Southern Africa’s dry west is a unique and fascinating yet under-visited land. 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 ‘Budget Western SA’ tour showcases these areas and the range of special birds endemic to them; you can expect not only great birds, but some of the most dramatic scenery in Africa! Tour highlights include the unique fynbos-clad slopes of the Western Cape, home to the stunning Cape Rockjumper, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Cape Bulbul and Cape Sugarbird, amongst a plethora of highly range-restricted endemics; the world famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens for Cape Spurfowl, Southern Double-collared Sunbird and the delightful Bokmakierie; the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve at the most southwestern point of the continent, where targets include the smart Black Harrier, Grey-winged Francolin and Cape Siskin; the rugged Hottentots-Holland Mountains region, home to Sentinel Rock Thrush and the beautiful endemic Victorin’s Warbler and Protea Canary; an optional pelagic in this seabird hotspot is a must and should yield 1000s of birds of numerous pelagic species such as Atlantic and Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses, Cape Petrel and Southern and Northern Giant Petrels; 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. All in all, this short yet comprehensive budget safari encompasses the very best of this amazing part of South Africa, promising a whole host of endemic birds and a range of exciting mammals, incredible scenery and fascinating culture to boot. (This tour can be combined with our Budget Eastern South Africa tour.)
Please note: these prices are subject to foreign exchange fluctuations.
Cape Rockjumper, Cape Sugarbird, Cape Siskin, Cape Bulbul, Protea and Black-headed Canaries, Orange-breasted and Southern Double-collared Sunbirds, African Penguin, African Oystercatcher, Crowned, Bank and Cape Cormorants, Hartlaub’s Gull, Southern Black and Karoo Korhaans, Ludwig’s Bustard, Cape Spurfowl, Victorin’s, Namaqua, Cinnamon-breasted, Layard’s, Rufous-eared Warblers, Fairy and Fiscal Flycatchers, Karoo Eremomela, Barlow’s, Red, Sclater’s and Cape Long-billed Lark, Cape Penduline Tit, White-backed Mousebird, Karoo and Tractrac Chats, Karoo Scrub Robin, Cape Grassbird, Karoo Prinia, Southern Boubou, Cape Batis, Verreaux's and Booted Eagles, South African Shelduck, Karoo Thrush, Forest and Cape Canaries. The optional pelagic could provide Indian, Atlantic Yellow-nosed, Shy and Black-browed Albatrosses, Cape Petrel and Southern and Northern Giant Petrels
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 Baboon, and Meerkat
mountains, semi-desert, fynbos, coastal and pelagic waters, wetlands
temperate with occasional rain, can be cold in winter
6 with 1 Rockjumper leader
moderate
comfortable
easy
185 - 220
Tanqua-Karoo, Table Mountain, Cape Peninsula, great food & wine
excellent
Greg de Klerk was an excellent guide who made sure I saw as many birds as possible and set a reasonable pace. He was easy to talk to and very informative, I was very impressed with his knowledge.
Julian was an excellent tour leader and bird guide. I would happily travel with him again.
Keith is a wonderful guide as well as a great person, and we are grateful to have made his acquaintance.
We were very happy to have Heinz Ortmann as our guide. He operated the tour very skilfully in every way and with flexibility when needed to try to get all possible targets. We were also very positively surprised that he had such a great knowledge about mammals, butterflies, reptiles and amphibians beside the birds. Since we also are very interested in all these groups, this was a most welcome bonus. A great tour that we will remember for a long time. We would be very happy doing another private trip with Heinz as our guide.
Our leader, Andre Bernon, was very good and very knowledgeable, he was also good with general South African knowledge, which was a good thing.
12 Mar 2025 - 23 Mar 2025 (12 days)
ZAR51,950 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Quinton Paul Josop
Tour price (Per person): ZAR51,950 * USD2,819 * GBP2,249 * EUR2,615 * AUD4,266
Single Supplement: ZAR6,250 * USD339 * GBP271 * EUR315 * AUD513
Flight costs (Linked Tour): ZAR1,800 * USD98 * GBP78 * EUR91 * AUD148
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