Birding tours

With some 950 species of birds recorded in the region, including 150 endemics and near-endemics, Southern Africa is a birder's dream, offering incredible species diversity combined with unparalleled ease of birding.

Lawson's conduct specialised bird-watching tours in Southern Africa as well as other destinations such as Malawi and Zambia.  Tours with a focus on other areas of interest such as botany, dragonflies, butterflies and photography can also be put together on request.  Experienced birders and beginners alike are welcome to participate and we invite you to review our current 2008 and 2009 tour schedule.  If there is nothing there that is 100% suitable, contact us directly and we can put together a Tailor-made Tour for you.  Or click on Tours with other operators - we are the ground operators for all the listed tours and we welcome you to participate.

Guides
All Lawson's tours are conducted by extremely able, qualified guides who have the required experience and knowledge to find the endemics, rarities and specials that will make your holiday that much more rewarding - you will want to return time and time again! Despite being highly qualified and specialists in their fields, they are also chosen for their personable, down-to-earth and ever-friendly personalities. See the individual profiles at  Our Team.

Contact us for more details, including costs, detailed itineraries, bird and mammal checklists.

UPCOMING BIRDING TOURS: set departures

Our exciting 2009 / 2010 program!

                                                                                         

This is one of our favourite itineraries and includes a remarkable range of habitats and scenery within a relatively small area, with the bulk of the tour taking place within one province: Mpumalanga. The tour starts in the grassy highlands, where endemics are particularly rich, then moves to the awesome Blyde River Canyon where several major habitats converge before levelling out in the vast Kruger National Park, where things really hot up as far as birds and mammals go. Click here to download the tour dossier: Lawson's Kruger National Park and Escarpment Birding and Wildlife tour. There's also a pre-tour to the Western Cape from the 22 - 31 October, which, when combined with the Kruger tour, will provide a comprehensive South African birding and wildlife experience.

Our modular itineraries below, based on routes used over the last 18 years, can be combined to create a comprehensive South African birding and wildlife tour. 

ESCARPMENT AND SOUTHERN KRUGER NATIONAL PARK VOYAGER - from the highlands to the savannah; an experience in South Africa's incredible diversity
Dates: this tour runs throughout the year; see below for the best time to visit
Dullstroom, Blyde Canyon and Southern Kruger National Park

Tour in brief
Best time to visit: September and early October are probably the best months for birding, and the rest of the summer up until March is also good. Winters are cooler, and the birding can still be good, although not quite what it can be in summer
Expected weather conditions:  warm to hot in summer, possible afternoon thunderstorms. Cool to mild and dry during winter
Tour tempo:  medium to medium-plus, optional mid-day breaks on non-travelling days (advisable in the hotter areas)
Accommodation standards:  medium: lodges, guest houses and National Park's rest-camps
Birding in brief: excellent variety, three major habitats included, tops for endemics
Top 5 birds:  Southern Bald Ibis, Denham's Bustard, Gurney's Sugarbird, African Scops Owl, Southern Ground Hornbill
Mammal viewing:  excellent, especially in the Kruger National Park
Other wildlife and attractions:  the Drakensberg Escarpment and the Kruger National Park

Note: The exact itinerary will depend on availability, but will still include 2 nights in Dullstroom, 1 in Blyde and 5 in the Kruger National Park.

WESTERN CAPE VOYAGER  - between the ocean and the mountains; a birding and wildlife adventure in the fairest Cape
Dates: this tour runs throughout the year; see below for best time to visit
Cape Peninsula, Swellendam, Ceres and Langebaan

Tour in brief
Best time to visit: September is the prime month, but anywhere between mid-August and mid-October is a good time to visit. Winter is the rainy season, and long periods of cold and wet weather can be expected between May and July, while summers are hot and can be rather windy
Expected weather conditions:  mild to warm / hot in summer, cool mornings and evenings away from the coast during autumn and spring, prolonged periods of rain possible anytime during the winter
Tour tempo:  medium to medium-plus, optional mid-day breaks on non-travelling days
Accommodation standards:  medium plus: lodges and guest houses
Birding in brief:  excellent variety, forest, marine, coastal, karoo and mountain habitats covered
Top 5 birds:  Cape Rockjumper, African Penguin, Cape Sugarbird, Black Harrier, Orange-breasted Sunbird
Mammal viewing: Southern Right Whales in season (September to December); antelope species such as the endemic Bontebok, Chacma Baboon and other smaller species. No Big Five
Other wildlife and attractions:  Table Mountain and the Cape Peninsula, the scenic drive between Gordon's Bay and Pringle Bay, the fold mountains of the interior, the desolate scenery of the Karoo