Livingstone Birding Trail Tour - 17 Days

We whisk you away from the airport in the frontier town of Maun to our private camp at Lake Ngami. This spectacular venue produces birds in astounding quantities and will get our birding experience off to a flying start. (Black-tailed Godwit, Greater & Lesser Flamingo, Great White & Pink-backed Pelican, White-backed Duck, Lesser Jacana, Pririt Batis)

Our next destination is close to the northern border of Botswana and Namibia. From our camp, we will explore the panhandle on boat and foot. This is our number one spot for Pel’s Fishing Owl and Narina Trogon and a fair amount of our time is devoted to finding these impressive birds. White-backed Night-Heron, Southern Brown-throated Weaver, Black-faced Babbler, Pel’s Fishing Owl, Narina Trogon, Western Banded Snake-Eagle, African Skimmer

We cross the border into Namibia and drive through the Mahango Game Reserve which is renowned for its population of Roan Antelope as well as its diverse and abundant birdlife. Moving into the Caprivi proper we head east through the teak woodlands birding on the way to our lodge on the Zambezi River. Meaning ‘dim the fire’ Katima Mulilo is home to one of the more spectacular birds on our list, the Schalow’s Turaco. From our hotel here we explore the surrounding area looking for the Turaco and other specials in the area. Rufous-bellied Tit, Racket-tailed Roller, Sharp-tailed Starling, Purple-banded Sunbird, Copper Sunbird, Wood Owl, Eastern Bearded Scrub-Robin, Schalow’s Turaco, Giant Kingfisher, Racket-tailed Roller, Rock Pratincole, Shelley’s Sunbird, African Finfoot

From the Caprivi, we head east into Zambia towards the mighty Mosi-oa-Tunya (Smoke that Thunders) which is the local name for the Victoria Falls. The riparian forest along the Zambezi provides some good birding in this area. Trumpeter Hornbill, Crowned Hornbill, Verreaux’s Eagle, Taita Falcon, Narina Trogon, Olive Woodpecker

We leave Livingstone at dawn for the drive to Choma and the Nkanga River Conservancy, the stronghold of Zambia’s only true endemic, the Chaplin’s Barbet. Miombo birding here is also excellent. Chaplin’s (Zambian) Barbet, Souza’s Shrike, White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike, Red-faced Crimsonwing, Spotted Creeper, Miombo Pied Barbet

Leaving Zambia we re-enter Botswana and head Kasane which borders the renowned Chobe National Park where 60,000 elephants and countless birds make their home. Birding in and around the Chobe is diverse and rewarding throughout the year. Collared Palm-Thrush, Bronze Mannikin, Orange-winged Pytilia, Racket-tailed Roller, African Finfoot, African Skimmer, Pel’s Fishing Owl, Brown Firefinch

Our next leg takes us south into typical semi-arid Kalahari habitat. The highlight is the vast Sowa Pan adjoining the Nata Bird Sanctuary. Greater & Lesser Flamingo, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Montagu’s Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Abdim’s Stork, Marsh Owl

We leave the Pans in the morning and head west to Maun where we get to our lodge around lunch time. Afternoon at leisure whilst your guide changes over vehicles for the Moremi Game Reserve expedition. There is some good riverine and woodland birding from the lodge grounds. White-backed Duck, Lesser Jacana, Bat Hawk, Kalahari Scrub-robin, Purple Roller

Our final destination is the Moremi Game Reserve on the eastern edge of the Okavango Delta. The diverse habitat in this reserve provides excellent birding and great wildlife experiences all in pristine wilderness areas. Rufous-bellied Heron, Wattled Crane, Slaty Egret, Black Coucal, Swamp Nightjar, Malachite Kingfisher

We drive back to Maun where our adventure ends. Fly back to Johannesburg for onward connections.