Please contact
us to enquire about our private guided day trips.
Detailed
itinerary
It can be difficult visiting the Tanqua Karoo in one day, so we
usually suggest that the area is explored over at least two days.
Typically our tours encompass a relaxed drive, via Paarl for some
superb fynbos and water birding (and perhaps some lunch!), arriving
in the Tanqua Karoo with enough time to do some afternoon birding,
before we treat ourselves to some excellent Karoo hospitality at
a local guest farm.
The “real” birding will begin when we arrive at Karoopoort
with Namaqua Warbler, Mountain Wheatear,
and a host of scrub species including one of our personal favourites,
Fairy Flycatcher, typically putting in an appearance.
From Karoopoort we will work our way northwards along the edge of
the Karoo to a series of prime sites, in search other desirable
species such as Karoo Eremomela, Spike-heeled
Lark, Tractrac Chat and Pririt
Batis.
The fresh Karoo air should have us up early on day two, ready for
a pre-breakfast foray for the enigmatic Burchell’s
Courser. This species can be very tricky to find, but Karoo
Longbilled Lark, Namaqua Sandgrouse
and Tractrac Chat should keep us company as we
search.
The remainder of the day will be spent searching the parched brown
expanses, aloe-lined escarpments and lonely isolated hills of the
area. Cinnamon-breasted Warbler (with some expert
knowledge and luck!), Layard’s Titbabbler,
Rufous-eared Warbler, Karoo Korhaan,
Karoo Chat and Pale-chanting Goshawk
should also be added to the days list!
Our return loop to Cape Town can be incorporated with a series of
three mountain passes which offer plenty of fynbos specials (e.g.
Cape Rockjumper and Victorin's Warbler)
in addition to spectacular Cape mountain landscape, but does require
sufficient time.
The Tanqua Karoo can also be successfully combined with visits to
the West Coast and Overberg regions, but this requires a few additional
days. Let us know if you are interested in this combination, it
makes for an excellent trip!
About Birding Africa
Birding Africa is a specialist birding tour
company customising tours for both world listers and more relaxed holiday
birders. We combine interests in mammals, butterflies, dragonflies, botany
and other natural history aspects and will guide you to Africa's and Madagascar's
most diverse birding destinations. Our guides'
knowledge of African birds and birding areas is our greatest strength
and together we have rediscovered species, shared exciting observations
with the birding community and had a fun time exploring our home continent.
We've even written two acclaimed guide
books on where to find Southern Africa's and Madagascar's best birds.
Birding is more than our passion, it's our lifestyle, and we are dedicated
to making professional, best value trips filled with endemic species and
unique wildlife experiences. Since 1997, we've run bird watching tours
in South Africa and further into Africa for individual birders, small
birding groups and top international tour companies. We've run Conservation
Tours in association with the African Bird Club and work with and
consult for a number of other top international tour companies and the
BBC Natural History Unit.
