NAMIBIA & BOTSWANA – A feast of Southwest African specialities, wildlife and scenery

PRICE INFORMATION

Birdquest Inclusions: Our tour prices include transportation, accommodations, meals and entrance fees.

We also include all tipping for local guides, drivers and accommodation/restaurant staff.

Deposit: 20% of the total tour price. Our office will let you know what deposit amount is due, in order to confirm your booking, following receipt of your online booking form.

TO BOOK THIS TOUR: Click here (you will need the tour dates)

• The single supplement will not apply if you indicate on booking that you prefer to share a room and there is a room-mate of the same sex available.

This tour is priced in US Dollars. Amounts shown in other currencies are indictative.

NAMIBIA & BOTSWANA BIRDING TOUR: DETAILED ITINERARY

Namibia & Botswana: Day 1

Our tour begins this morning in Windhoek, Namibia’s capital city, where we will overnight.

(There are daily flights into Windhoek from Frankfurt, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Addis Ababa and elsewhere. If you need to arrive by air the previous day, we can arrange accommodation on request.)

First, we will visit the nearby nature reserve at Avis Dam. There is sometimes limited water in the reservoir, but it often holds the localised Maccoa Duck as well as a few other waterbirds.

Here we should find such Namibian near-endemics as Rosy-faced Lovebird, Monteiro’s Hornbill (which cements its mate into rock crevices when breeding), Damara Red-billed Hornbill, Pale-winged Starling and the strange Rockrunner. With persistence, we also have a fair chance for the uncommon, restricted-range and rather shy Orange River Francolin.

In addition, we will have our first chances for such Southern African endemics and near-endemics as Red-billed Spurfowl (a species we see on no other tour!), White-backed Mousebird, Bradfield’s Swift, Acacia Pied Barbet, Pririt Batis, the stunning Crimson-breasted Shrike, African Red-eyed Bulbul, Black-chested Prinia, Chestnut-vented Warbler, Kalahari Scrub Robin, Short-toed Rock Thrush, Marico Flycatcher, Great Sparrow, Scaly-feathered and Southern Masked Weavers, Violet-eared Waxbill, Nicholson’s Pipit, Yellow Canary and Cape Bunting.

More widespread birds we are likely to encounter for the first time are Gabar Goshawk, Rock Kestrel, African Palm, Alpine, Little and White-rumped Swifts, Grey Go-away-bird, Speckled Pigeon, Ring-necked and Laughing Doves, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Fork-tailed Drongo, Pied Crow, White-throated, Pearl-breasted and Greater Striped Swallows, Rock Martin, Long-billed Crombec, Yellow-bellied and Burnt-necked Eremomelas, Groundscraper Thrush, Familiar Chat, Marico Sunbird, White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, Blue Waxbill, Shaft-tailed Whydah, Cape Wagtail, Black-throated Canary and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting.

Afterwards, we will head southwest towards Namibgrens for an overnight stay.

This beautiful part of the central Namibian highlands is a prime area for the Namibian near-endemic Herero Chat. This is an uncommon and localised bird, but the nearby Spreetshoogte Pass is surely the best place for finding it (probably more reliable than the better-known Spitzkoppe). This is a species we only see on this tour and never in Angola, where it is restricted to the far south, so we prefer to have two chances to make it near-certain we will be successful.

Namibia & Botswana: Day 2

We will set out early today and head for Walvis Bay. We will spend two nights in this former South African enclave that was handed over to Namibia not long after its independence.

If need be, we can look for Herero Chat again as we descend the spectacular Spreetshoogte Pass.

The famous Skeleton Coast has a cool but almost rainless climate, and as we head for the coast, we begin to cross the open, featureless gravel of the Namib Desert – a desolate landscape, with little vegetation in sight, relieved only by the occasional convincing mirage.

This environment is not entirely birdless, however, and we can expect to encounter small groups of Namibian near-endemic Stark’s Larks skimming low over the ground and Namibian near-endemic Rüppell’s Korhaans striding slowly across the plains. A major target this morning is Burchell’s Courser, a Southern African near-endemic that can be hard to find in South Africa and which is not that much easier to track down in Namibia!

We shall search stark, white, unvegetated areas for the rather elusive Namibian near-endemic Gray’s Lark. The bird is almost white itself and thus extremely hard to pick up unless it flies. Sometimes the larks utter soft piping calls which drift across the desert and make them easier to locate. The local race of Tractrac Chat (a Southern African near-endemic) is likewise almost white and looks very different from its southern counterpart. Even some mammals survive here, and we may see the restricted-range Mountain Zebra. Closer to the coast, we will stop to admire the apparently lifeless ‘moonscapes’ of the Namib Naukluft National Park.

Namibia & Botswana: Day 3

Early mornings in the coastal desert can be frustrating because of the cold, dense fog that blankets a strip up to 30 kilometres (20 miles) inland, reducing visibility and making it difficult to locate small passerines. Fortunately, it soon burns off, and as the fog begins to lift this morning, a massive dune system will come into full relief, the huge reddish dunes stretching away to the horizon. In the grassy gullies between the dunes and amongst the scrub in the dry river beds, we shall look for the attractive Dune Lark, Namibia’s only strict endemic, as well as the Namibian near-endemic Orange River White-eye, the attractive Cape Sparrow (a Southern African near-endemic) and also Red-faced Mousebird and Common Waxbill.

Freshwater is at a premium in this desolate coastal region, which stretches for more than 1600km (1000 miles). Wherever there is some seepage of water from underground rivers near the coast, many thousands of waterbirds gather, and during the course of a single day, amongst the coastal lagoons, saltpans, and sewage works around Walvis Bay and Swakopmund, it is quite possible to see a huge number of birds. The majority consists of Greater and Lesser Flamingos, Great White Pelicans, cormorants, wildfowl, shorebirds, gulls and terns.

Amongst the additional species that we are likely to find here are such Southern African endemics and near-endemics as Cape and Crowned Cormorants, Cape Shoveler, African Oystercatcher, Cape Gull (sometimes split from Kelp Gull) and Hartlaub’s Gull, as well as the diminutive, range-restricted and endangered Damara Tern (an Austral summer visitor to the area from its winter quarters far to the north).

More widespread waterbirds include Black-necked Grebe, White-breasted Cormorant, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Egyptian Goose, Cape and Red-billed Teals, Maccoa Duck (irregular in occurrence), Common Moorhen, Red-knobbed Coot, White-fronted, Chestnut-banded, Kittlitz’s, Three-banded, Common Ringed and Grey (or Black-bellied) Plovers, Wood, Common, Marsh and Curlew Sandpipers, Little Stint, Sanderling, Ruff, Common Greenshank, Bar-tailed Godwit, Eurasian Whimbrel, Pied Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Grey-headed Gull, and Caspian, Greater Crested, Sandwich and Common Terns. We may also see Cape Gannet (another Southern African near-endemic) and Sooty Shearwater passing offshore.

Namibia & Botswana: Day 4

We will set off early this morning and drive northwards across the desert, en route to the dramatic, isolated Spitzkoppe mountain. Here we have our backup site for the Namibian near-endemic Herero Chat. Spitzkoppe is also an excellent site for the strange-looking, Namibian near-endemic White-tailed Shrike (also known as Ground Batis), which looks more like a giant terrestrial batis than a true shrike and which has in fact been found to share a genetic affinity with the latter.

Afterwards, we will continue northwards into Damaraland until we reach the Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain, where we will spend the night.

Along the way, we shall be looking out for several Southern African endemics and near-endemics, including South African Shelduck, the large-billed form of the Sabota Lark (sometimes split as Bradfield’s Lark), Karoo Chat and Red-headed Finch, as well as Southern Fiscal (of the white-browed ‘Latakoo’ form). We will pass through areas of rocky escarpments where we should easily find the localised, Namibian near-endemic Benguela Long-billed Lark.

Our stop at the Brandberg is all about seeing Namibian near-endemic specialities. This is an excellent spot for both Rüppell’s Parrot and the attractive Violet Wood Hoopoe, and we should also see our first Carp’s Tits and Bare-cheeked Babblers. The lodge even has some very tame and very endearing Meerkats!

Additional Southern African endemics and near endemics are likely to include Chat Flycatcher, Cape Starling, Dusky Sunbird, White-throated Canary and Lark-like Bunting.

We may also have the chance to see the strange Welwitschia plant with its two long, curled-up leaves shredded at the tips by wind and sand. These huge, primitive plants are thought to live for more than a thousand years!

Namibia & Botswana: Day 5

After some final birding at the Brandberg, we will head for Etosha National Park for a four-night stay (dividing our time between two nights at Okaukuejo in the west-central zone and two nights at Namutoni in the far east of the park). We will arrive in time for some initial birding and mammal watching at Okaukuejo.

Namibia & Botswana: Days 6-8

Etosha National Park, which covers nearly 23,000 square kilometres (roughly 8,800 square miles), is justly famous as one of the finest game reserves in Africa. (The name ‘Etosha’ means ‘Big White Place’ in the language of the local San or Bushmen people.) Covering such a large area, the park naturally encompasses a varied selection of habitats and a high diversity of birds and mammals. For most of the year, the area is very dry, ranging from near-desert in the west to dried-out lake beds in the central sector and well-developed woodland in the moister east, but the many waterholes act as a magnet for mammals and birds during the drier months. Several small forts were built in the area in the late nineteenth century to house the German troops patrolling Ovamboland, and one of these, at Namutoni, has been converted into part of a park lodge.

The waterhole at Okaukuejo lodge is one of the most famous features of Etosha, attracting mammals that give close-up encounters for visitors standing just behind a rather low fence! White Rhinoceros is a regular daytime visitor, and at night, Black Rhinoceros often makes an appearance. Elephant encounters here are often wonderful, and we can also expect to obtain great views of Southern Giraffes, Gemsbok (Southern Oryx), Plains (or Burchell’s) Zebra and Springbok

The open plains and wooded areas teem with game, including large herds of Gemsbok (or Southern Oryx), Springbok, Plains (or Burchell’s) Zebra and Blue Wildebeest, while other mammals that we are likely to encounter include African Savanna Elephant, White Rhinoceros, the highly endangered Black Rhinoceros, Southern Giraffe, Red Hartebeest, Steenbok, Impala (of the distinctive local ‘black-faced’ form), Greater Kudu, Common Eland, the delightful Damara Dik-Dik, Common Warthog, Cape (or South African) Ground Squirrel, Slender Mongoose, Banded Mongoose, Spotted Hyaena, Black-backed Jackal and Lion. With luck, we will encounter a Leopard or even a Cheetah or a Honey Badger.

Birds are equally varied. Common Ostrich and the striking Northern Black Korhaan (a Southern African endemic) are common, whilst the stately Kori Bustard strides amongst the herds of game. The elegant Blue Crane, a Southern African endemic that has an isolated population at Etosha, can be found in the grassier, damper depressions. In areas of open country or around waterholes, one can come across groups of Pink-billed, Spike-heeled and Red-capped Larks, and Chestnut-backed and Grey-backed Sparrow-Larks (the first two and the last of these are Southern African near-endemics). The park also holds the near-endemic Violet Wood Hoopoe, so it is a useful backup locality. During the hotter hours, large raptors, such as Lappet-faced, White-headed and White-backed Vultures, Brown and Black-chested Snake Eagles, Martial and Tawny Eagles, Bateleur and African Hawk-Eagle, ply the thermals overhead.

Other Southern African endemics and near endemics that are usually seen in the park and its surroundings include Pale Chanting Goshawk, Namaqua and Double-banded Sandgrouse, Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, the handsome Rufous-eared Warbler (surviving here in an isolated population), Ant-eating Chat, Southern Pied Babbler, Burchell’s Starling, Southern White-crowned Shrike and Sociable Weaver.

Etosha is a good place to catch up on some additional Southern African endemics and near-endemics, including the sparsely-distributed Burchell’s Courser, the stately Ludwig’s Bustard and Burchell’s Sandgrouse (the latter can be numerous here at times).

Additional widespread birds include Secretarybird, Black-winged Kite, Shikra, Lanner Falcon, the attractive Red-necked Falcon, Greater Kestrel, Helmeted Guineafowl, Crested Francolin, Red-crested Korhaan, Spotted Thick-knee, Crowned and Blacksmith Lapwings, Double-banded Courser, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, African Scops Owl, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Lilac-breasted and Purple (or Rufous-crowned) Rollers, African Hoopoe, Southern Red-billed Hornbill, Eastern Clapper Lark, Pied and Cape Crows, Burnt-necked Eremomela, Barred Wren-Warbler, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Rattling and Desert Cisticolas, African Pipit, Wattled Starling, Marico and White-bellied Sunbirds, Southern Grey-headed Sparrow, Lesser Masked Weaver, Red-billed Quelea, Blue, Violet-eared and Black-cheeked (or Black-faced) Waxbills, Long-tailed Paradise Whydah and the gaudy Golden-breasted Bunting. More uncommon species include Black-headed Heron, Little Sparrowhawk, Rufous-naped Lark and Capped Wheatear.

Seasonal Palearctic and intra-African visitors (generally from late October/November onwards) include African Cuckoo, Common Swift, European Bee-eater, Willow Warbler and Red-backed and Lesser Grey Shrikes. Caspian Plover is also a possibility, and we have even encountered the rare Dusky Lark in the park.

Night drives are available to book locally at Etosha (visitors to the park are not allowed to use their own vehicles, so it is a case of paying locally to go on a drive with other park visitors, should you so wish). Such drives often turn up Bat-eared Fox, Small-spotted Genet and Rufous-cheeked Nightjar, while there are also chances for Cape Porcupine and Cape Fox.

Namibia & Botswana: Day 9

This morning, we head northeastwards to Rundu, situated at the western end of the narrow Caprivi Strip, for an overnight stay.

Along the way, the dry mopane woodland (where the trees have distinctive, butterfly-shaped leaves) gradually gives way to tropical palm savanna and finally a climax teak forest, which closely resembles the miombo woodlands further north in Africa and indeed harbours a rather similar avifauna.

Our lodge at Rundu is situated beside the Okavango River that forms the border with Angola. Reed-fringed pools with abundant vegetation and the marshy floodplain around Rundu hold such waterbirds as Little Grebe, Reed Cormorant, Black-crowned Night Heron, Purple, Squacco and Striated Herons, the secretive Rufous-bellied Heron, Western Cattle Egret, Little Bittern, Hottentot Teal, African Rail, the surprisingly bold Black Crake, African Swamphen, African Jacana, Greater Painted-snipe, African Snipe, Water Thick-knee and Whiskered Tern. With a lot of luck, we could encounter a Lesser Jacana or an Allen’s Gallinule.

In the waterside reeds, thickets and grassy patches by the Okavango, we may well find the restricted-range Coppery-tailed Coucal, Swamp Boubou, Hartlaub’s Babbler and Brown Firefinch, as well as Red-eyed and Namaqua Doves, Dark-capped Bulbul, Lesser Swamp, Common Reed and Little Rush Warblers and Tawny-flanked Prinia.

Namibia & Botswana: Day 10

The Caprivi Strip is a narrow finger of Namibian territory bordered to the north by Angola and to the south by Botswana. It is still relatively unknown ornithologically and comprises a virtually untouched mosaic of extensive swamps, rivers and pristine forests. The Cubango and Cuito Rivers that drain the highlands of Angola join to form the Okavango River, which widens and slows as it meanders southwards until it dissipates in a vast inland delta in northern Botswana. The Okavango has a special magic, and we shall all enjoy this charismatic region with its rich diversity of birds and game.

Large expanses of open woodland can be found away from the Okavango River itself, and today we shall travel eastwards through this habitat to Ndhovu near Popa Falls for an overnight stay.

Dark Chanting Goshawks keep a wary eye on us from exposed boughs, and the calls of Striped Kingfishers carry through these miombo-like woodlands. Fast-moving mixed-species flocks hold such birds as Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Black Cuckooshrike, the attractive Rufous-bellied Tit, Southern Black Tit, Green-capped Eremomela, Red-headed Weaver and Yellow-fronted Canary. An important species we will be on the lookout for is the uncommon, restricted-range Souza’s Shrike.

We have a good chance of finding the lovely White-backed Night Heron along a quiet stretch of the Okavango River, and a rocky, fast-flowing stretch holds the attractive Rock Pratincole.

The stunning Southern Carmine Bee-eater nests in colonies along its banks (from here to Mahango and on to Shakawe), and this species is sure to be a trip highlight as the colonies should be very active at the time of year that we visit.

Other species we are likely to encounter in the Caprivi Strip or in adjacent northern Botswana include Yellow-billed Kite, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Temminck’s Courser, Mourning Collared Dove, African Green Pigeon, Senegal and White-browed Coucals, Green Wood Hoopoe, Common Scimitarbill, Broad-billed Roller, Malachite, Giant and Pied Kingfishers, White-fronted and Little Bee-eaters, Cardinal and Golden-tailed Woodpeckers, Lesser Honeyguide, Brown-throated and Banded Martins, Wire-tailed, Red-breasted and Mosque Swallows, Fawn-coloured Lark, African Pied Wagtail, African Golden and Black-headed Orioles, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Kurrichane Thrush, White-browed Scrub Robin, Tinkling and Zitting Cisticolas, Neddicky (or Piping Cisticola), African Paradise Flycatcher, Southern Black and Pale Flycatchers, Chinspot Batis, Arrow-marked Babbler, Southern Yellow White-eye, Violet-backed and Greater Blue-eared Starlings, White-browed Robin-Chat, Brown-crowned and Black-crowned Tchagras, Black-backed Puffback, Orange-breasted Bushshrike, Brubru, Whitye-crested Helmetshrike, Magpie Shrike, Yellow-billed and Red-billed Oxpeckers, Collared, Amethyst and Scarlet-chested Sunbirds, Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow, Red-billed Buffalo Weaver, Village, Spectacled and Holub’s Golden Weavers, Southern Red Bishop, Red-billed Firefinch, Green-winged Pytilia and Cut-throat Finch.

More uncommon species include the restricted-range Arnot’s Chat as well as African Cuckoo-Hawk, Bat Hawk, Temminck’s Courser, Marsh Owl, African Barred Owlet, Buffy Pipit, Pin-tailed Whydah and the furtive Quailfinch.

Palearctic migrants (some not arriving until November) include Western Osprey, Steppe Eagle, Common Buzzard, Eurasian Hobby, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Spotted Flycatcher and sometimes Lesser Spotted Eagle, Red-footed Falcon and White-winged Tern, while intra-African migrants likewise present from late October/November onwards include Woodland Kingfisher, Olive Bee-eater, Levaillant’s, Jacobin, Klaas’s, Diederik, Black and Red-chested Cuckoos.

Namibia & Botswana: Day 11

This morning we will have our first chance to explore the small but bird and mammal-rich Mahango Game Reserve, keeping a lookout on the approaches for Sharp-tailed Starling, a largely Angolan speciality that sometimes turns up in this area or closer to Rundu.

This fine reserve, where walking is permitted and birding is straightforward, consists mainly of dry deciduous woodland, but at its edge, the mighty Okavango has created a wide floodplain with marshes of reeds and papyrus and old meanders filled with water lilies. Here we have a very good chance of finding the mega-speciality of this part of the world, the rare, restricted-range Slaty Egret, while handsome Long-toed Lapwings can be seen skipping across the lily pads. Another special bird of the area is the stately but fast-declining Wattled Crane, which can often be seen with young at this time of year.

In the climax teak forests south of the river, we will search for two restricted-range specialities: Bradfield’s Hornbill (a species we do not usually see on any other Birdquest tour, so a key species) and Meves’s Starling

Other species frequently seen in the Mahango area (or indeed along the Okavango in adjacent Botswana) include African Darter, Great and Intermediate Egrets, Black and Goliath Herons, Hamerkop, African Sacred Ibis, Hadada and Glossy Ibises (uncommon), African Spoonbill, African Openbill, Yellow-billed, Woolly-necked and Marabou Storks, Spur-winged Goose, White-faced Whistling and Knob-billed Ducks, African Pygmy Goose (uncommon), African Fish Eagle, African Marsh Harrier, Swainson’s Spurfowl, African Wattled Lapwing, Collared Pratincole, the bizarre African Skimmer, Meyer’s Parrot, Crested Barbet and Terrestrial Brownbul.

There are many mammals to be seen in this superb area, and new ones for the tour are likely to include Vervet Monkey, Hippopotamus, Red Lechwe, Common Reedbuck, Topi (or Sassaby) and the magnificent Roan and Sable Antelopes.

After exploring the Mahango Game Reserve, we will drive into adjacent northern Botswana for a two-night stay at Shakawe. This afternoon, we will commence our exploration of the Shakawe area.

Namibia & Botswana: Day 12

The Shakawe area comprises dense gallery woodland alongside the papyrus-fringed banks of the Okavango River. It is an attractive spot, and we have further chances here for many of the birds already mentioned for Mahango Game Reserve and elsewhere in the Caprivi.

Our prime motivations for a visit, however, are because the area around Shakawe has long been recognised as the best place in the region to find the huge, marmalade-coloured Pel’s Fishing Owl and the even more sought-after Slaty Egret.

The attractive papyrus swamps and reed marshes fringing the Okavango River at Shakawe hold African Stonechat, Greater Swamp Warbler, Southern Brown-throated and Thick-billed Weavers, Fan-tailed Widowbird and, in particular, the restricted-range Chirping and Luapula Cisticolas.

Around our lodge, handsome Black-collared Barbets utter their duet from the higher branches of waterside trees that provide habitat for Ashy Flycatchers, while with luck, we will also see the lovely Narina’s Trogon. After dusk, the hooting calls of African Wood Owls should allow us to locate this species, and we should also see Fiery-necked Nightjar.

Namibia & Botswana: Day 12

We will spend our last morning in the Shakawe area and then cross back into Namibia for an overnight stay at Mahango Game Reserve, spending the late afternoon exploring the reserve.

Namibia & Botswana: Day 14

We will spend some time in Mahango Game Reserve this morning and then drive to the Grootfontein area for an overnight stay.

A key bird speciality of this part of Namibia is the localised, near-endemic Black-faced Babbler. This restricted-range speciality is shared only with western Botswana and southern Angola, but in practice is only seen on birding tours in Namibia, so it is a prime target for us. This afternoon we will visit a reliable site for this speciality.

Namibia & Botswana: Day 15

This morning, we will head south to the beautiful Erongo Mountains near Omaruru for an overnight stay. This is yet another very scenic area, comprising granitic hills and mountains with areas of mopane woodland. We will have the entire afternoon for some initial exploration.

Here, amongst the rocky crags and gullies, scrub and riverine vegetation, there is a wonderful selection of Namibian near-endemics. We could have seen all of them already, but the Erongo provides valuable insurance just in case any have been missed so far. Here, in particular, we can find Rüppell’s Parrot, Violet Wood Hoopoe, White-tailed Shrike (or Ground Batis) and the interesting Rockrunner. The Erongo is the key site for Hartlaub’s Spurfowl, a species that can usually be located by its characteristic duetting calls.

The Erongo is also a good spot for the impressive Verreaux’s Eagle, Ashy Tit (a Southern African endemic) and the rock-loving Freckled Nightjar.

Mammals are few in number, but we should see Klipspringer, Rock Hyrax and the rather hyrax-like Dassie Rat, while Mountain Zebra is also possible. If we can arrange a night drive, there is a chance for Bat-eared Fox and even Leopard.

Namibia & Botswana: Day 16

After some final birding in the Erongo Mountains, we will drive to Windhoek airport, where our tour ends this afternoon.