Accommodation: Pofadder Inn, Pofadder
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Included activities: Birding en-route to Pofadder

The Namaqualand tour begins two days after the Rare Mammal Tour, allowing a break in Johannesburg with optional day trips. All participants then fly to Upington to kick off the adventure. After airport formalities, we head to Pofadder for the night. En route, we’ll enjoy excellent birding, stopping to look for species like the striking ‘Dune’ form of Red Lark. Time permitting, we’ll detour to the Orange River in search of the elusive Rosy-faced Lovebird. Other possible sightings include Stark’s Lark, Cinnamon-breasted Warbler, Greater Kestrel and Burchell’s Courser. Near Pofadder, we’ll search for the rare Sclater’s Lark before checking in at our hotel.

Accommodation: Mountain View Guest House, Springbok
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Included activities: Birding & flower excursions with guide en-route to Springbok

Shortly after breakfast we head slightly south of town where we’ll search for Karoo Korhaan and we might again look for Sclatter’s Lark. On our way to Springbok we’ll keep an eye out for Black-eared Sparrowlark, a highly nomadic species that appear and disappear from areas overnight, following the sparse rains in this arid part of the country. Good flowers can often be found south of Pofadder but is very rain dependent and not guaranteed in this part of the country, commonly known as Bushmanland. Closer to Springbok we’ll try a spot that has proven fairly reliable for Ludwig’s Bustard in the past.

Accommodation: Mountain View Guest House, Springbok
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Included activities: Birding & flower excursions en-route to Port Nolloth & Alexander Bay

Our day will be dedicated to finding Barlow’s Lark as we journey to the cooler coastal town of Port Nolloth. Along the way, we’ll also search for Karoo Lark, ensuring clear identification of both species. The coastal scrub is home to Cape Long-billed Lark, Southern Grey Tit, Cape Penduline-Tit and various sunbirds. The coastline offers rewarding birding, with Cape and Crowned Cormorants, African Black Oystercatcher and several gull and tern species, including the scarce Damara Tern. If time allows, we may visit Alexander Bay for estuary birding, with chances to see Curlew Sandpiper, Common Whimbrel and Grey Plover. On our return to Springbok, we’ll watch for Black-headed and Damara Canaries, along with the striking Black Harrier. After dinner, there may be an opportunity to search for the elusive Cape Eagle-Owl.

Accommodation: Agama Tented Camp, Kamieskroon
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Included activities: Namaqua National Park excursion

We have a full day to spend in Namaqua National Park, where we will focus the morning in the Skilpad (Afrikaans for Tortoise) area which is justly famous as one of the prime spots to enjoy the incredible flower spectacle that happens each year around this time. We’ll also spend some time traveling some of the other routes in the park and we stand a good chance to see Gembsbok, Springbok and Black-backed Jackal. Some of the less often seen mammals include Aardvark, Leopard and Porcupine. 

Accommodation: Gannabos Guest Farm, Nieuwoudtville
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Included activities: Scenic drive to Nieuwoudtville with birding & flowers en-route

After breakfast we’ll load everything into the vehicle once more and make our way south-west to the small town of Niewoudtville, situated in the heart of the Namaqualand flower region. The drive there will be fairly lengthy, even so we will be passing through the most amazing flower-scapes and we’ll still devote some time to birding at a few sites along the way, where we’ll search for birds such as Cape Long-billed Lark, Spike-heeled Lark, Cape Clapper Lark and Namaqua Sandgrouse.

Accommodation: Gannabos Guest Farm, Nieuwoudtville
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Included activities: Excursions to Hantam National Botanical Gardens, Papkuilsfontein & Nieuwoudtville falls
Optional activities: Night Photography in the Forest

We have a full day to explore the floral riches of Namaqualand and we plan to visit the Hantam National Botanical Gardens as well as Papkuilsfontein farm for spectacular flower scenes. We’ll have time to visit the spectacular Nieuwoudtville Falls and we’ll have the opportunity to spend some time in the largest Quiver Tree forest in the world, night photography in the forest can be arranged. We have another chance to encounter Aardvark, Bat-eared Fox and Porcupine on the farm at our guesthouse.

Accommodation: Farmhouse Hotel, Langebaan
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Included activities: Berg River Estuary excursion; birding en-route to Langebaan

We’ll enjoy a relaxed morning and explore the farm, one of Namaqualand’s top wildflower sites, with chances to spot Cape Clapper Lark. As we descend to the coastal plain en route to West Coast National Park, we’ll make birding stops targeting Protea Seed-eater, Streaky-headed Seed-eater, various canaries, Fairy Flycatcher and Layard’s Titbabbler. At the Berg River Estuary, we’ll look for shorebirds like Curlew and Marsh Sandpipers, Little Stint, Ruff, Bar-tailed Godwit, and Common Whimbrel, with chances for Eurasian Curlew, Red Knot, or Red-necked Phalarope. We arrive in Langebaan by late afternoon.

Accommodation: Farmhouse Hotel, Langebaan
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Included activities: West Coast National Park excursion

We’ll start early for a full day in West Coast National Park, increasing our chances of spotting the rare Caracal, along with Eland, Bontebok and Cape Grysbok. As South Africa’s top shorebird site, we’ll spend time at lagoon hides, focusing on the Geelbek Hide for species like Bar-tailed Godwit, Eurasian Curlew, Red Knot, African Black Oystercatcher, White-fronted Plover, and Chestnut-banded Plover. Occasional rarities include Eurasian Oystercatcher, Black-tailed Godwit and Greater Sand Plover. We’ll also visit Postberg section, a renowned wildflower area open only two months a year. The surrounding bush offers more birding opportunities, with chances to see Grey-winged Francolin, Black Harrier, Cape Penduline-Tit, Karoo Lark and Southern Black Korhaan.

Accommodation: Wild Rose Country Lodge, Noordhoek
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Included activities: Birding en-route through West Coast National Park & Cape Peninsula

We’ll start early, heading back to West Coast National Park. Our morning will be spent birding around the tidal mudflats at Geelbek Hide and exploring the seasonal wildflowers in the Postberg section, open to the public for only two months each year. At Geelbek, we’ll search for key shorebirds like Bar-tailed Godwit, Eurasian Curlew, Red Knot, African Black Oystercatcher, White-fronted Plover and Chestnut-banded Plover. Occasionally, rarities such as Eurasian Oystercatcher, Black-tailed Godwit and Greater Sand Plover make an appearance. Beyond the lagoon, we’ll explore the surrounding bush and scrub for species like Grey-winged Francolin, Black Harrier, Cape Penduline-Tit, Karoo Lark and Southern Black Korhaan. After lunch, we’ll continue south to the Cape Peninsula, where we’ll spend the night.

Accommodation: Wild Rose Country Lodge, Noordhoek
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Included activities: Excursions to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Constantia Greenbelt, Tokai Plantations & Strandfontein Sewage Works

Good birding awaits us today as we explore the rich variety of habitats around Cape Town. The exact sequence of sites to visit may vary a bit but we are sure to visit all the strategic sites which includes Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens where we often encounter Spotted Eagle-Owl, Forest Buzzard, Cape Spurfowl, Cape Sugarbird, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Swee Waxbill, Cape Batis, Forest Canary and Lemon Dove. The Constantia Greenbelt and Tokai Plantations often yield Cape Siskin, Rufous-chested Sparrowhawk and European Honey Buzzard and at Strandfontein Sewage Works we’ll be treated to Maccoa Ducks, Great White Pelican, Black-necked Grebe, Purple Heron and African Marsh-Harrier.

Accommodation: Wild Rose Country Lodge, Noordhoek
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Included activities: Excursions to Harold Porter Botanical Gardens, Stony Point & Chapman’s Peak

In our search for Cape Rockjumper, we’ll visit sites like Rooiels, where we often find Cape Rock-Thrush, Cape Bunting, Verreaux’s Eagle and the elusive Ground Woodpecker. We’ll also explore Harold Porter Botanical Gardens, surrounded by moist mountain fynbos and great for Victorin’s Scrub-Warbler, with regular sightings of Black Saw-Wing, Karoo Prinia, Southern Boubou, Brimstone Canary and Cape Bulbul. A brief stop at Stony Point offers a chance to see African Penguin at one of only two mainland breeding sites, along with Cape, Bank and Crowned Cormorants. If we miss the Rockjumper at Rooiels, we’ll continue the search near Chapman’s Peak, where Cape Siskin is also likely.

Accommodation: N.A
Meals: Breakfast
Included activities: Road transfer to the airport for your flights out.

After breakfast we head to the airport for your international flights out.