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South Africa - Western Bird Photography Tour (Small Group)

© Cape Rockjumper by Adam Riley
South Africa - Western Bird Photography Tour (Small Group) 2026

12 Jul 2026 - 24 Jul 2026 (13 days)

ZAR79,950 - 4 Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: David Hoddinott

Tour price (Per person): ZAR79,950 * USD4,125 * GBP3,199 * EUR3,749 * AUD6,864

Single Supplement: ZAR4,900 * USD253 * GBP196 * EUR230 * AUD421

Can be linked with: South Africa - Eastern Bird Photography Tour (Small Group) 2026

Flight costs (Linked Tour): ZAR1,500 * USD77 * GBP60 * EUR70 * AUD129

South Africa - Western Bird Photography Tour (Small Group) 2027

14 Jun 2027 - 26 Jun 2027 (13 days)

ZAR84,000 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Quinton Paul Josop

Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated, and dates may change*

Tour price (Per person): ZAR84,000 * USD4,334 * GBP3,361 * EUR3,939 * AUD7,212

Can be linked with: South Africa - Eastern Bird Photography Tour (Small Group) 2027

Southern Africa’s dry west is a unique and fascinating, yet under-visited land and offers exceptional opportunities for bird, mammal, and scenic photography. A hotbed of faunal and floral diversity, this area harbours two botanical regions found nowhere else on earth: the Cape Floristic Region and the Succulent Karoo. Our Western South Africa Bird Photo Tour showcases these areas and the range of special bird’s endemic to them; you can expect not only great birds, but some of the most dramatic scenery in Africa! Tour highlights include the stunning fynbos-clad slopes of the Western Cape, home to the stunning Cape Rockjumper and numerous other endemics; and the arid and semi-arid areas of the Karoo, which provide another great backdrop for a variety of bustards, larks and other endemics before we head back to Cape Town, taking in an impressive Cape Gannet colony and the West Coast National Park on the way.

Highlights

  • The pelagic trip into Cape Town’s Atlantic Ocean offers up some of the very best sea birding on the planet. The spectacle is something to behold and photo opportunities are extremely good
  • Visit one of only two land-based African Penguin colonies and enjoy exceptional viewing and photo opportunities of these special and highly endangered birds
  • Exploring and photographing the unique Fynbos and Karoo ecosystems
  • Visiting the spectacular Cape Gannet breeding colony at Lambert’s Bay
  • Opportunities to see and photograph some of South Africa’s most range-restricted and special endemic and near-endemic species including Southern Black Korhaan, Ludwig’s Bustard, Red and Sclater’s Larks, Karoo Eremomela, Cinnamon-breasted and Victorin’s Warblers, Orange-breasted Sunbird, and Black Harrier
  • Excellent chances of seeing the two endemic bird families to Southern Africa – Rockjumpers & Sugarbirds

Please note: these prices are subject to foreign exchange fluctuations.

Top Birds

Cape Rockjumper; Cape Sugarbird; Cape Siskin; Cape Bulbul; Protea & Black-headed Canaries; Orange-breasted & Southern Double-collared Sunbirds; African Penguin; African Oystercatcher; Crowned, Bank & Cape Cormorants; Hartlaub’s Gull; Southern Black & Karoo Korhaans; Ludwig’s Bustard; Cape Spurfowl; Victorin’s, Namaqua, Cinnamon-breasted, Layard’s & Rufous-eared Warblers; Fairy & Fiscal Flycatchers; Karoo Eremomela; Barlow’s, Red, Sclater’s & Cape Long-billed Larks; Cape Penduline Tit; White-backed Mousebird; Karoo & Tractrac Chats; Karoo Scrub Robin; Cape Grassbird; Karoo Prinia; Southern Boubou; Cape Batis; Verreaux's & Booted Eagles; South African Shelduck; Karoo Thrush; Forest & Cape Canaries. The pelagic could provide Indian, Atlantic Yellow-nosed, Shy & Black-browed Albatrosses; Cape Petrel; Southern & Northern Giant Petrels.

Top Mammals

Afro-Australian Fur Seal; Southern Right Whale; Common Eland; Blesbok (Bontebok); (Cape) Mountain Zebra; (Red) Hartebeest; Cape Grey Mongoose; Cape Grysbok; Springbok; Klipspringer; Grey Rhebok; Chacma Baboo; Meerkat.

Habitats Covered

Mountains, semi-desert, fynbos, coastal and pelagic waters, wetlands

Expected Climate

Temperate with occasional rain, can be cold in winter

Max Group Size

5 with 1 Rockjumper leader

Tour Pace & Walking

UNDEMANDING: This tour is ideal for birders and wildlife enthusiasts of all experience levels. It’s suitable for most mobility levels and offers a relaxed pace, ensuring an enjoyable experience for everyone.

Moderate. Suitable for all birding / wildlife / photography interest levels and most mobility capabilities. Can be a little tiring due to travel distances. Our Bird Photo Tours are a hybrid between our Classic birding tours and dedicated photographic tours. You don’t have to be a professional photographer or have the biggest lens; this is for everyone with an interest in photography and birding. Whether you’re using a bridge camera or the latest body and prime lens, our aims are the same. • These tours are not aimed at seeing the most species possible on the route, rather taking time to photograph key targets and any other interesting species we may find. Naturally, the overall species list will be lower than a comparable birding focused tour. • Whilst we may use blinds, feeders and hide setups on some of these tours, we will not be spending an entire day nor even several hours fixed in one spot. • These tours are suitable for photographers who prefer opportunistic photography over entire days in a hide. • Our leaders will assist in helping everyone secure good photographic opportunities and advise as much as they can on camera setup. However, they are not professional photographic tour leaders.

Accommodation

Comfortable lodges.

Ease of Birding

Undemanding, most species provide good visuals. A small number of scarce/rare species.

Photographic Opportunities

Good to very good. Some hides.

What our clients say about us

Glen Valentine
CA - South Africa 2021

I am still absorbing the wonderful trip that I took to South Africa. It was amazing. the guides, Glen Valentine and Riaan Botha were absolutely wonderful. They not only knew their birds and mammals, but they both had wonderful people skills. from the moment they showed up until they departed, I felt safe. They took good care of us, seeing to our basic needs, preparing us for the day's birds and itinerary.

Daniel Danckwerts
MW, South Africa 2021

This was our first tailor-made tour. It won't be our last. We had a great time. Dan was an excellent guide, working all the angles to get us our target birds while still covering the area specialties, affording us great looks at birds for which we had only fleeting views on our previous South Africa tour with Rockjumper (which was also great!). Dan was very persistent, which paid off in seeing a good number of very difficult specialty birds that many avid South African birders have not seen. We even had two lifer flufftails in a single day, thanks in part to Doug McCulloch, who took the morning off from his new job to help out with the Red-breasted Flufftail. Thanks, Doug! We could have used one more day in the Joburg area, as there were a few birds that were not accessible within the time frame of the tour. This always happens, though, and I am glad we went from a 6-day to a 10-day tour. This is the reason for the overall rating of 9 rather than 10. Overall, the three of us had a great time on the tour. Thanks for putting it together for us!

David Hoddinott
South Africa

Thank you for a wonderful tour. We enjoyed your good company and we appreciate your expertise, effort and enthusiasm. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in South Africa and we hope to travel with you again sometime. P.S It was a cracker

Daniel Danckwerts
TT - South Africa Rallid Quest 2019

There are not enough superlatives to describe Daniel Danckwerts! He is a superstar of a guide and I am glad I had the opportunity to tour with him, because he will be in great demand when the word gets out how amazing this tour was! Although he is one of your junior guides, he conducts himself with poise and confidence in excess of his years. His passion for birding, culture and history is unsurpassed and his laugh is absolutely infectious.  He knew all the hotspots for the notoriously difficult species on this tour and even when the birds weren't cooperating, he devised innovative means to ensure the group would have the best opportunity to see these very, very elusive birds. We learned a few lessons on this inaugural tour about patience and stamina.... it is certainly not for the faint-hearted because it requires a lot of hard work but the rewards certainly exceeded the effort.  Where else do you have the opportunity to see mythic flufftails and crakes all in one place? I will absolutely travel with Daniel again!

Daniel Danckwerts
CS - South Africa 2019

I had an excellent birding adventure. Daniel Danckwerts was superb at finding and identifying the myriad of species. He interfaces with the group exceptionally well, from the beginner birder to the pros on the tour. I would love to go on another birding tour with Dan, as he was exceptionally skilled at his craft. Other environmental/birding issues would pop up for conversation and he was skilled in his answers and knowledge. His passion for birding was very apparent, as well as his thoughtfulness in making sure everyone was on the bird and helping with our travel experience.

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