Eastern South Africa 15-Day Tour

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Midlands & Drakensberg – North Coast – Zululand & Elephant Coast – Grasslands & Wetlands – Kruger – Escarpment & Dullstroom – Rust de Winter

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​Scheduled Dates: 

• 05 − 19 April 2024

• 08 − 22 November 2024

Or alternate date on request.

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Introduction:

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This guided Eastern South Africa 15-day birding and wildlife safari package with Sustain will lead you to the very best regions this bountiful part of South Africa has to offer. The trip is packed with extraordinary destinations, including 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the grand Kruger National Park, as well as numerous other Important Birding Areas and RAMSAR wetlands. The tour will focus on optimizing your chances of encountering many endemics and specials, as well as other highly sought-after animals and other biodiversity. The scenery on offer is simply breathtaking, making it a landscape photographer's dream.

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The route caters to a huge bird list in excess of 600 species, and we can expect to find over 330 bird species (including many raptors, owls and endemics). In addition, we can expect to encounter over 60 mammal species along our route, including the 'Big 5' and many other large and nocturnal predators. The tour is sure to be filled with an abundance of birds and wildlife and will venture to many truly special and varied nature-based destinations.

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Tour Highlights

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• Experience the breath-taking and dramatic Drakensberg Mountains for 2 nights, and exciting 4x4 drive up to the glorious Sani Pass summit.

• Bird watch the lush grasslands, misty wetlands, leafy forests and bubbling streams of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands for 1 night.

• Explore the towering Ongoye and Dlinza forests, and the intriguing mangroves of Umlalazi in search of several ground and treetop endemic birds and other interests for 1 night.

• Search the verdant and varied habitats of Zululand and Maputaland for large and predatory mammals and extraordinary bird diversity around St Lucia, the Eastern Shores, the Western Shores and the 'Big 5' Mkhuze Game Reserve sections of iSimangaliso Wetland Park, for 4 nights.

• Savour the beauty and great diversity of the Wakkerstroom wetlands and high altitude grasslands for 2 nights.

• Hunt through the wilds of the renowned Kruger National Park for 'Big 5' and other large small game and tremendous bird diversity.

• We finish off by summiting the mighty Blyde River Canyon and exploring the beauty of the Verloren Vallei and Dullstroom mistbelt altitudinal grasslands, before finishing in the highland thornveld and floodplain regions around Rust de Winter, Zaagkuilsdrift and Kgomo-Kgomo.

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Drakensberg foothills                           Kruger river                                     Mkuze sand forest

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Daily Itinerary

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This safari commences at King Shaka International Airport in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, and ends at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, Gauteng.

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Day 1: Durban, Creighton, Coleford to Sani Pass

On Day 1 we first visit the Creighton area in search of our main target Cape Parrot, followed by Coleford Nature Reserve, where we target numerous endemic and red-list species on the birding front, including Yellow-breasted Pipit, Wattled Crane, Striped Flufftail, African Grass Owl, Secretarybird, Mountain Pipit, Short-tailed Pipit, Denham’s Bustard, Southern Ground Hornbill, Red-winged Francolin, Shelley’s Francolin, Coqui Francolin and many others. On the mammal front, some of what we can expect includes Black Wildebeest, Oribi, Red Hartebeest, Grey Rhebok, Southern Reedbuck and Blesbok. We then head through Underberg to the Himeville area where we spend 2 nights.

Accommodation: Mkomazana Mountain Cottages​, Sani Pass

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Day 2: Sani Pass and Drakensberg​

On Day 2 we undertake a guided 4x4 mountain expedition up and down the breath-taking Sani Pass and explore the greater region, before returning for a second night at the same mountain accommodation. Here we focus on the multitude of bird endemics and specials, with the main targets being Drakensberg Rockjumper and Gurney's Sugarbird. Other treats include Ground Woodpecker, Cape Eagle-Owl, Cape and Bearded Vultures, Southern Bald Ibis, Bush Blackcap, Buff-spotted Flufftail, Red-chested Flufftail, Barratt's Warbler, African Rock Pipit, Grey-winged Francolin, Buff-streaked Chat, Drakensberg Siskin, Layard's Warbler, Fairy Flycatcher, Sentinel Rock-Thrush, Fan-tailed Grassbird, Wailing Cisticola, Bokmakierie, Mountain Wheatear, Sickle-winged Chat, Olive Woodpecker, Cape Grassbird and Red-throated Wryneck. Some mammals we search for include Eland, Spotted-necked Otter, Serval, Sloggett's Ice Rat, Mountain Reedbuck, Southern Reedbuck, Water Mongoose, Grey Rhebok, Black-backed Jackal and Chacma Baboon.

Accommodation: Mkomazana Mountain Cottages​, Sani Pass​

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Day 3: Himeville, Marutswa Forest, Midmar to Karkloof 

On Day 3 we rise early and drive through the Himeville grasslands on our way to the Marutswa Forest trail and boardwalk in search of the critically endangered Cape Parrot, and others like Knysna Turaco, Olive Bush-Shrike, Yellow Woodland Warbler, White-starred Robin, and Chorister Robin-Chat before continuing to Midmar Dam Nature Reserve in search of Black-rumped Buttonquail, Short-tailed Pipit, Marsh Owl, African Marsh Harrier, and the more diminutive African Quailfinch, Wing-snapping Cisticola and Pale-crowned Cisticola. In winter, we may also enjoy Buffy Pipit, Black-winged Lapwing and Eastern Long-billed Lark. We then proceed the short distance to the mist belt grasslands, wetlands and mist belt forests of Karkloof, where we search for 3 crane species, namely Wattled, Grey-crowned and Blue Cranes, Jackal Buzzard, Red-chested Flufftail and African Rail amongst others. We spend our last night in a cozy mistbelt country cottage. Some mammals to search for include Serval, Cape Clawless Otter and Samango (Blue) Monkey.

Accommodation: Thistledown Country House (or similar), Karkloof

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​Drakensberg foothills                                  Sani Valley                                       Sani Pass          

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Day 4: Karkloof, Ongoye Forest to Eshowe 

Day 4 sees us embark for Benvie Gardens to search for Orange Ground Thrush, Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon, Forest Buzzard, African Emerald Cuckoo, Chorister Robin-Chat, Scaly-throated Honeyguide and Mountain Wagtail. We then depart for the north coast, where we visit the enchanting scarp forests of Ongoye Forest Reserve in the afternoon to search for Green Barbet, Narina Trogon, Striped Pipit, Plain-backed Pipit, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, Croaking Cisticola, Southern Ground Hornbill and Black-rumped Buttonquail.​ We then head through to the town of Eshowe where we overnight for 1 night.

Accommodation: Birds of Paradise B&B, Eshowe

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Day 5: Eshowe, Dlinza, Umlalazi to St Lucia 

​Day 5 begins with us visiting the towering Dlinza Forest Reserve and Aerial Boardwalk, a 250 hectare indigenous coastal scarp forest, where we search for treats such as Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon, Spotted Ground-Thrush, Crowned Eagle, Black Sparrowhawk, African Emerald Cuckoo, Grey Cuckooshrike, Red-backed Mannikin, African Olive Pigeon, Lemon Dove, Green Twinspot, Narina Trogon, Knysna Turaco, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Olive Bush-Shrike, Southern Bald Ibis and Blue Duiker. In the late morning we will venture through to Umlalazi Nature Reserve on the coast, where our targets include African Finfoot, Black Coucal, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Green Malkoha, Livingstone's Turaco, Mangrove Kingfisher, Trumpeter Hornbill and Palm-nut Vulture. We then embark for the famous estuary town of St Lucia for 2 nights, where we explore the ‘Miracle and Wonder’ of South Africa’s first World Heritage Site − iSimangaliso Wetland Park. That evening we search for Swamp Nightjar, African Wood Owl, Hippo and Thick-tailed Galago (Bushbaby), amongst others.

Accommodation: AmaZulu Lodge (or similar), St Lucia

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Day 6: St Lucia and iSimangaliso (Eastern Shores)

On Day 6 we have many targets on the Eastern Shores and the St Lucia Estuary. We start by exploring the wonderful coastal forest trails for Black-throated Wattle-eye, Livingstone's Turaco, Southern Banded Snake-Eagle, African Crowned Eagle, Narina Trogon, Green Malkoha, Woodward's Batis, Crested Guineafowl, Green Twinspot and Rudd's Apalis. We then head to the shoreline and estuary mouth to seek out African Skimmer, Palm-nut Vulture, Western Osprey, African Fish Eagle, Yellow-billed Stork, Goliath Heron, Southern Brown-throated Weaver, Yellow Weaver, Sooty Tern, Little Tern, many other waders and shorebirds, as well as many migrant specials and rarities in summer. That afternoon we head into the Eastern Shores in search of both abundant mammal and bird species. On the mammal front we will keep a keen lookout for Leopard, Black Rhino, White Rhino, African Elephant, Spotted Hyena, African Buffalo, Hippopotamus, Giraffe, Greater Kudu, Waterbuck, Blue Wildebeest, Burchell's Zebra, Red Duiker, Warthog, Bushpig and Nile Crocodile. On the birding side we will target Black-bellied Korhaan, Brown Scrub-Robin, African Cuckoo Hawk, Sooty Falcon, Orange-breasted Waxbill, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, Trumpeter Hornbill, African Pygmy Goose, White-backed Duck, Lesser Jacana, Cape Longclaw, Rufous-bellied Heron, Grey Sunbird and Blue-cheeked Bee-eater.

Accommodation: AmaZulu Lodge (or similar), St Lucia

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              Nibela peninsula                              Umlalazi Estuary                         White Imfolozi River

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Day 7: St Lucia, iSimangaliso (Western Shores) to Mkuze Game Reserve

The morning of Day 7 sees us venture back onto the forest trails to collect any birds we may have missed, and then we head straight into the Western Shores section of the park in search of some additional species we may have missed, including Black-chested Snake Eagle and Broad-billed Roller, and on the mammal side Side-striped Jackal, Waterbuck, Blue Wildebeest, Tsessebe and Burchell's Zebra. We then push on to the Nibela Peninsula, Mpempe Pan and Muzi Pan, before heading to Mkuze Game Reserve, where we also spend 2 nights. Our targets in these areas are all birds and include Rosy-throated Longclaw, Lemon-breasted Canary, African Pygmy Goose, Lizard Buzzard, Collared Pratincole, Wooly-necked Stork, Senegal Lapwing, Great White Pelican, Pink-backed Pelican, Saddle-billed Stork, Lesser Flamingo, Greater Flamingo, Burnt-necked Eremomela, Black Heron, Temminck's Courser, African Rail, African Snipe, Blue-billed Teal, Rufous-winged Cisticola, Red-faced Cisticola and in summer Caspian Plover, Lesser Moorhen, Allen's Gallinule, African Openbill and the odd vagrant and rarity.

Accommodation: Mantuma Rest Camp​ (or similar), Mkuze Game Reserve​

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Day 8 and 9: Mkuze Game Reserve

On Days 8 and 9 we get to savour Mkuze Game Reserve, considered the ‘Holy Grail’ of Southern African birding hotspots, and a 'Big Five' reserve that offers tremendous interest on the mammal side. In the morning we undertake a fig forest walk in search of Pel’s Fishing-Owl, Narina Trogon, Purple-crested Turaco, African Broadbill, African Green Pigeon, Grey Tit-Flycatcher and more. On the mammal front we keep our eyes peeled for Leopard, Cheetah, Lion, Black Rhino, White Rhino, African Elephant, Spotted Hyena, African Buffalo, Hippopotamus, Giraffe, Honey Badger, Cape Porcupine, White-tailed Mongoose, Greater Kudu, Waterbuck, Nyala, Bushbuck, Blue Wildebeest, Burchell's Zebra and Hippo. At the same time we concentrate on finding the multitude of other great birds, some of which include Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Bateleur and many other eagle, accipiter and other raptor species, Eastern Nicator, Pink-throated Twinspot, Secretarybird, Gorgeous Bush-Shrike, Grey-headed Bush-Shrike, Bearded Scrub-Robin, Bearded Woodpecker, Rudd’s Apalis, African Pygmy Goose, Common Ostrich, Lappet-faced Vulture, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Neergard’s Sunbird, Purple-banded Sunbird, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Southern Ground-Hornbill, Stierling’s Wren-Warbler, Burnt-necked Eremomela, Broad-billed Roller, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Half-collared Kingfisher, Greater Honeyguide, Dwarf Bittern, Grey Penduline-Tit, Red-fronted Tinkerbird, Green-winged Pytilia, Jameson's Firefinch and African Firefinch. ​

Accommodation: Mantuma Rest Camp​ (or similar), Mkuze Game Reserve

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Day 10: Mkuze to Wakkerstroom

We depart inland on Day 10 and travel up the escarpment to the misty high altitude wetland and grasslands of Wakkerstroom where we spend 1 night. On the journey we search for White-bellied Korhaan, Ground Woodpecker, South African Cliff Swallow and Southern Bald Ibis. Upon reaching Wakkerstroom we will search for ​Yellow-breasted Pipit, Sentinel Rock-Thrush, Secretarybird, and we also explore the vast wetlands for Red-chested Flufftail, African Rail, Little Bittern, African Snipe and Marsh Owl, amongst others. On the mammal front we search for include Spotted-necked Otter, Suricate (Meerkat), Oribi, Eland, and at night Serval and Springhares.

Accommodation: Wetlands Country House & Sheds (or similar), Wakkerstroom

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Lower Sabie Restcamp in Kruger             Tembe Viewing Hide                  Black Imfolozi Riverbed        

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Day 11: Wakkerstroom to Kruger National Park

Early morning on Day 11 sees us journey into the rolling grasslands in search of Pink-billed Lark, Rudd's Lark and Botha's Lark, African Grass-Owl, Blue Korhaan, Denham's Bustard, Grey-crowned and Blue Cranes, Desert Cisticola, Wing-snapping Cisticola, Cloud Cisticola and Pale-crowned Cisticola, Yellow-crowned Bishop, Amur Falcon, Cape Longclaw, Eastern Long-billed Lark, Eastern Clapper Lark and Long-tailed Widowbird. We then proceed northwards through to the southern region of Kruger National Park, where we spend our next 2 nights. 

Accommodation: Berg-en-dal Rest Camp​ (or similar), Kruger National Park

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Day 12: Kruger National Park

What we don't find in Kruger on Day 11 we will search for on Day 12, and our main target mammals are Temminck’s Ground Pangolin, African Wild Dog, Honey Badger, Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Elephant, White Rhino, Black Rhino, Cape Buffalo, Caracal, African Wild Cat, Spotted Hyena, Sable, Sharpe’s Grysbok, Lichtenstein's Hartebeest, Klipspringer, Lesser Bushbaby, Jameson's Red Rock Hare, Dwarf Mongoose and many more. Our target birds are numerous and include Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle, African Hawk-Eagle, Eurasian Hobby, Bateleur, African Cuckoo Hawk, Lesser Spotted Eagle, White-headed Vulture, Hooded Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, African Scops-Owl, Saddle-billed Stork, Comb Duck, Brown-headed Parrot, Grey Penduline Tit, Dusky Indigobird, Village Indigobird, African Golden Oriole, European Golden Oriole, Stierling's Wren-Warbler,  White-crowned Lapwing, Mosque Swallow, Gorgeous Bush-Shrike, Meves’s Starling, Thick-billed Cuckoo, Corn Crake, African Crake, African Mourning Dove, Broad-billed Roller, Dusky Lark, Southern Ground-Hornbill, Bennett’s Woodpecker, Red-billed Helmetshrike, Double-banded Sandgrouse, Kori Bustard, Black-bellied Bustard, Dwarf Bittern and Little Bittern.

Accommodation: Berg-en-dal Rest Camp​ (or similar), Kruger National Park

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Day 13: Kruger to Blyde River Canyon, Mount Sheba and Dullstroom

On Day 13 we will continue to explore the vast Kruger landscape and we will depart before lunchtime to head up the grand escarpment of Blyde River Canyon onto the altitudinal grasslands of the highveld. We first stop at Mount Sheba, where we search for Blue Swallow, Cape Eagle-Owl, African Grass-Owl, Orange Ground Thrush, African Cuckoo Hawk, Verreaux's Eagle, Gurney’s Sugarbird, Forest Canary, Africa Emerald Cuckoo, Bush Blackcap, Olive Bush-Shrike, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, White-throated Robin-Chat, White Starred Robin, Olive Woodpecker, Grey Cuckooshrike, Buff-spotted Flufftail and Half-collared Kingfisher. In the gardens we will look for Malachite Sunbird, Greater Double-collared Sunbird, Red-necked Spurfowl and Knysna Turaco. We head from here to the mistbelt grasslands of Dullstroom for our final night.

Accommodation: Linger Longer Country Retreat (or similar), Dullstroom

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Day 14: Verloren Vallei to Rust de Winter

On our penultimate morning of Day 14 we visit the pristine Verloren Vallei Nature Reserve and surrounding country roads. Here we seek out Wattled Crane, Blue Crane, Grey Crowned Crane, Cape Vulture, Secretarybird, Booted Eagle, Southern Bald Ibis, Sentinel Rock Thrush, Cape Rock Thrush, Red-winged Francolin, Blue Korhaan, Ground Woodpecker, Eastern Long-billed Lark, Mountain Wheatear, Red-throated Wryneck, Buff-streaked Chat, Yellow-breasted Pipit, Plain-backed Pipit, Striped Pipit, Short-tailed Pipit, Orange-breasted Waxbill, Swee Waxbill and Cuckoo Finch. There are also numerous mammals to find, including Oribi, Black Wildebeest, Red Hartebeest, Spotted-necked Otter, Mountain Reedbuck, Grey Rhebok, Cape Porcupine, White-tailed Mongoose, Rusty-spotted Genet and Black-backed Jackal. We depart around lunchtime for our final destination, and eventually arrive at our comfortable lodge near Rust de Winter in the late afternoon.

Accommodation: Zenzele River Lodge (or similar), Rust de Winter

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          Kruger Viewing Hide                      Mkuze Game Drive                    Journeying up Sani Pass

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Day 15: Birding Rust de Winter, Zaagkuilsdrift and Kgomo-Kgomo

On our last morning, Day 15, we birdwatch rich “acacia”-dominated savannas, wetlands and grasslands in the area. Our focus will initially be the superb Zaagkuilsdrift Road, which offers many of the typical Kalahari edge type species. The road traveled also arrives at a vast floodplain, which is bountiful in the right season (best from January to April) with numerous excellent bird species. This is another of the country’s premier birding sites, offering huge diversity, and we are sure to add extensively to our list of species. Some of the Kalahari-type birds we will seek out include Southern Pied Babbler, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Northern Black Korhaan, Violet-eared Waxbill, Black-faced Waxbill, Great Sparrow, Barred Wren-Warbler, Chestnut-vented Warbler, Kalahari Scrub Robin, Cape Penduline Tit, Burnt-necked Eremomela, Cut-throat Finch, Scaly-feathered Weaver, Marico Flycatcher, White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, Shaft-tailed Whydah and Yellow Canary. These are just a few of the many birds occurring in the thornveld, and the more open areas around the floodplain can also support interesting birds such as Temminck’s Courser and Caspian Plover.

We depart around lunchtime on our final road trip, as we end our epic adventure at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.

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Habitats:

Each destination we visit en-route offers unique habitats, extraordinary scenery, and breath-taking beauty, providing you with fantastic photographic opportunities. Habitats we explore include numerous forest types, woodlands, savanna, wetlands, grassland, mountains and cliffs, shorelines and estuaries, which host numerous regional endemics, threatened and endangered mammal and bird species, as well as great floral diversity.

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Accommodation: On the accommodation front we typically use very comfortable private lodges and national park resorts, but should you prefer, at an added cost, luxury lodging options can also be arranged.

 

Tour tempo: The tempo of our Birding and Wildlife Tours are typically medium-paced, with optional mid-day breaks (advisable on hot days). If you are a keen photographer, well so are we, and we can offer many opportunities to capture the moments that will make you the envy of your wildlife-watching friends.

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Expected weather conditions: Subtropical and mostly hot during the day in the summer, and cooler in the evenings, with a chance of mist. Rain is possible, usually in the form of summer convection thunderstorms, and cool wet weather is possible in the event of a cold front moving up from the south in the winter months. On a climate level, the region falls in the summer rainfall region, with an average rainfall of between 700mm and 1,100mm per year. Temperatures range from -5˚C in winter to 32˚C in summer, with an average maximum of 28˚C and an average minimum of 10˚C. The driest month is July, the most rainfall falls in January, and the warmest is in February.

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Optional extension: An optional tour extension is available to also include:

• Magoebaskloof and Rust de Winter regions – add 3 days by exploring these the glorious forest birds of Magoebaskloof and the highland wetlands and savannas of the abundant Rust de Winter, Zaagkuilsdrift and Nylsvley areas.

• Northern Kruger National Park and Soutpanesberg – these northern regions play host to several special bird species at the southern extents of their ranges.

 

Please note: this set-departure tour is also available as a private or custom tour on request. Please submit an enquiry with your preferred dates and group size.

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