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South Africa - Mega Birding Tour

© Bokmakierie by Adam Riley
South Africa - Mega Birding Tour (Small Group) I 2025

31 Oct 2025 - 21 Nov 2025 (22 days)

ZAR107,950 - No Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Julian Parsons

Tour price (Per person): ZAR107,950 * USD6,272 * GBP4,439 * EUR5,133 * AUD9,294

Single Supplement: ZAR8,500 * USD494 * GBP349 * EUR404 * AUD732

South Africa - Mega Birding Tour (Small Group) II 2025

23 Nov 2025 - 14 Dec 2025 (22 days)

ZAR107,950 - No Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Quinton Paul Josop

Tour price (Per person): ZAR107,950 * USD6,272 * GBP4,439 * EUR5,133 * AUD9,294

Single Supplement: ZAR8,500 * USD494 * GBP349 * EUR404 * AUD732

South Africa - Mega Birding Tour (Small Group) I 2026

30 Oct 2026 - 20 Nov 2026 (22 days)

ZAR119,950 - No Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Ryan Tyrer

Tour price (Per person): ZAR119,950 * USD6,969 * GBP4,932 * EUR5,703 * AUD10,327

Single Supplement: ZAR8,500 * USD494 * GBP349 * EUR404 * AUD732

South Africa - Mega Birding Tour (Small Group) III 2026

16 Nov 2026 - 07 Dec 2026 (22 days)

ZAR119,950 - 3 Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Jan Pienaar

Tour price (Per person): ZAR119,950 * USD6,969 * GBP4,932 * EUR5,703 * AUD10,327

Single Supplement: ZAR8,500 * USD494 * GBP349 * EUR404 * AUD732

South Africa - Mega Birding Tour (Small Group) II 2026

22 Nov 2026 - 13 Dec 2026 (22 days)

ZAR119,950 - 1 Space Available

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Tour Leader: James Wade Lee

Tour price (Per person): ZAR119,950 * USD6,969 * GBP4,932 * EUR5,703 * AUD10,327

Single Supplement: ZAR8,500 * USD494 * GBP349 * EUR404 * AUD732

South Africa - Mega Birding Tour (Small Group) II 2027

15 Nov 2027 - 06 Dec 2027 (22 days)

ZAR127,000 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Ryan Tyrer

Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated, and dates may change*

Tour price (Per person): ZAR127,000 * USD7,378 * GBP5,222 * EUR6,039 * AUD10,934

South Africa has the highest number of endemic and near-endemic bird species of any country on the African continent. Some of these special birds such as Drakensberg Rockjumper and Blue Crane – are beautiful and charismatic; while others, including the endangered Rudd’s and Botha’s Larks, are less striking but incredibly range-restricted. To boot, South Africa is also home to two very impressive endemic families, the striking Rockjumpers and Sugarbirds.

The focus of this 22-day endemics mega-birding tour is to see as many of these South African endemic, breeding endemic and near-endemic species as possible. Every single one of the 99 birds falling into this category as well as most of the 78 species falling into the category of endemic or near-endemic to the southern African sub-region are targeted during the tour. Furthermore, we will seek out many other special and sought-after African species; and, in the course of this tour, we have the potential to rack up a very impressive bird list in terms of species numbers, rarities and great sightings. Mammals will likewise form a major focus of our attention, and we can expect to also find an incredible diversity of reptiles, amphibians, and other wildlife. We invite you to join us on this exciting celebration of our endemic treasures during this ultimate South African mega-birding adventure!

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

Top Birds

African Penguin, Blue and Wattled Cranes, Ludwig’s and Denham’s Bustards, Blue, Southern Black and Karoo Korhaans, African Oystercatcher, Crowned, Cape and Bank Cormorants, Cape and Natal Spurfowls, Southern Bald Ibis, Cape Vulture, Black Harrier, Cape & Drakensberg Rockjumpers, Cape & Gurney’s Sugarbirds, Bush Blackcap, Ground Woodpecker, Rudd’s, Botha’s, Short-clawed, Red, Sclater’s, Cape Long-billed & Barlow’s Larks, African Rock & Yellow-breasted Pipits, Cape Longclaw, Knysna, Purple-crested & Livingstone’s Turacos, Cape Parrot, Gorgeous, Black-fronted & Olive Bushshrikes, Bokmakierie, Victorin’s, Namaqua, Cinnamon-breasted, and Layard’s Warblers, Fairy Flycatcher, Karoo Eremomela, Cape and Grey Penduline Tits, White-backed Mousebird, Spotted & Orange Ground Thrushes, Cape and Sentinel Rock Thrushes, Rudd’s Apalis, Woodward’s Batis, Karoo & Brown Scrub Robins, Karoo & Buff-streaked Chats, Pink-throated Twinspot, Neergaard’s, Orange-breasted & Southern Double-collared Sunbirds, Cape & Drakensberg Siskins, Protea, Cape, Forest & Black-headed Canaries

Top Mammals

Black & White Rhinoceroses, Southern African Hedgehog, Meerkat, Black Wildebeest, Nyala, Cape Grysbok, Aardvark, Aardwolf, Springhare, Common Eland, Bat-eared Fox, Blesbok (Bontebok), Grey Rhebok, Klipspringer, Springbok, African Wild Dog, Cheetah

Habitats Covered

dune and mist-belt forest, acacia savanna, high elevation and coastal grasslands, mountains, semi-desert, fynbos, coastal waters, wetlands

Expected Climate

subtropical conditions with occasional rain, cooler in the highlands and the Cape

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumper leader

Tour Pace & Walking

Our Mega tours are very fast-paced birding adventures designed for the dedicated lister and serious birder. The focus of the tour is to see as many of the endemics and area specials as possible in our given time. In order to cover the necessary route to maximise the species list we tend to spend a single night at most sites and travel large distances. There is very little down time aside from that spent driving from one site to the next. These tours are not suitable for dedicated or avid photographers; inexperienced or new birders; as well as anyone with serious mobility or health challenges.

Accommodation

comfortable guesthouses and lodges

Ease of Birding

mostly easy with some difficult species

Number of Species Expected

500 - 550

Other Attractions

Cape Peninsula, Sani Pass, Lake St. Lucia, Zululand game reserves, good food & wine, remote and seldom visited areas, spectacular scenery

Photographic Opportunities

good, but limited by time

What our clients say about us

David Hoddinott
OS - South Africa 2019

David Hoddinott was a superior guide with extensive knowledge (of course) about the avifauna, but also provided good knowledge about other nature matters as well as SA culture and geography apart from being an overall nice person. Would highly recommend.

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!

David Hoddinott
G, South Africa Mega

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.

Keith Valentine
TD, South Africa 2018

Keith Valentine is a great guide and his knowledge of the birds and their calls was just amazing.

André Bernon
J

André our game ranger for the third time once again is impeccable! His eyesight is actually too good for words!

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