Western Cape South Africa Birding Tour
8 days/7 nights
Let us schedule this tour for you, whether you are two people or a group of 10 ...
The Western Cape is THE most important endemic bird area on the entire African continent and is therefore a truly essential area for any serious birder! Pelagic trips off Cape Town also rank as amongst the finest in the world - with at least four albatross species, Pintado Petrel, and MANY more on the rich trawling grounds near to where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. The Cape is also a spectacularly scenic area, with rugged Cape Fold Mountains extending right down to the sea, white sandy beaches, steep sea cliffs on the Peninsula, and magnificent vineyards. Here, Southern Right Whales come close inshore (seasonal) and many other mammals, spectacular carpets of flowers (seasonal) and the most plant-diverse biome on earth (even richer than the Amazon!) are major attractions which we will see incidentally, while not jeopardizing our pursuit in finding all the birds.
We recommend about one week in the Western Cape. The aim of our standard 8-day tour (but we can custom-make any length trip) is to find almost all the endemics of this province, including many other species, a LOT of pelagic and other seabirds and, as always, to have an amazing overall experience. In order to find the endemics, we budget adequate time in each strategic ecosystem – the fynbos, Namaqualand, Karoo, temperate forest and Agulhas Plains (Overberg).
The STANDARD version (assuming comfortable accommodation and restaurant meals) of this 8-day tour costs R14841 assuming 4 paying clients, but we can also offer budget camping versions, and discounted versions assuming bigger groups.
This price includes all transport while in South Africa, national park entrance fees, guiding fees, local guides, accommodation and meals. The prices exclude the international flight to Cape Town, medical and travel insurance, drinks, tips, gifts and other items of a personal nature.
Western Cape Birding
The Western Cape is THE most important endemic bird area on the entire African continent and is therefore a truly essential area for any serious birder! Pelagic trips off Cape Town also rank as amongst the finest in the world - with at least four albatross species, Pintado Petrel, and MANY more on the rich trawling grounds near to where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. The Cape is also a spectacularly scenic area, with rugged Cape Fold Mountains extending right down to the sea, white sandy beaches, steep sea cliffs on the Peninsula, and magnificent vineyards. Here, Southern Right Whales come close inshore (seasonal) and many other mammals, spectacular carpets of flowers (seasonal) and the most plant-diverse biome on earth (even richer than the Amazon!) are major attractions which we will see incidentally, while not jeopardizing our pursuit in finding all the birds.
We recommend about one week in the Western Cape. The aim of our standard 8-day tour (but we can custom-make any length trip) is to find almost all the endemics of this province, including many other species, a LOT of pelagic and other seabirds and, as always, to have an amazing overall experience. In order to find the endemics, we budget adequate time in each strategic ecosystem – the fynbos, Namaqualand, Karoo, temperate forest and Agulhas Plains (Overberg).
Day 1: International flight arrives in Cape Town. Time permitting, we can bird one of the Cape Peninsula’s fine wetlands (Intaka Island, Rietvlei or Rondevlei). Here we will look for Great White Pelican, Greater Flamingo, a host of shorebirds, Cape Teal, Maccoa Duck and many other waterfowl, Little Bittern and many other herons, three grebe species, Old World Painted Snipe, African Snipe, four species of reed-associated warbler and other waterbirds. While looking for waterbirds (and even while driving to our B&B), we should also find good numbers of terrestrial endemics including Spotted Prinia, Cape Bulbul and Jackal Buzzard. O/N at the lovely “birder-friendly” Afton Grove B&B.
Day 2: Pelagic trip OR Cape Peninsula and False Bay birding (if pelagic trip is postponed until Day 3 due to last minute weather forecast – we will find out two days before the pelagic). Full-day pelagic trips, which depart from Simonstown (where we will find African Penguin), involve going 30-50 km out to sea. En route, we pass the magnificent Cape Point – really spectacular when seen from the sea. Our first pelagic species are usually Sooty Shearwater and White-chinned Petrel (with the occasional Spectacled Petrel), followed soon by both species of Giant Petrel. Further out to sea, a minimum of four albatross species, Pintado and other petrels, several storm petrels (two species are usually common), shearwaters and others are observed. We almost always find at least one trawler, and it is around these fishing boats that huge congregations of albatrosses and other seabirds create an amazing spectacle. We often encounter marine mammals such as Bryde’s Whales on these pelagics. O/N Afton Grove B&B.
Day 3: Cape Peninsula and False Bay birding (or pelagic trip if postponed due to the weather). We begin our Cape Peninsula birding at the Constantia Greenbelt, where the most strategic species is the endangered, localized, skulking Knysna Warbler. Although rather dull in appearance, this warbler has a really beautiful call. While looking for this bird, we may find Buff-spotted Flufftail (with luck), African Olive (Rameron) Pigeon, Red-chested Cuckoo, the attractive Cape Batis and other good birds. After about an hour of birding here, we will visit the nearby Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, one of the most beautiful places on the Peninsula and teeming with birds. Here it is quite easy to find some important fynbos endemics such as Orange-breasted Sunbird and Cape Sugarbird, while Cape Francolin, Southern Boubou, Cape Canary, Brimstone Canary, Cape Thrush, Cape Robin-chat, Swee Waxbill (with luck) and a whole host of other quality birds entertain us. Eurasian Honey Buzzard, a very rare bird in South Africa, is regular at Kirstenbosch in late summer. Many other raptors are possible here and at other sites we will visit – including Verreaux’s (Black) Eagle, several exciting accipiters, Jackal Buzzard (endemic), Forest Buzzard (endemic), Peregrine Falcon, Rock (Common) Kestrel and others. After birding these beautiful gardens, we depart for Rooiels. To get to this village, we travel along the False Bay coast, one of the most scenic drives in South Africa. We first follow an extremely long white beach bordering the “Cape Flats” (which separate the mountainous Cape Peninsula from the inland Cape Fold mountain ranges), until we reach our stunning marine drive, where impressive mountains extend right down to the sea. The main target bird at Rooiels is the charismatic and localized CAPE ROCKJUMPER. We should also find Cape Siskin, Cape Rock-thrush and many more. On the way back to the Cape Peninsula, we can bird the superb Strandfontein Bird Sanctuary for a plethora of herons, reed-associated warblers, waterfowl, shorebirds, African Black Oystercatcher, African Purple Swamphen, African Marsh Harrier and many others. O/N Afton Grove B&B.
Day 4: West Coast birding. Today we begin an exciting birding journey northwards from Cape Town. We hope to find BLACK HARRIER, Chestnut-banded Plover, Cape Penduline Tit, Cape Clapper Lark, Cape Long-billed Lark, Grey-wing Francolin, Southern Black Korhaan and other specials in addition to a tremendous shorebird spectacle. Langebaan Lagoon is one of Africa’s most important shorebird stopover sites, and there are good hides from which to observe the spectacle. We may also find Osprey, African Fish Eagle and many others. O/N Falcon’s Rest B&B, Langebaan.
Day 5: Today we head inland over the magnificent Cederberg Mountain Range. We will stop at an excellent site for the tough Protea Canary, and on the summit, we have a second chance for Cape Rock-jumper, in the unlikely case that it was missed at Rooiels. We may find Ground Woodpecker, European Bee-eater and other spectacular species, but we have to get to the eastern (rain-shadow) side of the mountains before we find ourselves in the famed Great Karoo. Here, almost every species encountered is endemic, which makes for spectacularly exciting birding for any serious birder new to this vast semi-desert. The pickings include the likes of Cinnamon-breasted Warbler (a truly bizarre rock crevice skulker), Namaqua Warbler, the lovely Rufous-eared Warbler, Black-headed Canary, White-throated Canary, Fairy Flycatcher, Southern Grey Tit, Karoo Chat, Sickle-winged Chat, Tractrac Chat, Karoo Lark, Karoo Long-billed Lark, Spike-heeled Lark, Large-billed Lark, Karoo Eremomela, Pririt Batis, Burchell’s Courser, Double-banded Courser, Ludwig’s Bustard, Karoo Korhaan, Pale Chanting Goshawk, Namaqua Sandgrouse, Namaqua Dove and many others. Night drives at our fine B&B can yield Rufous-cheeked Nightjar, Spotted Eagle Owl and, with luck, Cape Eagle Owl, plus some excellent small mammals such as Bat-eared Fox, Black-backed Jackal and possibly even Caracal (Red Lynx) or Aardvark. O/N Tanqua B&B.
Day 6: After continued early morning Karoo birding followed by brunch, we begin the scenic drive to a completely different landscape. We will cross another mountain range, and head for the magnificent temperate forest at the base of the Langeberg Mountains. This forest is inhabited by such sought-after birds as Knysna Woodpecker, Olive Woodpecker, Olive Bush-shrike, Narina Trogon, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler and of course many more. The forest fringes host the localized Victorin’s Warbler (it is great fun trying to out-smart this vocal but skulking species), Forest Canary, Cape Siskin, Swee Waxbill and more. Our attractively positioned B&B quite often attracts Buff-spotted Flufftail and up to three species of honeyguide (although realistically we usually only hope for one), Cape Grassbird and sometimes Red-necked Spurfowl. An optional night expedition into the forest could yield African Wood Owl and Fiery-necked Nightjar. O/N Honeywood Farm.
Day 7: After early morning birding in and around the forest, we will have brunch and head for the amazing (from a bird perspective) Agulhas Plains. These plains separate the southern-most tip of the African continent where two oceans meet from the Cape Fold Mountains further inland, and are one of the few areas where Secretarybird and Denham’s Bustard are still common. They are also the most important stronghold for South Africa’s magnificent national bird, the Blue Crane. White Stork is common in late summer. Extremely localized endemics such as Agulhas Clapper Lark, Agulhas Long-billed Lark and others lurk here. We will also visit the de Hoop Nature Reserve, which protects a large tract of highly threatened lowland fynbos. Here, we will see many waterbirds, Southern Tchagra, and we may encounter Southern Right Whales coming close inshore, Cape Mountain Zebra, Bontebok and other mammal specials of the Cape. Time permitting, we can visit de Mond Nature Reserve, an excellent site for the rare, localized, diminutive Damara Tern. We then make our way back to Cape Town for the final night of the tour. O/N Afton Grove B&B.
Day 8: International flight leaves Cape Town.