• Well developed infrastructure including excellent roads (in most places), top quality guides, ease of travel and good accommodation.

• The quality of birding information and products (field guides, tapes and CDs).

• More than 900 species occurring in the Southern Africa region, of which 177 are endemic or near endemic. South Africa is by far the most convenient place to see a large proportion of the birds occurring in this sub-region.

• Many well known birding localities offer convenient and safe access. Many of these localities are also very birder friendly (bird-lists, bird-hides and habitat management specifically for birds)

• Excellent value for money for visitors from Europe and North America as a result of favourable exchange rates.

• Good climate, although the summer months can get rather warm in the northern parts of South Africa.

• Spectacular scenery, diverse flora and other wildlife (principally mammals) offering great photographic opportunities.

• Favourable safety and health conditions when compared with the rest of Africa

South Africa offers a variety of birding opportunities :

The Eastern part of the Central plateau :

Consisting of Highveld & Afromontane grasslands, which also offer a diversity of endemic and grassland specials, as well as waterbirds. The prime destinations are Memel and Wakkerstroom.

Eastern and Northern Savannah Bushveld biomes :

This physically distinct area offers the highest diversity of birds and mammals. Favourite destinations include the Kruger National Park, Mkuze- and Ndumo Game Reserves,

Dlinsa Forest Situated on the outskirts of Eshowe, a small leafy town and one of the few areas where the Spotted Ground Thrush can be found.   Umvoti Mouth Ngoya Forest Reserve, a beautiful example of Montane forest and the only habitat of the Woodward's Barbet and Mavuya A low lying wetland and feeding area for thousands of birds. St Lucia, Impala Ridge and Mkuze Game Reserve, all renowned birding areas.  Bona Manzi  Located in a sand forest environment with a bird list of nearly four hundred species.

In the summer months one has to contend with the risk of malaria and high temperature discomfort. However, increased bird activity and influx of summer palaearctic and intra-african migrants offset these discomforts.

The Central Bushveld area to the West and North of Johannesburg :

There are a number of less-well known destinations that offer prime bushveld, grassland and wetland birding such as the Wakkerstroom Wetland Conservancy Area. This area generally lacks the variety and numbers of large mammals as the Kruger National Park, but birding on foot is possible and the risk of Malaria is absent. This area is particularly well suited to visitors who have from one to three days to spare when in the Johannesburg / Pretoria area.

Travel & Birding Trips

Our partners offer regular birding safaris to top birding destinations into the Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Maputoland and Limpopo Provinces of South Africa. Each itinerary is carefully planned to ensure trouble-free travel, comfortable overnight accommodation and easy access to relevant conservation areas. Each and every itinerary is tailor made to suit the guest's requirements and budget. They don't have any scheduled departure tours or safaris. We do however, have a number of suggested itineraries that show which routes combine well on one safari. They specialize in leading small groups (2-6) of avid birders, per air-conditioned microbus and are entirely flexible with regards to group sizes, departure dates, length of tour and destinations visited.

They can range from half a day for the businessman with a little time to spare to ten days to meet the needs of even the most avid 'twitcher'.