Main Tour

Day-by-day Itinerary

Day 1

Saturday, 18 January

Arrive in Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo Intl. Airport (IATA code JNB), and transfer to our hotel in Boksburg, a few minutes’ drive from the airport. The hotel has an airport shuttle service. 5:00 pm, meet your tour leader and other tour participants at the hotel restaurant for introductions, orientation, and dinner. Overnight at the Hotel. 

Day 2

Sunday, 19 January

Leave hotel at 5.00 am with packed breakfast. Then visit Marievale Bird Sanctuary and Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve in the morning to target African Marsh Harrier, Black-shouldered Kite, Amur Falcon and Red-footed Falcon. In the afternoon, depending on time, will look for Ovambo Sparrowhawk, and Verreaux’s and Ayres’s Eagle. Dinner and overnight at the Hotel.

Day 3

Monday, 20 January

Check-out at 5.00 am. Leave hotel by 5.30 am or earlier, again with packed breakfast. Visit Rietvlei Nature Reserve in the morning to look for Black-shouldered Kite, Ovambo Sparrowhawk, and African Fish Eagle,among others. Then head to Pretoria to target Ayers’ Eagle. Lunch in Pretoria. Then fast forward to Magoebaskloof/Tzaneen area. We expect to see Long-crested Eagle in the area. Search a local reserve for Bat Hawk—the only truly nocturnal hawk in the world, time permitting. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 4

Tuesday, 21 January

5.30 am, check-out. Visit local reserves looking for Bat Hawk, and African Cuckoo-Hawk, Black Sparrowhawk, Jackal Buzzard, and Crowned Eagle. Breakfast in Tzaneen, and then fast-forward to Kruger NP. Enter the park and drive to Punda Maria Rest camp looking for mammals, raptors, and other birds. Check-in at the Camp. Stock up on snacks for tomorrow; we will leave before they start serving breakfast, and we’ll be back for a late lunch. Dinner and overnight in Punda Maria.

Day 5

Wednesday, 22 January

4.30 am, leave the Punda in the dark, and drive slowly on dirt roads towards Pafuri looking for nightjars and mammals. Later in the morning we’ll keep our eyes peeled for Dickinson’s Kestrel. Other birds of interest in the area include: Dark Chanting Goshawk, Bateleur, Brown Snake Eagle, African Hawk-Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Wahlberg’s Eagle, African White-backed Vulture, Meve’s Starling and Tropical Boubou. We’ll stop for 30 mins to stretch our legs, use the facilities and eat a snack at some of the rest areas. Then head back slowly to Punda Maria for lunch. In the afternoon we’ll take a drive around the Rest Camp looking for other northern Kruger specialties. Remember to stock up on goodies for early morning snacks tomorrow. Dinner and overnight at Punda María.

Day 6

Thursday, 23 January

4.30 check-out and leave Punda Maria heading south towards to Shingwedzi. We expect to see many raptors including Martial, Tawny, Wahlberg’s, and Lesser-spotted, Eagles, African Fish Eagle, African Hawk-Eagle, Brown Snake Eagle, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Gabar Goshawk, Lizard Buzzard, and Bateleur. Also possible in this drive is Southern Ground Hornbill, and Kori Bustard. Around 10.00 am, sit-down brunch at Shingwedzi. Stock up on snacks for the afternoon. Head out towards Letaba. Stop at the Tropic of Capricorn for photos! In the afternoon we’ll drive through more open ground and expect to see large numbers of mammals including African elephant, Burchel’s zebras, blue wildebeest, among many others. Open habitat raptors such as Secretarybird, and Montagu’s Harrier are possible here as well. Around 4.00 pm, arrive in Letaba. 5.00 to 7.00 pm, night drive to look for lions and other mammals! 8.00 pm, dinner. Overnight at Letaba Rest Camp.

Day 7

Friday, 24 January

5.00 am, check-out and leave camp heading for Satara. As we drive south the landscape becomes more open and mammal species such as zebras, wildebeest, impalas, and their predators: lions, leopards, hyaenas and wild dogs can be expected in this drive. Around 10.00-11.00 am, brunch at Satara Rest Camp. Then take the rest of the day to drive to Skukuza Rest camp, where we will eat dinner and spend the night.

Day 8

Saturday, 25 January

4.30 am, check-out. Drive slowly roads heading south and out of Kruger National Park through the Malelane Gate. Exit the park. 8.30 am breakfast in Malelane. Mostly a driving day from here on as we need to reach St. Lucia, some 570 km away. 6.30 pm, arrive in St Lucia. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight in St Lucia.

Day 9

Sunday, 26 January

6.00 am, leave for iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Our main target today is Southern Banded Snake Eagle. Palm-nut Vulture and African Marsh Harrier are also possible here. Grasslands in the park are home to African Grass Owl. Non-raptorial targets here include Livingstone’s Turacos and Pygmy Goose. Back to town for lunch. More exploration of the area to look for raptors and other birds in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight in St Lucia.

Day 10

Monday, 27 January

6.00 check-out, and head south to Richard’s Bay and Mtunzini, looking for Palm-nut Vultures and other birds. Lunch in Mtunzini. Drive to Durban in the afternoon. Check-in at the hotel and relax. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 11

Tuesday, 28 January

5.00 am, transfer to Durban’s airport. Breakfast at the airport. Fly to Upington (6.30 am - 12.10 pm, free carry-on up to 7 Kg plus 1 free checked bag up to 20 kg / 44 lbs), stopping 2h55m in Johannesburg. Pick up our vans upon arrival in Upington. Lunch upon arrival in Upington. Drive to Twee Rivieren Rest Camp in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. We may see Pale Chanting Goshawk, and Pygmy Falcon. Dinner and overnight at Twee Rivieren.

Days 12-13

Wednesday and Thursday, 29-30 January

We will exit the camp before they star serving breakfast so stock up on snacks the day before. Early starts (5.30 am) will allow us to explore the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park at its finest. This is a very scenic drive with red dunes dotted with sparse vegetation, huge weaver nests, and great visibility. We will target wildlife mostly driving along the dry riverbeds, and dunes in the Kgalagadi looking for Greater Kestrel, and Pygmy, Lanner and Red-necked Falcons. Also likely to be seen here are Pale Chanting Goshawk, Bateleur, Tawny Eagle, Black-chested Snake Eagle, Gabar Goshawk and Secretarybird. Lions, cheetahs, and leopards are more visible here, due to the scant vegetation. Other mammals of interest include giraffe, springbok and oryx, the cute suricate or meerkat, and the not-so-quite yellow mongoose. Bat-eared fox and black-backed jackals are always welcome and fun to watch. Lunches will usually be back at the rest camp. PM drives to look for more raptors, other birds and African wildlife. Dinner and overnight in Twee Rivieren Rest Camp.

Day 14

Friday, 31 January

Another morning outing in the Kalahari. Check-out and drive back to Upington to catch our flight to Johannesburg (12.40-2.00 pm, free carry-on up to 7 Kg plus 1 free checked bag up to 20 kg / 44 lbs) where the tour ends. International evening flights depart from Johannesburg, but we suggest you book a flight for the next day. Extra nights in Johannesburg available upon request.

Western Cape Tour Extension

Day-by-day Itinerary

Day 1

Saturday, 1 February

Transfer to Johannesburg International Airport (IATA code: JNB) and catch a morning flight to Cape Town (6:15 - 8:30 am). Collect the vans and head out to eat lunch. In the PM visit Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk nesting sites, and drive around looking for Forest Buzzards. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 2

Sunday, 2 February

Early morning rise, breakfast, and head for West Coast National Park, stopping for raptors along the way. Today’s raptorial main target is Black Harrier, but we are likely to encounter Yellow-billed Kite, and Jackal, and Steppe Buzzards. We will also visit a breeding colony of Rock Kestrel. Head back to Cape Town. Lunch. In the afternoon we will team up with Andrew Jenkins who will show us around town to target the local breeding Peregrine Falcons. 

Day 3

Monday, 3 February

Early morning rise to beat the city traffic on our way south. Upon arrival in Room-Els leave the vehicles and follow the tracks to target Cape Rockjumper, Orange-breasted Sunbird, keeping our eyes peeled for passing Verreaux’s Eagles and Rock Kestrels. Head for Stony Point Penguin Colony to look for these cute Sphenisciformes, and watching for raptors such as Peregrine Falcon, and four species of cormorants: White-breasted, Crowned, Cape, and Bank. Scan for pelagic birds from the viewing deck. 

Day 4

Tuesday, 4 February

Early morning rise to beat the crowd! Relaxed birding at the Table Mountain National Park. Drive all the scenic way to the Cape of Good Hope, soaking in the spectacular views. All day in the area looking for birds including African penguins, African Oystercatcher, Orange-breasted and Malachite Sunbirds, among others. Back at the Airport by 5:00 pm, to catch our flight back to Johannesburg (6:10 - 8:15 pm), where the tour extension ends.