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South Africa - Flock to Marion - Eastern Extension

© Drakensberg Rockjumper by Adam Riley
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 (USD3,954 * GBP3,044 * AUD5,884 * CAD5,733)

Single Supplement: ZAR3,795 (USD227 * GBP175 * AUD338 * CAD330)

South Africa’s eastern provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga offer some of the finest birding and wildlife experiences in the country. This wonderfully varied region supports an extraordinary diversity of habitats, from high-altitude grasslands and mist-belt forests to subtropical wetlands, savanna and broad river valleys, and with them comes an equally impressive array of birds and mammals.

Over ten days, this tour showcases many of the eastern region’s most celebrated birding destinations. We begin beneath the dramatic Drakensberg escarpment, where the legendary Sani Pass climbs into the highlands of Lesotho and offers access to a distinctive suite of montane specials. From there, we descend through the lush Natal Midlands, exploring endemic-rich forests and rolling countryside before continuing north to the wetlands and coastal habitats around St Lucia and iSimangaliso.

The journey then moves into the renowned game-rich reserves of Zululand, where superb bushveld birding is complemented by the chance to encounter some of Africa’s most iconic mammals. Mkhuze Game Reserve in particular is famed for its remarkable bird diversity, while the surrounding lowveld supports an exceptional selection of raptors, hornbills, bee-eaters, kingfishers and other characteristic species.

Our final major stop is Wakkerstroom, one of South Africa’s premier highveld birding areas and a stronghold for several sought-after grassland endemics and near-endemics. Here, broad open plains and rolling uplands provide a fitting contrast to the forests, mountains and wetlands of the earlier part of the tour.

Combining outstanding birding, dramatic scenery and excellent mammal viewing, this compact eastern South African journey offers an exceptional cross-section of the region’s natural riches and some of the most rewarding birding to be found anywhere in the country.

Please note: these prices are subject to foreign exchange fluctuations.

Top Birds

Blue, Wattled & Grey Crowned Cranes; Denham’s Bustard; Blue Korhaan; Southern Bald Ibis; Drakensberg Rockjumper; Gurney’s Sugarbird; Bush Blackcap; Ground, Bennett's & Olive Woodpeckers; Knysna, Purple-crested & Livingstone’s Turacos; Chorister Robin-Chat; Drakensberg & Karoo Prinias; Grey Tit; Karoo & Olive Thrushes; Fairy Flycatcher; Layard's & Chestnut-vented Warblers; Cape Parrot; Narina Trogon; Gorgeous & Olive Bushshrikes; Spotted & Orange Ground Thrushes; Cape & Sentinel Rock Thrushes; Rudd’s Apalis; Woodward’s & Cape Batises; Grey Waxbill; Brown & Bearded Scrub Robins; Buff-streaked & Sickle-winged Chats; Pink-throated Twinspot; Neergaard’s, Scarlet-chested & Southern Double-collared Sunbirds; Green Malkoha; Half-collared & Giant Kingfishers; Little & White-fronted Bee-eaters; Southern Boubou; Cape & Forest Canaries; Cape, Spectacled & Southern Brown-throated Weavers; Yellow-breasted Pipit.

Top Mammals

African Elephant; African Buffalo; White Rhinoceros; Meerkat; Black Wildebeest; Nyala; Greater Kudu; Plains Zebra; Common Warthog; Common Eland; Sloggett’s Vlei Rat; Common 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

5 with 1 Rockjumper leader

Tour Pace & Walking

MODERATE TO CHALLENGING: This tour requires a good level of fitness, stamina, and overall health. It’s best suited for experienced birders who are comfortable with a more active itinerary. Please note that it may not be ideal for avid photographers, new birders, or those with mobility or health concerns.

Moderate. Suitable for all birding / wildlife interest levels and most mobility capabilities. Can be a little tiring due to travel distances.

Accommodation

Good to comfortable.

Ease of Birding

Undemanding, most species provide good visuals. A small number of scarce/rare species.

Number of Species Expected

320 - 360

Other Attractions

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

Photographic Opportunities

Good to very good. Some hides, mostly for mammal photography.

What our clients say about us

André Bernon
RT, South Africa 2018

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!

Daniel Danckwerts
MW, South Africa 2021

"We all immensely enjoyed this Tailor-made tour. Dan is an excellent guide: great ears, great eyes, persistent, patient, cheerful, and knowledgeable about all nature. He really went all out for us, and he succeeded in finding very elusive and range-restricted species. We hope to travel with him in the future. Other aspects of the trip: lodging, transportation, etc. were excellent too. We appreciate the behind-the-scenes efforts by Heinz and the rest of the Rockjumper team."

Daniel Danckwerts
MW, South Africa 2021

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!

Julian Parsons
RK, South Africa

The tour was fantastic. Julian Parsons is an excellent guide. Outstanding with both birds and people. Several times he was required to troubleshoot problems and issues and did so without distracting from the trip in any way. Our driver was also fantastic. Two flat tires, but he quickly changed out to the spare and arranged to have both fixed, after hours! He was very personable and incredibly safe driver. We always arrived on time (or early) without incident, including when we had the flat tires.

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.

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Route Map

Tour Route Map