Birding in BOTSWANA AND ZIMBABWE – 14 days or more

Fly into Maun

Okavango Delta – easily accessible from Maun by light aircraft. Plenty of options to choose from. This UNESCO World Heritage site offers an incredible wildlife experience and is also a birders paradise. Lookout for the Pel’s Fishing Owl

Experiences including game drives, walking and water experiences, either in a traditional mokoro or motorised boat (depending on the camp and time of the year)

Where to stay:  Machaba Camp, Kiri Camp, Gomoti Plains Camp, Camp Linyanti, Camp Savuti, Khwai Campsite

Return to Maun

It is worth considering spending a bit of time in Maun. The town is Botswana’s tourism capital and has lots to offer. How about visiting the Okavango Craft Brewery. Not only an opportunity to taste some great beers, but also to learn about the part they play in the community. They pay a premium for surplus millet grown by elephant-aware farmers in Botswana’s Panhandle, and brew it into beer. In doing so, we turn conservation into business — rewarding farmers.

Depart Maun by road with Pat Birding Safaris

Makgadikgadi Pans is great for bird watching year-round, but the real highlight is the thousands of flamingos that flock here in the wet summer months. The timing depends on rain and algae levels and varies greatly from one year to the next.

A worthwhile place to visit on the far side of Makgadikgadi is Nata Bird Sanctuary.

The Nata Bird Sanctuary is located in the northeastern periphery of the Sua Pan and is managed by the Kalahari Conservation Society, whose members are from the four villages of Nata, Sepako, Maposa, and Manxotae near the sanctuary. Established in 1988 and operational since 1993, the sanctuary covers an area of approximately 230 km².

Approximately 165 bird species inhabit this area, including a population of around 250,000 lesser and greater flamingos that visit the sanctuary every year during the winter period to breed after the rainy season, when water sources are full.

Where to stay:  Boteti River Lodge, Nxai Pan Camp, Nxai South Camp, Kaudia Camp Pan, Thamo Telele, Meno-a-Kwena, Jack’s Camp, Planet Baobab, Nata Lodge, Crocodile Camp or Sitatunga Camp

From Nata drive north and cross in Zimbabwe at Pandamatenga into Hwange NP

Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe is a renowned birding destination, boasting a diverse avian population of over 400 species. Some notable species include the Secretary Bird, Grey Crowned Crane, Kori Bustard, Red-billed Spurfowl, and various raptors like Bateleur and Martial Eagle. The park’s varied habitats, from woodlands to grasslands, support a wide array of birds, including francolins, bee-eaters, hornbills, and sunbirds.

Where to stay:  Kazuma Pan Hide, Hwange Main Camp, Ngweshla, Kennedy 1, Sinamatella Camp, Masuma, Shumba, Mandavu, Deteema Springs. Verney’s Camp, Robin’s Camp, Iganyana Tented Camp, Bomani Tented Camp, Camelthorn Lodge, Nehimba Lodge, Jozibanni Camp, Camp Hwange, Ganda Lodge, Khulu Bush Camp, Sable Valley, Ivory Lodge, Silwane Camp or Somadada Platform

Exit the park via Robins Gate and drive to Victoria Falls

Plenty to see and do around the Falls, not just the magnificent Falls themselves.

Victoria Falls National Park is a haven for birdlife, boasting over 400 different species. The park’s diverse habitats, from the Zambezi River to the rainforest and woodlands, support a wide array of birds. Some notable species include the African Fish Eagle, the African Finfoot, Schalow’s Turaco, and various hornbills.

Where to stay:  Chamabonda Sleep-out Platforms, Chundu 1 & 2, Victoria Falls Rest Camp, Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, Elephant Camp, The Wallow, Old Drift Lodge, Shearwater Village or Bayete Guest Lodge

Fly out of Victoria Falls