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South Africa - Flock to Marion

© King Penguins by Markus Lilje
South Africa - Flock to Marion - Western Endemics 2028

21 Jan 2028 - 31 Jan 2028 (11 days)

ZAR69,995 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: Rockjumper Tour Leader TBC

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Tour Price (Per person): ZAR69,995 (USD4,280 * GBP3,254 * AUD6,109 * CAD6,050)

Single Supplement: ZAR4,895 (USD299 * GBP228 * AUD427 * CAD423)

South Africa - Flock to Marion - Kruger pre-tour Extension 2028

26 Jan 2028 - 30 Jan 2028 (5 days)

ZAR46,500 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: Rockjumper Tour Leader TBC

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Tour Price (Per person): ZAR46,500 (USD2,844 * GBP2,161 * AUD4,058 * CAD4,019)

Single Supplement: ZAR4,995 (USD305 * GBP232 * AUD436 * CAD432)

Flight costs: ZAR4,840 (USD296 * GBP225 * AUD422 * CAD418)

South Africa - Flock to Marion - Cape Highlights Extension 2028

28 Jan 2028 - 31 Jan 2028 (4 days)

ZAR22,995 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: Joshua Olszewski

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Tour Price (Per person): ZAR22,995 (USD1,406 * GBP1,069 * AUD2,007 * CAD1,987)

Single Supplement: ZAR595 (USD36 * GBP28 * AUD52 * CAD51)

South Africa - Flock to Marion - Cape Post Extension 2028

07 Feb 2028 - 12 Feb 2028 (6 days)

ZAR38,500 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: Joshua Olszewski

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Tour Price (Per person): ZAR38,500 (USD2,354 * GBP1,790 * AUD3,360 * CAD3,328)

Single Supplement: ZAR1,500 (USD92 * GBP70 * AUD131 * CAD130)

Flight costs: ZAR1,650 (USD101 * GBP77 * AUD144 * CAD143)

South Africa - Flock to Marion - Kruger post-tour Extension 2028

07 Feb 2028 - 11 Feb 2028 (5 days)

ZAR46,500 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: Local Leader

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Tour Leader: Robert Williams

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Tour Price (Per person): ZAR46,500 (USD2,844 * GBP2,161 * AUD4,058)

Single Supplement: ZAR4,995 (USD305 * GBP232 * AUD436)

Flight costs: ZAR4,840 (USD296 * GBP225 * AUD422)

South Africa - Flock to Marion - Sani Pass post-tour extension 2028

07 Feb 2028 - 11 Feb 2028 (5 days)

ZAR25,995 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: Julian Parsons

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Tour Price (Per person): ZAR25,995 (USD1,590 * GBP1,208 * AUD2,269 * CAD2,247)

Single Supplement: ZAR835 (USD51 * GBP39 * AUD73 * CAD72)

South Africa - Flock to Marion - Eastern Extension 2028

07 Feb 2028 - 16 Feb 2028 (10 days)

ZAR65,995 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: Jan Pienaar

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Tour Price (Per person): ZAR65,995 (USD4,036 * GBP3,068 * AUD5,760 * CAD5,704)

Single Supplement: ZAR3,795 (USD232 * GBP176 * AUD331 * CAD328)

This 8 day voyage out of Cape Town will sail through the Indian Ocean towards The Prince Edward Islands group, comprising two small islands in the sub-antarctic Indian Ocean. The islands are a declared Special Nature Reserves under the South African Environmental Management and activities on the islands are restricted to research and conservation management.

The wildlife on Marion is particularly vulnerable to introduced species and has suffered terribly with introduced mice and cats. While cats are now believed to have been eradicated, mice are still a major problem. A portion of the fees paid for this trip will be donated to the Mouse Free Marion Project.

We expect to see a host of seabirds with highlights including Kerguelan, Blue and Grey Petrels; Grey-headed, Sooty, Light-mantled and Wandering Albatrosses; King, Gentoo, Macaroni and Southern Rockhopper Penguins; Fairy and Salvin’s Prions and Kerguelan Tern. Should we obtain permission to venture into the marine protected area around Marion, we should also find Crozet Shag and Black-faced Sheathbill. A number of marine mammals are also anticipated, with Southern Elephant and Subantarctic Fur Seals; Fin, Sperm, Humpback and Killer Whales, as well as Dusky Dolphin being amongst the most likely.

More than 40 bird tour leaders and guides will be onboard for the cruise, including many who are very good at their cetacean identification too. Peter Harrison MBE, author of Seabirds: An Identification Guide – considered the bible of seabird identification will also be onboard, during which time he will not only be guiding, but also release his new seabird identification guide.

The tour is dynamically priced, and will become more expensive over time.

Top Birds

Good chances - Black-faced Sheathbill*, Grey-headed, Hartlaub's and Kelp Gulls; Greater Crested, Sandwich and Kerguelen Terns; Brown Skua; King Penguin; Wilson's and Black-bellied Storm Petrels; Wandering, Sooty, Black-browed, Shy, Grey-headed and Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses; Southern Giant, Northern Giant, Great-winged, Soft-plumaged, Grey, White-chinned and Blue Petrels; Salvin's and Fairy Prions; Cory's, Sooty and Great Shearwaters; Common Diving Petrels; Cape Gannet; Cape Cormorant; Crozet Shag*. Moderate chances - Sabine's Gull; Common and Antarctic Terns; Pomarine and Parasitic Jaegers; Gentoo, Southern Rockhopper, Macaroni and African Penguins; Light-mantled and Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatrosses; European Storm Petrel; Cape, Kerguelen and White-headed Petrels; Antarctic Prion; Subantarctic Shearwater. Low chances - Lesser Crested and Arctic Terns; Long-tailed Jaeger; Grey-backed and White-bellied Storm Petrels; Southern Royal and Northern Royal Albatrosses; Leach's Storm Petrel; Southern Fulmar; Slender-billed Prion; Barau's, South Georgia Diving and Spectacled Petrels; Manx and Little Shearwaters; Crowned, Bank and White-breasted Cormorants. Very Low chances - White-faced Storm Petrel, Amsterdam and Tristan Albatrosses, Broad-billed Prion, Atlantic Petrel, Flesh-footed Shearwater. *At present, Birdlife has not obtained the necessary permission to enter the marine protected areas of Marion Island. These species would not be expected unless permission is gained.

Top Mammals

Good chances - Subantarctic Fur and Southern Elephant Seals; Humpback Whale. Moderate chances - Antarctic Fur Seal; Sperm, Killer, Fin and Long-finned Pilot Whales; Dusky Dolphin. Low chances - Heaviside's, Short-beaked Common, Hourglass and Bottlenose Dolphins; Southern Right, Common Minke, Sei and Bryde's Whales. Very Low chances - Southern Right Whale Dolphin; Blue Whale.

Habitats Covered

pelagic

Expected Climate

cold and windy

Max Group Size

2300+ with 40 leaders

Tour Pace & Walking

easy

Accommodation

comfortable ship

Ease of Birding

mostly easy

Number of Species Expected

55+

Other Attractions

remote and rarely visited island, vast Indian Ocean

Photographic Opportunities

good to excellent

What our clients say about us

Gregory de Klerk
JS, Best of South Africa: Cape & Kruger I 2016

Greg de Klerk was one of the best guides I've had – EVER. Excellent with bird ID, calls and habitat. And probably just as important in a group setting, VERY good with people, fun, friendly and left no one out. I have heard good things about Rockjumper Tours for years and now I see why. Keep up the good work.

André Bernon
PO, South Africa 2018

André Bernon was top notch in finding birds and getting us to see and/or hear them. He drove the car like a pro and had everything in control. Everything went totally smooth all the time and we would go on any trip with him again, in a heartbeat.

James Wade Lee
WD, South Africa - Cape Extension (Small Group) III 2026

A guide with a wealth of knowledge on ornithological topics, an excellent ear for bird calls, an expert at identifying species, and a thorough understanding of where to find particular species. I am very pleased with the trip you organised.

Gregory de Klerk
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.

Daniel Danckwerts
AM - South Africa 2022

Dan was excellent and really knowledgeable.

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