Zimbabwe is justly famous as a superb birding destination that leaves one with a lasting impression of having experienced the real 'wild Africa.' Pristine wilderness areas, spectacular landscapes and an amazing variety of ecosystems make Zimbabwe a natural history paradise. The diversity of habitats is astounding and ranges from open grassland and afro-montane evergreen forest to broad-leaved miombo woodlands, gallery forest and seasonal wetlands, which together host a large and impressive variety of birds and game. Our tour to this under-birded African destination has been specially designed to incorporate the key habitats and species which are difficult, if not impossible to find elsewhere.

The superb miombo woodlands are home to a vast suite of avian specialities such as the scarce Boulder Chat, recently split Eastern Miombo Sunbird, White-breasted Cuckooshrike and Southern Hyliota, while we can expect seldom-seen and extremely localised species like Chirinda Apalis, Roberts’s Warbler, the delightful Swynnerton’s Robin, Bronzy Sunbird, Black-fronted Bushshrike, little-known Zambezi Indigobird and Cinnamon-breasted Tit in the picturesque Bvumba Mountains of the Eastern Highlands which border Mozambique.

The middle part of the tour is spent around the extensive, seasonal wetlands and bird-rich miombo woodlands around the capital city of Harare. Miombo specialities include Green-backed Honeybird, Whyte’s Barbet, Miombo Tit, African Spotted Creeper, Miombo Rock Thrush whilst the seasonal wetlands within the city boundaries include Streaky-breasted Flufftail, Yellow-mantled Widowbird, Cuckoo Finch, African, Baillon’s, Striped and Corn Crakes.

Next, we drop into the Lower Zambezi Valley. A truly spectacular wilderness, this beautiful region teems with a wide variety of birds and mammals and harbours some of Africa’s most wonderful species. We’ll focus on some of the highly desired and more difficult African birds including Lilian’s Lovebird, Thick-billed Cuckoo, Eastern Nicator and the exquisite Livingstone’s Flycatcher. There is even the possibility, albeit unlikely, of bumping the stunning African Pitta!

We complete the tour in the northeast of the country, taking in the majestic Victoria Falls, rightly considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. We’ll target a smattering of Okavango delta specials which reach their eastern limit here such as Slaty Egret, Rufous-bellied Heron, the huge Coppery-tailed Coucal, Hartlaub's Babbler, White-crowned Lapwing, Swamp Nightjar, Racket-tailed Roller, Rock Pratincole, Schalow’s Turaco, Bradfield’s Hornbill, and the rare Shelley’s Sunbird.