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Birding around the World Summit

Introduction - what to expect.
The host city for the World Summit, Johannesburg, lies on the South African Highveld at an altitude of about 1400m above sea level. This part of the interior plateau lies close to a number of features which ensure a high bird diversity. The highveld itself is an area of high endemism, and Suikerbosrand to the South of Johannesburg, and the eastern highveld around Bapsfontein, provide accessible birding in highveld habitats, which consist mainly of grasslands, wetlands and ridges with associated patches of denser vegetation. To the north and west, the Magaliesburg mountains signal the transition to lower altitude thornveld, around 900-1200 metres above sea level. The areas to the north and west of Pretoria offer a host of regional endemics, and a very large bird diversity generally.

The climate in August/September is generally mild, and in this period, many breeding intra-african migrants start to arrive. August birding provides for up to 140 species per day, or 200 over a three day trip.

Further afield Eastern South africa is characterised by highveld, montane, and lowveld habitats, and close to 700 species occur in this region. Afromontane Forest is accessible within 4 hours of Johannesburg, montane drakensberg habitats, six hours, and Mapulataland lowland woodlands 6 hours. Other areas of the Highveld around Memel and Wakkerstroom hold a greater range of grassland endemics, and this is only some 3 hours away. To the north-east, the northern kruger park is endowed with a wide range of african birds, including a good selection of at Magoebaskloof - some five hours to the north-east, or forests

Facilities and Infrastructure
The region is blessed with good roads and advanced telecommunications. Seldom on our birding tours, will you not have cell-phone reception, and the travel too and from birding locales, is generally quick and comfortable. For overnight tours, accomodation is in comfortable lodges or bed and breakfast establishments, with private bathroom facilities. Indicator Birding is offering a range of tours for the world summit period. As a BirdLife SA accredited birding tour organiser for the summit, we can also arrange a tailor-made tour to meet your needs.

Take a look at our pre-summit programme of tours, short tours during the summit and a diverse range of post summit tours.

Those with little time on their hands will be pleased to know that the venue of the Earth Summit is close to an area of incredible bird diversity - Last year over 430 species were recorded within about 140km of Johannesburg.

More information on:

Pre-summit tours: From 2 to 9 day pre-summit tours, which give participants the opportunity to see a good cross-section of Eastern South African birdlife, including many endemics.
Tours during the summit: During the Summit itself we are offering a range of day trips (and overnight trips) which will allow busy participants a chance to get out and experience the bird diversity of the area.
Tours after the summit: After the summit, we are offering a range of both short and longer tours, the latter of which, aim to comprehensively cover the country.

Section Menu

Birding around the Earth Summit - what you can expect!

Pre-summit tours - an overview

Birding during the earth summit.

Post-summit birding tours

Calendar of Tours.

See also: information from the Resources Section:

Birding Southern Africa - an overview

Birding in and around Pretoria (including Gauteng and Johannesburg)

Endemic list for Southern Africa (Annotated)

Endemic list for Pretoria - Johannesburg region.

Annotated Checklist for the Johannesburg Pretoria Region

TripList - Short Blitz of Pretoria area nets 314 Species in 4 Days