9 Day Mpumulanga and Limpopo Birding Safari

This 9 Day Mpumulanga and Limpopo Birding Safari,covers some of the  best South Africa birding Safari areas.

Its a privately guided birding Safari, and this 9 Day Mpumulanga and Limpopo Birding Safari can be custom designed to meet your needs.

BLD = allmeals,BD = breakfast and dinner

9 Day Mpumulanga and Limpopo Birding Safari details:

Day 1

Depart from Johannesburg around 7am.Our route first takes us to Dullstroom, a high altitude grassland area offering prime birding.

Afternoon is spent birding in the Dullstroom district and we may see Buff-streaked Chat, Cape Longclaw, African Marsh Harrier and Levaillant’s Cisticola.

Day 2

Start early with a visit to the Verloren Vlei Nature Reserve just outside Dullstroom, searching for more birds such as Montagu’s Harrier, Red-winged Francolin, Long-tailed Widowbird, Yellow-crowned Bishop, Sentinel Rock Thrush and Gurney’s Sugarbird.

We then drive across the northernmost tip of the Drakensberg Mountains, which is the only site in South Africa that supports breeding Taita Falcon, and the gorge hold breeding Black Stork and Peregrine Falcon.

A change in habitat and birds is experienced once we drop in altitude into the Lowveld Savanna Biome.

Overnight on the ecotone where Lowveld and forest birds meet.

We will experience both Lowveld woodland as well as mountainous rain forest. BD

Day 3

Will set out and explore the immediate area in search of Gorgeous Bush-shrike, Sombre Green-bul and Red-backed Mannikin.

Return mid-morning for breakfast, after which we can do another walk.

After lunch and a siesta, we once again venture out to do some more exciting birding.

Overnight as previous. BLD

Day 4

After breakfast, we proceed to a Private Nature Conservancy in the heart of the Lowveld.

This area adjoins the world famous Kruger National Park. After settling in and lunch, we then set out in the company of an armed field ranger in search of Yellow-breasted Apalis, Retz’s Helmetshrike, Stierling’s Wren-Warbler, Yellow-bellied Eremomela and Bennet’s Woodpecker.

Will also do a nightdrive with spotlight in search of African Barred Owlet, Square-Tailed Nightjar and Bronze-winged Courser amongst others. BLD

 Day 5

After tea/coffee, the group sets out on an early morning bush-walk in search of more birds.

You may see Yellow-billed and Grey Hornbills, White-crowned Shrikes, Dark Chanting Goshawk and Red-billed Buffalo Weavers. Return to camp for breakfast.

Will then proceed to the Kruger National Park, and enter at Punda Maria gate.

Some bird specials for the area are Arnott’s Chat and Racket-tailed Roller. In the camp we could find Bearded Scrub-Robin, Violet-eared Waxbill and Green-winged Pytilia. Overnight at Punda Maria Camp, in en-suite bungalows. BD

 Day 6 

We will depart early with a packed picnic brunch to spend the day on the banks of the Luvuvhu River and at the Pafuri picnic area.

Many birds are attracted to the fruit trees such as Cape Parrot, Basra Reed-Warbler, Meve’s Starling, Crested Guineafowl, Tropical Boubou and Black-Throated Wattle-eye.

Two interesting raptors here are Ayre’s Hawk-eagle and Dickinson’s Kestrel. Overnight as previous. BD

 Day 7

After a short morning walk and breakfast we leave the Kruger Park and head south to the picturesque area of Magoebaskloof and Haenertsburg.

Birdlife is prolific and includes Knysna Turaco, Orange Ground-thrush and the very rare Black-fronted Bush Shrike.

Will overnight in an elegant country lodge in the Houtbosdorp Mountains.

This area offers spectacular, indigenous, temperate rain forests. BD

Day 8

After an early breakfast, we continue southwards to Nylsvley Nature Reserve, the leading attraction of the area.

This reserve incorporates a 1,600-hectare floodplain, which attracts up to 80,000 birds to breed during the rainy season.

Nylsvley is a birder’s paradise with megaticks such as Allen’s Gallinule, Eurasian Marsh Harrier, Little and Dwarf Bitterns and Painted Snipe.

It is a RAMSAR site and it is known internationally for its waterbirds.

In the Acacia thornveld surrounding the wetlands Burnt-necked Eremomela, Cape Penduline Tit, Kalahari Scrub-Robin and African Wren-Warbler may be found.

We will overnight at a guest farm with en-suite accommodation close to the reserve. BD

 Day 9

Will spend the next morning birding the area, in search of more specials such as Black-faced Waxbill, Chestnut-vented Titbabbler, White-browed Sparrow-weaver and Scaly-feathered Finch in the Acacia Thornveld.

The wetland areas could hold African Snipe, African Rail and many warbler species.

After a late brunch the tour will head back to Johannesburg. B