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Eastern South Africa (12 Days) 31 October - 11 November 2006

Tour Summary: This extended itinerary is based on a 11 night, 12-day tour of Eastern South Africa, and covers the most important habitats in the region. The tours starts in high altitude grassland with it's suite of endemics and covers localised broadleaved woodlands and arid thorn-tree woodlands north of Pretoria. We then head south and pause in the higher altitude grasslands around Memel, before travelling to the Drakensburg Mountains. The Sani Pass trip takes one over the escarpment and into the sub-alpine heath of Lesotho where a host of karoo birds occur. After a morning in a cool mist-belt forest, we visit Eshowe for a more temperate forest birding experience, and then drop down to the sub-tropical coastal plain at St Lucia where the birds change once again. The last 4 nights are spent in this region - Mkhuze being the highlight of any Southern African birding experience.

Expectations are up to 400 species, including 90 regional endemics.

Itinerary Summary:

Day 1: Tuesday 31 October - North-eastern Gauteng Grasslands
Day 2: Wednesday 1 November - Dinokeng Woodlands and Wetlands
Day 3: Thursday 2 November - Rust de Winter - Memel
Day 4: Friday 3 November - Memel area
Day 5: Saturday 4 November - Memel to Underberg
Day 6: Sunday 5 November - Sani Pass Excursion
Day 7: Monday 6 November - Underberg to Eshowe
Day 8: Tuesday 7 November - Eshowe to St Lucia
Day 9: Wednesday 8 November - St Lucia to Mkhuze Game reserve
Day 10: Thursday 9 November - Mkhuze Game Reserve
Day 11: Friday 10 November - Mkhuze Game Reserve
Day 12: Saturday 11 November - Mkhuze Game Reserve to Johannesburg

Full Itinerary

Day 1: Tuesday 31 October - Johannesburg International to Luiperdskloof Game Lodge

The focus here is on the superb grassland, deep-cut valleys and rocky hills of this area - which abounds with specials.

Birding here is focussed on a host of localised or uncommon species, including Shelley's Francolin, White-bellied Korhaan and three species of Honeyguide. Common species include Mocking Cliff-chat, Thick-billed Weaver, Eastern Clapper Lark, Swainson's Francolin and Southern Ant-eating Chat. We explore grasslands for Melodious Lark and river gullies for Dark-capped Yellow Warbler.
Accomodation in Lodge Accomodation at Luiperdskloof

Day 2: Wednesday 1 November - Dinokeng Woodlands and Wetlands.

We will spend the morning birding in the grasslands, wetlands and along the river in the Ezemvelo area and beyond.

In the afternoon we find ourselves in the rather unique Seringveld Conservancy, where woodland birding is rather unique. Here we have a good chance to see the highly localised Tinkling Cisticola Striped Kingfisher, Pallid Flycatcher, Fawn-coloured Lark and Green-capped Eremomela. In the late afternoon we have an hours drive to our overnight lodging. Accomodation: Buffelsdrift Game Farm, Rust de Winter

Day 3: Thursday 2 November Rust de Winter - Memel

An early start will see us heading west into prime acacia woodland habitat along the Zaagkuildrift Road. Here we see a host of typical african birds such as Hornbills, Barbets and mousebirds. We will also have the opportunity to see a number of "North-western" regional endemics such as Northern Black Korhaan, Kalahari Robin, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Southern Pied Babbler, Black faced Waxbill, Ashy Tit and Barred Wren-Warbler. We will also encounter a host of other regional endemics such as Shaft-tailed Whydah, Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, Black-chested Prinia and Redheaded Finch.

Seasonal wetlands in the area may provide a wonderful array of sub-tropical waterbirds, and depending on rainfall, Greater Painted Snipe, Dwarf Bittern and Black Heron may be seen.

After lunch back at the Lodge, we proceed southwards to Memel, three hours drive south of Johannesburg.

We will arrive in time for some birding in the Seekoeivlei Wetland where African Marsh Harrier, African Snipe, Grey Crowned Crane, African Snipe and African Purple Swamphen are some of the many birds, which may be seen. Accomodation - Mahem Guest House, Memel

Day 4: Friday 3 November - Memel area

An early start will find us in the grasslands, where we look for the three most restricted and rarest grassland endemics, namely Yellow-breasted Pipit, Rudd's Lark and Botha's Lark. We expect to see a number of other highland specials here which may include Blue Korhaan, Southern Bald Ibis, Ground Woodpecker, Buff-streaked Chat, Sentinel Rock-Thrush, Denham's Bustard and Black-winged Plover. Common species include Southern Red Bishop, Long-tailed Widowbird and Banded Martin. We also hope to see Grey Crowned Crane, Blue Crane, and Southern Bald Ibis.

A long day excursion will take us up to the escarpement where patches of scarp forest offer Bush Blackap and other birds. Accomodation - Mahem Guest House, Memel

Day 5: Saturday 4 November - Memel to Underberg

After another early morning birding in the Memel area, we head southwards on the N3 and head for Underberg. Time permitting we stip on at the excellent Impendle Nature Reserve, where Blue Swallow, Broad-tailed Warbler and other specials occur. The southern Drakensberg Mountains will offer a suite of new birds, and superb and very different scenery. Accomodation - Tumble Inn B&B Underberg

Day 6: Sunday 5 November - Sani Pass Excursion.

The full-day trip up Sani Pass is a wonderful adventure up an ancient and spectacular mountain pass. The trip will be conducted in a 4X4 vehicle, with Local Guide Stuart McLean (Please take Passports with today!!) and the birds will change as one ascends the pass. On the lower grassy slopes we search for Denham's Bustard and Red-winged Francolin. Thickets at the base of the pass provide refuge for Bush Blackap, Yellow Warbler, Barratt's Warbler and Sharp-billed Honeyguide. As we ascend the pass up towards the border post, Protea grassland with scattered boulders and small sandstone outcrops provide habitat for Buff-streaked Chat, Wailing Cisticola, Gurney's Sugarbird and Ground Woodpecker.

After passing through the South African border post, the terrain becomes more rugged and we find species such as the endemic Drakensberg Siskin and Drakensberg Rockjumper.

The summit of the pass brings one to the Lesotho border post and a totally different "montane" environment. In the area around the border post and Sani Top Chalet, Sentinel Rock Thrush is common, and we will look for African Rock Pipit. In the alpine heath at the top of the Drakensberg the dominant bird is the Sickle-Wing Chat and the most numerous animal is the Sloggett's Ice-Rat.

We will explore the plains into Lesotho and enter the first few miles of karoo like valleys as one descends into Lesotho. Here we will look for Bald Ibis and keep a watch skywards for Bearded Vulture. Key target birds here are Mountain Pipit and Large-billed Lark, as well as karoo specials such as Karoo Prinia, Layard's Tit-babbler, Yellow Canary and Grey Tit. Accomodation - Tumble Inn B&B Underberg

Day 7: Monday 6 November - Underberg to Eshowe.

An early start will find is in the superb mist-belt forest at Xumeni, where the main target species are the endangered Cape Parrot, and other forest specials such as Orange Ground Thrush. This cool forest is dominated by huge Yellow-wood trees. Common forest birds include Yellow-throated Warbler, Olive Woodpecker, Grey Cuckoo Shrike, Forest Canary and Rameron Pigeon.

We will also search for Knysna Turaco, Narina Trogon and Emerald Cuckoo. Barratt's Warbler are common and if still needed we will try to get good views of this skulker. Overhead we will look out for Forest Buzzard and Crowned Eagle. At the forest verges we should see Swee Waxbill and Bluebilled Firefinch.

After breakfast we drive through to Eshowe (4 hours). The drive will takes us via Durban, and the north coast.

In the afternoon, we stop in at Mtunzini, on the coast, where big stands of Raffia Palms play host to the resident Palm-nut Vultures and the uncommon Black-fronted Wattle-eye flits low down in forest tangles. We will visit the Umlalazi Lagoon, which is a mangrove swamp, and offers the possibility of Mangrove Kingfisher.
Overnight in Chalets - situated within the Dhlinza Forest

Day 8: Tuesday 7 November - Eshowe to St Lucia.

In Eshowe the focus will be on the warmer Dhlinza Forests, which offer a different suite of forest birds from those we have already seen, including the rare Spotted Thrush, which is Eshowe's most sought after bird, as well as Narina Trogon, Delegorgue's Pigeon, Green Coucal and Green Twinspot.

After brunch we head northwards towards Lake St Lucia, stopping at Thulasihleka Pan which is an excellent spot for a number of wetland species such as Lesser Jacana, Pygmy Goose, Little Bittern as well as Blackbacked Cisticola, Redheaded Quealea and Brown-throated Golden Weaver.

Our evening destination is the St Lucia Wetland Park, and we stay in the village close to this world Heritage Site. Accomodation Wetlands Lodge, St Lucia

Day 9: Wednesday 8 November - St Lucia Area to Mkhuze game Reserve

The St Lucia Wetland Park offers a complex mosaic of coastal, estuarine, lakeside, swamp, forest and woodland habitats.

An early morning walk in the unique coastal sand forest will focus on species unique to this habitat such as Woodward's Batis and the splendid Livingstone's Turaco. We may also see a host of other forest and woodland species such as Green Coucal, Brown Scrub-Robin, Narina Trogon, Eastern Nicator, Rudd's Apalis and a host of weavers and sunbirds.

A drive into the Eastern shores section of the park, offers the best chance for Southern-Banded Snake Eagle, and once too we may encounter Pygmy Geese, Saddlebilled Stork, or if we are lucky, Pink-throated Longclaw or Rufous-bellied Heron.

The estuary mouth is always very interesting and may offer Osprey, Palm-nut Vulture and various terns and shorebirds. After a full morning birding in the St Lucia area, we head northwards (2 hours) to Mkhuze Game reserve.

Day 10: Thursday 9 November - Mkhuze Game reserve.

Full-day birding in the Mkhuze Game Reserve.

Mkhuze is regarded by many as the best birding locality in Southern Africa and we will spend 2 nights here - even this will seem like too short a time for this wonderful area, with it's swamp forest, riverine forest, subtropical pans and open savannah. Accomodation: Mantuma Camp at Mkhuze.

Day 11: Friday 10 November - Mkhuze Game Reserve

Full-day birding in the Mkhuze Game Reserve. A key focus will be the Empulwana Sand Forest where Rudd's Apalis, Pink-throated Twinspot and Neergaard's Sunbird - three Maputaland Coastal specials occur. In addition, African Broadbill, Eastern Nicator, Gorgeous Bush Shrike and many others are found here too. Two excellent hides are situated in this sand forest, and these always provide several magical hours - with fantastic close up views of African mammals and birds.

We will hardly have enough time to explore the Riverine Forests, floodplains and open savannahs, and we expect to see a host of Vultures, Eagles, Storks and many other species.

The Fig Forest along the Mkhuze River is a magical area, and we will take part in an official guided walk to make the most of this area.

Day 12: Saturday 11 November - Mkhuze Game Reserve - Johannesburg

The morning will be spent birding in Mkhuze. Depending on the birds we have seen this may be in the Camp area, at the excellent hides or at Ensumo Pan.

In the afternoon, we leave the park and drive back to Johannesburg.

Services End

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