Birding – Hoedspruit Day Trips
Duration: Full Day
There are 3 Birding Day Trips from Hoedspruit to choose from:
1 Kruger National Park
Departing: Sept – Apr 5am; May to Aug 5:30am
Pick up in Hoedspruit
- We enter the Kruger Park at Orpen Gate.
- Birding walk in Orpen Camp
- Picnic breakfast
- Birding drive to Satara Camp
- Bird walk and lunch in Satara Camp
- Visit to Sweni Bird Hide
- Return to Hoedspruit via Orpen gate.
- Arrival between 5-6 pm
Possible species: Martial Eagle, Wahlberg’s Eagle, African Fish Eagle, Saddle-billed Stork, Kori Bustard, Secretary bird, White-headed Vulture, Lapped-faced Vulture, Bateleur, Brown Snake-eagle, Purple Roller, Broad-billed Roller, Carmine Bee-eater, Senegal Lapwing, Southern Ground-Hornbill, Red-breasted Swallow, Black-headed Oriole, Marico Sunbird, Violet-backed Starling, Long-tailed Paradise Whydah, Green-winged Pytilia, Sabota Lark, Stierling’s Wren-warbler, Melodious Lark, Comb Duck, Green Wood-Hoopoe and many, many more. 100+ species can be seen on a day trip in summer. 500+ species on the official Kruger National Park List.
2 Mariepskop Forest Reserve and Blyde Canyon
Departing: Sept – Apr 5am; May to Aug 5:30am
Pick up from Hoedspruit
- Birding along the Mariepskop road
- Picnic breakfast (included)
- Birding Walk in Afro-montane Forest
- Fynbos birding and view over the Blyde River Canyon
- Driving down to the Blyde River
- Lunch at a local restaurant (not included)
- Waterfall hiking trail birding walk
- Return to Hoedspruit arriving between 5-6 pm
95% OF SPECIES PRESENT ALL YEAR ROUND
18 SPECIAL AFRO-MONTANE FOREST SPECIES: Narina Trogon, Orange Ground-thrush, Black-fronted Bush-shrike, Olive Bush-shrike, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, White-starred Robin, Chorister Robin-chat, Knysna Turaco, Bush Blackcap (rare), Terrestrial Brownbul, African Emerald Cuckoo, Blue-mantled Crested-flycatcher, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Green Twinspot, Olive Woodpecker, Square-taliled Drongo, Swee Waxbill, Cape Batis, Bar-throated Apalis, Southern Boubou, Southern Double-collared Sunbird.
FYNBOS SPECIES: Gurney’s Sugarbird (early winter), Barrat’s Warbler, Forest Canary, Drakensberg Prinia, Cape Robin-chat, Malachite Sunbird, Lazy Cisticola, Southern Double-collared Sunbird.
SAVANNAH & FORESTED MOUNTAIN SLOPES: Gorgeous Bush-shrike, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Broad-billed Roller (late summer), Jackal Buzzard, Forest Buzzard, Lizard Buzzard, Mountain Wagtail, Black Duck, Pygmy Kingfisher, Black Saw-wing, White-fronted Bee-eaters, Red-faced Cisticola, Little Bee-eaters, Broad-tailed Warbler (rare), Croaking Cisticola, Purple-crested Turaco, Green-capped Eremomela, Black & Brown-crowned Tchagra and more.
**Important: Please be aware that the weather on Mariepskop mountain is unpredictable and your guide may need to make changes to the itinerary if cloud cover persist or effects visibility. In case of bad weather more time will be spend on the first part of the Mariepskop road as well as the on the waterfall walk.
3. Panorama Route and Mount Sheba Forest Reserve
Departing: Sept – Apr 5am; May – Aug 5:30am
Pick up in Hoedspruit
- Taita Falcon view point at the Strijdom tunnel
- Picnic breakfast (included) at Three Rondawels viewpoint
- God’s Window viewpoint forest birding walk
- Grassland birding
- Lunch at Mount Sheba restaurant (not included)
- Afro-montane forest birding
- Second stop at Strijdom tunnel if necessary
- Return to Hoedspruit arriving between 5-6pm
95% OF SPECIES PRESENT ALL YEAR ROUND
18 SPECIAL AFRO-MONTANE SPECIES: Narina Trogon, Orange Ground-thrush, Black-fronted Bush-shrike, Olive Bush-shrike, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, White-starred Robin, Chorister Robin-chat, Knysna Turaco, Bush Blackcap (rare), Brown Scrub-robin, Terrestrial Brownbul, African Emerald Cuckoo, Blue-mantled Crested-flycatcher, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Green Twinspot, Olive Woodpecker, Square-taliled Drongo, Swee Waxbill, Cape Batis, Bar-throated Apalis, Southern Boubou, Southern Double-collard Sunbird.
GRASSLAND and ESCARPMENT SPECIES: Verreaux Eagle, Taita Falcon, Southern Bald Ibis, Peregrine Falcon, Rock Kestrel, Cape Vulture, Gurney’s Sugarbird (winter), Drakensberg Prinia, Cape Robin-chat, Malachite Sunbird, Lazy Cisticola, Southern Double-collared Sunbird, Cape Longclaw, Cape Rock Thrush, Yellow Bishop, Jackal Buzzard, Buff-streaked Chat, Mocking-cliff Chat, African Stonechat and more
**Important: Please be aware that the weather on the Panorama Route and Escarpment is unpredictable and visibility can not be guaranteed; your guide may need to make changes to the itinerary if cloud cover persist or effects visibility. In case of bad weather more time will be spend on those areas with better visibility.
If interested please send me an email to: info@birdingandwildlifesafaris.com or visit us at https://www.birdingandwildlifesafaris.com/