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Other Tours offered in 2004
Day Trips

8 Day - Kruger, Highlands, Forests and Arid Woodland endemics. 10-17 October 2004

Tour Summary: This tour combines the best of the diversity of the highveld bushveld divide, with excellent grassland and forest birding, as well as providing participants with a chance to sample the world-famous Kruger National Park

Expectations are 330 species with 46 regional endemics.

Itinerary

Day 1: Sunday October 10 - Johannesburg, Grasslands and Wetlands

An early start will enable us to get into the grasslands at Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve when the spring chorus is at it's peak. Birding here will concentrate on the variety of endemic larks, francolins and chats, which occur. Specials in this area include the endemic Melodious, Eastern Clapper, Eastern Long-billed and Spike-heeled Lark. Francolins are particularly well represented and one may encounter Orange-river, Redwinged, Grey-winged Francolin or Swainson's Spurfowl. Redthroated Wryneck and Mocking Cliff Chat are both present. Other specials include South African Cliff Swallow, Grass Owl, Red-eyed Bulbul, Cape Rock Thrush and African Rock Pipit. The reserve also offers an excellent diversity of mammals, including the endemic Black Wildebeest, Suricate and Red Hartebeest.

In the afternoon we will head northwards for Marievale Bird Sanctuary, with its excellent diversity of wetland birds. These will include species such as Goliath Heron, Cape Shoveller, Black Heron, African Snipe, Whiskered Tern, Little Bittern, Yellow Canary and Fantailed Widowbird.

Overnight Genius Loci Game Ranch

Day 2: Monday October 11 North-west arid woodlands

An early start will see us west into acacia woodland habitat along the Zaagkuildrift Road - one of the most bird-diverse areas anywhere! Here you can see 100 species in just a couple of hours in summer. This area consists of prime acacia thornveld, and apart from holding an excellent diversity of typical african birds such as Hornbills, Barbets and mousebirds, will provide the opportunity to see a number of "North-western" species such as Northern Black Korhaan, Kalahari Robin, Crimson-breasted Bush Shrike, Southern Pied Babbler, Cape Penduline-tit, Black faced Waxbill, Ashy Tit and Barred Warbler. We will also encounter a host of other regional endemics such as Shaft-tailed Whydah, Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, Black-chested Prinia and possibly Temminck's Courser, Chestnut-backed Finchlark and Pale Chanting Goshawk. We will enjoy a picnic lunch on a private cattle ranch, before heading onwards to the Kgomo-Kgomo Floodplain, where we should see Temminck's Courser, Chestnut-backed Finch lark, Red headed Finch and other birds. We then retrace our steps back towards Rust de Winter dam, where the afternoon will be spent birding in the area of the Large Reservoir - often good for Raptors and Waterbirds (Slaty Egret was present here last summer)

Overnight Genius Loci Game Ranch

Day 3 Tuesday October 12 Dinokeng to Dullstroom

An early departure eastwards to the Gouwsberge area, in North-eastern Gauteng. Here we bird some excellent grasslands for White-bellied Korhaan and other grassland birds. We will explore the Wilge River Valley in search of African Finfoot and Half-collared Kingfisher, and scan rocky hillsides for the Short-toed Rock Thrush. After a picnic brunch at Ezemvelo Nature Reserve, we will travel eastwards towards Dullstroom.

We will stop at the Wonderfontein Pans near Middleburg to view the assembled waterbirds, which may include Flamingos, African Snipe and others. We will then complete the trip to Dullstroom, arriving in time to do some birding in the area.

Overnight Dullstroom guest House

Day 4: Wednesday October 13 Dullstroom to Lydenberg

Morning birding in the Dullstroom area. This is an excellent area for grassland endemics and we shall be targeting the following birds: Ground Woodpecker, Sentinel Rock Thrush, Redbreasted Sparrowhawk, Southern Bald Ibis, Gurney's Sugarbird, Wattled Crane, Blue Crane, Stanley Bustard, Pale-crowned Cisticola, Blackwinged Plover, Yellow-breasted Pipit and Buff-streaked Chat.

After returning to the lodge for Brunch, we may then explore one or two additional areas (for cranes) before heading further eastwards to Lydenburg. The afternoon may be spent touring the scenically superb Long-tom Pass, or alternatively birding in the excellent Robber's Pass area, where species like Mountain Wagtail, Golden Weaver, Dark-capped Yellow Warbler and Half-collared Kingfisher may be seen.

Accomodation: Inn on Robber's Pass.

Day 5: Thursday October 14 Afromontane Forests and Kruger National Park

The Inn on Robber's Pass provides easy access to Mt Sheba Nature Reserve. The forest at Mt Sheba is one of the best Afromontane mistbelt forests in the region, and we will spend a full morning birding for the many specials, which occur, including the Orange Ground Thrush. In addition we may see Chorister and Starred Robin, Yellow-streaked Bulbul, Knysna Turaco, Grey Cuckooshrike, Olive Bush Shrike, Cape Batis, Narina Trogon, Olive Woodpecker, Blue-mantled Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Warbler and Forest Canary The forest edge is good for Swee Waxbill, Drakensburg Prinia and African Dusky Flycatcher. We will also look for the endemic Southern Tchagra - at its northernmost limit here.

After a full morning birding in this great forest, we head east passing down the spectacular escarpment, to enter the Kruger national Park, less than two hours away.

Accomodation Pretoriuskop Camp (Kruger National Park)

Day 6: Friday October 15 Kruger National Park

Full day birding and Game Viewing in the Kruger National Park. The Southern section of the park provides a wonderful mosaic of big rivers, denser riverine woodland and some areas of more open plains. Here we expect to encounter a variety of storks, eagles, vultures and bustards. Typical African families like Hornbills, Barbets, Rollers and Starlings are all well-represented.

Our normal approach is to leave the camp early and conduct a long birding/game drive along a circular route, ensuring that we get to one of the picnic spots for breakfast and lunch and then continuing back via a different route to our base-camp, getting back either in the early afternoon or just before dusk. Afternoon times may be spend birding around the excellent camp, and several good look-outs and hides are also worth visiting. We have not mentioned what most people come here for: Elephants, Rhino's, Hippos, Crocodiles, Lions, Leopards, Giraffe, Zebra and many other mammals will also be encountered.

Accomodation Lower Sabie Camp (Kruger National Park)

Day 7: Saturday October 16 Kruger National Park

Full day birding and Game Viewing in the Kruger National Park Accomodation Lower Sabie Camp (Kruger National Park)

Day 8: Sunday October 17 Kruger National Park - Johannesburg

After another morning session of birding Southern Kruger, we head back towards Johannesburg, in time to catch your connecting flight (Drive time approx: 5 hours)

Price: R 12 700 per person sharing (Single Supplement R1500-00)

ALSO: See information on Tailor-made Tours
Other Tours offered in 2004
Day Trips