DAY 1 - WINDHOEK

Flights typically arrive in Windhoek by mid day. If your flight arrives in the evening, it would be a good idea to arrive the night before the tour begins (hotel that night not included in price). Our guide will meet you at the aiport and start the birding from there. The arrivals area is the best place to see Orange River Francolin and South African Swallow. Other birds there include Little Swift, White-rumped Swift, Cape Wagtail, Southern Red Bishop, Black-faced Waxbill, Red-headed Finch, and Shaft-tailed Whydah.

After checking in to the hotel, we'll go birding. We'll begin with some birding around the sewage ponds where we can expect to see South African Shelduck, Hottentot Teal, Allen's Gallinule, Red-knobbed Coot, Three-banded Plover, White-throated Swallow, Great Reed Warbler, Rattling Cisticola, Zitting Cisticola, and Eastern Paradise-Whydah. We'll then bird the area around Avis Dam. This site offers a second chance to see Orange River Francolin if missed at the airport. Many other birds are present in the nature reserve there as well. Notable species include Monteiro's Hornbill, Pied Barbet, Rosy-faced Lovebird, Rockrunner, Kalahari Scrub-Robin, and Short-toed Rock-Thrush. Several species of ducks and grebes are usually present along with African Fish-Eagle. Overnight at Arebbusch Travel Lodge in Windhoek.

DAY 2 - WINDHOEK, NAMIBGRENS, SPREETSHOOGTE PASS

We'll depart early for Namibgrens, situated on the central plateau known as Khomas Hochland above Spreetshoogte Pass. The drive will take about 2½ hours across the arid central plateau and into the highlands of the coastal mountains. We should arrive in time to do a loop road through the arid gravel plains of the mountain plateau around Namibgrens seeking birds of the arid scrub such as Red-billed Francolin, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Sabota Lark, Rufous-vented Warbler, Groundscraper Thrush, Mariqua Sunbird, and Lark-like Bunting. Other birds we may see include Speckled Pigeon, Pied Barbet, possibly the erratically occurring Lesser Honeyguide, Cardinal Woodpecker, Sabota Lark, Cinnamon-breasted Warbler, Layard's Warbler, Kalahari Scrub-Robin, Short-toed Rock-Thrush, Tractrac Chat, Scaly Weaver, Cape Sparrow, and more. We can also expect to see some mammals in this area, including perhaps Bontebok, a striking antelope introduced from South Africa, along with Mountain Zebra, Southern Giraffe, Hartebeest, Blue Wildebeest, Red Hartebeest, Springbok, Gemsbok, Steenbok, Greater Kudu and the very dark morph of Chacma Baboon. These animals are all quite wary due to locals shooting at them.

After lunch at the guesthouse, we'll bird our way down the incredibly scenic Spreetshoogte Pass. The main target bird in the pass is Herero Chat, always difficult and best found when it responds to playback. The pass is one of the best areas to find this quite scarce near-endemic. Other interesting possibilities include Pied Barbet, Cardinal Woodpecker, Bokmakierie, Chat Flycatcher, Short-toed Rock-Thrush, and Cape Wagtail. It takes about an hour and a half to reach our lodge for the night, but we'll be birding en route so we'll likely arrive in late afternoon. Overnight at Weltevrede Guest Farm.

DAY 3 - NAMIB DESERT & WALVIS BAY

No visit to Namibia is complete without a view of the Namib Desert. The vast coastal sand dunes stretch for miles and is largely devoid of birdlife except near standing water and along the edges, but the scenery is stunning as the sun rises over the dunes. Thus, we'll get up very early to enjoy this spectacular sight before breakfast.

We'll spend the rest of the morning birding the dune fields, gravel plains, and camel thorn-lined riverbeds in this area, home to some highly adapted specialties of this harsh enviroment. Birds we'll especially be seeking are Namaqua Sandgrouse, Rüppell's Bustard, Burchell's Courser, Gray's Lark, Dune Lark, Tractrac Chat, and Familiar Chat. We can also hope to see the nomadic Ludwig's Bustard. In the camel thorn forests of Deadvlei. In the dry riverbeds we'll look for White-backed Mousebird, Pied Barbet, and Rosy-faced Lovebird. On rocky, boulder-strewn scree slopes we may see Cape Crombec and Rockrunner. Possible raptors include Martial Eagle, Pale Chanting-Goshawk, Pygmy Falcon, Greater Kestrel, and Lanner Falcon.

By mid-day we'll be on our way to Walvis Bay, a drive that takes 4½-5½ hours. We'll be passing through Namib-Naukluft National Park and do some birding along the way. The road lies just below the scenic Nauklift Mountains that rise above the arid lowlands situated between the harsh desert and the dry central plateau, a transitional zone home to several special birds. We'll likely see a variety of raptors en route. We'll have only a limited amount of time for birding stops, but there is a reliable spot along the way to look for Kopje Warbler. We have a good chance of seeing Rockrunner there as well if missed previously. Other birds we'll be looking for en route are the difficult Burchell's Courser plus both Gray's Lark and Stark's Lark. It will be a busy birding day, so we'll probably not arrive in Walvis Bay until quite late in the afternoon. Overnight Desert Dreams B&B.

DAY 4 - KUISEB RIVERBED & WALVIS BAY

We will begin the day with a half-hour drive south to Rooibank to look for Namibia's only true endemic, the Dune Lark, in the dry Kuiseb River course. This area borders on the massive dunes of the Namib desert and is home to a variety of birds in addition to the Dune Lark such as Booted Eagle, Common Scimitarbill, Ashy Tit, Black-chested Prinia, Orange River White-eye, and Cape Sparrow. After a full morning birding there, we'll return to Walvis Bay for lunch.

In the afternoon we'll bird around the Walvis Bay salt works toward Pelican Point. This is an excellent site for seeing various migrants and littoral birds such as Ruff, Black-bellied Plover, Common Ringed Plover, Kittlitz's Plover, Chestnut-banded Plover, White-fronted Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Ruff, Curlew Sandpiper, Black Tern, and White-winged Tern. We may also see Wilson's Storm-Petrel and European Storm-Petrel in the bay along with Greater Flamingo and Lesser Flamingo (the numbers present depend on the rains - in good rain years the flamingos move north into Etosha and other areas), Cape Teal, Hartlaub's Gull, Kelp Gull, and Damara Tern, the latter a near-endemic. Overnight at Desert Dreams B&B in Walvis Bay.

DAY 5 - SWAKOPMUND, DAMARALAND, & BRANDBERG

We'll depart early after breakfast to drive north to the Swakopmund Salt Works, located a half-hour north of Walvis Bay, where a million or more Cape Cormorants nest on "guano" platforms. The main target bird is Bank Cormorant, which is sometimes present in very small numbers. These birds are usually on banks around the settling ponds rather than on nesting platforms. The other main target bird is Gray's Lark, often present in the scrub vegetation around the salt works. Other birds we can expect on the dry plains and arid scrub nearby include Bokmakierie, Rufous-eared Warbler, and Tractrac Chat.

After birding around Swakopmund, we'll continue north into Damaraland. The rocky desert landscape of this region offers some wonderful scenery and excellent birding The drive time to our destination, Brandberg Mountain, is a bit more than 3 hours, but we'll be birding en route so it will take us longer to arrive there. The lichen fields along the way are home to Gray's Lark and Red-capped Lark. Farther north we can expect to see Benguela Lark, Karoo Eremomela, Mountain Chat, and Yellow Canary, plus we'll have another chance for Herero Chat. We should also encounter mammals such as desert-adapted elephants, Giraffe, Gemsbok, and Greater Kudu.

We should have time for some late afternoon birding around our lodge. The main target species there are Rosy-faced Lovebird, Rüppell's Parrot, White-tailed Shrike, Benguela Lark (if missed earlier), Stark's Lark, and Fawn-colored Lark. Also possible are Rüppell's Bustard and White-quilled Bustard. Overnight at Brandberg White Lady Lodge.

DAY 6 - BRANDBERG, SPITZKOPPE, & OMARURU

We'll begin with early birding around Brandberg and the Ugab River area. This morning is our best opportunity to see target birds mentioned the previous day. In addition to those, we could encounter Greater Painted-Snipe, Gabar Goshawk, Damara Red-billed Hornbill, White-crowned Shrike, Carp's Tit, and Bare-cheeked Babbler.

By mid-morning we'll be on our way, driving 2 hours to the incredibly scenic Spitzkoppe area, often referred to as the Matterhorn of Namibia. We'll have time to spend a couple hours birding there. Spitzkoppe is a very good place to see White-tailed Shrike and is another site for Herero Chat. Other birds there include Speckled Pigeon, Rüppell's Bustard, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Rosy-faced Lovebird, Southern Fiscal, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Pale-winged Starling, Tractrac Chat, Mountain Chat, and Dusky Sunbird. We'll eventually have to leave this wonderful site, as we have another 2 hours drive time to reach Omaruru. Overnight Ondudu Safari Lodge.

DAY 7 - OMARURU & ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK

We'll begin the day with early morning birding around Omaruru looking for birds such as Hartlaub's Spurfowl, which is usually only seen at first light, Violet Woodhoopoe, Rosy-faced Lovebird, Rüppell's Parrot, Crimson-breasted Gonolek, Bare-cheeked Babbler, Groundscraper Thrush, and Southern Cordonbleu.

After breakfast, we'll depart for Etosha National Park, a magnificent wildlife reserve surrounding and including the vast salt pans known as the Etosha Pan. En route we'll be looking for Kori Bustard, Black Bustard, White-quilled Bustard, Double-banded Courser, and Secretarybird. The drive to Namutoni on the eastern side of the park will take about 4 hours.

At Namutoni we should have time for some birding around the lodge where we hope to see Ashy Tit, Long-billed Crombec, and Burnt-neck Eremomela. Other possibilities include Black Cuckoo, Pied Cuckoo, Common Scimitarbill, African Golden Oriole, African Paradise-Flycatcher, Violet-backed Starling, White-breasted Sunbird, and Red-headed Weaver. Overnight at Namutoni Rest Camp.

DAY 8 - ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK

In early morning we'll likely drive north toward the Andoni Plains on the eastern edge of the Etosha Pan. Our main purpose visiting there is to look for the very localized Blue Crane whose population in Namibia is less than 100 individuals. Also likely there are South African Shelduck, Three-banded Plover, Kittlitz's Plover, Chestnut-banded Plover, and various migratory shorebirds. Large numbers of mammals often congregate in this area including African Elephant, Plains Zebra, Common Warthog, Blue Wildebeest, Springbok, and occasionally predators. Out on the open plains we may see the scarce Burchell's Courser. There are a number of other waterholes in this area where vultures and raptors such as White-backed Vulture, Bateleur, Tawny Eagle, and Pale Chanting-Goshawk sometimes appear.

After lunch, we'll spend a couple hours on a game and birding drive around this eastern section of Etosha National Park, which is much greener than in the west and supports some extensive woodlands. More animals are present and hence so also are more predators. This section of Etosha is especially good for Leopards, and we could encounter some lions as well. Birds in this area include Swainson's Francolin, Crested Francolin, Lappet-faced Vulture, Steppe Eagle, African Hawk-Eagle, Burchell's Sandgrouse, Black-winged Pratincole, Ovambo Sparrowhawk (most likely in years of good rains), Meyer's Parrot, Hartlaub's Babbler, Black-faced Babbler, Flappet Lark, Wattled Starling, Spectacled Weaver, Village Weaver, Red-billed Quelea, and Eastern Paradise-Whydah. Also possible but usually difficult to find is Southern Brown-throated Weaver.

By mid-afternoon we must depart for the central section of the park around Halali. The transfer follows the southern fringe of the vast Etosha Pan and increasingly drier plains that is quite arid so we'll most likely only occasionally stop unless we encounter some unusually interesting birds or mammals.

We plan to arrive at Halali in time for some late afternoon birding around the lodge. The primary target birds there are Bare-cheeked Babbler, typically present on the lawns or behind the lodge in dry scrub, and the near-endemic Black-cheeked Babbler in nearby woodlands. We might alse see Carp's Tit there. Cinnamon-breasted Buntings are often present around the entrance to the lodge. Sometimes African Scops-Owl can be found roosting near the lodge. Other possibilities are Violet Woodhoopoe,White-crested Helmetshrike, Crimson-breasted Gonolek, Black-chested Prinia, Black-chested Prinia, Southern Pied-Babbler, and Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver. In the evening we'll watch game animals come in to the waterhole behind the lodge. There we can expect to see Double-banded Sandgrouse arriving to soak up water in their feathers to carry back to their nesting or roosting site and Fiery-necked NIghtjars hawking insects narby. Overnight at Halali Resort.

DAY 9 - ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK

This morning we'll do some birding around the lodge concentrating on the babblers or other birds we may have the previous afternoon. After lunch, we'll depart for western Etosha, birding and viewing wildlife en route. We should see large concentrations of wildlife around waterholes, providing excellent opportunities for photography. Birds we may see include Red-crested Bustard, African Harrier-Hawk, Lappet-faced Vulture, White-backed Vulture, Tawny Eagle, White-rumped Shrike, White-crowned Shrike, Monotonous Lark, Stark's Lark, Desert Cisticola, Marico Flycatcher, Chat Flycatcher, and Red-headed Finch. We should arrive at Okaukuejo by late afternoon, allowing some time for birding after arrival. A permanent water hole is located directly behind the lodge where evening viewing of mammals can be productive in dry years. Overnight at Okaukuejo NWR Resort.

DAY 10 - ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK & RUACANA

We'll spend much of this morning driving the roads in the western part of Etosha. This western part of Etosha is much drier than the eastern part, so the birds are somewhat different. The famous "White" Elephants covered in white dust are in western Etosha. Encounters with predators are always possible. African Wild Dogs are not possible, but Cheetahs, Lions, and Leopards are. Birds of particular interest include Red-crested Bustard, White-quilled Bustard, Spotted Thick-knee, Temminck's Courser, Double-banded Courser, White Helmetshrike, Spike-heeled Lark, Monotonous Lark, Rufous-naped Lark, Eastern Clapper Lark, Pink-billed Lark, White-breasted Sunbird, and Long-billed Pipit. Numerous raptors are also possible including Bateleur, Brown Snake-Eagle, Martial Eagle, and Pygmy Falcon. Key target birds around the lodge are Carp's Tit, Rufous-eared Warbler, and Black-faced Babbler. Mammals tend to be dispersed in years of good rains or concentrate around permanent water in dry years. We'll visit several water holes during the game drive. It's possible to encounter Blue Cranes in this area if missed at Andoni, though they occur less frequently in western Etosha.

After an early lunch we'll depart for Ruacana and the Kunene River area near the border with Angola. This transfer will take about 5 hours, and we want to arrive in good time for dinner. We may make some brief stops if we encounter any interesting birds. Possibilities include Ludwig's Bustard, Black-chested Snake-Eagle, Gabar Goshawk, and Pale Chanting-Goshawk. Overnight at Kunene River Lodge.

DAY 11 - KUNENE RIVER & RUACANA

In this very scenic part of Namibia the Kunene River flows precipitously through several dramatic canyons and over several waterfalls. Unlike most of Namibia, the habitat along the Kunene River is lush and green with forest canopy along the riverbanks including wild fig trees that provide a food source for many bird species and shade trees on the lodge grounds. Beyond the riverbanks, the environment transitions quickly into arid desert and mountain slopes. This varied landscape results in quite high species diversity and is home to several specialties not occurring elsewhere in Namibia.

We have all day to bird this infrequently visited area located near the Namibian border with Angola. Our main target bird during our visit is the very range-restricted near-endemic Cinderella Waxbill, most easily seen in this area and difficult to see in nearby Angola. There are no guarantees but we have a good chance for this species, which sometimes even appears near our lodge. In addition to the waxbill, we'll seek out three other species with very restricted ranges in Namiba. These are Bennett's Woodpecker, Meves's Starling, which mainly occurs farther east but has a population in northern Namibia and coastal Angola, and Rufous-tailed Palm-Thrush, a west African species occurring in Namibia at the most southern extent of its range. We may also try to see the near-endemic Angolan Chat, which occurs in small numbers in the Zebra Mountains some 40km from the lodge. This species is usually at high altitude where it is inaccessible, but if there are reports of any in residence in a more accessible area, we can devote some effort to seeing them.

Many other species also occur around our lodge, so we'll be kept busy. This area gives us another opportunity to see the near-endemic Rüppell's Parrot, Carp's Tit, and Bare-cheeked Babbler if missed earlier. More widely distributed species include Red-necked Spurfowl, Square-tailed Nightjar, Augur Buzzard, African Hoopoe, Green Woodhoopoe, Common Scimitarbill, African Gray Hornbill, Giant Kingfisher, Cardinal Woodpecker, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, White-crested Helmetshrike, Brubru, Gabon Boubou, African Paradise-Flycatcher, Rattling Cisticola, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver, Chestnut Weaver, Red-billed Firefinch, and many others. Overnight at Kunene River Lodge.

DAY 12 - TRANSFER TO RUNDU

We'll have a long drive of about 7 hours plus stoppage time this day, so we'll depart after early breakfast. We'll make some birding stops en route as we pass through Mopane woodlands, palm savanna, and eventually a climax Teak forest. We'll likely not arrive until quite late in the afternoon, but if time permits we may do some initial birding around our lodge. Overnight Kavango River Lodge.

DAY 13 - GUSU WOODLANDS & TRANSFER

We'll depart very early for birding in the Gusu broadleaf woodland located just south and southwest of Rundu. Birding in this unique habitat is notoriously challenging due to dense understory and canopy with some birds restricted to high in the forest canopy. Our main target species are Souza's Shrike (very difficult), Southern Black-Tit, Rufous-bellied Tit, Sharp-tailed Starling, and Arnot's Chat. Other possible birds there include Striped Kingfisher, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, African Penduline-Tit, Tinkling Cisticola, Pale Flycatcher, and Cut-throat.

After lunch, we'll drive east about an hour and a half to Shamvura Camp. The accommodations there are quite rustic, but the birding is excellent. The camp is located on a high, forested sand dune near the Okavango River. The main habitats are climax riverine forest, floodplains along the river, savanna woodlands, and wetlands near the Angola border. We'll have time to begin birding the area after arrival and check-in.

During the afternoon we'll most likely bird the wetlands and floodplain around the camp. We'll try to do a boat trip to improve our chances. Possible birds include African Swamphen, Long-toed Lapwing, African Skimmer, Little Bittern, Slaty Egret, Rufous-bellied Heron, Goliath Heron, Marsh Owl, Giant Kingfisher, Luapula Cisticola, Chirping Cisticola, Greater Swamp Warbler. Overnight at Shamvura Camp.

DAY 14 - SHAMVURA CAMP & DWABWATA NATIONAL PARK

We'll devote the morning to birding in the woodlands. This area gives us another chance at Souza's Shrike and Arnot's Chat if missed at Rundu. Many other birds are possible in this habitat including Black Coucal, Dideric Cuckoo, Bradfield's Hornbill, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Racket-tailed Roller, Black-collared Barbet, Rufous-bellied Tit, Sharp-tailed Starling, Shelley's Sunbird, Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver, and Southern Masked-Weaver.

After lunch, we'll drive about an hour farther east to Divundu. We'll have the afternoon to do a birding and game viewing safari eastward into nearby Bwabwata National Park. Many birds are possible including Egyptian Goose, African Pygmy-Goose, Double-banded Sandgrouse, Wattled Crane, Slaty Egret, Rufous-bellied Heron, Goliath Heron, Long-crested Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Dark Chanting-Goshawk, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Malachite Kingfisher, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Woodland Kingfisher, Racket-tailed Roller, Dickinson's Kestrel, Meyer's Parrot, African Golden Oriole, Green-capped Eremomela, Tinkling Cisticola, African Golden-Weaver, Eastern Paradise-Whydah, Village Indigobird, Yellow-fronted Canary, and Golden-breasted Bunting. Likely mammals we should see are Hippopotamus, Red Lechwe, which occurs in large numbers, Common Impala, Southern Reedbuck, Topi, and Common Tsessebe, the latter usually solitary and quite wary. We should see many African Elephants, but of greater interest are Roan Antelope and the striking Sable Antelope, which are only possible in this part of Namibia. Bwabwata National Park is one of the last major refuges for the critically endangered African Wild Dog, so we have a slim chance of seeing those as well. Overnight at Rainbow River Lodge.

DAY 15 - MAHANGO GAME RESERVE & OKAVANGO DELTA

We'll devote the morning to a boat trip or game drive in Mahango Game Reserve, which is now incorporated into Bwabwata National Park and is situated between Divundu and the Botswana border. Some 13 species of raptors have been recorded in this area, along with numerous water birds, woodland and riverine species, and mammals. In the teak forests along the river, we'll look for Bradfield's Hornbill and Meves's Starling, both range-restricted specialties. Examples of other birds likely in this area are White-faced Whistling-Duck, Knob-billed Duck, Spur-winged Goose, Swainson's Spurfowl, Wattled Lapwing, Collared Pratincole, African Openbill, African Woolly-necked Stork, Marabou Stork, Yellow-billed Stork, African Darter, African Sacred Ibis, Hadada Ibis, African Spoonbill, African Fish-Eagle, Crested Barbet, and Terrestrial Brownbul. In the afternoon we'll depart for the Shakwe area of northwestern Botswana in the Okavango River delta. We'll do some birding en route and can expect wetland birds such as White-backed Duck, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, Squacco Heron, Malachite Kingfisher, and more. The stunning Southern Carmine Bee-eater nests in colonies along the riverbanks and will be a highlight of this day.

After arrival, we may have time for an afternoon boat trip into the Okavango delta. Our main target species is the Pel's Fishing Owl, which is most easily seen in this area. Many other aquatic birds are also present, mostly those mentioned previously. Overnight at Drotsky's Cabins.

DAY 16 - OKAVANGO DELTA

We'll have all day to bird the Okavango Delta region around Drotsky's Cabin by vehicle and by boat. Many of the birds are similar to those already mentioned in Bwabwata National Park. Our primary target species here is the Pel's Fishing Owl. This area is also a good place to see the difficult Slaty Egret if we missed it previously. The papyrus and reed-filled marshes along the river are home to Luapula Cisticola, Chirping Cisticola, Greater Swamp Warbler, African Stonechat, Southern Brown-throated Weaver, and Fan-tailed Widowbird. Birding the seasonally flooded woodland around our lodge could produce views of Mourning Collared-Dove, White-browed Coucal, Burchell's Coucal, White-fronted Bee-eater, Black-collared Barbet, Black Cuckooshrike, Gabon Boubou, Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike, Lesser Striped Swallow, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Terrestrial Brownbul, Ashy Flycatcher, and possibly the scarce Narina's Trogon. In the evening we'll look for African Wood Owl, which can usually be seen near the lodge, along with Fiery-necked Nightjar. Overnight at Drotsky's Cabins.

DAY 17 - TRANSFER & GROOTFONTEIN

We'll spend the early birding around our lodge. There are lots of birds to see and so we'll devote this morning to searching out any species previously missed. By mid-morning it will be time to depart for our 5-hour transfer back into Namibia and Roy's Rest Camp located east of Etosha National Park near Grootfontein. En route we'll make some stops to look for species not yet seen. We'll have additional chances to pick up Bradfield's Hornbill, White-crested Helmetshrike, Crimson-breasted Gonolek, and a variety of raptors. After arrival, we should have some time for birding around Roy's Rest Camp before dark. Overnight Roy's Rest Camp.

DAY 18 - ROY'S REST CAMP & WATERBERG PLATEAU

Roy's Rest Camp is a private property surrounded by bushveld woodland and arid scrub. There are a number of short walking trails on the property. Our primary purpose in visiting Roy's Rest Camp is to look for the Black-faced Babbler in case we missed it earlier. This species often appears at the waterhole, where a hide offers excellent photo opportunities. Other birds such as Gray Go-away-bird also appear there as well. In the near bushveld we're likely to find Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Violet Woodhoopoe, Common Scimitarbill, Southern Red-billed Hornbill, Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, Rosy-faced Lovebird, and Shaft-tailed Whydah. Around the campground and cabins we should see several species of sunbirds, weavers, and waxbills.

After lunch, we'll depart for the Waterberg Plateau, about a 3-hour drive. Waterberg is an isolated plateau north of Windhoek with dramatic red sandstone cliffs that are protected as a national park. The plateau below the Waterberg massif supports a unique mix of woodland birds, making it one of Namibia's best birding destinations. During the transfer we'll keep an eye out for raptors perched on telephone poles. Upon arrival we'll do some birding along the gravel road into the reserve. We may well see Pied Cuckoo, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Barred Wren-Warbler, Burchell's Starling, Kalahari Scrub-Robin, Chestnut Weaver, and Green-winged Pytilia along this road.

DAY 19 - WATERBERG PLATEAU & WINDHOEK

We'll begin this morning with very early birding to look for Hartlaub's Spurfowl if missed previously. This species is rarely seen except shortly after dawn but occurs in the scrub around the base of the Waterberg massif. Other birds of interest there include the endemic Damara Red-billed Hornbill, Rüppell's Parrot, White-tailed Shrike, Carp's Tit, and Rockrunner along with African Barred Owlet, Violet Woodhoopoe, Common Scimitarbill, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Pririt Batis, Crimson-breasted Gonolek, Green-backed Camaroptera, White-browed Scrub Robin, Marico Sunbird, White-bellied Sunbird, Chestnut Weaver, Violet-eared Waxbill.

We have a 4-hour drive back to Windhoek, so we'll depart in sufficient time to reach the airport in time for international departure. Many internatonal flights depart in early evening, but if your flight is earlier you can stay overnight at a hotel in Windhoek (not included in tour price). The tour ends at the airport.

 

 

 

 

 

• Photos from Past Tours
• Travel Information

BIRDING LOCALES
FOR THIS TOUR

• Brandberg White Lady Lodge
• Bwabwata National Park
• Drotsky's Cabins
• Kunene River Lodge
• Mahango Game Reserve & Popa Falls
• Naukluft Mountains
• Omaruru
• Roy's Camp
• Rundu Area
• Shamvura Camp
• Sossusvlei & Namib Desert
• Spitzkoppe
• Spreetshoogte Pass
• Swakopmund
• Walvis Bay
• Waterberg Plateau
• Windhoek & Avis Dam