For our Cape & Kruger birding and wildlife tour we have specifically selected the two most productive and diverse regions of South Africa: the fabulous Cape Peninsula in the south-west and the vast world famous Kruger National Park in the north-east of the country. Spending about five days in each area, we have the opportunity to explore both the Cape and Kruger by means of a variety of day trips visiting the essential highlights of each distinct region. The birding and scenery in the smallest Floristic Kingdom in the world is spectacular and the world famous Kruger National Park gives us chance to get close to the typical African wildlife such as Lion, Leopard, African Elephant, both Black and White Rhinoceroses, Plains Zebra, Giraffe and Warthog - not to mention its rich birdlife. This tour promises a whole host of endemic and super special African bird and wildlife species and comes highly recommended!
Please note: these prices are subject to foreign exchange fluctuations.
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Western Cape: Cape Rockjumper, Cape Sugarbird, Cape Siskin, Protea and Cape Canaries, Orange-breasted, Malachite & Southern Double-collared Sunbirds, African Penguin, African Oystercatcher, Crowned, Bank & Cape Cormorants, Hartlaub’s Gull, Black Harrier, Southern Black and Karoo Korhaans, Cape Spurfowl, Bokmakierie, Jackal Buzzard, Southern Boubou, Swee Waxbill, Karoo and Large-billed Larks, Karoo Eremomela, Ground Woodpecker, Cape Weaver, Cape Bulbul, Maccoa Duck, Cape Teal, Cape Shoveler, South African Shelduck, Victorin’s, Cinnamon-breasted, Rufous-eared and Namaqua Warblers, Cape Penduline Tit, White-backed Mousebird, Greater and Lesser Flamingos. Kruger: Common Ostrich, Kori Bustard, Southern Ground Hornbill, Bateleur, Martial, Crowned, African Hawk- & Tawny Eagles, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Lizard Buzzard, Marabou & Saddle-billed Storks, Lappet-faced, White-backed, Hooded & White-headed Vultures, chances for African Finfoot, White-crowned Lapwing, Swainson’s & Natal Spurfowls, Coqui, Crested and Shelley's Francolins, Bronze-winged Courser, Double-banded Sandgrouse, Verreaux’s and Spotted Eagle-Owls, Southern White-faced, African Scops Owls, Pearl-spotted & African Barred Owlets, Southern Red-billed and Southern Yellow-billed Hornbills, Brown-headed Parrot, Bennett’s, Cardinal and Golden-tailed Woodpeckers, Mosque Swallow, Grey-headed and Orange-breasted Bushshrikes, Burchell’s Starling, Southern White-crowned Shrike, Red-headed Weaver, White-browed Robin-Chat, Bearded Scrub Robin, Burnt-necked Eremomela, Bushveld Pipit
Top Mammals Western Cape: Afro-Australian Fur Seal, Common Eland, Blesbok (Bontebok), (Cape) Mountain Zebra, (Red) Hartebeest, Cape Grysbok, Southern Right Whale, Long-beaked Common Dolphin Kruger: The ‘Big 5’ (Lion, Leopard, African Elephant, Black and White Rhinoceroses, African Buffalo), Cheetah, African Wild Dog, Side-striped Jackal, Greater Kudu, Giraffe, Spotted Hyena, Nyala, Common and Central African Large-spotted Genet, Wild Cat, African Civet, Cape Porcupine, White-tailed Mongoose, Klipspringer, Plains Zebra, Warthog
Habitats Covered Western Cape: mountains, fynbos, coastal waters, semi desert, wetlands Kruger: acacia savanna, bushveld, terminalia woodland, riverine forest, grasslands, rivers, wetlands
Expected Climate Western Cape: subtropical with occasional rain, can be cold at times Kruger: subtropical and dry, warm to hot
Max Group Size 8 with 1 Rockjumper leader
Tour Pace & Walking relaxed to moderate pace with undemanding walks
Accommodation comfortable to very comfortable
Ease of Birding mostly easy with a few tougher species
Number of Species Expected 290+
Other Attractions Western Cape: Table Mountain, incredible coastal and mountain scenery, Tanqua Karoo, great food & wine Kruger: vast, pristine wilderness, huge numbers of African mega-fauna
Photographic Opportunities excellent
Our guide, Doug McCulloch, was outstanding. Both professional and personable. He made sure we all got on the bird if possible. Great eyes and ears, went out of his way at times. Ie: The scope was set up too high, the only way to see the bird, so for Joanie, Doug got down on all fours and had her step up on his back to see an African Finfoot through the scope. (We have a photo of this).
Doug McCulloch was a wonderful leader – skilled and informative, with patience and good humour in spades. This was the kind of tour that I enjoy most, where I learned about many aspects of natural history, and the culture and history of a country, in addition to seeing many bird species. An excellent experience!
During Oct 19 to Nov. 6, 2010, I participated in the Eastern South Africa and Western Cape Extension tour. It is the ultimate tour if you are birding for the first time in the African continent. The diversity of birds is overwhelming and unlike birding in the tropical Americas, the birds are easy to see! I personally added 419 lifers! The pace of the tour was ideal. Accommodations were top-notch and the meals wonderful. Keith Valentine is an unsurpassed tour leader. Extremely knowledgeable yet very laid back, approachable and quick to laugh. I have been on many organized bird tours but none come close to the standards set by Rockjumper on this tour. The bar has been raised!
Our guide, Greg de Klerk, was absolutely fabulous. Not only great birding skills and knowledge throughout our tour, but his enthusiasm and amazing knowledge of Kruger and all its wildlife made for an unforgettable experience (it was my first trip to Africa). He was especially good at helping everyone in our party see each bird or animal which I greatly appreciated. Greg handled all aspects of the tour flawlessly. I would definitely recommend Greg highly for whatever tour he is leading.
Daniel Danckwerts was excellent—great hearing and eyesight and was excellent at pointing out exactly where the skulky bird was lurking. He was able to find the group many birds that various members of the group had missed on previous trips to South Africa. And more importantly, he was a store of information about the birds, animals and Kruger. Teamed up with Daniel was our most excellent Kruger driver-guide Dirk who knew where everything was and could find it. We navigated this very complicated trip (flight to Skukuza, travel in south Kruger, flight to Cape Town, testing for covid, boarding the MSC Orchestra and off on our cruise around the Cape of Good Hope only with Daniel’s help and guidance. I am hoping to return to Kruger (for the third time) to bird with Daniel and Dirk on the Kruger Challenge. More than the birds, the trip was fun.