Namibia, Okavango, and Victoria Falls Birding Adventure

Namibia, Okavango and Victoria Falls Birding Adventure
November 2025/2026

This is a truly marvelous 2.5-week birding adventure, during which we sample three different countries and spectacular, diverse scenery. We start in the coastal Namib Desert with its impressive dune fields (inhabited by a desirable, localized endemic) and lagoons filled with flamingos, pelicans, shorebirds, and some really localized species such as Damara Tern and Chestnut-banded Plover. The mountains of the beautiful Namib Escarpment are next on our itinerary, and here we search for Rosy-faced Lovebird, Herero Chat, Rockrunner, Monteiro’s Hornbill, Damara Red-billed Hornbill, the incomparable, batis-like (although largely terrestrial) White-tailed Shrike, and other charismatic species of northern Namibia.

The cute White-tailed Shrike is a sought-after Namibian near-endemic.

Eventually we leave the desert and enter the grassland, savanna, and woodland of one of Africa’s greatest game parks, Etosha National Park. This must surely be one of the world’s best places for seeing Black Rhinoceros and big cats, along with all the other African megafauna. It is also excellent for a good range of very special birds, such as Namibia’s dazzling national bird, Crimson-breasted Shrike, the world’s heaviest flying bird, Kori Bustard, the diminutive Pygmy Falcon, and stacks more.

Etosha National Park is full of game, and is an especially good area to see Black Rhinoceros.

After Etosha we head into an incredibly bird-diverse tropical corner of Namibia, the Kavango East and Zambezi Regions (formerly the Caprivi Strip), and the adjacent panhandle of the Okavango Delta, which falls just within the borders of Botswana. The magnificent wetlands and woodlands in these parts support Pel’s Fishing Owl (this is the world’s most reliable place for this monster), White-backed Night Heron, Slaty Egret, Southern Carmine Bee-eater, and literally hundreds of other species, a rather large proportion of them spectacular. Finally, we bird around Livingstone in Zambia (with a brief foray to view Victoria Falls from the Zimbabwean side) for yet another rich assemblage of birds.

This birding tour covers a vast area and a huge range of habitats, from the coastal deserts to the land of big rivers. While Namibian distances are large, we minimize driving time and maximize birding time by starting in Walvis Bay, Namibia, and ending in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

This tour can be combined with our premium Comprehensive Subtropical/Eastern South Africa Birding Tour  which precedes this tour, for a 35-day Southern African adventure and even, preceding that, our Best of Cape Town and Beyond Birding Tour for an even longer, 42-day Southern African mega tour. Another possibility is to combine it with our Best of Madagascar: 14-day Birding and Wildlife tour.

Itinerary (18 days, 17 nights)

Day 1.  Arrival in Walvis Bay and coastal desert birding

Our birding guide fetches you from Walvis Bay airport, and we immediately start birding. The first site we usually visit is the picturesque red sand dune habitat across a (usually) dry riverbed around the village of Rooibank, right in the middle of the Namib Desert. A Namibian near-endemic, Dune Lark (formerly a Namibian endemic until it was lumped with Barlow’s Lark which also occurs in South Africa), is the main target here, but we often also find the almost pure-white desert form of Tractrac Chat. Our accommodation for two nights is at a place where one can sometimes literally see thousands of flamingos (usually about half-half Greater and Lesser Flamingos), migratory shorebirds from Eurasia, Great White Pelican, and all the rest.

Overnight: Lagoon Loge, Walvis Bay

Dune Lark, Namibia’s only endemic bird, should be seen around Walvis Bay.

Day 2. Walvis Bay Lagoon, Swakopmund, and other areas

Today we take a boat trip on Walvis Bay Lagoon that is focused mainly on marine mammals, such as Cape Fur Seal, Common Bottlenose Dolphin, the localized Heaviside’s Dolphin, and sometimes Southern Right Whale. But one also often sees some good birds from the boat, not the least of which is Damara Tern. But there is also an incredible drive we do later in the day that usually gives us close-up views of all the target birds of the lagoon – these include not only this rare, tiny tern but also Chestnut-banded Plover, Black-necked Grebe (often in large rafts), and hundreds of thousands of migrant waders. Today we also look for Gray’s Lark, a very pale Namib Desert near-endemic.

Overnight: Lagoon Loge, Walvis Bay

Day 3. The Namib Escarpment via the Spitzkoppe (the “Matterhorn of Namibia”)

Heading inland and northward we start encountering some spectacular mountains. The Spitzkoppe in particular is a huge inselberg that rises abruptly from the desert plain. The flat surrounding areas are good for Burchell’s Courser, Rüppell’s Korhaan, Ludwig’s Bustard, a number of localized lark species such as Karoo Long-billed Lark, etc. The mountains themselves are where we search for the enigmatic Herero Chat, noisy little flocks of Rosy-faced Lovebirds, a couple of hornbill species that are basically restricted to the Namib and adjacent arid habitats, Bradfield’s Swift, and many others.

The rocky areas near Omaruru offer some great habitat for watching hunting raptors, including Verreaux’s Eagle and African Hawk-Eagle as well as Augur Buzzard. A diminutive antelope, Kirk’s Dik-dik, is often encountered in the area.

Overnight: Ai-Aiba – The Rock Painting Lodge, Omaruru

Another Namib Desert special we’ll search for on this tour, Rüppell’s Korhaan.

Day 4. Birding the Namib Escarpment

Today we have the full day to continue birding the mountains of central Namibia. White-tailed Shrike, Hartlaub’s Spurfowl, Rüppell’s Parrot, and Rockrunner are four of the superstars of the show – all of them are very localized (occurring only in Namibia and a small part of Angola) and full of personality, not to mention striking-looking. Quite a number of brightly-colored seedeaters also vie for attention around the lodge.

We will likely bird a dry riverbed for another shot at Rüppell’s Parrot in the afternoon and then bird the general area. We might, if we’re lucky, also see Kaokoveld Slender Mongoose, Greater Kudu, Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra, or another mammal or two.

Overnight: Ai-Aiba – The Rock Painting Lodge, Omaruru

The stunning Rosy-faced Lovebird usually provide excellent views in the Namib Escarpment.

Day 5. Etosha National Park: birds and mammals

Etosha justifiably is rated as one of the best game parks in Africa. During our time in this amazing park, we will partake in an open-top game drive which is always a great way to experience the area’s birds and wildlife. This is big (and small) mammal country, where African Elephant, Black Rhinoceros, large herds of Springbok, Gemsbok, Plains Zebra, Blue Wildebeest, and many other herbivores lurk, meaning (excitingly) that there are also relatively high densities of predators and scavengers, such as Cheetah, Lion, Leopard, African Wildcat, Spotted Hyena, Black-backed Jackal, etc.

Although we stop to look at all the mammal species, birding is still the main focus. An isolated population of South Africa’s national bird, the beautiful Blue Crane, inhabits Etosha. Kori Bustard and its smaller relative, Northern Black Korhaan, are both common. Secretarybird and an absolute stack of raptors and vultures are always much in evidence. This is one of the best places in southern Africa for owls, and we often find the tiny African Scops Owl, the giant Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, and then also others such as the beautiful Southern White-faced Owl at their daytime roosts (usually in Halali Camp, where we sometimes stop for lunch on one of the days). Etosha must be one of the few sites where one has to kick Double-banded Courser from one’s feet. The unbelievably huge nests of Sociable Weaver are features of some areas, sometimes with Pygmy Falcon taking up residence in the same nests.

Overnight: Okaukuejo Camp, central Etosha

We’ll search for the scarce Burchell’s Courser in Etosha National Park.

Day 6. Bird and wildlife viewing in Etosha National Park

We will have the full day in this impressive park birding the open plains and various waterholes. We hope to find a multitude of Lark species, including Eastern Clapper, Stark’s, Sabota, Pink-billed, Fawn-colored, and Rufous-naped, as well as larger and more brightly colored species such as Crimson-breasted Shrike, Gabar Goshawk, Greater Kestrel, Lappet-faced Vulture, and Namaqua Sandgrouse.

Overnight: Okaukuejo Camp, central Etosha

Day 7. Central to eastern Etosha National Park

Today we make our way from the central section of the park to the eastern edge. As we head farther east the bird species change gradually, and we hope to find Blue Crane, Secretarybird, Red-necked Falcon, Burchell’s Courser, and Caspian Plover among the usual suspects. Around Mokuti Lodge we should see Black-faced Babbler, Crimson-breasted Shrike, White-browed Scrub Robin, Black-faced Waxbill, Bearded Woodpecker, Pearl-spotted Owlet, and other woodland species.

Overnight: Mokuti Etosha Lodge, eastern Etosha

Etosha National Park is one of Africa’s great game parks, and is a major highlight on the tour!

Day 8. Full day in eastern Etosha National Park

We will have the full day to enjoy the birds and wildlife of eastern Etosha today. We will likely head up to the grasslands of Andoni Plains to look for Blue Crane, Pink-billed Lark, Eastern Clapper Lark, and Burchell’s Courser, while also having some time to bird the woodlands around our lodge for Black-faced Babbler and many others.

Overnight: Mokuti Etosha Lodge, eastern Etosha

Day 9. Transfer to and birding around Rundu

As we continue eastward the landscape becomes less arid, and today we start seeing some well-developed woodlands for the first time during our tour. The tall woodlands east of Rundu are home to some tricky birds, such as Rufous-bellied Tit (which can be very thin on the ground and tough to find). Sharp-tailed Starling (along with the more common but also more spectacularly plumaged Greater Blue-eared Starling) and Souza’s Shrike are two tough birds of human-modified woodland sometimes in poor condition. There is a plethora of other great birds to be found here, both woodland birds and waterbirds, such as cuckooshrikes, orioles, Green-capped Eremomela, Tinkling Cisticola, Swamp Boubou, Dwarf Bittern, Rufous-bellied Heron, and a rich assemblage of others.

We will also bird the wetlands around Rundu for Collared Pratincole, White-backed Duck, Baillon’s Crake, Greater Painted-snipe, and perhaps even Lesser Moorhen and Lesser Jacana.

Overnight: Taranga Safari Lodge or similar, Rundu

The relatively large Rufous-bellied Tit is one of the prized denizens found in the tall woodlands of the northeastern Namibia.

Day 10. Into northeastern Namibia

After some early-morning birding we will make the relatively short transfer to the Mahango area, which is incredibly biodiverse. We will have another shot at Souza’s Shrike, Sharp-tailed Starling, and Rufous-bellied Tit as we head east through the tall woodlands. We stay at a lodge near the tiny but impressively diverse Mahango Game Reserve, a protected area within Bwabwata National Park. Species to look for around the lodge include Meyer’s Parrot, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, African Golden Oriole, White-browed Robin-Chat, Brown Firefinch, and many others.

Overnight: Mahangu Safari Lodge or Ndhovu Safari Lodge, Divundu

Day 11. Mahango birding

We spend the day in the Mahango Game Reserve, enjoying birds such as Rock Pratincole and any of the birds mentioned for the previous day that we may have missed. Here we also add a great many new birds to our list, along with new mammals. African Buffalo occurs here but not in Etosha, and this is also one of the best places in the world to find the rare Roan Antelope and Sable Antelope. Wattled Crane, Slaty Egret, Western Banded Snake Eagle, Tinkling Cisticola, the oversized Coppery-tailed Coucal, several spectacular weavers with their bright yellow plumage and amazing nests, Greater Painted-snipe, and Grey-rumped Swallow are just a few of the many birds we’re likely to encounter at Mahango.

Overnight: Mahangu Safari Lodge or Ndhovu Safari Lodge, Divundu

African Skimmer is regular around the Okavango Panhandle.

Day 12. Into Botswana: the Okavango Panhandle

The Botswana border is only a short drive away. After crossing it one immediately enters a more open, overgrazed habitat, which is, interestingly, the best place to see the localized Bradfield’s Hornbill. At Drotsky’s Cabins the loud grunts of Hippopotamus startle you as you fall asleep in your cabins; while in the water during the day, they do lurk around the lodge grounds at night eating grass – it’s not advisable to walk around after dark, as this is Africa’s most dangerous animal. The lodge grounds are a haven for birdlife, and we can expect to find Hartlaub’s Babbler, White-browed Coucal, and Meves’s Starling, with African Barred Owlet in the nearby woodlands. Brown Firefinch and its more common cousins, Red-billed Firefinch and Blue Waxbill, often feed on the lawns. The liquid calls of Swamp Boubou and coucals add greatly to the atmosphere.

Overnight: Drotsky’s Cabins, Shakawe, Botswana

Day 13. A full day in Botswana

We spend a lot of time birding by boat today as we slowly cruise the upper panhandle of the Okavango Delta. This day is usually excellent for photography, as we are able to approach many birds and animals really close from the boat, and highlights include Pel’s Fishing Owl, Slaty Egret, White-backed Night Heron, African Skimmer, African Pygmy Goose, Long-toed Lapwing, Coppery-tailed Coucal, and Southern Carmine Bee-eater. We may also be lucky enough to encounter the rare, swamp-dwelling Sitatunga antelope.

In the nearby woodlands we hope to find African Barred Owlet, Narina Trogon, Retz’s Helmetshrike, Grey-headed Kingfisher, African Golden Oriole, and Crested Francolin, among others.

Overnight: Drotsky’s Cabins, Shakawe, Botswana

The Okavango Delta is surely the best place in the world to find Pel’s Fishing Owl – we stand a good chance of finding one on this tour!

Day 14. Back into Namibia and continuing east

We continue birding the wetlands and woodlands of this bird-rich corner of Namibia. We spend two nights on the banks of the Zambezi River, from where we can do boat trips and birding/game drives. A late-afternoon boat trip along the Zambezi is extremely productive and usually produces great sightings of African Finfoot, White-backed Night Heron, Half-collared Kingfisher, White-crowned Lapwing, African Skimmer, and Rock Pratincole. We often head out this evening to look for night birds such as African Wood and Western Barn Owls and a host of Nightjars including Fiery-necked, Square-tailed, and the spectacular Pennant-winged!

Overnight: Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge or similar, Katima Mulilo

Day 15. Birding around Katima Mulilo

Today we have the full day to explore the productive woodlands in the far-northeastern Namibia. Yellow-throated Leaflove was discovered as a breeding bird on the Namibia/Zambia border (the Namibian side) in 2015, hundreds of kilometers south of its previously known range, and is one of today’s targets. Olive Woodpecker, Schalow’s Turaco, and Western Banded Snake Eagle all occur in the riparian vegetation along the banks of the Zambezi River.

In the surrounding woodlands we search for Racket-tailed Roller, Arnot’s Chat, Copper Sunbird, Striped Kingfisher, Grey-headed Bushshrike, Grey Penduline Tit, Wood Pipit, and Lizard Buzzard.

Seasonal pans in the area are explored for Hottentot Teal, Rosy-throated Longclaw, White-backed Duck, Lesser Jacana, Rufous-bellied Heron, Luapula Cisticola, and perhaps even Black Coucal.

Overnight: Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge or similar, Katima Mulilo

The spectacular Pennant-winged Nightjar can be seen breeding around Katima Mulilo.

Days 16 – 17. Into Zambia and birding Victoria Falls

After some early morning birding around Katima Mulilo we will make our way through the border into Zambia. As we head further east we will pass through more broad-leafed woodland, where we may see Southern Ground Hornbills as they move around in small family groups. We eventually reach the busy little town of Livingstone, where we will be based for the next two nights on the banks of the Zambezi River. The woodlands outside of Livingstone hold good numbers of Racket-tailed Roller along with Miombo Pied Barbet (here at its southern extent), Miombo Rock Thrush, Stierling’s Wren-Warbler, Green-capped Eremomela, Cut-throat Finch, Lizard Buzzard, and Pale Flycatcher.

We spend some time admiring Victoria Falls, ‘the smoke that thunders’, from the Zimbabwean side, but it’s important to note that the whole area has spectacularly rich birdlife, so we’ll add a lot of good new birds to our list near the end of the tour. Birding around camp is extremely productive with regular sightings of Collared Palm Thrush, Natal Spurfowl, Bearded Scrub Robin, Schalow’s Turaco, Western Banded Snake Eagle, Trumpeter Hornbill, Olive Woodpecker, Broad-billed Roller, and other species along the Zambezi River.

We usually find about 400 bird species on this tour of varied habitats – and we also get one of the highest mammal lists of any of our tours on this transect.

Overnight: Camp Nkwazi, Livingstone, Zambia

Racket-tailed Roller can be seen in the broad-leaved woodlands around Livingstone.

Day 18. Departure

Your flight can leave Livingstone any time today.

Please note that the itinerary above cannot be guaranteed as it is only a rough guide and can be changed (usually slightly) due to factors such as availability of accommodation, updated information on the state of accommodation, roads, or birding sites, the discretion of the guides and other factors. In addition, we sometimes have to use a different international guide from the one advertised due to tour scheduling.

Namibia, Botswana and Victoria Falls Trip Report

02 – 19 NOVEMBER 2024

 By Dominic Rollinson

Watching African Skimmers skim-feeding was a sure trip highlight.

Overview

This southern African birding and wildlife safari covers the breadth of Namibia, taking in a large variety of habitats from the Namib Desert near Walvis Bay, in Namibia, to the subtropics of Victoria Falls, in Zimbabwe and Zambia. This diversity of habitats means we normally end up with an impressive bird list and this particular trip was no different and we happily recorded 396 bird species. Of course, it was not only about the quantity of species seen but also the quality, with many Namibian near-endemics and regional specials found. This is always an enjoyable and feel-good tour, with generally excellent infrastructure geared towards eco-tourism and high-quality accommodation (with tasty and varied meals) and easy access to areas with high diversities and abundances of birds and other wildlife.

Some of the standout bird species on this southern African birding tour included Pel’s Fishing Owl, Schalow’s Turaco, White-backed Night Heron, Lesser Jacana, Southern Carmine Bee-eater (at their breeding colony), Pennant-winged Nightjar, Racket-tailed Roller, Southern Ground Hornbill, Martial Eagle, Red-necked Falcon and Kori Bustard. While some of the near-endemics and regional specials included Slaty Egret, Rüppell’s Korhaan, Burchell’s Sandgrouse, Damara Red-billed and Monteiro’s Hornbills, Rüppell’s Parrot, Souza’s Shrike, Dune, Stark’s and Pink-billed Larks, Pale-throated Greenbul, White-tailed Shrike, Herero Chat, Rufous-eared Warbler, Sharp-tailed Starling and many others.

This Cheetah in Caprivi Game Park was a pleasant surprise.

As always, this tour included many fantastic sightings of large and charismatic megafauna including Lion, Cheetah, African Elephant, Black Rhinoceros, Common Hippopotamus, Spotted Hyena, Cape and Bat-eared Foxes, Angolan Slender (Black) Mongoose, Giraffe, and (Hartmann’s) Mountain Zebra. We recorded an impressive 49 species of mammals on this tour! A memorable predation event involving a Bushveld Sengi and Horned Adder was also certainly one of the highlights of the trip for many!

Detailed Report

Day 1, 2^nd November 2024. Arrival and Walvis Bay birding

As some of the group had arrived the previous day in Namibia, we decided to make an early start and birded the Walvis Bay coast and salt works which, as always, proved highly productive with some lovely sightings of the masses of shorebirds which winter in the area. Some of the highlights included the likes of Common Ringed, Chestnut-banded and White-fronted Plovers, Sanderling, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Bar-tailed Godwit and the scarce Marsh Sandpiper. Terns were in high abundance too and we added Common, Sandwich, Greater Crested, Black and a single Arctic Tern. First prize, however, went to good looks at a single Damara Tern which is always high on the agenda at Walvis Bay. A single Osprey was a surprise, and we of course acquainted ourselves with the huge numbers of Greater and Lesser Flamingos and a few massive Great White Pelicans.

Lesser Flamingoes provided us with fantastic views in Walvis Bay (photo Nico Heyning).

After lunch I collected the last few tour participants, and we again enjoyed some more coastal birding in the late afternoon where we saw most of the common shorebirds listed above and further improved our looks at Damara Tern with a few close flybys. We finished the day enjoying our dinner while overlooking the bay with both Lesser and Greater Flamingos adding more color to the scene.

Day 2, 3^rd November 2024. Walvis Bay boat cruise and birding

This morning we headed out before sunrise to nearby Rooibank, to some low red sand dunes along the edge of the dry Kuiseb River to look for Dune Lark. Unfortunately, on our way to the parking spot I managed to get us properly stuck in some very soft sand. About 90 minutes later, with many rocks, bricks and logs laid onto the sand track and with deflated tyres, we managed to get the van out and just about made it back to our accommodation in time for breakfast. We decided the procedure was a carefully planned team bonding activity! The Dune Lark would have to wait until later.

A European Storm Petrel showing its clear white underwing flash (photo Nico Heyning).

After a rushed breakfast back at our lodge, we headed out for our Walvis Bay boat cruise which is always an enjoyable way to spend the morning. While out on the water we had looks at Sooty Shearwater, White-chinned Petrel and an unexpected European Storm Petrel. We couldn’t have asked for better looks at the many massive Great White Pelicans and also enjoyed Afro-Australian Fur Seals cheekily hopping up onto our boat for a fish snack. We were excited to find a friendly group of Common Bottle-nosed Dolphins which kept us entertained with some impressive jumps clear out of the water while a group of around seven Humpback Whales also showed incredibly well. Masses of terns were seen (mostly Common Terns) with good numbers of Black, Sandwich, Caspian and Greater Crested Terns seen too. We finished the boat cruise with a tasty second breakfast spread, including oysters and champagne (for some).

Once back on dry land we picked up some lunch and made our way north through the picturesque town of Swakopmund which has some impressive German architecture. We stopped in the white sand plains north of town to look for Gray’s Lark, but despite a concerted effort the birds would not show at their normally reliable stakeout. We then made a quick detour on our way back to Walvis Bay to see the impressive Welwitschia mirabilis plant – a gymnosperm which is restricted to the Namib Desert of Namibia and Angola. We found examples of both male and female plants in the area and even managed to find a few Welwitschia Bugs which are suspected to play a role in the plant’s pollination. Amazingly, these plants are thought to often live to over 1,000 years old, sometimes as old as 2,000 years! In the area we also managed to find the pale Namib Desert form of Tractrac Chat.

After reuniting Ruth and Todd with their luggage at Walvis Bay airport, we headed back to Rooibank to have a proper attempt at finding Dune Lark. This species was, until recently, considered a Namibian endemic, however, with the lumping of Barlow’s Lark (which occurs across the border into South Africa), it means Namibia has lost its only bird endemic species. After ensuring we avoided the sand track, we set out into the low red sand dunes. The larks took a little longer than usual, however, we eventually enjoyed good looks of a singing bird in the lovely late-afternoon light. We then returned to Walvis Bay after an eventful and fun first full day of the tour.

We eventually managed good views of Dune Lark near Walvis Bay (photo Nico Heyning).

Day 3, 4^th November 2024. Walvis Bay to Erongo Mountains, Spitzkoppe birding en route

Today was an even earlier start as we wanted to get out into the Namib Desert before it heated up too much. After passing through Swakopmund we decided to have another go at Gray’s Lark which unfortunately again proved unsuccessful. Saying goodbye to the Atlantic Ocean, our destination was Spitzkoppe (meaning ‘sharp head’ in German) which is a group of granite inselbergs that rise out of the Namib Desert, reaching a height of 2,200 feet (670 meters) above the desert floor. Interestingly, the still photos used as backgrounds for the ‘Dawn of Man’ sequence in 2001: A Space Odyssey were from the Spitzkoppe Mountains! As we made our way through the Namib Desert, we were happy to find a small group of the near-endemic Rüppell’s Korhaan.

Rüppell’s Korhaan was seen well in the Namib Desert (photo Nico Heyning).

We weren’t only visiting Spitzkoppe to enjoy the dramatic beauty of the area though and immediately upon our arrival we saw our target, Herero Chat (another Namibian near endemic). This species can often require a large amount of time and effort and so we were relieved to find it before we had even hopped out the van. While we were enjoying the chat a Bushveld Sengi (elephant shrew) shot out of some nearby bushes and when we found it again a few meters away it seemed to be on its way to dying and passed away in front of our eyes, which left us all perplexed as to what had caused its demise!

Our short stint at Spitzkoppe proved to be very productive with other additions to the list including Mountain Chat, White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, Grey Go-away-bird, Gabar Goshawk, Black-chested Prinia, Chestnut-vented Warbler, Dusky Sunbird and White-throated Canary. As we got back to the van, Kay decided to have another look at the sengi and was excited to find that it was busy being devoured by a Horned Adder which we watched for the next ten minutes! We put two and two together and realized that the elephant shrew must have been bitten just before we saw it, with the adder tracking it down while we were away birding. Certainly, an early trip highlight!

We then took the long and bumpy road to the Erongo Mountains, arriving in the early afternoon for a late lunch and some time off during the sweltering heat. Once it had cooled down, we took a walk around the picturesque granite outcrops in the area where we unsuccessfully looked for Hartlaub’s Spurfowl and Rockrunner. We did, however, find Southern Grey-headed Sparrow, Long-billed Crombec, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Large Rock Martin and many Pale-winged Starlings.

The Horned Adder slowly swallowing the Bushveld Sengi at Spitzkoppe.

Later that evening we enjoyed our checklist session while being distracted by calling Freckled Nightjars, some even perching on the roof of the restaurant.

Day 4, 5^th November 2024. Erongo Mountains birding

We took advantage of the cooler temperatures in the early morning and met at sunrise and again continued our search for the spurfowl and Rockrunner in the granite koppies around our lodge. Yet again our efforts proved unsuccessful, however, we did find many other exciting species such as African Hawk-Eagle, African Grey Hornbill, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Marico Sunbird and Grey-backed Camaroptera. A young albino Rock Hyrax was an interesting observation, and we all wondered how long this highly visible creature would survive! Other new mammals included Chacma Baboon and a distant (Hartmann’s) Mountain Zebra.

After a late and impressive breakfast spread, we headed out for a short drive through the Erongo Conservancy. As it was already late morning, the mercury had already begun to rise, however, we did manage to find Monteiro’s Hornbill, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, White-tailed Shrike, Pririt Batis, Marico Flycatcher, Kalahari Scrub Robin and Short-toed Rock Thrush. While on our drive we also encountered some large animals including South African Ground Squirrel, Springbok, Damara Dik-dik, Steenbok, Gemsbok, Greater Kudu and Giraffe.

This juvenile African Hawk-Eagle provided good looks in the Erongo Mountains.

We then enjoyed a leisurely lunch and some downtime during the extreme midday heat. In the early afternoon we took a drive out to a nearby dry riverbed where we were after Rüppell’s Parrots which are frequently found feeding in the trees here. As hoped for, the parrots were again around today and we eventually enjoyed looks at yet another Namibia near endemic. Other interesting birds seen in the dry riverbed included African Hoopoe, Damara Red-billed Hornbill, White-tailed Shrike, Black-backed Puffback, Black-chested Prinia, Chestnut-vented Warbler, Cape Starling, Groundscraper Thrush and Kalahari Scrub Robin.

That evening, during dinner, we watched good numbers of Double-banded Sandgrouse coming in to drink at the waterhole once darkness had fallen, with several vocal Freckled Nightjars around too. After dinner, we decided to head out for a quick night drive through the Erongo Conservancy which proved rather productive, with highlights including African Savanna Hare, Southern African Springhare and several Damara Dik-diks.

Day 5, 6^th November 2024. Erongo Mountains to Etosha National Park

We again birded around the lodge for the morning where we again concentrated on Hartlaub’s Spurfowl and Rockrunner. We eventually had to give up with the spurfowls after not hearing a peep from them, however, right at the last minute we managed to find a Rockrunner calling close to the lodge. Other bird species that kept us entertained during our walk included Grey Go-away-bird, African Hawk-Eagle, White-tailed Shrike, Pririt Batis, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Short-toed Rock Thrush and Dusky Sunbird. After another scrumptious breakfast we loaded up the van and started making our way northwards to Etosha National Park.

The drive was a longish one and didn’t prove too eventful, however, we enjoyed our first sightings of Purple Roller (just north of Omaruru) as well as White-rumped Swift and Greater Striped Swallow.

We arrived in Etosha in the early afternoon and checked into our accommodation at Okaukuejo Camp (a former German fort built in 1901 – the watch tower is part of the remnants of the fort) and enjoyed some time off during the heat of the early afternoon. Later in the afternoon (when it should have cooled down a bit but had not) we enjoyed a drive east of camp along the edge of the massive and dry Etosha Pan. Highlights along this drive included many open plains birds such as Common Ostrich, Double-banded Sandgrouse, Kori Bustard, Red-crested and Northern Black Korhaans, Pale Chanting Goshawk, Cape Crow, Stark’s Lark, Chat Flycatcher and Great Sparrow.  While waiting at Gemsbokvlakte waterhole we were entertained by Giraffe and Black Rhinoceros which came down to drink as well as a couple Black-backed Jackals – a lovely way to finish the afternoon.

Kori Bustards are always plentiful in Etosha National Park.

Later that evening after dinner, we enjoyed some time at the waterhole (a definite highlight of camps in Etosha) where we found bathing Black Rhinoceroses as well as a few Rufous-cheeked Nightjars which were feeding on insects attracted by the floodlights. This particular waterhole must surely be the best publicly accessible spot to view Black Rhinoceros in all of Africa. Not only is it a reliable spot to see the rhinos but you can watch the animals, sometimes for hours on end, as they go about socializing, and even vocalizing!

Day 6, 7^th November 2024. Central Etosha; birds and large game

This morning we enjoyed a private open-top game drive from Okaukuejo. We again made our way east of camp and enjoyed further great sightings. Avian highlights of the morning included African Grey Hornbill, European Bee-eater, Greater Kestrel, Red-necked Falcon, Rufous-naped, Stark’s and Red-capped Larks, Rufous-eared Warbler and Scaly Weaver. While some of our mammalian highlights included African Savanna Elephant, Black-backed Jackal, Banded Mongoose, Plains Zebra, Impala and Common Eland.

We got back into Okaukuejo in the late morning and decided to head out for a walk around the rest camp, which proved productive. It was good to stretch our legs after the morning in the vehicle and enjoyed the likes of Namaqua Dove, Little Grebe, Black-headed Heron, Purple Roller, Acacia Pied Barbet, Cardinal Woodpecker, Brubru, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Southern White-crowned Shrike, Spotted and Marico Flycatchers, Marico Sunbird, Sociable Weaver, Red-headed Finch, Shaft-tailed Whydah and Black-throated Canary. We ate lunch and then took some time off, before meeting up again in the late afternoon for another drive. The afternoon was a bit quieter, however, we did manage to find Namaqua Sandgrouse, Bateleur, Tawny Eagle, Red-necked Falcon, Grey-backed Sparrow-Lark, Spike-heeled, Stark’s and Pink-billed Larks and Ant-eating Chat. We searched for Pygmy Falcons which nest inside the many Sociable Weavers nests in the area but, despite a concerted effort, we could not find our primary target for the afternoon. After dinner, some of us again enjoyed looks at Black Rhinos at the waterhole.

Red-necked Falcons are usually seen well in Etosha – this trip was no exception.

Day 7, 8^th November 2024. Central to eastern Etosha; birds and large game

We had an early breakfast this morning as we had a long drive ahead of us, through the eastern half of Etosha. The drive was only about 100 miles (160 kilometers), however, it invariably takes most of the day because we travel at low speeds with many birding and wildlife stops en route. As we slowly made our way through the park, we continued to add new birds with some of the morning’s top birds including Lanner Falcon, Desert Cisticola and Red-breasted Swallow. It was, however, mammals that stole the show this morning with some incredible sightings of a single Cape Fox and a small family of Bat-eared Foxes.

In the late morning, we entered Halali Camp and immediately began our search for a few special bird targets. We were successful and soon found Bare-cheeked Babblers and Violet Wood Hoopoes which both showed very well for us. The camp is always very birdy and we managed to find Namaqua Dove, Southern Yellow-billed and Southern Red-billed Hornbills, White-crested Helmetshrike, Red-backed Shrike and Golden-breasted Bunting.

Halali Camp in Etosha is an excellent place to see Bare-cheeked Babbler.

Day 8, 9^th November 2024. Eastern Etosha; birds and large animals

We had the exciting prospect of a full day in eastern Etosha today and, after an early breakfast, we made our way back into the park to Dik-dik Drive, near Namutoni Camp. Along this circular drive we added the likes of Black-faced Babbler (about the only area of Etosha where this species occurs), White-browed Scrub Robin, White-bellied Sunbird, Red-billed Quelea, Red-headed Finch, Violet-eared and Blue Waxbills, Green-winged Pytilia and Shaft-tailed Whydah. Afterwards we headed north of Namutoni towards the Andoni Plains. En route we added brief flybys of Burchell’s Sandgrouse as well as Common Scimitarbill, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Crimson-breasted Shrike and Barred Wren-Warbler. The open areas of the Andoni Plains were a little on the quiet side, but we did still manage to add Lappet-faced and White-backed Vultures, Bateleur, Eastern Clapper Lark, Buffy and African Pipits and a massive male Lion which appeared to have an injured leg. The waterholes in the area yielded South African Shelduck, Cape and Red-billed Teals and Ruff. On our way back south to Namutoni we stopped at a couple of waterholes and enjoyed good, long looks at drinking African Savanna Elephants as well as Greater Kudu and Hartebeest.

We were treated to scenes like this in Etosha. Here a Black Rhinoceros and a Giraffe compete for a waterhole.

We then entered Namutoni Camp (another old German fort) and enjoyed a late lunch. After lunch, we took a walk across to the waterhole, which had a few interesting birds around such as Allen’s Gallinule (an unusual record for Etosha), Marsh Sandpiper and Marabou Stork. Other quality birds seen around Namutoni included African Cuckoo, Southern White-crowned Shrike, Red-faced Mousebird, Marico Sunbird, Red-billed Buffalo Weaver and Lesser Masked Weaver.

We returned to our lovely lodge in the late afternoon and enjoyed the early afternoon at our leisure.  A late afternoon walk did not produce too much different, although we did enjoy further looks at Pearl-spotted Owlet and Emerald-spotted Wood Dove.

A trip to Etosha is never complete without a Lion sighting.

Day 9, 10^th November 2024. Etosha National Park to the Kavango East Region

We had another long drive ahead of us today and so, after an early morning walk around the lodge (adding Carp’s Tit, Chestnut Weaver, Black Cuckoo, Black-faced Waxbill and African Paradise Flycatcher), we had our breakfast and loaded up the van. We made a big movement east today, which resulted in a big change in the habitat as we entered the lusher Kavango East Region. Here tall woodlands dominate, and, in these woodlands, we came cross Wahlberg’s Eagle, Magpie Shrike and Fawn-colored Lark.

In the early afternoon, we arrived at our lodge, which is ideally set along the edge of the Cubango River, overlooking Angola, and we took some time off after the long drive. Some late afternoon birding around the lodge grounds resulted in many new species, with the crème de la crème being the long-staying vagrant Ross’s Turaco (well found by Tim). This species is extremely rare in Namibia, however, this lone bird has now been around the lodge grounds for the last couple of years and has entertained many twitchers and birders! The birding around the lodge grounds was, as usual, very productive and we added many new birds. Some of the highlights here included Senegal Coucal, Red-chested Cuckoo, Common Swift, African Wattled Lapwing, African Openbill, Woodland Kingfisher, Meyer’s Parrot, Swamp Boubou, Terrestrial Brownbul, Arrow-marked Babbler, Kurrichane Thrush, White-browed Robin-Chat, Holub’s Golden Weaver and Southern Brown-throated Weaver.

Later that evening, after dinner, we popped out briefly and soon managed to find the calling African Barred Owlet which we had heard earlier.

African Barred Owlet was seen on a nocturnal walk (photo Nico Heyning).

Day 10, 11^th November 2024. East through the Kavango East Region, into Botswana

We spent a couple of hours before breakfast, birding around the property, which was very bird-rich and we further added Hartlaub’s Babbler, Ashy Flycatcher and Red-eyed Dove to our rapidly growing list. We made it back to the dining area just as the heavens opened and for the next 30 minutes or so we watched an almighty downpour.

After breakfast we loaded up the van and carried on eastwards. We stopped at the sewage works just outside of Rundu, where we quickly added Red-knobbed Coot, African Swamphen and Lesser Swamp Warbler. Over the next couple of hours, we enjoyed a couple birding stops in dense woodland along the way, which added the likes of White-breasted Cuckooshrike (brief flight views for some), Tinkling Cisticola, Southern Black Flycatcher and Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow.

We arrived at the Muhembo border crossing in the early afternoon which, as usual, was quick and painless and before we knew it, we were in Botswana and making our way towards the town of Shakawe. We were staying at Xaro Lodge, a lovely lodge on the edge of the Okavango Panhandle and soon caught the boat to our lodge. The boat ride to our lodge added our first looks at African Skimmer, Collared Pratincole, Striated Heron, Purple Heron, Giant and Malachite Kingfishers, Broad-billed Roller and Chirping Cisticola. After checking into our rooms, we enjoyed a quick walk around the property, which further yielded Green Wood Hoopoe and Meves’s Starling.

We finished the day, with a drink in hand, overlooking the Kavango River as we watched flyover Great White Egret, Purple Heron and White-faced Whistling Duck. That night some of us heard the distant boom of Pel’s Fishing Owl, hopefully a good omen for tomorrow’s adventure!

Day 11, 12^th November 2024. Okavango Panhandle boat cruise and birding

We started the morning with a walk around the tall riverine forest and woodland at the back of the property (with the lodge’s guide, Tom) with our main target being a large ginger owl. It took some time but eventually Tom spotted a roosting Pel’s Fishing Owl high up in a tree. We enjoyed prolonged views of this most-wanted owl, although it was quite obscured by thick vegetation. Other highlights of this walk included Mourning Collared Dove, African Green Pigeon, Square-tailed Nightjar, Saddle-billed Stork, Little Sparrowhawk, African Barred Owlet, Greater Honeyguide, Meyer’s Parrot and Broad-billed Roller. Once back at the lodge we enjoyed observing some of the roosting bats in the area, including Peter’s Epauletted Fruit Bat and Mauritian Tomb Bat.

Pel’s Fishing Owl was a strong candidate for bird of the trip.

After our early morning walk, we enjoyed a quick sit-down breakfast before heading out on our first boat trip of the day. This morning we headed south along the panhandle, with the aim of making it to a nearby floodplain. En route to the floodplain we had some fine views of Coppery-tailed Coucal, African Swamphen, Black Crake, Water Thick-knee, Long-toed Lapwing, African Skimmer, Goliath Heron, African Marsh Harrier and African Fish Eagle. Along the way, we also had brief looks at a Rufous-bellied Heron as it flew by us. Arriving at the floodplain we took a walk out and eventually had good looks at Slaty Egrets feeding alongside Black Herons and Yellow-billed Egrets. The Okavango wetlands must represent one of the most reliable places in the world to see Slaty Egret, a rather range-restricted species. While out on the floodplain, we also added Plain-backed Pipit, another new bird for our list. On our way back to the lodge, Tom picked out a roosting White-backed Night Heron, hidden deep in some riverside vegetation.

Later that afternoon, after a few hours off during the midday heat, we headed back out in the boat and this time made our way northwards along the main channel. Highlights of the afternoon included African Pygmy Goose, Common Swift, African Snipe, European Honey Buzzard, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Greater Swamp Warbler, Southern Brown-throated Weaver and Fan-tailed Widowbird. We again ended the day enjoying a drink on the banks of the Cubango River, while watching various herons and egrets flying by, including Black-crowned Night Heron and African Sacred Ibis which were both new trip birds.

Massive Goliath Herons were enjoyed along our Okavango boat cruises.

Day 12, 13^th November 2024. Back into Namibia and birding the Mahango area

We again decided to take a walk in the woodland behind the lodge to try improve our views of Pel’s Fishing Owl and see what else we might find here. This morning the owl proved more co-operative as it sat out on a more exposed perch, allowing us to improve our views and photos. Other nice additions this morning included African Golden Oriole and Grey Tit-Flycatcher, unfortunately the calling Little Rush Warblers would not show themselves though.

We bade our farewells to Xaro Lodge and made our way back through the Botswana-Namibia border, which again proved quick and easy. We took our time as we made our way back north through Mahangu Game Reserve and enjoyed large numbers of birds and animals out in the floodplain and in the surrounding woodlands. Some of our avian highlights for the couple of hours spent here included White-browed Coucal, Wattled Crane (as many as five birds!), Long-toed Lapwing, Collared Pratincole, African Openbill, Marabou and Yellow-billed Storks, Little Bee-eater, Lesser Grey Shrike, Fawn-colored Lark, Burnt-necked Eremomela and Kurrichane Thrush. We were also entertained by large numbers of animals such as African Savanna Elephant, Plains Zebra, Common Warthog, Common Hippopotamus and several antelope species including Tsessebe, Impala, Southern Lechwe, Southern Reedbuck and Southern Bushbuck.

We arrived at our accommodation along the edge of the Cubango River (this time in Namibia) in the early afternoon and enjoyed some time off during the heat of the day. Once it had cooled down a bit, we boarded our private boat and enjoyed a relaxed trip along the Cubango River. One of our early stops was a Southern Carmine Bee-eater colony, where we spent a while enjoying eye-level views of these beautifully colored bee-eaters, with Little and White-fronted Bee-eaters also seen nearby. Other standout species on our boat cruise included Knob-billed Duck, Rock Pratincole, African Skimmer, White-winged Tern, Striated Heron, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater and Holub’s Golden Weaver. To finish the boat trip, we enjoyed sundowners on a small island overlooking Popa Falls, with a distant storm rumbling in the background.

We enjoyed close-up views of a colony of Southern Carmine Bee-eaters along the Cubango River.

Day 13, 14^th November 2024. Birding the Mahangu area

This morning we had a very early start so that we could arrive in woodlands about 50 miles (70 kilometers) west of Divundu to look for a few scarce and localized targets; namely Souza’s Shrike, Sharp-tailed Starling and Rufous-bellied Tit. We picked up the area’s local guide and expert, Christoph, and made our way west and managed to arrive just after sunrise. After a quick bite to eat, we set off into the woodlands and quickly started finding interesting bird species such as Shikra, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Purple Roller, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Brown-backed Honeybird, Chinspot Batis, Fawn-colored Lark, Tinkling Cisticola, Neddicky (Piping Cisticola), Southern Yellow White-eye, Pale and Southern Black Flycatchers and Yellow-fronted Canary. After about 30 minutes we arrived at the Souza’s Shrike territory and soon thereafter we found the bird in question and managed prolonged looks at this scarce resident.

Souza’s Shrike was one of our targets in the woodlands west of Divundu.

We then moved to another nearby patch of woodland where we soon found Sharp-tailed Starling and also found a few attractive Cut-throat Finches while looking at the starling. After some work we eventually had prolonged and nearby views of a group of about six Sharp-tailed Starlings which were great to see. We spent some time birding the general area here and managed to further add Diederik and African Cuckoos, Striped Kingfisher, Black-headed Oriole, African Paradise Flycatcher, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Arnot’s Chat and Golden-breasted Bunting. Despite searching a few other areas for the Rufous-bellied Tit, we eventually had to accept fate and made our way back to our lodge for lunch.

We again took time off during the heat of the day, then headed out to a nearby floodplain which we birded for a couple of hours and managed to add a few new species. We had hoped to find Temminck’s Coursers here and it did not take too long for a small group to show and provide us with good looks. Other highlights here included Meyer’s Parrot, White-throated, Lesser Striped and Mosque Swallows as well as Lesser Grey Shrike. We spent some time scanning the river which further added Water Thick-knee, Common Greenshank, African Skimmer and Collared Pratincole.

Day 14, 15^th November 2024. Transfer to Zambezi Region

We had a long drive ahead of us today, so started with a relaxed walk in the area surrounding the lodge. The birding was a little slow this morning, but we did eventually add Brown-crowned Tchagra, Black-faced Waxbill, Village Indigobird and drastically improved our views of Bradfield’s Hornbill,with a confiding bird seen displaying nearby to us.

After breakfast, we loaded up the van and hit the long straight road to Katima Mulilo, as we continued on our way eastwards through the Zambezi Region. Excitingly, we drove through Caprivi Game Park for some of the journey and a couple of roadside stops added Martial Eagle, Bateleur, Lizard Buzzard and Common Ostrich, while the undoubted highlight was when Nico shouted out ‘Cheetah’ and we turned the van around to find a lone Cheetah sat just off the side of the road! We watched this regal animal for a while as it nonchalantly lay in the shade of a tree. We couldn’t believe our luck/Nico’s skill at spotting it and happily continued on our way east.

We arrived at our next lodge just outside Katima Mulilo, on the banks of the Zambezi River, in the early afternoon and boarded a boat to enjoy another private boat cruise. Our big target this afternoon was African Finfoot, which did not prove tricky to find, and over the course of the cruise we probably found five or six different individuals. Once finfoot was sorted, we moved onto other species and managed to further find Schalow’s Turaco, White-browed Coucal, White-crowned Lapwing, Greater Painted-snipe, African Skimmer, White-backed Night Heron, Giant and Brown-hooded Kingfishers, Pale-throated Greenbul and Holub’s Golden Weaver.

We had relatively good views of White-backed Night Heron along the Zambezi River.

After dinner (with African Wood Owl as nice distraction), the day was not yet done, as a few of us headed out on a night drive to look for various owls and nightjars. Our main target was the spectacular Pennant-winged Nightjar and an impressive male duly obliged for us and gave us fantastic looks as it flew leisurely by, with full pennants on display! While out in the woodlands, we managed to find Fiery-necked Nightjar, African Scops Owl and Southern White-faced Owl. A fitting end to another wonderful day’s birding!

Day 15, 16^th November 2024. Katima Mulilo birding

We had the full day to explore the exciting wetlands and woodlands of this incredibly bird-rich corner of Namibia and set out early to look for a pair of African Broadbills which had recently been seen nearby. Unfortunately, the broadbills were a no-show, but we did manage to find Trumpeter Hornbill, Eastern Nicator and White-browed Coucal in the general area, before the consistent drizzle got a bit much for us. On the way back to the lodge, we birded some nearby woodlands which held Eurasian Golden Oriole and a pair of showy Grey-headed Bushshrikes.

While enjoying breakfast we had our first looks at Bronze Mannikin and Common Myna (an invasive species in Namibia). Then we headed out again to see some nearby mature woodlands which often hold some good birds. These woodlands were a little on the quiet side this morning, but we did manage to find African Golden Oriole, White-crested Helmetshrike and Woodland Kingfisher. Another patch of woodlands was far more productive as we found Klaas’s Cuckoo, Little Bee-eater, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Black-crowned Tchagra, Tropical Boubou and a pair of Brown Firefinches.

Lesser Jacanas are seen reliably around Katima Mulilo.

With the temperature rising, we decided to go bird some nearby wetlands. This turned out to be a good idea, as we found an obliging pair of Lesser Jacanas alongside Blue-billed Teal, Long-toed Lapwing, African Snipe, Marsh Sandpiper, Malachite Kingfisher and Fan-tailed Widowbird. We were also excited to find a single Wood Pipit nearby, a rare bird in Namibia! A showy Lilac-breasted Roller was enjoyed by us all, and particularly by Ruth who had been hoping for a Lilac-breasted Roller in glorious morning light!

We took our usual downtime during the heat of the day, before heading out in the late afternoon to bird the Chobe River floodplain. The heat was rather oppressive this afternoon, which likely explained why the birding was a bit on the slow side. We did, however, manage to eke out a few good birds in the form of Greater Blue-eared Starling, African Openbill and Dark Chanting Goshawk. We tried a couple areas for Collared Palm Thrush but, in the end, we had to settle for a showy Bearded Woodpecker (with Olive Woodpecker also seen around the lodge that afternoon). That evening we enjoyed a tasty dinner followed by birthday cake to celebrate with Todd.

It took a while, but we eventually had good looks at Dark Chanting Goshawk.

Day 16, 17^th November 2024. Katima Mulilo to Livingstone

We had the morning to bird around Katima Mulilo, before we headed into Zambia, and so we again birded the nearby woodlands to try for African Broadbill, which were again not around. The birding in the general area was, however, much better this morning and we managed to find Crested Francolin, African Emerald Cuckoo, Black Sparrowhawk, Broad-billed Roller, Black Cuckooshrike and White-bellied Sunbird. Some nearby riverine woodlands produced some fantastic views of several feeding Schalow’s Turacos, along with African Green Pigeon, Green Wood Hoopoe, Garden Warbler, Purple-banded Sunbird and Southern Black Tit.

It was then time to load up the van and make our way further east towards Livingstone. We made the crossing into Zambia by going through Botswana and Chobe National Park. The park itself was rather quiet (heat of the day) but we did find White-backed Vulture, Marabou Stork (feeding in the local landfill) and Tawny Eagle. The Zambia border crossing took a while (as it always does, moving from counter to counter, with lots of paperwork to fill out) but we eventually made it into our beautiful lodge in the early afternoon.

This afternoon we boarded a boat for another Zambezi boat cruise, always a great way to end the day.  While out on the water we enjoyed looks at some huge Common Hippopotamus and Nile Crocodiles, with some of the avian highlights including White-crowned Lapwing, Rock Pratincole, Whiskered Tern, Yellow-billed Stork, White-breasted Cormorant, Goliath Heron, Pink-backed and Great White Pelicans, Osprey, Hooded Vulture and Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle. Watching two African Savanna Elephants coming down to drink in the late afternoon light was certainly another highlight. The cruise ended with an impressive sunset before we headed back to the lodge for another tasty dinner.

We enjoyed an assortment of waterbirds on our Zambezi boat cruise including Grey Heron, African Sacred Ibis and Pink-backed Pelican.

Day 17, 18^th November 2024. Victoria Falls and Livingstone birding

Today was the final full day of the tour and we headed out early to some nearby miombo woodland to see if there were any last-minute list additions. The woodlands were quiet to begin with but things soon picked up, with Racket-tailed Roller (a displaying bird), African Golden Oriole, Stierling’s Wren-Warbler and Bearded Woodpecker all seen. We were excited to have nice looks at both Eurasian and African Hobbies feeding overhead. The undoubted highlight of the morning was hearing and seeing (well spotted by Nico, of course) a group of Southern Ground Hornbills. These huge terrestrial hornbills are always a crowd favorite!

Breakfast, on the deck overlooking the Zambezi River, was very pleasant and then it was time to head into the van and spend the morning at Victoria Falls. The falls themselves are generally more impressive from the Zimbabwean side and so, after negotiating the border (a much quicker process today), we enjoyed a couple hours walking around the falls area, admiring this World Heritage Site. One of the local names for the falls is Mosi-oa Tunya which means ‘the smoke that thunders’ and this name is certainly appropriate. We, of course, were looking out for birds while enjoying the falls and new birds here included Bearded Scrub Robin, Red-throated Twinspot and Red-winged Starling.

This afternoon (once back in Zambia) some went out on another sunset boat cruise, while a few of us took a leisurely walk around the lodge grounds, which produced Natal Spurfowl, White-browed Coucal, Red-faced Cisticola, Bearded Scrub Robin and Collared Palm Thrush. Later that evening we enjoyed our final dinner of the trip and reminisced on an enjoyable and successful trip through southern Africa.

Collared Palm Thrush showed well in the riparian forest on the edge of the Zambezi River.

Day 18, 19^th November 2024. Livingstone birding and departure

To finish off the trip’s birding we took a leisurely stroll around the lodge grounds, which added more of yesterday afternoon’s birds, along with Schalow’s Turaco, African Goshawk, Violet-backed Starling and Red-headed Weaver.

We then enjoyed breakfast and most of us headed towards Livingstone Airport, saying goodbye to Angie and Larry (who had a couple nights at the lodge). Thanks everyone for a highly enjoyable and successful tour, I hope to travel with you all again soon!

Bird List – Following IOC (Version 14.2/August 2024)

Birds ‘heard only’ are marked with (H) after the common name, all other species were seen.

The following notation after species names is used to show conservation status following BirdLife International: CR = Critically Endangered, EN = Endangered, VU = Vulnerable, NT = Near Threatened.

Mammal List – Following Mammalwatching.com (November 2024)

Reptile List

This is a sample trip report. Please email us ([email protected]) for more trip reports from this destination.

BIRDING TOUR NAMIBIA, OKAVANGO AND VICTORIA FALLS: GENERAL INFORMATION

This 18-day birding adventure includes three countries, Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia. In Namibia we bird the Namib Coast and Namibian Escarpment for the host of species that inhabit only northern Namibia and southern Angola. In addition we will see one of the greatest shorebird spectacles on the African continent (plus find localized species such as Damara Tern and Chestnut-banded Plover). We also bird the woodlands, rivers, and swamps of the Caprivi Strip and Botswana. These areas are inhabited by a phenomenal diversity of birds. Birding around the stunning Victoria Falls can also be very rewarding. The entire trip mixes truly unforgettable birding with impressive and unbelievably diverse scenery. Although the trip focuses on the endemics and specials, we will end up with an impressive list also of other birds as well as loads of mammals.

Namibia’s climate is typical of semi-desert terrain, hot days, and cool nights. The coastal regions are cooled by the cold Benguela current, causing fog and inhibiting rainfall. Over the central plateau in the country, which is higher up, temperatures are understandably lower. With 300 days of sunshine on average per year, Namibia is truly a sunny place. Only during the summer months from November to April does rain occur, mostly as heavy thunderstorms. Then the usually dry riverbeds become saturated with torrents of muddy water in a very short time. It is during this time that the sun-scorched land comes to life and develops a colorful horizon-to-horizon floral carpet within a few days. The interior enjoys two rainy seasons: the short season is between October and December, marked by frequent thunderstorms. The longer season is from mid-January to April. Summer is from October to April. Temperatures can reach 40 ºC, which drops at night to cool levels. Average daily temperatures range from 20 to 34 ºC. Winter is from May to September with wonderful warm days, which are contrasted by very cold nights when temperatures often drop to below freezing.

On this trip we expect very hot weather in the desert. Further east toward Victoria Falls we expect hot and humid weather. The weather can be surprisingly cool on the coast, even in summer, so please be prepared for all weather but generally expect heat to be the main problem. It might rain, but since the areas visited are typically dry we don’t expect it to interrupt birding very much

POTENTIAL HAZARDS

Dangerous Animals

We will be visiting areas inhabited by venomous snakes, although as usual we will be very lucky to see any. We recommend hiking boots, jeans/long trousers, and a good dose of care to minimize the danger of snakebites. We do not take anti-venom on our tours but will try and rush you to a private hospital if you do get bitten (although we will often be in extremely remote places); your own travel insurance (especially medical insurance) is crucial. In game reserves, where large predators freely lurk, it is illegal for very good reasons to alight from one’s vehicle except in rest camps and picnic areas. Scorpions and spiders may also cause problems.

Malaria and other diseases

We strongly recommend taking anti-malaria precautions. Any of the following three drugs is highly effective as a malaria preventative measure (albeit not 100 percent due to resistant strains of malaria):

Malarone® (atovaquone/proguanil),

Doxycyxline, and

Lariam® (mefloquine).

Mosquito repellent, long trousers/jeans, and long-sleeved shirts, particularly at night when malaria (Anopheles) mosquitoes bite, are advised in addition to the drugs.

In the unlikely event that one still contracts malaria after taking anti-malaria drugs and other precautions the disease can still be easily treated if diagnosed soon after symptoms develop: suspect malaria if ‘flu-like’ symptoms develop within a few months after visiting Namibia. If it is malaria it can be treated with an alternative to the prophylactic that you chose.

The Centers for Disease Control website, particularly the section on malaria in southern Africa, is very informative: https://www.cdc.gov/travel/regionalmalaria/safrica.htm

Please do carefully read

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/namibia

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/botswana

You can also take a look at https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/zambia, but please be aware that we only venture into a tiny part of Zambia near Botswana/Namibia, so the countrywide text for Zambia does not really apply to this tour – the Botswana and especially Namibia sections are far more relevant here.

Crime

Although you will find that the people of Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia are generally friendly, helpful, and kind, crime is always a possibility (as it is virtually worldwide). We urge you to be aware that crime is possible (although unlikely) throughout the trip – please take very good care of your personal belongings and don’t leave valuables visible in the vehicle when no one is with it.

ELECTRICITY

Electricity is 220-240V. If you intend to recharge video batteries etc. in your hotel room you will need an international adapter (3 round prong in a triangular pattern, ITA Type D/M for Namibia, ITA Type D/G for Botswana, and ITA Type C/D/G for Zambia). Note: If you are from North America or elsewhere that does not have 220-240V electricity, then do check all equipment that you plan on charging to see if it is 110/120–220/240V compatible. If that is the case you only need an adaptor to plug the US/Canadian/etc. plugs into. If your equipment is only listed as 110-120V then you will need a converter to convert the electric current to 220-240V.

VISA

You can get a Zambian visa at the border – will need US$ cash for it – usually around $50. Please note that those wanting to cross into Zimbabwe on foot to see Victoria Falls from the other side (across from Livingstone, Zambia) will have to pay for an additional (Zimbabwean) visa, the cost of which changes quite often but can be as high as US$100 (unfortunately, some nationalities are charged a lot more than others, too).

CLOTHING SPECIFIC TO THIS TOUR

In Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia we expect the weather to be warm to very hot during the day, and often mild at night. We do this tour at the best time for birds, but the disadvantage is the heat. However, the coast can sometimes be foggy and quite cool, and we recommend bringing sweaters, windbreakers, and long pants at least for the coastal part of the trip. Inland the Namib Desert is often extremely hot, but dry, whereas the Caprivi can be very hot and humid, even at night. So hot weather clothes are recommended, but long trousers, hiking boots, and long sleeves, although uncomfortable in hot weather, will help prevent snakebite and sunburn. There is a chance of rain, especially in the Caprivi, the Okavango, and at Victoria Falls.

EMERGENCY CONTACT DETAILS

Our emergency contact numbers are as follows (please note that the “+27” should be substituted by a “0” if dialing from within South Africa):

Birding Ecotours office:  Nadia: +27 72 211 9863
Fax: +27 21 592 7438
E-mail (which is checked almost daily): [email protected]

FIELD GUIDES

Birds

Please refer to our online resource for field guides and apps

Mammals

Stuarts’ Field Guide to Mammals of Southern Africa by Chris and Mathilde Stuart, Struik Publishers. 2015

Smithers’ Mammals of Southern Africa – a field guide. Edited by Peter Apps. 1996

Reptiles

Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa by Bill Branch, Struik Publishers. 1998 – Excellent

Butterflies

Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa by Steve Woodhall, 440-page paperback. 2005 – the best of those available

Sasol First Field Guide to Butterflies and Moths of Southern Africa by Simon von Noort, 56-page paperback. 1999

Insects

Field guide to Insects of South Africa by Mike Picker, Charles Griffiths and Alan Weaving. 3rd edition. Struik Publishers. 2019

IMPORTANT

Check whether your tour operator is legal in Namibia – please read this carefully.

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