Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls Overland II 2013

Our popular Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls overland safari is a birding and wildlife tour that visits some of the major highlights of three of Africa’s most remarkable countries, all offering vast areas of pristine wilderness. Commencing in Livingstone, our first targets include Greater Painted-Snipe, Long-toed Lapwing, Lesser Moorhen, Schalow’s Turaco, Collared Palm Thrush, Bearded Scrub Robin, Dickinson’s Kestrel and Grey-headed Bushshrike. We also visit the incredible Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

Thereafter we head to Katima in Namibia, where wetlands may yield Lesser Jacana, African Pygmy Goose, Rufous-bellied Heron, Slaty Egret, Rosy-throated Longclaw and White-headed Lapwing, while after nightfall we target Square-tailed and Swamp Nightjar.

Journeying to Mahango along the Caprivi Strip we stop to search the vast areas of broad-leaved woodland for Arnot’s Chat, Green-capped Eremomela, Tinkling Cisticola, Rufous-bellied Tit, White-breasted Cuckooshrike and Red-headed Weaver. Arriving in Mahango Game Reserve, our targets include African Openbill, Yellow-billed and Saddle-billed Storks, Knob-billed Duck and Wattled Crane. On the mammal front, Hippopotamus, Elephant, Red Lechwe, Common Reedbuck, Chobe Bushbuck, Sable and Roan Antelopes and the rare Tsessebe all occur.

Departing Mahango, we head for our idyllic lodge on the banks of the Okavango River in Botswana. In the surrounding woodland and waterways we look for African Wood Owl, African Barred Owlet, the fabulous Pel’s Fishing Owl, African Skimmer, White-backed Night Heron, Coppery-tailed Coucal, Swamp Boubou, White-browed Robin-Chat, African Green Pigeon, Meyer’s Parrot, Hartlaub’s Babbler, Retz’s Helmetshrike, Violet-backed and Meves’s Starlings, the localised Brown Firefinch, Chirping Cisticola, Greater Swamp Warbler and Southern Brown-throated and Holub’s Golden Weavers.

Thereafter we journey westwards towards the awesome Etosha National Park, where we spend several exciting days searching for its numerous special birds and mammals. Targets include Secretarybird, Kori Bustard, Red-crested Korhaan, Blue Crane, Namaqua, Burchell’s and Double-banded Sandgrouse, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Southern White-faced and African Scops Owls, Damara Red-billed Hornbill, Violet Wood Hoopoe, Chestnut Weaver, Black-faced and Bare-cheeked Babblers, White-crested Helmetshrike, Eastern Clapper and Pink-billed Larks, Grey-backed and Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Larks, Burnt-neck Eremomela, Rufous-eared Warbler and Green-winged Pytilia. Raptors are ubiquitous and include Lappet-faced, White-headed and White-backed Vultures, Martial and Tawny Eagles, Bateleur, Pale Chanting Goshawk, Ovambo Sparrowhawk, Gabar Goshawk, Shikra, Red-necked Falcon, Greater Kestrel and Pygmy Falcon

On the mammal front we can expect to be treated to a veritable feast of exciting species. Etosha is in fact one of Africa’s premier big game destinations and both medium and large mammals teem around the huge pan and the park’s numerous waterholes, where thousands of animals come daily to drink. These include Black and White Rhinoceros, Gemsbok, Eland, Damara Dik-dik, Greater Kudu, Springbok, Giraffe, Elephant, Warthog, Kongoni (Red Hartebeest), Blue Wildebeest, Burchell’s Zebra and Black-faced Impala. Carnivores are plentiful and we will look for Black-backed Jackal, African Wild Cat, prides of Lion, Spotted Hyaena, Cheetah and even Leopard.

Departing Etosha we head south to the ancient Erongo Mountains. En route we stop to look for Rüppell’s Parrot and Carp’s Black Tit, while targets in the Erongo area include Hartlaub’s Spurfowl, Monteiro’s Hornbill, White-tailed Shrike, Rockrunner and Rosy-faced Lovebird.

Thereafter we head to Walvis Bay, stopping at Spitzkoppe along the way to search for Herero Chat, Augur Buzzard, Bradfield’s Swift, Karoo Long-billed Lark, Layard’s Warbler, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Bokmakierie, White-throated Canary and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting, while the surrounding plains may produce Rüppell’s Korhaan, Ludwig’s Bustard and Stark’s Lark.

In Walvis Bay we explore the nearby dunefields for Namibia’s only true endemic bird – the handsome Dune Lark. We also scan the saltpans, estuaries and pans around Walvis Bay and Swakopmund for Greater and Lesser Flamingos (usually occurring in their thousands!), Crowned and Bank Cormorants, Chestnut-banded and White-fronted Plovers, Hartlaub’s Gull, Damara Tern, African Oystercatcher, Pied Avocet,  Black-necked Grebe, Cape Teal and Cape Shoveler. Thereafter, if time permits, we explore the famed Welwitschia Plains to marvel at one of the world’s most bizarre plants, the Welwitschia.

Leaving Walvis Bay we head east towards the Khomas Hochland conservancy. En route we look for Common Ostrich, Tractrac Chat and Gray’s Lark. Arriving in the Khomas Hochland area our major target is Karoo Scrub Robin, while other possibilities include Verreauxs’ Eagle, Anteating and Karoo Chats, Marico and Chat Flycatchers and Lark-like Bunting.

Finally arriving in Windhoek, we end off this incredible birding and wildlife adventure exploring the surrounding areas for Monteiro’s Hornbill, Short-toed Rock Thrush, stunning Violet-eared Waxbill, Cape Penduline Tit, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Red-headed Finch, brilliant Crimson-breasted Shrike, and Yellow and Black-throated Canary.

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

This tour falls within our 7 Continents Promotion, which means that if you register for the promotion you will qualify for a discount off the price of this tour! For further details on this fantastic offer, click on this link.