Our western South Africa Cape extensions, combined with our eastern South Africa tours, can produce up to an incredible 500 bird and 50 mammal species, including many South African endemics and near-endemics. Commencing in Cape Town, widely considered one of the world’s most beautiful cities, we set out to explore the breathtaking Cape Peninsula, the succulent Tanqua Karoo, West Coast National Park and teeming pelagic waters. Cape targets include the comical African Penguin, Black Harrier, Ludwig’s Bustard, elusive Cinnamon-breasted Warbler, attractive Victorin’s Warbler, Karoo Lark, stunning Orange-breasted and Southern Double-collared Sunbirds, Cape Sugarbird, Protea, Cape and Forest Canaries, Cape Siskin, Cape Bulbul and Cape Rockjumper, the last belonging to a family that is endemic to southern Africa. Regional endemics could include Rufous-eared Warbler, Southern Boubou, Cape Batis, Cape Grassbird, Karoo Prinia, Karoo Eremomela, Cape Weaver, Fiscal Flycatcher, Namaqua Warbler, Cape Spurfowl and Olive Thrush. An unforgettable experience is definitely a pelagic trip out to sea from Cape Town, whereby finding a fishing vessel could produce literally thousands of birds in its wake. Indian and Atlantic Yellow-nosed, Black-browed and Shy Albatrosses, Cape and White-chinned Petrels, Southern and Northern Giant Petrels and Cape Gannet are regularly encountered.
Please note: these prices are subject to foreign exchange fluctuations.
Cape Rockjumper, Cape Sugarbird, Cape Bulbul, Cape Siskin, Protea, Forest, Cape & Black-headed Canaries, Orange-breasted, Malachite & Southern Double-collared Sunbirds, African Penguin, African Oystercatcher, Crowned, Bank & Cape Cormorants, Hartlaub’s Gull, Black Harrier, Southern Black & Karoo Korhaans, Ludwig’s Bustard, Cape Spurfowl, Bokmakierie, Victorin’s, Namaqua, Rufous-eared, Cinnamon-breasted, and Layard’s Warblers, Karoo Eremomela, Cape Penduline Tit, White-backed Mousebird, Karoo and Tractrac Chats, Karoo Scrub Robin, Southern Boubou, Fiscal and Fairy Flycatchers, Cape Batis, Cape Grassbird, Karoo Lark, Grey Tit, Grey-winged Francolin, Olive Thrush, South African Shelduck, Cape Shoveler, Indian & Atlantic Yellow-nosed, Black-browed & Shy Albatrosses, Southern & Northern Giant Petrels, Cape and White-chinned Petrels, Cape Gannet
Afro-Australian Fur Seal, Southern Right Whale, Common Eland, Blesbok (Bontebok), (Cape) Mountain Zebra, (Red) Hartebeest, Cape Grey Mongoose, Klipspringer, Springbok, Steenbok, Cape Grysbok, Grey Rhebok, Chacma Baboon, Rock Hyrax, Meerkat
mountains, semi-desert, fynbos, coastal and pelagic waters, wetlands
subtropical with occasional rain, can be cold in winter
6 with 1 Rockjumper leader / 8 with 1 Rockjumper leader
moderate pace with undemanding walks, some long drives
comfortable guesthouses
easy
+-200
Tanqua-Karoo, Table Mountain, Cape Peninsula, great food & wine
excellent
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!
As an experienced world traveller and birder, I must say that the Eastern South Africa and Cape Extension III tours went beyond my already high expectations. All in all, we saw nearly 540 bird species, plus many mammals, including the "Big Five". Our guide, Andre Bernon, really made an effort for us all to see each and every species, and was also very knowledgeable about reptiles, mammals, South African history etc. An excellent guide!
My wife and I were part of a six person tour of South Africa that was led by David Hoddinott. Our trip was excellent and seamless. David was the perfect guide for our group and, as I’m sure you’re aware, is an extraordinary birder and bird finder.... Thank you to Rockjumper, and David especially, for taking the time to create such a wonderful trip for our group. As always, I’m sure that it’s a challenge to accommodate numerous personalities within a group and David was great at it. We all liked him from day one and he was always positive and up for anything. He was an absolute joy to be with. We’d previously been to Zimbabwe, Uganda, and Botswana and South Africa was a totally different experience. We really enjoyed the people that we got to meet and the sheer beauty of the country is breathtaking. David’s enthusiasm and pride of his homeland was inspiring and infectious. We can’t thank him enough for making it come alive for us. And thanks to all who had a part in setting it all up. We’d happily recommend Rockjumper to anyone thinking about a trip led by you.
We found our guide, Andre Bernon to be extremely competent at finding and identifying birds. He also had an impressive range of knowledge about other biota, plus extensive knowledge of the local history.
I would like to add my thanks to you, Crystal, and all the other people associated with Rockjumper for making this the best birding tour in which I have participated. David's leadership was superb as our trip bird count shows. I would be happy to go with Rockjumper on future trips. Thanks again for your assistance during the Mega South Africa trip.
04 Oct 2024 - 09 Oct 2024 (6 days)
ZAR35,950 - No Spaces Available
Tour Leader: James Wade Lee
25 Oct 2024 - 30 Oct 2024 (6 days)
ZAR35,950 - No Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Quinton Paul Josop
24 Jan 2025 - 29 Jan 2025 (6 days)
ZAR35,950 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: James Wade Lee
14 Feb 2025 - 19 Feb 2025 (6 days)
ZAR35,950 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Ryan Tyrer
07 Mar 2025 - 12 Mar 2025 (6 days)
ZAR35,950 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Ryan Tyrer
03 Oct 2025 - 08 Oct 2025 (6 days)
ZAR35,950 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: James Wade Lee
24 Oct 2025 - 29 Oct 2025 (6 days)
ZAR35,950 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: James Wade Lee
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