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.

Tour Facts

Top Birds

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.

Top Mammals

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.

Habitats Covered

dune and mist-belt forest, acacia savanna, high elevation and coastal grasslands, mountains, wetlands

Expected Climate

subtropical with chances for occasional rain, warm to hot in Kruger and Zululand, cooler in highlands, can be cold in winter

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumper leader

Tour Pace & Walking

moderate pace with undemanding walks, some long drives

Accommodation

comfortable guesthouses and lodges

Ease of Birding

easy

Number of Species Expected

320 - 380 (400 - 450 with extension)

Other Attractions

Kruger National Park, Sani Pass and Drakensberg Mountains, dramatic scenery, Zulu culture, Indian Ocean, iSimangaliso Wetland Park

Photographic Opportunities

excellent

What our clients say about us

DT, South Africa

Our short custom tour with two day trips out of Cape Town was really excellent. Our guide Julian was knowledgeable and engaging and generally a great fit for our small family of three. We found almost all our main target species and Julian was always quick to set up the scope to ensure we all got great views of the more distant birds. As a family with a range of interests including not only birds, but also mammals and plants, we really appreciated that Julian found the right balance between trying hard to find some of the more difficult birds and allowing some extra time for studying plants, especially at Kirstenbosch. Thanks Julian, for a great couple of days! Thanks also to Daniel and Laverne for your help with planning and logistics!

NP, South Africa

It was a great pleasure to meet David Hoddinott, and a privilege really to spend time with such a great birder. Mine was a focussed trip around several species not seen in South Africa, and we saw all the birds, including a wonderful view of a male Buff-spotted Flufftail. David also found a few species where I had only had single sightings previously. We had to reschedule my trip at short notice and the Tailormade team at RJ were really helpful to ensure this section of our trip went ahead. Many thanks.

AC & MJ, South Africa 2019

Thanks to Rynart Bezuidenhout and Daniel Danckwerts for an unforgettable tour. Their effort to give us the very best experience was sublime. Not only was our ambition to see the wanted birds, animals and nature much more than fulfilled – our competent, friendly and openminded guides also managed to give a perspective into the life and culture in South Africa of today. This we appreciate a lot.

DS - South Africa 2021

The tour was expertly led by David Hoddinott, who was attentive to the clients and exceptionally knowledgeable. He ensured everyone had seen each species of bird encountered. The weather took a turn, but David was keen to stick out as long as it was safe to give us the best chance of maximising our species. Highly recommended.

CS - South Africa 2019

As a guide myself for more than 10 years (starting back in the early 90s), I believe I can give a sincere and realistic review of Greg de Klerk's performance during our nearly 2 weeks in Eastern South Africa. With this in mind, I can say that Greg did an excellent of maintaining and overseeing all aspects of our trip from start to finish. I particularly felt that his capacity for maintaining the various and sometimes complex logistics was impressive and well above average. Whether it was making sure that everyone's accommodations were comfortable, or helping us find a restroom during one challenging afternoon, when the restaurant we were eating in randomly closed their bathrooms down, Greg was always "on top of his game." This is not to mention his excellent abilities in the field as well. As a professional wildlife biologist, I was very impressed with Greg's abilities "beyond " just identifying species, so to speak. ln other words, Greg gave impressive, in-depth natural history descriptions of nearly every species of wildlife we recorded.

South Africa - Western Bird Photography Tour (Small Group) 2026 - July 2026

South Africa - Eastern Bird Photography Tour (Small Group) 2026 - June 2026

South Africa - Nakanishi & friends (KNP ext) 2026 - June 2026

South Africa - Cape & Kruger 2026 - June 2026

South Africa - Highlights - Proniewych 2026 - May 2026

South Africa - Frechette 2026 - April 2026

South Africa - Williams day trip 2026 - April 2026

South Africa - Eastern Comprehensive - Gill 2026 - April 2026

South Africa - Northern Birds & Big Game (Relaxed) 2026 - March 2026

South Africa - Southern Endemics (Relaxed) 2026 - March 2026

South Africa - Seiz & Willis 2026 - March 2026

South Africa - Kruger Challenge - Cape post-tour Extension 2026 - February 2026

South Africa - Eastern (Small Group) III 2026 - February 2026

South Africa - Hennige and Friends (WC Pre tour Extension) 2026 - February 2026

South Africa - Zagst (Eastern Pre-Tour Ext) 2026 - January 2026

South Africa - Eastern (Small Group) II 2026 - January 2026

South Africa - Otero (Northern Pre-Tour Ext) 2026 - January 2026

South Africa - Walton 2026 - January 2026

South Africa - Endemic highlights - Wachira Endemics 2026 - January 2026

South Africa - Eastern (Small Group) I 2026 - January 2026

Name
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Your details
Title
Name*
First Last
Email*
Phone
Your country
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Tour of Interest
Tour of Interest
Your Enquiry*
Contact permission

We would love to send you Newsletters (twice yearly).via Type a message, Promotions/Discounts (weekly), Blog Articles/Image of the Month (monthly) and other content that we think you would find interesting. If you are happy with this then please select your preferences below. If you would like to unsubscribe from previous subscriptions, or leave our mailing list entirely, then please do so by visiting the Preference Centre link at the bottom of these emails.
*
- Yes, I would like to receive this content of interest and to better filter the content sent to me, I am a :
- Hardcore (target focussed with a strong desire to see as many species as possible on each trip)
- Middle of the road (target focussed but more relaxed by nature and do not expect to see everything)
- Relaxed (enjoy birds but am happy seeing whatever we see)
- Photographer
- No thanks, I don't want to hear about any of these offers or content
CAPTCHA