Namibia Botswana Zambia Birding with Nature Travel Birding

Arrive in Livingstone, southern Zambia, and begin this exclusive birding journey beside the mighty Zambezi River. After meeting at Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport, a comfortable transfer takes you to a riverside lodge, around 30 minutes away. Settle into a luxury tented chalet with en suite facilities before enjoying your first birding walk through the riverine surroundings.

The Zambezi riverside habitat offers a rewarding introduction to the region’s birdlife, with opportunities to find Yellow-breasted Apalis, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Collared Palm Thrush, Orange-breasted Bushshrike and Holub’s Golden Weaver. Keep an eye out for Red-faced Cisticola, Bearded Scrub Robin, Southern Yellow White-eye and Arrow-marked Babbler as you explore the lodge grounds.

As the afternoon draws to a close, relax with a sundowner overlooking the Zambezi before a welcoming dinner. With the river and surrounding wildlife providing a natural backdrop, the evening offers a peaceful beginning to what promises to be a memorable African birding adventure.

Begin the morning beside the Zambezi River with coffee and a quiet scan for the resident African Finfoot pair before heading to magnificent Victoria Falls. Spend the morning exploring the riverine woodland and footpaths around the falls, combining exceptional birding with the unforgettable spectacle of Mosi-oa-Tunya, the “Smoke that Thunders,” as the Zambezi plunges into its dramatic gorge.

Birding around Victoria Falls can produce Schalow’s Turaco, Trumpeter Hornbill, Rock Pratincole and White-browed Robin-chat, along with Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Terrestrial Brownbul and Red-winged Starling. If time allows, a visit to the local water treatment works offers further opportunities for African Rail, African Swamphen, Orange-breasted Waxbill and Blue Waxbill, as well as Augur Buzzard and Verreaux’s Eagle. Lunch in town provides time to relax after a rewarding morning.

The afternoon brings another special experience: a boat cruise along the Zambezi River. From the water, watch the riverbanks and surrounding habitats for African Skimmer, Rufous-bellied Heron, White-backed Night Heron and Western Banded Snake Eagle, while several kingfisher species may be seen along the river. Hippopotamus and Nile Crocodile add to the wildlife encounters.

Return to the riverside lodge in the evening to update bird lists, enjoy dinner and relax after an unforgettable day combining world-famous scenery, riverine birding and wildlife in one of Africa’s most remarkable destinations.

Start the morning with a pre-breakfast birding walk through the miombo woodland surrounding the lodge. This habitat offers an excellent introduction to the region’s woodland birdlife, with highlights such as Racket-tailed Roller, Miombo Pied Barbet, Miombo Rock Thrush and Lizard Buzzard. Retz’s Helmetshrike, White-crested Helmetshrike, Striped Kingfisher and Kurrichane Thrush are also among the possibilities before returning for breakfast.

After breakfast, cross into Namibia near Katima Mulilo, travelling through the Zambezi Region with birding stops along the way. Depending on the season, there may be an opportunity to visit the Muchile Important Bird Area in search of the localized Black-cheeked Lovebird. The surrounding mopane woodland can also produce Arnot’s Chat, Bennett’s Woodpecker, Meves’s Starling and Southern Ground Hornbill.

After lunch in Katima Mulilo, continue to the lodge, where the day ends beside a large Zambezi backwater. The highlight is a visit to a spectacular Southern Carmine Bee-eater colony, providing a memorable opportunity to watch these colourful birds in their riverside habitat.

This intimate, owner-run lodge offers comfortable rooms, tree-filled grounds, a restaurant, bar and swimming pool. After dark, keep watch for Common Genet, while Greater Kudu, Impala and African Elephant may be seen nearby. With the remote bush surroundings offering spectacular views of the Milky Way, this is a wonderfully peaceful end to an exceptional day in the Zambezi Region.

Begin the morning beside the river with coffee and the sight of swallows and martins moving over the water before heading out on an early birding excursion across the lily-covered pans and Zambezi floodplain. This rich wetland habitat offers opportunities for Lesser Jacana, African Pygmy Goose, White-backed Duck and Slaty Egret, while Saddle-billed Stork and Rufous-bellied Heron add to the highlights. With luck, Rosy-throated Longclaw, Coppery-tailed Coucal, White-crowned Lapwing and the elusive Black Coucal may also be found.

After breakfast, continue across the Caprivi Strip towards the Botswana border, with birding stops along the way. One of the highlights is a stake-out for Rock Pratincole before continuing to the Okavango River and the tranquil lodge in the Okavango Panhandle.

Time permitting, explore the lodge grounds, where lush gardens and riverine surroundings provide habitat for Hartlaub’s Babbler, Green Wood Hoopoe, Golden-tailed Woodpecker and Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird. African Wood Owl and African Barred Owlet are also regularly observed here.

Settle into the welcoming lodge, with its gardens, swimming pool, excellent restaurant and peaceful riverside setting. After dinner, take time to update your bird list and listen for the distinctive call of African Wood Owl beneath the African night sky. It is a wonderfully intimate way to experience the exceptional birding and natural beauty of the Okavango Panhandle.

Begin the day with a peaceful walk through the Okavango’s riverine forest, searching the leafy habitat for Narina Trogon, Bradfield’s Hornbill, Grey-headed Kingfisher and Grey-headed Bushshrike. Woodland species such as Swamp Boubou, Brubru, Black-backed Puffback and several woodpeckers, including Golden-tailed and Bearded Woodpecker, add to the morning’s birding highlights.

After breakfast, take to the water on an exclusive boat cruise along the Okavango River. This is a superb opportunity to explore the river channels and surrounding wetlands while watching for the elusive Pel’s Fishing Owl and White-backed Night Heron. Little Bittern, Allen’s Gallinule, Purple Heron, Greater Swamp Warbler and Little Rush Warbler are among the other sought-after species, while African Fish Eagle, Hamerkop, African Openbill and White-winged Tern are also possible.

The afternoon is devoted to Mahango Game Park, a remarkably diverse reserve covering 25,000 hectares along the Okavango floodplain. Part of the greater Bwabwata National Park and recognised as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International, Mahango combines riverside woodland, reedbeds, grassland, open woodland and dry woodland with dense stands of large trees. The park has recorded more than 400 bird species, making this a truly special birding destination.

Among the key targets are Wattled Crane, Long-toed Lapwing, Slaty Egret, Broad-billed Roller, Violet-eared Waxbill and Brown-necked Parrot, with opportunities for Western Osprey, Ayres’s Hawk-eagle, African Cuckoo-hawk and several smaller raptors. The game viewing is equally rewarding, with Red Lechwe, Sable, Roan Antelope, Tsessebe, African Elephant, African Buffalo and Hippopotamus possible. With luck, Lion, Cheetah, African Wild Dog or Leopard may also appear.

Before sunset, arrive at your comfortable riverside lodge overlooking Bwabwata National Park. Relax in an air-conditioned thatched bungalow, enjoy the beautiful river views from the deck and savour excellent Namibian cuisine. As the sun sets over the Okavango, take in the scenery and reflect on another exceptional day of birding and wildlife in one of Africa’s most memorable wilderness settings.

Start the morning with a relaxed pre-breakfast birding walk around the lodge, exploring the mature trees and surrounding vegetation for woodland species. Highlights may include Meyer’s Parrot, Woodland Kingfisher, African Green Pigeon, Brown Firefinch and Thick-billed Weaver, with Hartlaub’s Babbler, White-browed Robin-chat and Southern Yellow White-eye adding further variety.

After breakfast, spend the morning birding the woodland between Divundu and Rundu, where miombo and broadleaf habitats provide opportunities for species more typically associated with areas further north in Zambia. Racket-tailed Roller, Rufous-bellied Tit, Souza’s Shrike and Green-backed Honeybird are among the key targets, while African Hobby and, with luck, Sharp-tailed Starling may also be encountered.

Keep watch for additional woodland birds as the route unfolds, including Coqui Francolin, Green-capped Eremomela, Southern Black Tit, Striped Kingfisher and Fork-tailed Drongo. The diverse habitats also offer possibilities for Tinkling Cisticola, Neddicky, Pale Flycatcher, Southern Black Flycatcher and Dark Chanting Goshawk.

Return to the peaceful Okavango River lodge for a leisurely afternoon. Enjoy the green lawns, large trees and tranquil surroundings, with time for a swim before dinner. As the day draws to a close, update your growing bird list and relax in preparation for another special day of birding and wildlife exploration.

After breakfast, leave the lush tropical woodlands of the Caprivi behind and travel southwest towards Etosha National Park, watching the landscape change dramatically along the way. Arrive on the eastern side of Etosha around midday, enjoy lunch at the lodge and take a short rest before heading into the park for your first taste of this remarkable wilderness.

Covering more than 22,300 km², Etosha is renowned for its vast open landscapes, abundant wildlife and enormous salt pan, the defining feature of the park. More than 350 bird species have been recorded here, while the mammal list exceeds 110 species, including four of the Big Five. After summer rain, the pan can become an extraordinary spectacle, attracting thousands of flamingos and other waterbirds.

The eastern section offers excellent opportunities to search for Blue Crane, Black-faced Babbler, Swainson’s Spurfowl, Chestnut Weaver and Double-banded Courser among the open woodland and grassland. If water fills the pan, keep watch for Lesser and Greater Flamingo, Pied Avocet, Black-winged Stilt and Chestnut-banded Plover, along with other wetland species.

The wildlife encounters can be equally memorable, with possibilities including Black Rhinoceros, African Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Cheetah and Spotted Hyaena. The eastern area is also particularly interesting for Kirk’s Dik-dik and the Black-faced Impala subspecies, while Greater Kudu, Springbok, Gemsbok and Red Hartebeest may also be encountered.

Your accommodation is situated on the eastern doorstep of Etosha, surrounded by mopane woodland and extensive indigenous gardens on a 4,000-hectare private nature reserve bordering the park. The peaceful setting offers opportunities for birding around the lodge itself, including the possibility of Black-faced Babbler. After a memorable first outing in Etosha, enjoy a relaxed dinner and settle in for the night, ready for more exceptional birding and wildlife encounters tomorrow.

Spend a full day exploring the east-central reaches of Etosha National Park, with an early breakfast or packed breakfast enjoyed at one of the park’s scenic waterholes. These permanent water sources are among Etosha’s greatest attractions, offering the chance to settle quietly and watch as birds and wildlife come and go. It is a wonderfully unhurried way to experience this exceptional African wilderness.

Birding across the open plains and surrounding habitats can produce Violet-eared Waxbill, Burnt-necked Eremomela, Rufous-naped Lark and Red-billed Buffalo Weaver. Etosha is also an excellent destination for raptors, with possibilities including Bateleur, Martial Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Lanner Falcon, Peregrine Falcon and Black-chested Snake Eagle. Keep scanning the skies for Brown Snake Eagle, Red-necked Falcon, Pale Chanting Goshawk and Gabar Goshawk.

Continue towards Halali, either stopping for a packed lunch in a scenic location or enjoying lunch at the camp restaurant. The area around Halali offers further birding opportunities, with highlights including Violet Wood Hoopoe, Carp’s Tit, Bare-cheeked Babbler, Southern Pied Babbler and Damara Red-billed Hornbill. African Scops Owl and Southern White-faced Owl may also be found, while Greater Blue-eared Starling and White-crested Helmetshrike add to the variety.

Etosha’s impressive vulture assemblage is another highlight, with opportunities to see Lappet-faced, White-backed, White-headed and Hooded Vulture. An occasional Egyptian Vulture adds an exciting element of possibility to the day.

After a rewarding day among Etosha’s waterholes, open landscapes and remarkable birdlife, return through the eastern gate to the lodge. Enjoy dinner, update your bird list and relax after another memorable day in one of Namibia’s most iconic wildlife destinations.

After breakfast, continue west through Etosha National Park, exploring the open plains and stopping regularly at waterholes where wildlife gathers, particularly during the dry months. The changing light, colours and textures of the landscape create exceptional photographic opportunities, while every stop brings the possibility of another memorable bird or mammal encounter.

Pause for lunch at Halali Camp, with time for a short walk to its famous waterhole. As the route continues towards Okaukuejo, watch the surrounding plains for Kori Bustard, Common Ostrich, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Crimson-breasted Shrike and Golden-tailed Woodpecker. The enormous Sociable Weaver nests provide another fascinating feature of the landscape, and careful scanning may reveal the diminutive Pygmy Falcon.

Late afternoon birding around the Okondeka plains offers a change of habitat and further opportunities for desert-adapted species. Look for Spike-heeled, Pink-billed, Red-capped and Sabota Larks, along with Double-banded Courser, Capped Wheatear, Ant-eating Chat and Rufous-eared Warbler. The nearby waterhole is also renowned as a place to see Lion.

Arrive at Okaukuejo, situated at the western end of the Etosha Pan, and settle into the oldest tourist camp in the park. The camp grounds themselves can produce Pririt Batis, Groundscraper Thrush, Chestnut-vented Warbler, Red-headed Finch and Acacia Pied Barbet, with South African Ground Squirrel also possible.

After dinner, make your way to Okaukuejo’s famous floodlit waterhole for an unforgettable evening wildlife experience. Sit quietly with a drink and watch for Verreaux’s Eagle-owl, Western Barn Owl and Rufous-cheeked Nightjar, while Black Rhinoceros, African Elephant, Giraffe, Gemsbok, Greater Kudu, Springbok and Common Warthog may come to drink. Few experiences capture the magic of Etosha quite like watching wildlife gather around a waterhole beneath the African night sky.

Start the morning with coffee and a short birding and game drive around Okaukuejo, with the option to revisit the Okondeka plains if more time is needed to find their desert specialists. After breakfast, set out towards western Etosha, stopping at waterholes along the way and watching for Burchell’s Sandgrouse coming to drink. Although much of the day is spent travelling, the changing scenery and wildlife keep the journey rewarding.

Western Etosha offers some of the park’s most sought-after birds, including Hartlaub’s Spurfowl, Monteiro’s Hornbill, Rüppell’s Parrot, White-tailed Shrike and Rockrunner. Violet Wood Hoopoe and Bare-cheeked Babbler are also among the key targets in this dry western habitat, providing an exceptional opportunity to experience Etosha’s distinctive birdlife.

Continue to Dolomite Camp, nestled among the dolomite outcrops in one of the most scenic parts of western Etosha. The surrounding waterholes attract African Elephant, rhinos, Leopard, Lion, Springbok, Gemsbok and Red Hartebeest, while seasonal flowers around Dolomite Hill add an extra highlight for those interested in the region’s flora.

After settling in, enjoy time to socialise, update your bird lists and share the day’s sightings over dinner. With the dramatic landscapes, specialist birdlife and wildlife-rich waterholes of western Etosha surrounding you, this intimate setting provides a memorable final evening in the park.

Rise early and, after leaving Etosha, take the option to visit a lodge near Kamanjab, an excellent stop for Namibia’s near-endemic birds and other regional specials. The surrounding habitat offers opportunities for Rockrunner, Hartlaub’s Spurfowl, Rüppell’s Parrot, Bare-cheeked Babbler and White-tailed Shrike, while Monteiro’s Hornbill and Damara Red-billed Hornbill are both common around the lodge. Southern Pied Babbler, Carp’s Tit and African Scops Owl are also among the possibilities.

Continue south into dramatic Damaraland, where rugged rock formations, ancient watercourses, open plains, grassland, granite koppies and deep gorges create an extraordinary desert landscape. A visit to the rocky outcrops of Twyfelfontein provides the opportunity to see one of Namibia’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites and its remarkable collection of Bushmen engravings.

The surrounding wilderness is home to desert-adapted wildlife, including Elephant, Rhinoceros, Zebra and Lion. From Damaraland, continue towards the arid plains around Brandberg Mountain, Namibia’s highest mountain at 2,573 metres, where the afternoon is devoted to searching for some of the region’s most special birds.

On the plains north of Brandberg, look for Rüppell’s Korhaan, Burchell’s Courser, Bokmakierie and Benguela Long-billed Lark. The rocky hills offer the chance to find Herero Chat, one of the most challenging regional endemics to locate, along with Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Cape Penduline Tit and Grey-backed Cisticola.

Settle into a tranquil lodge near the Ugab River, where the surrounding desert habitat may produce Violet Wood Hoopoe, Bare-cheeked Babbler, Rüppell’s Parrot and Augur Buzzard. Desert-adapted wildlife can sometimes venture close to the lodge, adding another special dimension to the evening. After a traditional Namibian dinner, take a moment to look up at the spectacular stars before settling in for the night.

Begin the morning with coffee and breakfast before returning to the Brandberg area for more birding among its rugged mountain and desert habitats. Take time to search for any outstanding targets while also experiencing this culturally significant landscape, home to the famous White Lady rock painting in the Tsisab ravine, one of more than 45,000 paintings in the area.

After leaving Brandberg, travel south towards the Erongo Mountains, a renowned hotspot for Namibia’s special birdlife. After lunch en route, arrive in the spectacular granite hills with time to explore this remarkable landscape and focus on any regional targets still needed.

The rocky surroundings of the lodge are particularly rewarding for Hartlaub’s Spurfowl and Rockrunner. Other key possibilities include Rüppell’s Parrot, Carp’s Tit, White-tailed Shrike, Violet Wood Hoopoe and both Monteiro’s Hornbill and Damara Red-billed Hornbill. Raptors such as Augur Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon, African Hawk-Eagle and Booted Eagle may also be encountered, along with a variety of vultures and buntings.

The Erongo birding experience continues with large numbers of Rosy-faced Lovebirds and a selection of scrub and savannah species, including Green-winged Pytilia, Short-toed Rock Thrush, Violet-eared Waxbill, Black-cheeked Waxbill, Blue Waxbill, Barred Wren-warbler and Mountain Wheatear. Keep watch around the rocky habitats for Dassie Rat and Common Rock Hyrax, while Kaokoveld Slender Mongoose, Leopard and Caracal are also possible.

As evening falls, relax around the lodge and enjoy dinner beside the floodlit waterhole. Western Barn Owl and Freckled Nightjar are regularly seen here in the evenings, providing a memorable end to a special day among the granite mountains and desert wildlife of Erongo.

Start the morning with an early walk through the Erongo Mountains in search of Hartlaub’s Spurfowl, a sought-after near-endemic that can be challenging to locate. Listen carefully for its distinctive ventriloquial call before moving quietly through the rocky habitat in the hope of a close encounter.

After breakfast, leave the mountains behind and travel southwest towards Walvis Bay and the Atlantic coast, with a stop along the way to search for Gray’s Lark. The landscape changes dramatically as the granite hills give way to the coastal dunes and open spaces around Walvis Bay.

Spend the afternoon exploring the famous Walvis Bay Lagoon, a globally important Ramsar wetland and one of southern Africa’s most important coastal wetlands for waders. The lagoon provides exceptional birding, with Damara Tern a major target. Other highlights may include Chestnut-banded Plover, African Oystercatcher, Great White Pelican, Black-necked Grebe and Greater and Lesser Flamingo, while huge flocks of Cape Cormorants are a familiar sight.

The lagoon’s extensive mudflats and coastal waters attract an impressive variety of migrant and resident shorebirds, including Ruff, Little Stint, Sanderling, Terek Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-tailed Godwit, Common Redshank and Spotted Redshank. Several tern species are also possible, while the open coastline occasionally produces exciting rarities such as Pomarine Jaeger, Subantarctic Skua, American Golden Plover, Pacific Golden Plover, Broad-billed Sandpiper and Franklin’s Gull.

Settle into your colourful lodge just moments from the lagoon, where the gardens offer further opportunities for Orange River White-eye, Cape Sparrow and Common Waxbill. In the evening, enjoy a special farewell dinner in Walvis Bay before spending your final night beneath the African skies, reflecting on an extraordinary journey through some of southern Africa’s most spectacular birding landscapes.

There is one final and very special birding experience before this unforgettable journey comes to an end. The morning is dedicated to finding Dune Lark (E) in the scenic Kuiseb River valley. Search the sparsely vegetated desert between the impressive dunes for this beautifully adapted lark, which survives without known records of drinking water, obtaining what it needs from seeds and insects.

The surrounding desert habitat may also produce Tractrac Chat, Grey-backed Cisticola, Dusky Sunbird and Bokmakierie, while White-backed Mousebird, Cape Sparrow and Great Sparrow add to the morning’s birding. Keep watch overhead for Jackal Buzzard and Pale Chanting Goshawk, and look for Chestnut-vented Warbler among the vegetation.

With most flights from Walvis Bay International Airport departing around lunchtime, there is time for one final visit to the lagoon to search for any waders or shorebirds still missing from the trip list. It is a fitting opportunity to revisit this remarkable coastal wetland before the journey draws to a close.

After the final birding, transfer to Walvis Bay Airport for your onward flight, bringing to an end an exceptional birding adventure through Namibia, Botswana and Zambia. From Zambezi floodplains and Okavango wetlands to Etosha’s wildlife-rich plains, desert mountains and the Atlantic coast, this has been a truly special journey through some of southern Africa’s most remarkable landscapes.