shingwedzi, being joined by Greater Blue-eared Starling, Green Wood Hoopoe and Bennett’s Woodpecker. We hit the road heading south for the Tropic of Capricorn loop. A great sighting of a flock of Amur Falcons posing for us was enjoyed by all. We also had a clan of Hyena walking down the road towards us. A quick photo stop the Tropic of Capricorn was in order before heading to what I call the Serengeti of Kruger. The open grass plains at the base of the Lebombo Mountains make for some incredible scenery and birding. We enjoyed the typical scenes of the plains game in good numbers across the plains. The herds of Zebra and Blue Wildebeest all had youngsters with them which added to the scene. We enjoyed sightings of Kruger’s big elephant bulls coming into drink. Black-backed Jackal was also a new mammal for the trip. The birding was also great, and we had good sightings of Montagu’s Harrier- a great trip bird, Lesser Kestrel, Lanner Falcon, Desert Cisticola, Kittlitz’s Plover and Common Ostrich. We enjoyed brunch overlooking Pioneer dam at Mopani camp and had a range of Herons, Storks and Egrets on display. A single Black Stork was great sighting along with a pair for very friendly Mocking-Cliff Chats. The resident Fish Eagles serenaded us as we enjoyed brunch. A quick look for the resident Barn Owl- gave us lonely views- a welcome lifer for some of the group. A giant Kingfisher perched close by made the photographers very happy too.
Our drive down to Letaba was uneventful and we had multiple sightings of the plains game and Elephants during the mid-day heat. Our walk around Letaba camp, as the afternoon cooled down was enjoyable and we had a good laugh watching the local Vervet Monkey troop go about their business. In the river, we had good views of the resident pod of Hippopotamus along with Waterbuck, Greater Kudu and Elephants swimming- a wonderful sight. Noteworthy birds included Little Sparrowhawk and African Goshawk hunting doves in the woodland of the campsite. We also had great views of a pair of African Barred Owlets posing in the open. What a day.
We enjoyed a traditional South African Braai (BBQ) under the stars for dinner.
We had a lovely evening chatting about the day, our birding trip, birding adventures and getting to know one another. The local dessert drink of Amarula on ice around the fire went down extremely well. We enjoyed the clear night sky and incredible stars and soon hit the sack for a good night’s rest. A lion roaring in the distance was the perfect ending to a marvelous day in Kruger.
Day 11: Letaba to Satara
The morning started with lovely sound to hear in the African bush. We met for our coffee and rusks and could hear a male Lion roaring from outside the camp- just incredible and gives one goosebumps. We headed out to see if we could find the Lion, but unfortunately could only locate the spoor. Good views of Hippopotamus playing in the water kept us entertained. Our morning was full of great plains game sightings- we also enjoyed having a big herd of Zebra, Blue Wildebeest and Giraffe drinking together- a typical African scene. A few Elephant sightings also kept the photographers happy. The birding was also good and some of the species seen included, Black-crowned Tchagra, Goliath Heron, Brown Snake Eagle, Icterine Warbler, Martial Eagle, Plain-backed Pipit and our best sighting was watching half a dozen Steppe Eagles raiding Red-billed Quelia colonies. A big herd of Buffalo gave us good views on both Red-billed and Yellow-billed Oxpecker’s.
A tasty lunch was enjoyed at Satara as we watched a pair of Crested Barbets raising chicks in a nest hole close to our chalets. We also had a visit from a massive Elephant Bull that was shaking the Marula trees next to the fence of the camp to get the Marula fruits. Our afternoon drive started off with bang, and we had three Southern Ground Hornbills walking next to the car, the proceeded to cross in-front of us and continue feeding-a great bird for the group- and we got some good photographs. The rest of the afternoon was given to an incredible sighting of a Lioness with three small cubs. At first, we saw the two cubs hiding in the grass as we were watching a Black-bellied Bustard, the cubs were calling, and we knew mom must be nearby. The sighting that followed was the female walking toward us on the road with another small cub. The two walked right past us multiple times until we saw them reunite with two cubs in the grass. The small cubs nursed from mom and then proceeded to play and wrestle with one another- what a marvellous sighting and experience- one for the books.
We headed into camp just before gate closing and enjoyed cold beer while updating our lists. A tasty meal was had at the camps restaurant as we chatted about the plans and targets for tomorrow. Walking back to our chalets we had a great sighting of the camps resident African Wild Cat that had a kitten with her- what a way to end such an amazing day. Falling asleep to an African Scops Owl was the cherry on the top.
Day 12: Satara to Umkumbe private lodge in Sabi Sands
We started our morning with our delicious rusks and coffee and had top notch view on a Pearl-spotted Owlet next to our accommodation. A good start to the day. One of the first sightings of the day was a handsome male Lion lying close to the road with an impressive mane. He was also guarding a fresh Buffalo kill. We got great photos of this incredible animal. Other good birds for the morning included, Green Sandpiper- a rarity in SA, Lesser Spotted Eagle, a beautiful Greater Painted-snipe, Long-tailed Paradise Whydah, Hamerkop, Striped Kingfisher and a busy and noisy flock of Retz’s Helmetshrikes. A quick stop at our local spot for Olive-tree Warbler in summer gave us great views on a very vocal individual- The olive-tree warbler leaves its breeding ground in southern Europe every year, and flies to Southern Africa for the northern winter. This specific bird returns each year to Leeupan in Kruger and it’s always good seeing the bird (an old friend) every year. Having this beauty pop out in the open and sing was awesome. One of the mammal highlights from the morning was having two Sable close to us- this is a great antelope to see in Kruger.
At our brunch stop we enjoyed a kettle of Vultures flying above us quite low down, this gave us great views on all of Kruger’s resident Vultures, namely White-backed, Lappet-faced, Hooded and White-headed vulture. We arrived at our fabulous lodge on the banks of the Sand River in time for a light lunch and to check in to our wonderful accommodation and relax in the heat of the day. We took advantage of the pool and had Elephants walking past the pool as we cooled off- what a welcome.
Our afternoon drive was great, and we enjoyed multiple sightings of the plains game and some awesome elephant encounters.
Our highlight was having a White Rhino bull wallowing and marking territory just a few meters from our vehicle.
The birding was good too and we had good views of, African Paradise Flycatcher, Red-breasted Swallow, Shelley’s Francolin, Black-bellied Korhaan and on our way back in the dark we had a great view of a European Nightjar sitting on the road. A delicious dinner was enjoyed at the lodge as we updated our lists and discussed some of the issues facing conservation in SA, and some of the success stories of conservation in SA. A good night’s sleep was had by all.
Day 13: Umkumbe private lodge in Sabi Sands
Our morning started with us meeting for a quick cup coffee overlooking the Sand River with the sound of the resident Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl calling. Our morning was an exciting one and we started the morning off with a big bull elephant feeding juts outside of camp. The highlight for the morning was having a five Lioness and one young male Lion walking towards us on the road, they then walked right past our safari car- what a thrilling experience.
We also enjoyed spending time with some boisterous Zebra and got some great pictures of the males rearing up and fighting. Other mammals for the morning included Spotted Hyena walking in front of the car, impressive Greater Kudu males, Bushbuck, Grey Duiker, Impala, Scrub Hare and Blue Wildebeest. A lone male Hippopotamus in a pool of water gave us some action and yawed offering excellent photo opportunities. The birding was also good, and we enjoyed sightings of Southern, White-crowned Shrike, African Green Pigeon, stunning Golden-breasted Bunting, a perched Bateleur posing for us, Ashy and Grey-tit Flycatcher, Grey-headed Bushshrike and an impressive Martial Eagle. A scrumptious breakfast was enjoyed after an excellent morning and we used the down time to catch up on photo editing, chat about the lion prides and dynamics in the Sabi Sands and share some info on the amazing wildlife we have been seeing. We all enjoyed the down time around our very comfortable lodge during the heat of the day.
Our afternoon drive saw us heading out to explore the western sector of the reserve. We started with sightings of the general plains game and then we had a marvellous sighting of two young White Rhino feeding in the open close to our safari vehicle, they proceeded to walk right past us- just incredible seeing this critically endangered mammals so close. A big bull Elephant pushing a Marula tree over, was also a sighting to see. Our bird list kept on growing and we enjoyed sightings of, Senegal Lapwing, Croaking Cisticola, Common Ostrich, Dusky Indigobird, Tawny Eagle, Purple Roller and Fiery-necked nightjar. As it darkened up, we enjoyed a great sighting of an African Wild Cat kitten playing around the den, trying to catch grasshoppers. Other nocturnal sightings included, Scrub Hare, Spotted Hyena calling close to the vehicle, Black-backed Jackal and a Bronze-winged Courser on the road- a great bird for the trips. We got word of the resident male Leopard crossing into our area, and tried out best to relocate the cat but no luck- tomorrow is another day.
Another fantastic meal was enjoyed at our lodge as we enjoyed some good wine and chatted about the amazing day. We got chatting about some of research and conservation projects in the area and how important ecotourism is to the area, its wildlife and the community. We all retired to our rooms and fell asleep to the call of an African Scops Owl and Spotted Hyena.
Day 14: Umkumbe private lodge in Sabi Sands to Skukuza
Our last drive in the Sands, as it known by the locals was one for the books and enjoyed a crash of the eight White Rhino all feeding and mud bathing right next to our vehicle. Some of the birds we enjoyed in the morning included, a beautiful Yellow-throated Longclaw, Purple Indiogobird, Red-headed Weaver, Little Sparrowhawk, African Dusky Flycatcher, Mosque Swallow- these birds have really spread their distribution into the southern parts of Kruger, Grey-headed Bushshrike, Bearded Woodpecker and a close-up view of a Black Cuckoo. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast overlooking the Sand River with some elephants drinking before saying our goodbyes to the friendly staff and heading back into Kruger for our last night. A handsome Nyala was at the exit to say goodbye to us.
Our afternoon in Kruger was exceptional and one of the first sightings upon entering Kruger was a massive male Leopard sleeping in the tree near Skukuza- the big tom got up and climbed down the tree giving us some amazing views and photo opportunities- what a sighting. We decided to enjoy a break in camp during the heat and enjoyed the deck from the restaurant where we saw African Buffalo, Elephants, African Green Pigeon, Purple-crested Turaco, Crowned Hornbill and Hamerkop. Our afternoon drive was as beyond incredible, we decided to head along the Sabie River in search of a pack of Wild Dogs that had been seen in the area in the morning- we had not seen any and it was a major target for the group. We had only been on drive for a few minutes when as we turned onto one of the dirt roads, we were greeted by two big male Lions walking down the road straight toward us- they proceeded to walk past us and scent mark- what an exhilarating experience. We then continued toward the river and to our absolute joy found four African Wild Dogs running down the road, we spent the next 45 minutes with the small pack as they greeted each other, scent marked and tried to hunt some Impala, unsuccessfully. It’s always such a treat to spend time with these critically endangered carnivores. An impressive Martial Eagle was also a welcome surprise.
Back at camp we enjoyed a traditional Braai as we caught up on our lists, chatted about the wild program and monitoring in Kruger and enjoyed a good laugh and chat around the fire. We all retired about an extremely successful and exciting day in Kruger.
Day 15: Skukuza to Wakkerstroom
The morning started with our usual coffee and rusks before hitting the road for what a bit of a travel day. Our short drive through to exit gate of Kruger gave us a wonderful sighting of a clan of Spotted Hyena all playing in the road and then the one female carrying her small pup in her mouth- it seemed they clan was moving den sites. We also enjoyed good views of Klaas’s Cuckoo, Violet-backed starling- a stunning male posing for us, Tawny Eagle, White-backed Vulture and had a massive Elephant Bull standing at the exit gate as we left the park- what a fitting way to end a great time in Kruger.
Our drive to Wakkerstroom was a smooth one and we enjoyed a tasty traditional lunch on route, we got to try traditional Milk tart, homemade pies and Vetkoek. Our drive to the birding hotspot of Wakkerstroom yielded sightings of, Cape Longclaw, Long-tailed Widowbird, South African Shelduck, Grey-winged Francolin, Amur Falcon, African Pipit, Eastern Long-billed Lark, Blue Crane, Pale-crowned and Wing-snapping Cisticola. We checked in to our wonderful accommodation overlooking the pristine wetlands and enjoyed some down time before freshening up for dinner.
A fabulous dinner was enjoyed at one of the local restaurants in town as we chatted away about our time in Kruger and updated our lists. We also celebrated seeing the Wild Dogs in Kruger over a fantastic bottle of painted wolf red wine. I enjoyed hearing out the Grizzly Bear trips and birding from Alaska. We got treated to lighting show in the distance as we headed back to our accommodation for the night. Tomorrow is an exciting day exploring the grasslands of Wakkerstroom.
Day 16: Full Day Wakkerstroom
After an early morning coffee, we headed out in search of Wakkerstroom’s special birds. The area is birding hotspot and some of the species we got to see on our day exploring the maize of dirt roads around the town included, the critically endangered Rudd’s Lark, Eastern Clapper, Eastern Long-billed, Pink-billed and Red-capped Larks. Wakkerstroom isn’t just about larks, and we enjoyed views on the endemic, Yellow-breasted Pipit, White-bellied Bustard and Blue Korhaan. Other good birds seen for the day included, Denham’s Bustard, Buff-streaked Chat, Southern Bald Ibis, Jackal Buzzard, Pied Starling, Cape Crow, Sentinel Rock Thrush, Mountain Wheatear, Bush Blackcap, Drakensberg Prinia, Amur Falcon, Grey Crowned and Blue Crane, and Red-winged Francolin. A stop at one of the flooded wetlands gave us excellent views on Marsh Owl. A few mammal sightings of Meerkat, Yellow Mongoose, Mountain Reedbuck and Grey Rhebok kept our mammal list growing.
After such an exciting day we took some time out to relax at our lovely guesthouse and watched as a typical highveld thunderstorm rolled in- what a show that we all enjoyed. A fabulous dinner was enjoyed in town as we chatted about the range of excellent birds we had seen and about future birding trips to South Africa. A good night’s rest was enjoyed by all.
Day 17: Wakkerstroom to Mkuze
We enjoyed a slightly later start this morning and had a tasty home cooked breakfast overlooking the Wakkerstroom floodplain. We chatted about the birding and wildlife destinations in Africa and had views of White-throated Swallow, Cape Robin Chat, Malachite Sunbird and Cape Weavers from the breakfast table. We said our goodbyes and headed for the sub-tropical area of Mkuze in Northern Zululand. A wonderful sighting of five African Snipe displaying over the wetland was fitting send off. Our drive was smooth, and we enjoyed roadside sightings of Jackal Buzzard, Long-crested Eagle, Cape Longclaw, Southern Pochard and Black Stork. We arrived at the famous Ghost Mountain Inn and enjoyed a relaxing lunch with garden birds like Purple-crested Turaco, Purple-banded Sunbird and Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird to keep us entertained.
Our afternoon birding session was a success and we enjoyed views of, Yellow-rumped and Red-fronted Tinkerbird, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Willow Warbler, a stunning Gorgeous Bushshrike, Black-bellied Starling, Grey Tit-Flycatcher and Yellow-fronted Canary.
We enjoyed a lovely sunset at the lodges dam with African Jacana males looking after the young, it’s a sight to see the male carrying the babies around under the wings- with the long toes and legs dangling. After freshening up, we met to update our checklist and enjoy another great meal under the African stars. We got chatting about the positive impact Avi tourism is having in Africa and all retired for a good night’s sleep, as tomorrow we have an exciting day birding Mkuze- one of the country’s top birding spots.
Day 18: Mkuze and surrounding area
We headed out early this morning to make the most of the morning and beat the heat and target some of the special birds of Mkuze. On our way to the park, we had an excellent sighting of a very vocal Eastern Nicator joined by a showy Black-headed Oriole. Once in the park, and on the open plains we had good sightings of, Yellow-fronted Canary, Yellow-throated Petronia, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Rufous-naped Lark, Flappet Lark, Scarlet-chested Sunbird and Yellow-bellied Eremomela. We enjoyed sightings of Blue Wildebeest, Nyala, Impala and Giraffe. We then came around a corner and had a very special mammal treat- lying in the road was a pack of seven African Wild Dogs- this is a special sighting for Mkuze. They drank water, lay down in the puddle and gave us an incredible sighting- one for the books.
The morning just got better and as we entered the sand forest near KuMasinga hide, we heard the obvious call of an African Broadbill displaying, after some searching and patience we had a top sighting of this amazing little Flycatcher like bird along its typical wing best display- one of the coolest birds in Africa.
We also enjoyed some excellent views on the near endemic Pink-throated Twinspots drinking water in the open. A sighting of a pair of Rudd’s Apalis made for some excellent photo opportunities. Other good birds for our day in Mkuze were, Jameson’s Firefinch, Black-bellied Starling, Brown Snake Eagle, Lesser Swamp Warbler, Pink-backed Pelican, Common House Martin, Grey-headed Bushshrike and a stunning Bateleur.
We enjoyed some down time at our lovely accommodation before meeting up for a glass of wine and updating our lists. It was celebrations all around as we went over 400 species for the trips. A wonderful meal was enjoyed as we chatted about the rest of the trip coming up and future birding destinations we would love to visit. The resident Thick-tailed Galago made an appearance as we made our way to our rooms for the night.
Day 19: Mkuze to St Lucia
The morning started with a steaming cup of coffee and soon said our goodbyes to the wonderful staff at our accommodation and headed into Mkuze for the morning. On route we enjoyed good views on the stunning, Purple-banded Sunbird, Gorgeous Bushshrike, Black-bellied Starling and Brown-crowned Tchagra. Soon after entering the park, we came across a big flock of Crested Guineafowl crossing the road that posed wonderfully for us- I call these guys the Bob Marley of the bird world as they have the most amazing hair style. A herd of Elephants crossing the road was a treat for the group. Other good birds seen included, Golden-breasted Bunting, Jacobin Cuckoo and the hard to see and endemic Neergaard’s Sunbird. Our walk in the fig tree forest on the other side of the park at Ophansi gate was very productive and we had good views of, Dark-backed Weaver, Square-tailed Drongo, African Harrier Hawk, Red-fronted Tinkerbird, White-eared Barbet, Narina Trogon, Green Malkoha and Crested Guinefowl- what a great haul of goodies.
We made our way to St Lucia making a few stops at Muzi Pans, that gave us our best views of Greater Painted Snipe for the tour and a planned stop at a local spot rewarded us with good scope views of a Sooty Falcon- this is a great bird for SA and the trip. A stop at Mpempe Pan gave us another special sighting, this time of a Slaty Egret- this is a great bird for SA, as the species is more common north in the Okavango and Caprivi Strip. Everyone was very excited with these two finds and lifers. A flock of Senegal Lapwings added to the excitement.
We arrived at the coastal fishing town of St Lucia and a stop on the bridge into town gave us Yellow Weaver and Southern Brown-throated Weaver plus a pod of Hippopotamus playing in the water. We then headed for our very nice accommodation on the edge of the forest and checked in and took some time to freshen up. A few special garden birds showed up- special mention going to Livingstone’s Turaco, Red-capped Robin Chat and the resident African Wood Owl.
A fabulous sea food meal was enjoyed at one of the local restaurants as we chatted away about our sightings for the day and the diversity of the area. A sighting of the towns local pod of Hippopotamus feeding on the lawn outside the restaurant was a great ending to a fabulous day.
Day 20: St Lucia and Isimangaliso wetland park
We started our morning with a walk in the indigenous forest of St Lucia, the local iGwalagwala trail offers some excellent birding and we had good sightings of, Red-capped Robin Chat, Dark-backed Weaver, Grey and Olive Sunbird, Black Saw-wing, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, Trumpeter Hornbill, Green Malkoha posing for us and a stunning sighting of the special Livingstone’s Turaco that entertained the photographers. We enjoyed a scrumptious breakfast back at our lodge before heading out to bird the estuary and the river mouth. We also enjoyed a close encounter with a Natal Red Duiker- a new mammal for the trip. Our birding along the estuary and to the mouth of the iMfolozi was very rewarding and we enjoyed views of Brimstone Canary, White-eared Barbet, Grey Plover, White-fronted Plover, Eurasian Whimbrel, African Oystercatcher, Sanderling, Grey-headed Gull and Yellow-billed Stork. The Tern roost was productive, and we had looks at Little, Caspian, Swift and Common Terns. We enjoyed a tasty lunch at the ski boat club before heading into the Isimangaliso park/ Eastern shores for the afternoon.
Our drive in the park was very rewarding in terms of birds and mammals. A few mammals seen included, African Buffalo, White Rhino, Plains Zebra, Hippopotamus feeding close to the car, Common Reedbuck and Waterbuck. A few noteworthy birds for the afternoon included, cracking views of Lemon-breasted Canary, a very cooperative Brown Scrub Robin at Mission Rocks Viewpoint, Croaking and Rufous-winged Cisticola and the sought after and localised Southern Banded Snake Eagle- a major target for the trip.
With a big thunderstorm approaching we retired to our comfortable lodge to freshen up and have some down time before dinner. We enjoyed another fabulous dinner in town.
Day 21: St Lucia to Eshowe
Our morning was a clear beautiful morning with the sun shining after a night of heavy rain- everything looked so clean. It was good to get out on the IGwalagwala trail early and enjoy the excellent forest birding on offer, we had some good views on some great forest targets like, Narina Trogon posing in the open, Trumpeter Hornbill, Crowned Hornbill, Collared Sunbird parents feeding a begging chick, Olive Bushshrike, the near endemic Woodwards’ Batis, a stunning African Emerald Cuckoo, Green Twinspots and we ended of the walk with a Livingstone’s Turaco flying above us and sitting in the open for us all to get cracking views and some excellent photos. A tasty breakfast we enjoyed back at our guesthouse before we said our goodbyes and headed into the iSimangaliso park for the rest of the morning.
Our drive in the park and up to Mission Rocks was most enjoyable and we had some good birds, we noteworthy species being, Croaking and Rufous-winged Cisticola, A stunning Crowned Eagle posing in the open- always a special bird to see, Collared Pratincole and a flock of African Pygmy Geese posing for us among the flowering Lillies. What an amazing morning. We headed south along the N2, stopping for a tasty lunch in the small coastal town of Mtunzini before making out to our destination, Eshowe for the night. We arrived and checked in and enjoyed some down time to edit photos and enjoy the wonderful accommodation. Garden birds included, Cape White-eye, Purple-crested Turaco, Dark-backed Weaver, African Paradise Flycatcher and African Harrier Hawk raiding Weaver nests.
A tasty home cooked meal was enjoyed as we chatted about the birding hobby, we all enjoy so much and the places it takes us. I introduced the ladies to our local dessert drink of Amarula in Kruger, and they loved it, so we enjoyed a Amarula on ice as we updated our ever-growing list. We all headed off for a good sleep as tomorrow is a busy and exciting day.
Day 22: Dlinza, Ngoye Forest and birding around Mtunzini
We began our morning nice and early as we planned to make it into Dlinza forest and get up the canopy tower to target the Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon- Lady Luck was on our side and we had great close-up views on a pair within minutes of being on the tower overlooking the impressive forest. Other species seen from the tower included, White-eared Barbet, African Olive Pigeon, Olive Sunbird, Dark-backed Weaver, Black-bellied Starling, Grey Cuckooshrike and Purple-crested Turaco. Despite hearing one of the main targets, the Spotted Ground Thrush calling- we could not get our binoculars onto a bird- we decided to keep going and come back later once the forest had warmed up- which worked out well for us.
Our next point of call was the Ngoye forest, this patch of forest plays host to the special Green Barbet-this is the only place in SA you can see this species. With the help of our local guide, we soon had great views on a pair of these elusive and sought after birds- the pair put on a show for us, and we had excellent views. A nearby Tambourine Dove and Narina Trogon showing well just added to an amazing morning of birding. A quick stop as we excited the forest along a rocky slope rewarded us with great views of a Striped Pipit- another life for the group.
After such a thrilling morning we headed for the grasslands of Emoyeni near Mtunzini to target a few other specials in the area. Our first special bird seen was a displaying Black Coucal- that sat in the open for us to all enjoy- what a great bird. Next up we checked a patch of reeds and got rewarded with stunning views on a flock of Red-headed Quelia. We also enjoyed great views of a displaying Crowned Eagle, African Pygmy Goose, Yellow Weaver, Grey-crowned Crane and an excellent sighting of the critically endangered Southern Banded Snake Eagle posing for us. What an incredible haul of birds. Just before lunch we had an awesome sighting of a migrant European Honey Buzzard close the car followed by a special sighting of a pair of African Pygmy Kingfishers sitting in the open.
A well-deserved lunch was had overlooking the forest before heading back out to try and locate the Palm-nut Vulture- one of the special birds of Mtunzini. A bit of searching and soon we had excellent views on a bird perched on top of a Raffia Palm- one of the main food sources for the species. This was thoroughly enjoyed by the group. We decided to head back to Dlinza and target the Spotted Ground Thrush that we still needed- soon upon arriving we had the most beautiful views on the stunning bird feeding a few meters from us- the perfect end to an amazing day. A quick look at the bird hide gave us good views of Tambourine and Lemon Doves.
We retired back to our comfortable lodge to freshen up and celebrate a fantastic day in the field over a good bottle of wine. Our dinner was delicious, and we chatted away about the mix of habitats we had seen and the amazing bird life in SA. After a few good laughs and full stomachs, we all hit the sack for a good night’s sleep.
Day 23: Eshowe to Underberg (Sani Pass)
We enjoyed a relaxed breakfast at our wonderful accommodation prepared by our local host before saying our goodbyes and heading for the Drakensberg mountains and the famous Sani Pass in the Southern Drakensberg. A quick stop at the bird hide at Dlinza gave us top notch views and photo opportunities of the shy and elusive Lemon and Tambourine Doves. Our drive South along the N2, skirting around Durban went smoothly and the time was used to chat about the history, culture and politics in South Africa. We also chatted about the birds we are targeting in the Drakensberg and birding in Africa and Asia.
Our detour to the Karkloof protected area gave us great views on Wattled Crane- a major target for the group and also meant we saw all three Crane Species of South Africa, the Blue, Grey-crowned and Wattled. We also enjoyed views of, Long-crested Eagle and Levaillant’s Cisticola. A quick stop at the Howick waterfall was amazing as with all the rain the falls were in full flow and something special to see, a bit of curio shopping and we were on route for Underberg and the Sani Pass area.
We arrived at our fabulous accommodation at the foothills of Sani Pass, checked in and enjoyed a walk in the gardens, with us seeing Southern Bald Ibises, Lesser Kestrels and Amur Falcons hunting in good numbers, Lesser Swamp Warbler and Grey-crowned Crane. We enjoyed a breathtaking sunset over the Drakensburg mountains as we enjoyed sundowner drink and completed our checklist for the day.
A delicious meal was enjoyed as we chatted away and enjoyed the great wine on offer. A few laughs on birding stories and trips were had and on the way to our rooms we had a sighting of a Spotted Eagle Owl. A good night’s rest was the order of the evening as tomorrow is an exciting and busy day exploring Sani Pass.
Day 24: Birding Sani Pass
Our morning was one for the books, with beautiful clear sky and sunshine- the perfect weather for Sani Pass. We headed up the pass enjoying the incredible scenery along the way. The day was truly magical and one of the best days I have had at Sani. The incredible birding, which comprises of our high-altitude endemics plus the scenery makes this one of my favourite days of the trip. The birding was good, and we had great views on Bush Blackcap at our first stop- what a stunning endemic. A few other birds seen lower down the pass included, Cape Longclaw, Swee Waxbill, stunning Malachite Sunbird, Black Saw-wing, Barratt’s Warbler, Drakensberg Prinia and an excellent sighting on a family of Ground Woodpeckers feeding close to the road. We also had close views of African Black and Alpine Swifts.
As we made our way higher up the pass, above 2500m above sea level the special birds started to roll in along with incredible vistas. Some of the top birds seen included the endemic Drakensberg Rockjumper and Drakensberg Siskin- all giving us excellent views and photo opportunities. We also had good views of, Bearded Vulture, Yellow Canary, White-necked Raven, Jackal Buzzard, Cape Vulture and Rock Kestrel. Once we cleared customs and crossed into Lesotho, the open short grassy areas gave us, Mountain Pipit, Southern Bald Ibis, Red-capped Lark, Sentinel Rock Thrush and Sickle-winged Chat. A brief view of Grey Tit was a good bird for the trip.
After such an exciting morning we enjoyed lunch at the highest pub in Africa and had our meal above the clouds with the ladies enjoying the local Basotho beer. With a storm approaching we made our way down the pass ahead of the rain and enjoyed the exciting drive down this beautiful mountain pass. A few species seen on the way down included, Karoo Prinia, Bokmakierie, Cape Bunting and Black Sparrowhawk. We also had great views of the endemic Sloggett’s Ice Rat.
We arrived back at our wonderful lodge and enjoyed some down time before meeting for another wonderful meal as we chatted away about our experiences on the trip.
Day 25: Underberg (Sani Pass) to Golden Gate National Park
We enjoyed a slightly later breakfast at our wonderful accommodation before heading for the scenic Golden Gate Highlands Park. We said goodbye to our wonderful hosts and hit the road. Just outside the accommodation we had great views on the endemic Drakensberg Prinia. Our drive went smoothly, and we enjoyed the scenery of the magnificent Drakensberg mountains as we chatted away in the car, a slight detour near Ladysmith gave us good views on another endemic, the Melodious Lark. A relaxed lunch was enjoyed next to the Tugela River at a coffee shop and some of group got some last-minute curio shopping done. A few roadside birds included, Cape Vulture, Amur Falcon, Red-footed Falcon and Jackal buzzard. A leg stretch to admire the vast views of the Sterkfontein Dam and Amphitheatre was well the stop- what an amazing part of SA
We arrived at Golden gate in mid-afternoon and as soon as we arrived everyone was taken back by the incredible scenery of the Golden sandstone cliffs. Our mammal list grew, and we had good sightings of Black Wildebeest, Springbok, Blesbok, Hartebeest and Plains Zebra. A great in the open and close sighting of the regal Secretarybird was a great highlight. As we arrived at the camp, a Cape Rock Thrush showed well, and this led to a celebration among the group as it was Dawns 3000th bird seen in the world- what a great milestone. We took in the amazing scenery of the park and checked into our accommodation located high above the valley looking onto Cathedral peak in the Drakensberg.
A traditional Braai was enjoyed with an amazing view at we celebrated the great trip we have had and Dawns millstone. We enjoyed some great South African wine and chatted away about the trip, future trips and the amazing places birding takes us. With our bellies full, we headed off to bed for a good night’s sleep.
Day 26: Golden Gate National Park to Johannesburg and Departure
We enjoyed our last morning of the tour taking in the spectacular scenery and birds of Golden Gate National Park. We had good views of Bokmakierie, Ground Woodpecker, Buff-streaked Chat, Cape Vulture, Jackal Buzzard, Southern Bald Ibis, African, Red-eyed Bulbul, Alpine Swift and Cape Grassbird. We had a tasty breakfast in the small town of Clarens with stunning views of the sandstone cliffs that make the area so beautiful.
Our drive back to the city and airport in Johannesburg went smoothly and we chatted about the great adventure we had together, we updated our final list and chatted about the highlights of the trip.
Thanks must go to these three amazing ladies for the great time we had together. You arrived as strangers and have certainly left as friends. We all shared a good couple of laughs. A fantastic 26 days of birding in South Africa came to an end. We all had a blast and had an amazing time in South Africa and left with a tear in the eye after a lovely trip. I would like to thank our local site guides, for the knowledge, and help in making the tour run so smoothly and for the hard work put in on the trip. Thanks to the Nature Travel Birding office for all the behind the scenes work that went on to ensure the tour was a success. I look forward to my next trip in the incredibly diverse South Africa.
