Birding around Cape Town

Host: Richard Grant When: Anytime Length: A four-night itinerary is given but other options are available, including some one-day ones Number of guests: usually 2 to 4 Fee: For the 4-night tour, US$450/ £300 per person sharing. Single supplement will vary according to tour but we work on US$20/ £13 per night as a guideline. Prices are quoted on an all-inclusive basis but exclude airfares. Included are all entrance fees, meals, accommodation and airport pick up and drop off. You can hire Richard strictly as a guide at the rate of US$80 / £55 per day. Vehicle fee: US$13 / £9 per 100 kms if we use our vehicle.10% deposit on reservation. Balance in cash, bank transfer, bank guaranteed cheque or Bank Draft - seven days prior to Tour departure. All major credit cards accepted by prior arrangement. ABOUT BIRDING AROUND CAPE TOWN: Considered one of the most beautiful cities on earth, Cape Town has much to offer the bird-watcher and naturalist. The indigenous flora of the area comprises the smallest of the six floral kingdoms of the world. This dazzling array of protea, erica, bulbous plants, succulents and spring annuals supports 200+ relatively easily seen bird species of which over 60 are endemic to Southern Africa. These endemics include 6 species unique to the vegetation of the area. Included here are the easily seen Cape Sugarbird and Orangebreasted Sunbird whilst birds like the Cape Rockjumper and Cape Siskin do not present too much of a problem. Probably the best time to visit the Cape from a birding perspective is in the Southern Hemisphere spring - late August - November. This is the height of both the spring flower and the breeding seasons. Masses of daisies, bulbous plants and succulents are in bloom. Southern Right Whale are easily seen from our shorelines between August and November. THE FOUR-NIGHT ITINERARY Day One: Cape Peninsula orientation tour - Atlantic seaboard: Constantia Nek for Knysna Warbler: Kommetjie for all the marine cormorants plus Antarctic Tern in winter; Cape Point Nature Reserve and Lighthouse - most southwesterly point on the continent of Africa; African Penguin breeding colony at Boulders Beach and home via the False Bay coast. Day Two: West Coast National Park. An extensive area of Coastal Fynbos which encircles the Langebaan Lagoon. In summer Langebaan hosts the largest number of migrant shorebirds in South Africa. In late winter and early spring the flowering annuals form a magnificent backdrop to a day's birding. The coastal fynbos supports some of the birds normally associated with the Karoo. Day Three: Sir Lowry's Pass - two/three hour easy mountain walk in search of some of the Cape Mountain Fynbos specials; Rooi Els - where the mountains literally come down to the sea; Helderberg Nature Reserve; Strandfontein Settlement Ponds - fifth most important wetland in South Africa in terms of bird numbers supported. Day Four: Melkbosstrand for a residue of shore birds; Philadelphia - the main wheat growing areas of the Western Cape - larks, pipits, wheatears etc, Paarl - in the heart of the Cape vineyards. We visit a Mountain Reserve and the Paarl Bird Sanctuary - the loveliest wetland in the Western Cape. Day Five: Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens - one of the world's leading indigenous gardens on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. Rondevlei Nature Reserve - South Africa's oldest ornithological field station. Afternoon free. We also have numerous other options, especially for day trips. One focuses on pelagics.