Our eastern South Africa birding and wildlife tours combine the great birds and mammals of the world-renowned Kruger National Park, the teeming Zululand game reserves, the endemic-rich mist-belt forests and grasslands of the Natal Midlands and the lofty peaks of the magnificent Drakensberg. Target species include Kori Bustard, Southern Ground Hornbill, Bateleur, Southern Bald Ibis, Bearded Vulture, Blue and Wattled Cranes, Blue Korhaan, Ground Woodpecker, Yellow-breasted Pipit, Rudd’s and Botha’s Larks, Spotted and Orange Ground Thrushes, Drakensberg Rockjumper, Gurney’s Sugarbird, the splendid Pink-throated Twinspot, Neergaard’s Sunbird, Narina Trogon, Woodward’s Batis, Gorgeous and Olive Bushshrikes, Chorister Robin-Chat, Brown and Bearded Scrub Robins, Knysna and Livingstone's Turacos, Bush Blackcap and Rudd’s Apalis. Our chances of achieving the classic ‘Big Five’ (Lion, Leopard, African Elephant, African Buffalo and both Black & White Rhinoceroses) are excellent, while less common mammals include African Wild Dog, Cheetah and the endemic Black Wildebeest.
Please note: these prices are subject to foreign exchange fluctuations.
Blue, Wattled and Grey Crowned Cranes, Denham’s Bustard, Blue Korhaan, Southern Bald Ibis, Drakensberg Rockjumper, Gurney’s Sugarbird, Bush Blackcap, Ground, Bennett's and Olive Woodpeckers, Rudd’s and Botha’s Larks, Knysna, Purple-crested and Livingstone’s Turacos, Chorister Robin-Chat, Drakensberg and Karoo Prinias, Grey Tit, Karoo and Olive Thrushes, Fairy Flycatcher, Layard's and Chestnut-vented Warblers, 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, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Southern Pied Babbler, Violet-eared, Grey and Black-faced Waxbills, Brown and Bearded Scrub Robins, Buff-streaked and Sickle-winged Chats, Pink-throated Twinspot, Neergaard’s, Scarlet-chested and Southern Double-collared Sunbirds, Green Malkoha, Half-collared and Giant Kingfishers, Little and White-fronted Bee-eaters, Southern Boubou, Cape and Forest Canaries, Cape, Spectacled and Southern Brown-throated Weavers, Yellow-breasted Pipit.
The ‘Big 5’(Lion, Leopard, African Elephant, African Buffalo and both Black & White Rhinoceroses), Meerkat, African Wild Dog, Black Wildebeest, Nyala, Cheetah, Giraffe, Greater Kudu, Plains Zebra, Warthog, Common Eland and Sloggett’s Vlei Rat, Hippopotamus.
dune and mist-belt forest, acacia savanna, high elevation and coastal grasslands, mountains, wetlands
subtropical with chances for occasional rain, warm to hot in Kruger and Zululand, cooler in highlands, can be cold in winter
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader
moderate pace with undemanding walks, some long drives
comfortable guesthouses and lodges
easy
320 - 380 (400 - 450 with extension)
Kruger National Park, Sani Pass and Drakensberg Mountains, dramatic scenery, Zulu culture, Indian Ocean, iSimangaliso Wetland Park
excellent
André Bernon was top notch in finding birds and getting us to see and/or hear them. He drove the car like a pro and had everything in control. Everything went totally smooth all the time and we would go on any trip with him again, in a heartbeat.
Greg was brilliant (the best guide I've ever had). He found most of the birds we were trying for, and always did his utmost to get us all onto them.
David was a fantastic guide whose love for his homeland, and passion for its wildlife, shone brightly. I couldn’t have wished for a better guide to show me the wonders of South Africa.
Greg de Klerk worked hard to get us the sightings, to ensure everyone got a "good look" and to keep us as safe and as comfortable as possible. I especially appreciated his additional information about field marks, behaviour, the habitat/area, history and culture.
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!
Tour Leader: James Wade Lee
Tour price (Per person): ZAR79,950 * USD4,324 * GBP3,455 * EUR4,012 * AUD6,541
Single Supplement: ZAR7,100 * USD384 * GBP307 * EUR356 * AUD581
Can be linked with: South Africa - Cape Extension IV 2024
Tour Leader: Quinton Paul Josop
Tour price (Per person): ZAR79,950 * USD4,324 * GBP3,455 * EUR4,012 * AUD6,541
Single Supplement: ZAR7,100 * USD384 * GBP307 * EUR356 * AUD581
Can be linked with: South Africa - Cape Extension V 2024
Tour Leader: James Wade Lee
Tour price (Per person): ZAR79,950 * USD4,324 * GBP3,455 * EUR4,012 * AUD6,541
Single Supplement: ZAR7,200 * USD389 * GBP311 * EUR361 * AUD589
Can be linked with: South Africa - Cape Extension I 2025
Tour Leader: Ryan Tyrer
Tour price (Per person): ZAR79,950 * USD4,324 * GBP3,455 * EUR4,012 * AUD6,541
Single Supplement: ZAR7,200 * USD389 * GBP311 * EUR361 * AUD589
Can be linked with: South Africa - Cape Extension II 2025
Tour Leader: Ryan Tyrer
Tour price (Per person): ZAR79,950 * USD4,324 * GBP3,455 * EUR4,012 * AUD6,541
Single Supplement: ZAR7,200 * USD389 * GBP311 * EUR361 * AUD589
Can be linked with: South Africa - Cape Extension III 2025
Tour Leader: James Wade Lee
Tour price (Per person): ZAR79,950 * USD4,324 * GBP3,455 * EUR4,012 * AUD6,541
Single Supplement: ZAR7,200 * USD389 * GBP311 * EUR361 * AUD589
Can be linked with: South Africa - Cape Extension IV 2025
Tour Leader: James Wade Lee
Tour price (Per person): ZAR79,950 * USD4,324 * GBP3,455 * EUR4,012 * AUD6,541
Single Supplement: ZAR7,200 * USD389 * GBP311 * EUR361 * AUD589
Can be linked with: South Africa - Cape Extension V 2025
South Africa - Bletsch 2024 - March 2024
South Africa - Rallid Quest (Small Group) 2024 - February 2024
South Africa - Williamson Wild Dog ext (RWT) 2024 - February 2024
South Africa - Frederick 2024 - February 2024
South Africa - Cape Extension I 2024 - January 2024
South Africa - Eastern I 2024 - January 2024
South Africa - Kruger Extension I 2023 - November 2023
South Africa - Mega Birding Tour I 2023 - November 2023
South Africa - Ball Karoo 2023 - October 2023
South Africa - Eastern VI 2023 - October 2023
South Africa - Cape Extension V 2023 - October 2023
South Africa - Eastern V 2023 - September 2023
South Africa - Budget Eastern (Small Group) 2023 - September 2023
South Africa - Harris (RWT) 2023 - August 2023
South Africa - Heller 2023 - June 2023
South Africa - Woo 2023 - June 2023
South Africa - Cape & Kruger I 2023 - May 2023
South Africa - Inglet 2023 - February 2023