Namibia
Skeleton Coast and Etosha
Sunday 6 - Sunday 20 April 2008 (15 days)
Join us on a tour to wild, wonderful Namibia in the southern autumn the best time to go for a dazzling array of birds, and some terrific mammals too!
© Mike Russell/Nature Portfolio
Bat-eared Fox
From swirling apricot-coloured dunes and stark granite hills, via Namibias mist-shrouded Atlantic coast, to an extended stay in legendary Etosha National Park, our acclaimed Namibia tour will surprise you in its magnificence of landscape, the hospitality of its people and the wonder and sheer variety of its birds, mammals and other wildlife.
Leaving the capital Windhoek, our journey takes us first to Namibias cool Atlantic shore, where we spend two nights at Walvis Bay, at the extreme southern end of the fabled Skeleton Coast. The graveyard of so many ship-wrecked sailors over the centuries, this infamous stretch of fog-shrouded coastline is better known nowadays for its enormous concentrations of shorebirds, flamingos, cormorants and Cape Fur-seals. Inland, the remarkable desert is home to the endemic Dune Lark and Grays Lark, and the ancient Welwitschia, a bizarre desert plant that can live for over 2000 years. From our base on the coast, well explore the towering red dunes, with their sand-diving lizards and fog-drinking beetles, and the seemingly endless gravel plains.
Crossing the Namib Desert, our visit to the Erongo Mountains offers both stunning lodgings and many Namibian specialities. Hartlaubs Francolin, the peculiar White-tailed Shrike and the endemic Rockrunner are likely, and we should see the elusive Herero Chat en route. Heading north, we reach the Brandberg, Namibias highest mountain. This huge desert inselberg towers above the shimmering desert plains below and is home to a variety of endemics - and the elusive desert elephant.
To complete our tour, well then enjoy the best part of a week in and around famous Etosha. One of the worlds finest National Parks and the undoubted jewel in Namibias glittering wildlife crown, Etoshas vast natural basin has long since lost the lake that it once held. But this place of dry water remains an oasis for an extraordinary wealth of wildlife. Scenes from countless television wildlife spectaculars spring to mind as we come face to face here with Lion, Elephant, Zebra and herds of dainty Springbok. With luck, we may see the rare Black Rhinoceros too, before returning full circle to Windhoek.
Our tour is timed to run at the end of the rains - the biological equivalent of the European spring - when the birds are in breeding plumage and very active throughout the day, with many intra-African migrants still in evidence, too. Daytime temperatures are also cooling at this time and the land is surprisingly green, making travelling much less dusty than in the dry season!
Callan Cohen lives in South Africa and knows Namibia well, having led many tours there. This will be his fifth successive visit for Limosa. With our exciting itinerary freshly honed for 2008, theres no finer way to see this bird-rich land of vivid contrast and compelling natural beauty.
Prices: £ 3,495
Single supp.: £ 245 per person
Deposit: £ 400 per person
The price is per person, and is fully inclusive of return scheduled flights London-Windhoek with meals on-board as appropriate, all accommodation, meals, surface transport, entrance fees and permits to parks, tips, airport taxes, map, checklist of bird and mammals, and services of the leader/s.
The price excludes travel insurance, drinks and other personal expenses.
This trip will be operated in conjunction with Limosa Holidays.
Principal Leader: Callan Cohen
© Steve Knott/Nature Portfolio
Pale Chanting Goshawk
Itinerary
Days 1 - 2
We take an overnight flight from London to Windhoek (arriving on the morning of Day 2), where Callan will be waiting to greet us. Transfer to our comfortable guest house.
In the afternoon we have an opportunity to enjoy our first Namibian birds. Monteiros Hornbill, Short-toed Rock Thrush and the endemic Rockrunner - a ground-dwelling warbler with bright rufous belly and undertail - may be found, along with White-backed Mousebird, Greater Striped Swallow, the elegant Swallow-tailed Bee-eater and the stunning Crimson-breasted Shrike. Our guesthouse is situated in the hills around Windhoek and well be able to pick up a few of the specialities only a short walk away.
Overnight Windhoek
Day 3
From Windhoek, we head westwards, descending off the inland plateau into the desolate Namib Desert. The roadside birding is good along the way, with the crisp lines of Black-breasted Snake-eagle, the aptly-named Pygmy Falcon, Pale-winged and Cape Glossy Starlings, Karoo Chat and Great Sparrow possible, and well see the huge nests of the communal Sociable Weavers.
As the Namibs landscapes become increasingly arid and stark, well make frequent stops to scan for desert specialities such as the nomadic Rüppells and Ludwigs Bustards, and the dapper Double-banded Courser, with its striking chestnut hindwing in flight. Well also see our first Springbok, an antelope restricted to the arid areas of southern Africa. As we approach the cool Atlantic coast, well notice a definite - and welcome - drop in temperature.
Our accommodation for the next two nights will be in the seaside town of Walvis Bay, situated very close to excellent wader-watching, at the southernmost end of the treacherous and utterly desolate Skeleton Coast.
The coast, offshore islands, saltpans and estuaries around Walvis Bay literally teem with waterbirds. In spring, migrant waders such as Marsh and Curlew Sandpipers, and busy Turnstones can be present in unbelievable concentrations, as lines of the near-endemic Cape Cormorant stream out over the cold ocean in search of food. Hartlaubs Gull, Kittlitzs Plover and the localised Chestnut-banded Plover are also likely, along with masses of terns including Damara, Caspian and White-winged Black. Greater and Lesser Flamingos crowd the mudflats with a forest of bright pink legs. Well also hope to see Cape Fur-seals from the shore, although well have to be much luckier to spot either Heavisides or Bottle-nosed Dolphins that also occur off this coast.
Overnight Walvis Bay.
Day 4
The gargantuan dunes between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund are stunning, especially in the early morning and late afternoon light. Well scramble in the sparsely vegetated foothills of the dunes where well get excellent views of the surrounding dunescapes, as well as looking for the small lizards and beetles that are so remarkably adapted to this harsh landscape. The dunes are also home to the handsome Dune Lark; endemic to Namibia, its coloration blends perfectly with the deep-ochre sands of the Namib dune sea. Chestnut-vented Titbabbler, Dusky Sunbird and Orange River White-eye eke out a living here too and, if we are very lucky, we might find a wandering Burchells Courser.
Well also travel inland to seek that remarkable ancient plant, the Welwitschia. With its ancient and gnarled grey stem and fraying leaves, ones mind is transported to ancient desertscapes. In fact, the scene has been likened to that of a barren planet other than the Earth. In the same area we have good chances of finding the ghostly Namib form of Tractrac Chat, a southern Africa endemic.
Overnight Walvis Bay
Day 5
We set off early from the coast for the Spitzkoppe, a magnificent granite inselberg that rises like a colossus from the flat gravel plains. As we head out over the stark gravel plains, well keep a keen eye open for Grays Lark, an elusive desert lark thats all but confined to this part of Namibia.
If there have been good rains, this area is amazing for flowers. It is also one of the premier sites for Herero Chat, another near-endemic - but we will still require luck and patience to find this elusive bird! The enigmatic White-tailed Shrike is another local speciality here thats all but confined to Namibia; with its pale eye, striking black, white and grey plumage, long legs and stubby tail, its a bird not to be missed! Also recognised by its disproportionately short tail, well watch for Augur Buzzard too, along with the pretty Rosy-faced Lovebird, Acacia Pied Barbet, White-throated Seedeater and Mountain Wheatear.
Our destination this evening is a new lodge set amid the rugged Erongo Mountains. This remote lodge is Callans favourite on the African continent: not only is it beautifully isolated and surrounded by huge granite monoliths, but each of the luxury accommodation units is set in its own private area of the grounds, with birds all around. And the food is spectacular, too!
Overnight Erongo Wilderness Lodge
Day 6
The Erongo range is home to yet more key Namibian species. We shall need to be up bright and early to find the first of them - Hartlaubs Francolin - as this uncommon bird is only likely to be seen at daybreak, when pairs stand atop boulders and crow in duet. We have further chances of seeing the engaging Rockrunner scrambling about rocks near the lodge today, as well as stunning the Amethyst Starling and tiny Black-faced Waxbill - perhaps even the magnificent Verreauxs Eagle.
Well also have some time off today, after the morning birding, to relax and appreciate the surroundings at ones own pace. Photographers might wait near the very productive waterhole for Violet-eared Waxbills and other seedeaters to come and quench their thirst, while the more energetic may explore the trails around the camp. As night falls, if its a warm evening, Freckled Nightjars hawk around our lovely lodge.
Overnight Erongo Wilderness Lodge
Day 7
Leaving Erongo this morning, we will head back out into the Namib, on our way to the massive granite outcrop of the Brandberg; at 2500m, its Namibias highest peak. This huge desert inselberg towers above the shimmering desert plains below and is home to a variety of endemics - and the elusive desert elephant. Well be on the look-out for recently described Benguela Long-billed Lark, along with Bare-cheeked Babbler and Rüppells Bustard. We might also be lucky to find signs of Namibias famous desert elephants in this remote landscape, but one has to be very lucky to actually see these mystical creatures.
Overnight near the Brandberg
Day 8
After a full mornings birding on the desert plains and tree-lined watercourses, well turn our sights to Hobatere. As we continue north, the landscape becomes ever-more verdant and we shall spend the next two nights amid lovely woodlands close to the western edge of famous Etosha National Park. Our accommodation here - Hobatere Lodge - has been a firm favourite with our previous groups. With plenty of wildlife all around, this private lodge allows only a small number of people into its exclusive and vast game-watching concession each day. Well travel in open-top Landrovers in search of a fabulous selection of birds and mammals. At night, Lions often roar close to the camp, and indeed we often see Lions in this vicinity.
Overnight Hobatere Lodge
Day 9
We have a full day birding this beautiful and remote area of mopane and acacia woodland. With its blue belly, the uncommon Rüppells Parrot is one of several exciting specialities awaiting our discovery here, and we may find the enormous Verreauxs Eagle Owl, hiding its gaze behind surreal pink eye-lids, along with the superbly camouflaged African Scops Owl and very attractive Violet Wood-hoopoe, largest of its tribe.
Well return to the lodge for lunch, followed by a short rest, before heading out for the afternoons birding and game-drive. If the rains have been good, this is an excellent area for the nomadic Monotonous Lark - surely no birdwatcher could resist the opportunity to search for that? Encounters with the local pride of Lions can often be truly memorable here and we can enjoy a night-drive to try for Cape and Bat-eared Foxes, and the most peculiar Springhare. We might even find the rare Marbled Rubber Frog in the lodge pool at night!
Overnight Hobatere Lodge
Day 10
With great anticipation, we enter Etosha itself. This fabulous National Park - at one time the largest park in the world - fulfils everyones ideal of real Africa, and we should arrive at the main camp of Okaukuejo in time for some birding nearby - and the thrill of watching mammals at the famous floodlit waterhole tonight. Crimson-breasted Shrike, Sociable Weaver, African Hoopoe and Chestnut-vented Tit-babbler occur around camp. At dusk, flocks of thirsty Double-banded Sandgrouse descend upon the waterhole, which remains a scene of constant activity after dark, depending on the rains, with chances of seeing Black Rhinoceros, African Elephant and Lion.
Overnight Okaukuejo
Day 11
We work our way slowly across Etosha to Halali, in the centre of the Park. The open grasslands and acacia savanna are the haunt of impressive Martial and Tawny Eagles, sentinel Pale Chanting Goshawks and the aptly-named Pygmy Falcon, while stately Kori Bustards move through the grassy brush. Well also look out for the strikingly handsome Northern Black Korhaan, which we hope to see in its display flight - the males flying in circles above the grassland, calling raucously and flashing their white primary feathers. Southern Anteating Chat and Rufous-eared Warbler are amongst a wealth of small birds we shall also be looking for today, and grazing mammals such as Burchells Zebra, Blue Wildebeest and Gemsbok are plentiful.
Halali is a great place to look for Violet Wood-hoopoe and Bare-faced Babbler. In the mopane woodlands next day, we have further chances of the rain-dependant Monotonous Lark. Fawn-coloured Lark, White-browed Scrub Robin and flocks of inquisitive White Helmet-shrikes could all come our way here too, as we watch for the distinctive tail-less outline of the snake-hunting Bateleur sailing against the cloudless Namibian skies. Not to be confused with the similar call of African Hoopoe, the voice of African Cuckoo is its most diagnostic feature and we might hear them calling from the trees.
Our camp at Halali is set in woodland and a superb selection of species may be seen by taking a relaxed stroll through the grounds.
Overnight Halali
Day 12
Travelling east towards Namutoni, the scenery becomes ever greener and the vegetation taller. Few African birds are more elegant or instantly recognisable than the long-legged Blue Cranes and Secretary Birds which frequent the more open areas here - but, unless we are fortunate enough to catch a male in display, we shall have to look a good deal harder to detect the rufous nape feathers of the Red-crested Bustard! The striking Southern Pied Babbler is much more appropriately named (and somewhat easier to spot), while the very upright Groundscraper Thrush, delicate Burnt-necked Eremomela, lovely Chinspot Batis and must-see Long-billed Crombec could all be added to the list today.
Among many mammals to watch for are Spotted Hyena and Black-faced Impala, while a habituated group of Banded Mongoose often forages around our accommodation.
Overnight Namutoni
Day 13
Well spend the morning birding and looking for mammals near Namutoni. A highlight might be diminutive Damara Dik-dik, which well search for in the woodlands south of Namutoni. This is also the best area in the park for Elephants, so well keep a look out for them. Red-billed Hornbills are common here too, and well be able to compare them to the Damara Hornbill that we will have seen at Hobatere.
After lunch, well break our return journey south after four hours at Waterberg National Park,
at lodgings situated in woodland on the slopes of the Waterberg Mountain, close to Otjiwarongo. The variegated colours of light on the red sandstone cliffs of the Waterberg provide a spectacular backdrop to our birding. Highlights could include Rüppells Parrot, African Paradise Flycatcher, Little Sparrowhawk, Bearded Woodpecker, Burchells Starling, Puffback and the inquisitive little Dwarf Mongoose.
Overnight Waterberg
Day 14
Leaving Waterberg after breakfast and some local birding this morning, reluctantly we must head back south to Windhoek (a journey of about three to four hours). If flight times permit, we will make a visit to the Avis Dam area, which is surrounded by rich woodlands and grasslands, where we may get our last views of the extraordinary displaying male Shaft-tailed Whydahs, with their vivid orange plumage and impossibly long tails!
Returning to the airport this afternoon, we bid farewell to Callan and board our flight from Windhoek back to London. Morning arrival in London on Day 15, where our tour concludes.
Accommodation: We stay at a choice selection of good-excellent guest houses, lodges and permanent tented camps. All rooms have private facilities (please note: occasionally at Etosha, some accommodation may be in two-bedroomed cottages, each with its own shared bathroom).
Meals: All included in the price. Food is good-excellent. Some lunches will be picnics.
Walking: Easy. At Etosha, the presence of wild animals precludes excursions on foot. Sturdy, comfy walking shoes adequate for this tour.
Ground Transport: By minibus. Roads in Namibia are generally good; some travel will necessarily be on well-graded gravel roads.
Flights: Wherever possible, we use the scheduled services of Air Namibia direct from London-Windhoek. If this service is not available, flights will be with South African Airways, British Airways or similar, routing from London to Windhoek via Johannesburg.
Numbers: Max. 14 clients
Days 1 - 2
We take an overnight flight from London to Windhoek (arriving on the morning of Day 2), where Callan will be waiting to greet us. Transfer to our comfortable guest house.
In the afternoon we have an opportunity to enjoy our first Namibian birds. Monteiros Hornbill, Short-toed Rock Thrush and the endemic Rockrunner - a ground-dwelling warbler with bright rufous belly and undertail - may be found, along with White-backed Mousebird, Greater Striped Swallow, the elegant Swallow-tailed Bee-eater and the stunning Crimson-breasted Shrike. Our guesthouse is situated in the hills around Windhoek and well be able to pick up a few of the specialities only a short walk away.
Overnight Windhoek
Day 3
From Windhoek, we head westwards, descending off the inland plateau into the desolate Namib Desert. The roadside birding is good along the way, with the crisp lines of Black-breasted Snake-eagle, the aptly-named Pygmy Falcon, Pale-winged and Cape Glossy Starlings, Karoo Chat and Great Sparrow possible, and well see the huge nests of the communal Sociable Weavers.
As the Namibs landscapes become increasingly arid and stark, well make frequent stops to scan for desert specialities such as the nomadic Rüppells and Ludwigs Bustards, and the dapper Double-banded Courser, with its striking chestnut hindwing in flight. Well also see our first Springbok, an antelope restricted to the arid areas of southern Africa. As we approach the cool Atlantic coast, well notice a definite - and welcome - drop in temperature.
Our accommodation for the next two nights will be in the seaside town of Walvis Bay, situated very close to excellent wader-watching, at the southernmost end of the treacherous and utterly desolate Skeleton Coast.
The coast, offshore islands, saltpans and estuaries around Walvis Bay literally teem with waterbirds. In spring, migrant waders such as Marsh and Curlew Sandpipers, and busy Turnstones can be present in unbelievable concentrations, as lines of the near-endemic Cape Cormorant stream out over the cold ocean in search of food. Hartlaubs Gull, Kittlitzs Plover and the localised Chestnut-banded Plover are also likely, along with masses of terns including Damara, Caspian and White-winged Black. Greater and Lesser Flamingos crowd the mudflats with a forest of bright pink legs. Well also hope to see Cape Fur-seals from the shore, although well have to be much luckier to spot either Heavisides or Bottle-nosed Dolphins that also occur off this coast.
Overnight Walvis Bay.
Day 4
The gargantuan dunes between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund are stunning, especially in the early morning and late afternoon light. Well scramble in the sparsely vegetated foothills of the dunes where well get excellent views of the surrounding dunescapes, as well as looking for the small lizards and beetles that are so remarkably adapted to this harsh landscape. The dunes are also home to the handsome Dune Lark; endemic to Namibia, its coloration blends perfectly with the deep-ochre sands of the Namib dune sea. Chestnut-vented Titbabbler, Dusky Sunbird and Orange River White-eye eke out a living here too and, if we are very lucky, we might find a wandering Burchells Courser.
Well also travel inland to seek that remarkable ancient plant, the Welwitschia. With its ancient and gnarled grey stem and fraying leaves, ones mind is transported to ancient desertscapes. In fact, the scene has been likened to that of a barren planet other than the Earth. In the same area we have good chances of finding the ghostly Namib form of Tractrac Chat, a southern Africa endemic.
Overnight Walvis Bay
Day 5
We set off early from the coast for the Spitzkoppe, a magnificent granite inselberg that rises like a colossus from the flat gravel plains. As we head out over the stark gravel plains, well keep a keen eye open for Grays Lark, an elusive desert lark thats all but confined to this part of Namibia.
If there have been good rains, this area is amazing for flowers. It is also one of the premier sites for Herero Chat, another near-endemic - but we will still require luck and patience to find this elusive bird! The enigmatic White-tailed Shrike is another local speciality here thats all but confined to Namibia; with its pale eye, striking black, white and grey plumage, long legs and stubby tail, its a bird not to be missed! Also recognised by its disproportionately short tail, well watch for Augur Buzzard too, along with the pretty Rosy-faced Lovebird, Acacia Pied Barbet, White-throated Seedeater and Mountain Wheatear.
Our destination this evening is a new lodge set amid the rugged Erongo Mountains. This remote lodge is Callans favourite on the African continent: not only is it beautifully isolated and surrounded by huge granite monoliths, but each of the luxury accommodation units is set in its own private area of the grounds, with birds all around. And the food is spectacular, too!
Overnight Erongo Wilderness Lodge
Day 6
The Erongo range is home to yet more key Namibian species. We shall need to be up bright and early to find the first of them - Hartlaubs Francolin - as this uncommon bird is only likely to be seen at daybreak, when pairs stand atop boulders and crow in duet. We have further chances of seeing the engaging Rockrunner scrambling about rocks near the lodge today, as well as stunning the Amethyst Starling and tiny Black-faced Waxbill - perhaps even the magnificent Verreauxs Eagle.
Well also have some time off today, after the morning birding, to relax and appreciate the surroundings at ones own pace. Photographers might wait near the very productive waterhole for Violet-eared Waxbills and other seedeaters to come and quench their thirst, while the more energetic may explore the trails around the camp. As night falls, if its a warm evening, Freckled Nightjars hawk around our lovely lodge.
Overnight Erongo Wilderness Lodge
Day 7
Leaving Erongo this morning, we will head back out into the Namib, on our way to the massive granite outcrop of the Brandberg; at 2500m, its Namibias highest peak. This huge desert inselberg towers above the shimmering desert plains below and is home to a variety of endemics - and the elusive desert elephant. Well be on the look-out for recently described Benguela Long-billed Lark, along with Bare-cheeked Babbler and Rüppells Bustard. We might also be lucky to find signs of Namibias famous desert elephants in this remote landscape, but one has to be very lucky to actually see these mystical creatures.
Overnight near the Brandberg
Day 8
After a full mornings birding on the desert plains and tree-lined watercourses, well turn our sights to Hobatere. As we continue north, the landscape becomes ever-more verdant and we shall spend the next two nights amid lovely woodlands close to the western edge of famous Etosha National Park. Our accommodation here - Hobatere Lodge - has been a firm favourite with our previous groups. With plenty of wildlife all around, this private lodge allows only a small number of people into its exclusive and vast game-watching concession each day. Well travel in open-top Landrovers in search of a fabulous selection of birds and mammals. At night, Lions often roar close to the camp, and indeed we often see Lions in this vicinity.
Overnight Hobatere Lodge
Day 9
We have a full day birding this beautiful and remote area of mopane and acacia woodland. With its blue belly, the uncommon Rüppells Parrot is one of several exciting specialities awaiting our discovery here, and we may find the enormous Verreauxs Eagle Owl, hiding its gaze behind surreal pink eye-lids, along with the superbly camouflaged African Scops Owl and very attractive Violet Wood-hoopoe, largest of its tribe.
Well return to the lodge for lunch, followed by a short rest, before heading out for the afternoons birding and game-drive. If the rains have been good, this is an excellent area for the nomadic Monotonous Lark - surely no birdwatcher could resist the opportunity to search for that? Encounters with the local pride of Lions can often be truly memorable here and we can enjoy a night-drive to try for Cape and Bat-eared Foxes, and the most peculiar Springhare. We might even find the rare Marbled Rubber Frog in the lodge pool at night!
Overnight Hobatere Lodge
Day 10
With great anticipation, we enter Etosha itself. This fabulous National Park - at one time the largest park in the world - fulfils everyones ideal of real Africa, and we should arrive at the main camp of Okaukuejo in time for some birding nearby - and the thrill of watching mammals at the famous floodlit waterhole tonight. Crimson-breasted Shrike, Sociable Weaver, African Hoopoe and Chestnut-vented Tit-babbler occur around camp. At dusk, flocks of thirsty Double-banded Sandgrouse descend upon the waterhole, which remains a scene of constant activity after dark, depending on the rains, with chances of seeing Black Rhinoceros, African Elephant and Lion.
Overnight Okaukuejo
Day 11
We work our way slowly across Etosha to Halali, in the centre of the Park. The open grasslands and acacia savanna are the haunt of impressive Martial and Tawny Eagles, sentinel Pale Chanting Goshawks and the aptly-named Pygmy Falcon, while stately Kori Bustards move through the grassy brush. Well also look out for the strikingly handsome Northern Black Korhaan, which we hope to see in its display flight - the males flying in circles above the grassland, calling raucously and flashing their white primary feathers. Southern Anteating Chat and Rufous-eared Warbler are amongst a wealth of small birds we shall also be looking for today, and grazing mammals such as Burchells Zebra, Blue Wildebeest and Gemsbok are plentiful.
Halali is a great place to look for Violet Wood-hoopoe and Bare-faced Babbler. In the mopane woodlands next day, we have further chances of the rain-dependant Monotonous Lark. Fawn-coloured Lark, White-browed Scrub Robin and flocks of inquisitive White Helmet-shrikes could all come our way here too, as we watch for the distinctive tail-less outline of the snake-hunting Bateleur sailing against the cloudless Namibian skies. Not to be confused with the similar call of African Hoopoe, the voice of African Cuckoo is its most diagnostic feature and we might hear them calling from the trees.
Our camp at Halali is set in woodland and a superb selection of species may be seen by taking a relaxed stroll through the grounds.
Overnight Halali
Day 12
Travelling east towards Namutoni, the scenery becomes ever greener and the vegetation taller. Few African birds are more elegant or instantly recognisable than the long-legged Blue Cranes and Secretary Birds which frequent the more open areas here - but, unless we are fortunate enough to catch a male in display, we shall have to look a good deal harder to detect the rufous nape feathers of the Red-crested Bustard! The striking Southern Pied Babbler is much more appropriately named (and somewhat easier to spot), while the very upright Groundscraper Thrush, delicate Burnt-necked Eremomela, lovely Chinspot Batis and must-see Long-billed Crombec could all be added to the list today.
Among many mammals to watch for are Spotted Hyena and Black-faced Impala, while a habituated group of Banded Mongoose often forages around our accommodation.
Overnight Namutoni
Day 13
Well spend the morning birding and looking for mammals near Namutoni. A highlight might be diminutive Damara Dik-dik, which well search for in the woodlands south of Namutoni. This is also the best area in the park for Elephants, so well keep a look out for them. Red-billed Hornbills are common here too, and well be able to compare them to the Damara Hornbill that we will have seen at Hobatere.
After lunch, well break our return journey south after four hours at Waterberg National Park,
at lodgings situated in woodland on the slopes of the Waterberg Mountain, close to Otjiwarongo. The variegated colours of light on the red sandstone cliffs of the Waterberg provide a spectacular backdrop to our birding. Highlights could include Rüppells Parrot, African Paradise Flycatcher, Little Sparrowhawk, Bearded Woodpecker, Burchells Starling, Puffback and the inquisitive little Dwarf Mongoose.
Overnight Waterberg
Day 14
Leaving Waterberg after breakfast and some local birding this morning, reluctantly we must head back south to Windhoek (a journey of about three to four hours). If flight times permit, we will make a visit to the Avis Dam area, which is surrounded by rich woodlands and grasslands, where we may get our last views of the extraordinary displaying male Shaft-tailed Whydahs, with their vivid orange plumage and impossibly long tails!
Returning to the airport this afternoon, we bid farewell to Callan and board our flight from Windhoek back to London. Morning arrival in London on Day 15, where our tour concludes.
Accommodation: We stay at a choice selection of good-excellent guest houses, lodges and permanent tented camps. All rooms have private facilities (please note: occasionally at Etosha, some accommodation may be in two-bedroomed cottages, each with its own shared bathroom).
Meals: All included in the price. Food is good-excellent. Some lunches will be picnics.
Walking: Easy. At Etosha, the presence of wild animals precludes excursions on foot. Sturdy, comfy walking shoes adequate for this tour.
Ground Transport: By minibus. Roads in Namibia are generally good; some travel will necessarily be on well-graded gravel roads.
Flights: Wherever possible, we use the scheduled services of Air Namibia direct from London-Windhoek. If this service is not available, flights will be with South African Airways, British Airways or similar, routing from London to Windhoek via Johannesburg.
Numbers: Max. 14 clients