Tailor-made safaris and travel to Southern Africa
PITTA BIRDING SAFARI - ZIMBABWE
This 10-day safari is led by one of Africa's foremost bird authors, Peter Steyn, who has spent much of his life birding in Zimbabwe. The safari begins in the Miombo woodlands around The River Club on the banks of the Zambezi River, upstream from Victoria Falls. From here guests travel to the Kalahari sands and open savanna of Hwange National Park for a very different birding experience. The safari ends in the scenic Mana Pools, during the time when the migratory Angola Pitta moves into this area to nest. The Pitta is one of Africa's rarest and most beautiful birds. Guests search for this extremely elusive species in the forests behind Chikwenya, along with the other colorful forest and riverine species. Collard Palm Thrush, Rock Pratincole, African Skimmer and a wide selection of raptors should be seen on this great birding safari.
(The itinerary below contains links to the properties described; by clicking on these links, you will open a new page in your browser. To return to this page, simply close the new page, or click on the icon at the bottom of your screen).December 11-14: The River Club
Guests arrive at the Victoria Falls Airport. They are met by a Wilderness Safaris representative and transferred by vehicle to The River Club, where accommodation has been reserved for three nights.
The River Club is situated on the Zambian side of the Zambezi River, 18 kilometers upstream from Victoria Falls. Here, guests enjoy the sights and sounds of Victoria Falls and the Zambezi River in a peaceful and tranquil setting. Accommodation is in ten luxurious, open-fronted thatched chalets, overlooking the Zambezi River. Each room has private en-suite facilities, complete with a Victorian bathtub and candles. Daily trips to the Victoria Falls are a highlight, as are visits to the nearby Lozi village. Boating to the Zambezi River's islands provide relaxed afternoon activities, and fishing and sundowner boat cruises are offered.
The Zambezi above the falls offers a range of new possible species. African Finfoot, Rock Pratincole, Whitecrowned Plover and African Skimmer are regularly sighted on the river while Schalow's Lourie (Tauraco) is a possibility in the riverine forest patches. Trumpeter Hornbills are common, particularly where wild figs are fruiting and their strange calls are a feature of the "rain forest" at the Victoria Falls view site. Away from the river in the drier bush, birds such as Broadtailed Paradise Whydah, Natal Francolin and a variety of attractive seedeaters will be on our want-list. Where palms are growing along the banks we will search for the enigmatic Collared Palm Thrush. The gorges below the falls are home to a variety of raptors, swifts, storks and other species and with luck we might add the striking Augur Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon and even the rare Taita Falcon to our lists.
In: 11 December 2002
Out: 14 December 2002
Basis: Inclusive of all meals, game activities, laundry and drinks (except imported premium brands)
December 14-17: Linkwasha Camp
After breakfast and a morning activity guests will be transferred by vehicle to the Victoria Falls Airport. They are met and flown by light aircraft to Linkwasha Camp, where accommodation has been reserved for three nights.
Linkwasha Camp is located in a private concession area within Hwange National Park. Guests are accommodated in seven spacious tented rooms, with great views over the expansive plain in front of camp. Each room has a ceiling fan and en suite facilities, with both indoor and outdoor showers. The Linkwasha concession is comprised of many diverse habitats, including Kalahari scrub, acacia woodlands, as well as palm islands and teak forests. This habitat diversity attracts many different animal populations and over 400 species of birds.
The area is known for its big game, particularly the predators, as well as large herds of elephants and buffalo during the winter months. Summer months offer a complete contrast as many of the plains-game (and their predators) migrate to this section of the park to enjoy the lush grazing on the open savannah. Day and night drives in open 4x4 vehicles, hides and guided walks form part of the Linkwasha experience.
In: 14 December 2002
Out: 17 December 2002
Basis: Inclusive of all meals, game activities, laundry and drinks (except imported premium brands)
December 17-20: Chikwenya Camp
After the morning activity and brunch guests will be collected from Linkwasha's airstrip and flown by light aircraft to Chikwenya Camp, where accommodation has been reserved for three nights.
The focal point at Chikwenya Camp is the magical Zambezi River, its backwaters, and the surrounding flood plains and forests. The area is a photographer's paradise, as tall albida trees dot the open flood plains, with the mountains of the Rift Valley providing the backdrop. Accommodation is in nine stylish tented rooms with en-suite facilities, indoor and outdoor showers. Mana Pools is renowned for its large herds of Elephant and Buffalo that concentrate along the river when the inland waterholes dry up. Wildlife viewing is enjoyed in open Landrovers, on motorised pontoons, on foot, in hides, and in canoes.
Birding in Mana Pools is varied with the Mopane woodland patches along the foot of the escarpment offering sightings of spectacular flocks of Lillian's Lovebirds and possibly Raquet-tailed Roller. Crowned Hornbills and (Meve's) Longtailed Starlings are common in the riverine woodland while the African Skimmer, Whitecrowned and Longtoed Plover and Redwinged Pratincoles frequent the sandbanks in the river. Livingstone's Flycatcher, one of the smallest members of the family, will be a high priority in the riverine fringe. This is one of the best places to see large numbers of both Bohm's and Mottled Spinetails and is one of the few places in Southern Africa where the attractive Shelley's Sunbird has been recorded.
In: 17 December 2002
Out: 20 December 2002
Basis: Inclusive of all meals, game activities, laundry and drinks (except imported premium brands)
December 20: Safari Ends
After the morning game activity and brunch guests will be collected at Chikwenya's Airstrip and flown by light aircraft to Victoria Falls Airport, where the safari ends.
To find out more about the Pitta Birding Safari, or to make a reservation, call on
27-11-463-7889 or email us.
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Photo credits: Wilderness Safaris