TFCA launches Africa’s first cross-border avitourism route

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 Kavango Zambezi TFCA launches Africa’s first cross-border avitourism route

Five nations, one birding destination in Africa’s largest conservation area

3 March 2026, Berlin – For the first time, five nations – Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe – are marketing their shared conservation estate as a single tourism destination. The Great Kavango Zambezi Birding Route, launched in February 2026 and presented jointly at ITB Berlin 2026 this week, is the first tangible product of that ambition: a cross-border avitourism experience spanning over 650 bird species across the world’s largest trans frontier conservation area.

“No single country in this region can offer what the five Partner States offer together. The birding route makes that case in the most concrete way possible – 650 species, 12 key areas, ancient migration corridors, and a certified guide network to bring it to life,” said Dr Nyambe Nyambe, Executive Director of the Kavango Zambezi TFCA Secretariat.

The route connects 12 key birding areas across the Kavango Zambezi Trans Frontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA), tracing ancient migration corridors that follow the life-giving waterways – the Kavango, Zambezi, Chobe, Kwando and Kafue river systems – that sustain both resident and migratory bird populations. These are the same river systems that give the destination its new unified brand identity and its ‘Rivers of Life’ positioning.

The scale of the product is considerable. Birders can move between Botswana’s Okavango Delta wetlands and Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park woodlands within a single itinerary, with suggested routes available at UncoverKavangoZambezi.com.

A hosted international press expedition documented 215 bird species across the region – including 43 species recorded for the first time by experienced international birders, a figure that speaks directly to the route’s credentials among serious avitourists.

A product built for the trade

The birding route has been structured with commercial viability at its centre. More than 100 registered Birding Route Ambassadors – operators, guides, lodges and tourism stakeholders – are involved in promoting the route across the region, having recognised its potential as a differentiating product in an increasingly competitive regional market.

Critically, the infrastructure to support demand is being built in parallel. 69 birding guides have completed intensive 12-day certification programmes through partnerships including  BirdWatch Zambia, BirdLife Zimbabwe, BirdLife South Africa, BirdLife Botswana and Namibia Nature Foundation.

The aim is to ensure that the calibre of interpretation on the ground matches what international birders expect from an established avitourism destination.

“Avitourism represents one of the fastest-growing segments in nature-based travel worldwide,” said Dr Nyambe. “This route positions Kavango Zambezi alongside established avitourism destinations like Costa Rica and Ecuador, but with the unique advantage of cross-border scale – and a community of local guides and ambassadors who are equipped to deliver truly expert-led experiences.”

Tourism operators can access co-branding tools, professional marketing assets in five languages, suggested itineraries, video content through the ‘Rivers of Life’ series, and guide certification resources through the dedicated Trade Hub at UncoverKavangoZambezi.com. Registration is free.

With 36 protected areas spanning an area larger than France and Germany combined, the Kavango Zambezi TFCA represents a scale of natural diversity that few destinations globally can match. For operators building southern Africa itineraries, the birding route provides a structured, commercially supported mechanism to unlock that diversity across borders.

This unified brand brings together the five partner states to market their shared conservation area as a single tourism destination under the ‘Rivers of Life’ slogan, which reflects the interconnected river systems that sustain this vast ecosystem and the wildlife corridors connecting them.

The birding route offers access to over 650 bird species across ancient migration corridors spanning the world’s largest terrestrial trans frontier conservation area.

-ENDS-

 About Kavango Zambezi TFCA

The Kavango Zambezi Trans Frontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) is the world’s largest terrestrial trans frontier conservation area, spanning 516,406 km² across Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Established by treaty in 2011, it encompasses 36 protected areas including national parks, game reserves and community conservancies. The TFCA is home to Africa’s largest elephant population (approximately 250,000) and includes two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta.

About the Kavango Zambezi Destination Brand

The Kavango Zambezi destination brand was officially endorsed by Heads of State at the Livingstone Summit in May 2024, uniting the five partner countries under a shared tourism identity. The destination brand development has been co-funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development through KfW. The brand promotes cross-border experiences that follow natural wildlife corridors and ecological linkages rather than political boundaries, positioning the region as southern Africa’s premier tourist destination and enabling visitors to explore the continent’s cultural and natural diversity as never before.

Media Contact:

Natalia Rosa

Tel: +27 83 449 4334

Email: natalia@thejourneytourism.com