Compare South Africa: Kruger & Drakensberg by Limosa Holidays vs Explore Kruger National Park by G Adventures

Days 1 – 2: Fly Johannesburg, Travel To Central Drakensberg

Our spring birdwatching tour to South Africa begins with a flight from London to Johannesburg, where we arrive on the morning of day two. We’ll be welcomed by Alastair and travel south on an excellent highway through the highveld grasslands, stopping to enjoy Long-tailed Widowbirds as they display, while Black-winged Kites and Blacksmith Plovers watch on.

Our total drive time today will be 3-4 hours, but we’ll pause along the way for lunch. Later, we'll detour down some minor roads through the natural grasslands, where we’ll begin our search for three species of crane. The elegant Blue Crane is South Africa’s national bird and occurs in small flocks here; Grey Crowned Cranes prefer moist grasslands and, with luck, we might find the very rare Wattled Crane in it’s wetland home. We’ll also keep a look out for bustards and could chance upon the exquisite Blue Bustard here. Larks might include Spike-heeled, Eastern Long-billed and perhaps even a Botha’s or Pink-billed.

Arriving at our country hotel accommodation we'll take dinner and get an early night in eager anticipation of the following day. Night at a Harrismith country hotel.

Day 3: Central Drakensberg

This morning we take one of the highest roads in Southern Africa, up into the Drakensberg peaks and visit a particularly scenic area known as the Sentinel. Here, at 3000m above sea level and surrounded by the most sweeping views, we’ll search for an enigmatic bird believed to be amongst the most ancient of passerines: the endemic Drakensberg Rockjumper, far removed here from its more rufous seaside relative found near Cape Town.

We’ll also keep a watchful eye on the skies for another high alpine speciality, Lammergeier (here of the endemic African subspecies), as well as the near-endemic Cape Griffon, a large vulture that is much chunkier than the African White-backed Vultures we’ll see later in Kruger National Park. Southern Bald Ibis, Black Stork, Verreaux’s Eagle, Lanner and Jackal Buzzard are among other cliff-nesting species we could encounter today, with White-necked Raven, Buff-streaked Chat and Cape Rock Thrush also likely, and Malachite and Greater Double-collared Sunbirds busying themselves in flowering shrubs.

We’ll devote most of the day to exploring this fascinating area, retreating to lower altitude in the afternoon to resume our search for cranes, raptors and bustards. Night at a Harrismith country hotel.

Days 4 – 5: wakkerstroom

Leaving the Harrismith area we wind our way through the scenic foothills towards Wakkerstroom, with a chance to look for specialities such as the little-known Bush Blackcap en route. Once a sleepy hamlet in a forgotten part of the country, the presence of a range of rare birds nearby has propelled Wakkerstroom into the international birding limelight. Its grassland specialities, such as the localised Rudd’s and Botha’s Larks and the beautiful Yellow-breasted Pipit, are a major draw.

We’ll spend two nights here, exploring the excellent wetland at the edge of town and enjoying some very productive drives into the surrounding hills. In addition to those species mentioned already, we’ll be searching for Red-winged Francolin, Ground Woodpecker, Denham’s and Blue Bustards, Grey Crowned and Blue Cranes, Black-winged Lapwing, Southern Bald Ibis, Sentinel Rock Thrush, Buff-streaked Chat and Drakensberg Prinia. We might even be lucky enough to spot a group of endearing Meerkats as they forage in the grasslands. Simples! Two nights in a small hotel in Wakkerstroom.

Days 6 – 9: Kruger National Park

We spend much of day six driving from Wakkersroom to our next destination: world famous Kruger National Park. As we head north and east, we’ll descend from the rolling upland grasslands into the warmer lowlands, where the whole landscape takes on a distinctly more tropical feeling.

Entering Kruger in the south, we’ll enjoy a stay of four nights in the park, divided between two restcamps located in the southern and central areas. We’ll focus our attention on a series of small side roads that have proved good in the past, as well as following up on recent reports around the Pretoriuskop, Skukuza, Lower Sabie and Satara areas of the national park.

The vast Kruger reserve is one of Africa’s best known safari parks, protecting a 20,000 km2 swathe of wilderness that boasts an impressive diversity of mammals and a bird list in excess of 500 species. In addition to a high diversity of woodland birds, Kruger is a vital refuge for a host of large birds which require extensive areas of prime habitat to ensure their survival - among them the striking Saddle-billed Stork; Hooded, African White-backed, Lappet-faced and White-headed Vultures; Tawny and Martial Eagles; Bateleur; African Finfoot; Kori Bustard and the lumbering Southern Ground Hornbill. Other species with limited distribution in Southern Africa to look for here include Lesser Black-winged Lapwing, Stierling’s Wren-warbler, Eastern Bearded Scrub Robin and Meve’s Long-tailed Starling.

To make the most of our stay at Kruger we’ll make early starts, heading out on wildlife drives at dawn and returning to base again for breakfast in classic safari fashion. Afterwards, we may continue with another drive or take some time to sample the bird-rich habitats found within the camps themselves. These can be extremely productive, with the likes of Brown-headed Parrot, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Purple-crested Turaco, Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike, Greater Blue-eared Starling and Red-headed Weaver present in many of the camps. Chinspot Batis and Blue-breasted Cordon-bleu are common, while upright Groundscraper Thrushes hop about the lawns.

Our wildlife drives should produce an excellent variety of birds, including many birds of prey - from the large eagles such as Tawny and Martial, to the smaller Black-breasted Snake Eagle and Bateleur. Vultures are drawn to predator kills and here include the common African White-backed and the massive and somewhat grotesque looking Lappet-faced. Swainson’s, Natal, Coqui, Crested and Shelley’s Francolins are all possible and best seen along the edge of the road before they scuttle off into the grass. Perhaps the most ubiquitous bird in the park is the stunning Lilac-breasted Roller and there never seem to be enough photo stops for this appealing species. Groups of the social Southern Ground Hornbill can often be seen wandering along the Kruger’s roads, allowing one to admire their red facial skin and delicate eyelashes!

Burchell’s and Cape Glossy Starlings are common, and Saddle-billed Storks and White-headed Lapwings frequent sand bars in the larger rivers where we’ll carefully search the overhanging waterside vegetation for the secretive African Finfoot. The taller trees along the rivers offer good raptor perches and also host noisy groups of Retz’s Helmetshrikes; if we are lucky, we may also come across their brood parasite, the scarce Thick-billed Cuckoo. Gorgeous White-fronted Bee-eaters like to perch here, too.

While the birding is brilliant, the Kruger is perhaps even more famous for its large mammals. Impala, Common Zebra, Blue Wildebeest and Giraffe are common. African Elephant can be found in big herds, as can African Buffalo - we’ll check carefully for Red-billed Oxpeckers on the latter. The park supports a good population of Lion and we’ll be exploring some of the best drives in the park for this species, hoping for some more memorable encounters to rival those on our previous visits here.

If we are really lucky, we might spot a Leopard, but although the southern reaches of the park are one of the best areas to see this elusive animal in South Africa, it is still far from guaranteed! There are a number of packs of African Wild Dogs in the area that we will be traversing and though we’ll keep a watchful eye open for them, it will be a matter of luck if we see them on our travels.

One of the highlights of the park is the option to take a night drive on two of our days. Here we’ll go out in the large, wildlife-viewing park vehicle, equipped with powerful spotlights. One never quite knows what to expect but we usually find something really interesting - whether it is a pride of lions on the hunt, a Spotted Eagle Owl perched beside the road or a courser running along the track ahead of the vehicle.

In all, we spend a total of four nights in Kruger National Park, split between two nights at each of two rest camps located in the southern and central areas of the vast national park. Four nights Kruger NP

Days 10 – 11: Northern Drakensberg Forests

Leaving the Kruger, we head west and back into the hills to visit a very different habitat. Our first stop will be on the Drakensberg escarpment itself, where we’ll pause at a dramatically beautiful mountain pass to scan for one of the world’s rarest raptors: Taita Falcon. The birds breed on an inaccessible cliff but are often active and we’ll wait at a vantage point nearby, hoping to see this attractive, orange-coloured falcon hunting overhead or perched on the cliff face.

Continuing further inland, our drive taking us along the edge of the Blyde River Canyon, the world’s third largest canyon, where the vistas are nothing short of spectacular. Our remote and luxurious hotel, where we will spend the last two nights of our tour, borders a secluded patch of Afromontane forest. We can simply walk directly into the forest from our rooms and will spend the following day here exploring the forest on the excellent trail network and surrounding areas.

Endemic Knysna Turacos call from the forest canopy and with patient scanning we should see the bright red wing flashes as the birds move between patches of fruiting trees, competing with Blue Monkeys for the ripest fruits. In the understorey, White-starred Robin, Chorister Robin-chat and Barratt’s Scrub Warbler betray their presence with their calls, while the lovely Narina Trogon may be seen hawking from a liana beneath the canopy. Yellow-streaked Greenbul, Cape Batis, Olive Woodpecker and Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler are conspicuous members of feeding parties moving through the trees. Along the forest edge, we'll check for Red-necked Francolin, Black Saw wing, African Dusky Flycatcher, Swee Waxbill and Forest Canary. Bushbuck and Blue Monkey also inhabit the forest and Mountain Reedbuck may be seen on the grassy slopes. Two nights Mt. Sheba

Day 12: Return To Johannesburg, Fly London

After enjoying some final birding at Mount Sheba this morning, reluctantly we must return to Johannesburg today. We will make some stops for birds along the way, as travel time allows. Saying farewell to Alastair at Johannesburg airport, we board our evening flight to London.

Day 13: Arrival London

Morning arrival at London Heathrow, where our birdwatching tour to South Africa: Kruger & Drakensburg concludes.

Day 1 Johannesburg

Arrive at any time and transfer to your hotel. Enjoy a dinner with your fellow travellers tonight.

Our accommodation is in the Rosebank area, just north of central Johannesburg. The hotel is conveniently located, should you have additional time. Taxi's can be easily arranged to get you around.

If you are interested in spending more time in Johannesburg, it is recommended to book pre-accommodation to enjoy the sights of the city at your own leisure.

Day 2 Johannesburg/Greater Kruger Area

Set out towards Kruger National Park via the magnificent Panorama Route, one of the world’s most picturesque drives. Make stops at the dramatic Blyde River Canyon and Bourke's Luck Potholes, and take in panoramic views of the forest-covered valley from the God's Window viewpoint. Continue to our lodge near Kruger National park, savour a delicious South African Dinner in this picturesque location.

Today is a very long driving day; however, we will make many stops along the way at sites along the Panorama Route.

Day 3 Kruger National Park

Rise early and climb aboard an open jeep for a full-day safari in Kruger National Park—home to an extraordinary array of large mammals. Spot elephants, lions, giraffes, and perhaps elusive leopards as we explore this breathtaking wilderness of savanna and scrubland. Return to our lodge in the evening, where you can take some time to relax and enjoy the nocturnal sounds of the bush.

At over 19,000 sq km (7,500 sq mi), South Africa’s Kruger National Park is one of the largest and most impressive animal reserves in the world. With 147 species, Kruger has more species of large mammals than any other park on the continent.

Day 4 Greater Kruger Area/Karongwe Private Game Reserve

Travel to the Karongwe Private Game Reserve, a pristine wildlife sanctuary located in the Greater Kruger area. Meet with a researcher from the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Cheetah Metapopulation Project—a program funded in part by National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative—and learn about efforts to protect the region’s cheetahs and other carnivores. The researcher then joins us for a wildlife-viewing excursion through the reserve.

For the next two days, enjoy ranger-led morning and evening wildlife safari drives in an open safari vehicle in Karongwe Nature Reserve, searching for Africa's famed Big Five. With over 9,000 hectares (22,240 acres) of supreme African bushveld, Karongwe Private Game Reserve is home to many creatures, and our safari drives provide several opportunities for wildlife viewing. We use various accommodations within the reserve (the location is based on availability). During your time here, you will either stay in lodge rooms or very comfortable permanent tents (both of equal quality and with similar amenities).

Wildlife safari drives are conducted with qualified wildlife rangers and local expert trackers who will share their vast experience of the African bush. On some occasions, if space is unavailable, we may need to change accommodations or even use a different private reserve. In such a case, be assured we will choose other lodges or comfort camps (of equal quality) within the Greater Kruger area.

Day 5 Karongwe Private Game Reserve

Spend the day exploring Karongwe on morning and afternoon safaris with our local guides. Search for Africa's famed "big five" as we drive through the shrublands of the bushveld. Back at camp, relax on deck or take a walk around the grounds.

Wake up before the sun (around 5am) and sip your morning coffee before heading out on a morning wildlife safari drive. Return to the lodge for brunch and some leisure time. Converse on the deck, walk the grounds and gardens, and enjoy high tea. Following tea, it's time for a late afternoon safari drive. After spotting tons of wildlife, it’s time to return to camp and freshen up before dinner, a traditional braai.

Day 6 Karongwe Private Game Reserve/Johannesburg

Embark on one last safari this morning, keeping a lookout for Karongwe’s iconic inhabitants. Then head back to the city, where you’ll enjoy dinner in our lodge.

Day 7 Johannesburg

Depart at any time.