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South Africa - Flock to Marion - Eastern pre-tour extension

© Drakensberg Rockjumper by Adam Riley
South Africa - Flock to Marion - Eastern pre-tour extension I 2025

16 Jan 2025 - 24 Jan 2025 (9 days)

ZAR52,950 - No Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Ryan Tyrer

Tour price (Per person): ZAR52,950 * USD2,923 * GBP2,333 * EUR2,806 * AUD4,494

Single Supplement: ZAR3,500 * USD193 * GBP154 * EUR185 * AUD297

The provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga on South Africa’s eastern seaboard boast some of the country’s finest birding as well as exceptional mammal viewing. An impressive 750+ bird species occur within the region, reflecting the incredible natural diversity of the area; and this, coupled with a modern infrastructure well suited to the needs of the modern traveller, makes birding here an absolute delight. From the teeming Zululand game reserves to the endemic-rich mist-belt forests of the Natal Midlands and the lofty peaks of the magnificent Drakensberg, this tour of eastern South Africa offers the very best of southern African birding and game viewing!

Top Birds

Blue, Wattled and Grey Crowned Cranes, Denham’s Bustard, Blue Korhaan, Southern Bald Ibis, Drakensberg Rockjumper, Gurney’s Sugarbird, Bush Blackcap, Ground, and Olive Woodpeckers, Knysna, Purple-crested and Livingstone’s Turacos, Chorister Robin-Chat, Drakensberg and Karoo Prinias, Grey Tit, Olive Thrush, Fairy Flycatcher, Layard's Warbler, Cape Parrot, Narina Trogon, Gorgeous and Olive Bushshrikes, Spotted and Orange Ground Thrushes, Cape and Sentinel Rock Thrushes, Rudd’s Apalis, Woodward’s and Cape Batises, Grey Waxbill, Brown and Bearded Scrub Robins, Buff-streaked Chat, Pink-throated Twinspot, Neergaard’s, Scarlet-chested and Southern Double-collared Sunbirds, Green Malkoha, Half-collared and Giant Kingfishers, Little Bee-eater, Southern Boubou, Cape and Forest Canaries, Cape, Spectacled and Southern Brown-throated Weavers, Yellow-breasted Pipit.

Top Mammals

African Elephant, African Buffalo, White Rhinoceros, Black Wildebeest, Nyala, Giraffe, Greater Kudu, Plains Zebra, Warthog, Common Eland and Sloggett’s Vlei Rat, Hippopotamus.

Habitats Covered

dune and mist-belt forest, acacia savanna, high elevation and coastal grasslands, mountains, wetlands

Expected Climate

subtropical with chances for occasional rain, warm to hot in Kruger and Zululand, cooler in highlands, can be cold in winter

Max Group Size

Up to 8 with 1 Rockjumper tour leader

Tour Pace & Walking

moderate pace with undemanding walks, some long drives

Accommodation

comfortable guesthouses and lodges

Ease of Birding

Easy

Number of Species Expected

280-320

Other Attractions

Sani Pass and Drakensberg Mountains, dramatic scenery, Zulu culture, Indian Ocean, iSimangaliso Wetland Park

Photographic Opportunities

excellent

What our clients say about us

James Wade Lee
AF, South Africa 2023

Wade is an exceptional individual. Hard to believe he is not 21 and has such an understanding and knowledge of the animals. He also has a great personality and is a hard worker to insure that you get all the help needed to be safe in every aspect of the operation. Ryan was also a hard worker with the customers comfort and satisfaction always in mind. He is also extremely knowledgeable about the animals and their environment. The entire staff was very accommodating and helpful. It is a great operation and was a wonderful experience.

Daniel Danckwerts
AC & MJ, South Africa 2019

Thanks to Rynart Bezuidenhout and Daniel Danckwerts for an unforgettable tour. Their effort to give us the very best experience was sublime. Not only was our ambition to see the wanted birds, animals and nature much more than fulfilled – our competent, friendly and openminded guides also managed to give a perspective into the life and culture in South Africa of today. This we appreciate a lot.

Glen Valentine
BC, South Africa 2021

Hi. Glen and Julian were great guides. I really enjoyed spending time with them. The trip was great, lodging was great. The wineries were amazing, as were the bird and animal sightings. I would travel with Glen or Julian again any time!

Keith Valentine
JT & LT - Birds & Wine

We are writing to say thank you for all you did for us on our recent Birds and Wine tour with you and Alvaro. We really enjoyed meeting you and spending two weeks touring with you around South Africa. The itinerary that you put together with Alvaro was great and all the arrangements worked out to give us a wonderful tour. Your knowledge of the birds and patience spent helping us find and see all the birds really helped us to enjoy our experience and increase our knowledge. We spent much of our time in the Manyoni Reserve in the vehicle with you and it was always exciting finding the wildlife and hearing your analysis of the situation. We also truly appreciated your selection of wineries to visit, the wines we tasted, and the wines you selected to take with us to Zebra Hills Lodge. Your knowledge of the wine and wineries greatly added to our pleasure on the tour. We live in the Northern California wine region and the opportunity to compare South Africa’s wine with the product we know was very enlightening for us. Both the wineries we visited and the wines we tasted convinced us that we were in an excellent wine producing region of the world.

Keith Valentine
TD, South Africa 2018

Keith Valentine is a great guide and his knowledge of the birds and their calls was just amazing.

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