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Days 6 to 9
After breakfast we depart for the Cape Peninsula
looking for Rockjumper. En route, at Pringle Bay
we stop for a walk and light lunch at a unique fish
restaurant.
Our drive to Simon’s Town takes us along the
coast through a scenically beautiful area. We
pass rugged mountains that slope steeply into
the sea, with a narrow coastal plain in some
places. Several mountain peaks tower above the
road and Kogelberg, the highest peak at 1,268
metres has the distinction of being the highest
mountain in Africa next to the sea.
We arrive at Simon’s Town for a stay of four
nights at Boulder’s Beach, which overlooks a
section of False Bay. Here, there is a large
breeding colony of African Penguins. This is
one of only two mainland breeding localities of
this endangered endemic species. We will see
them at close quarters as they often wander
right into the hotel grounds. We will also visit
them in the rookery where they nest in burrows
amongst the shrubbery above the high tide
mark. From here we will make excursions to
various places of interest. These will include the
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
(wonderful for birds, botany and scenery), a trip
up Table Mountain by cable car (weather
permitting), and also weather dependant to
Robben Island where past President Nelson
Mandela was imprisoned during the apartheid
regime. The island and prison are now a
historical monument and there is a move afoot
to declare the island as a national park. We also
visit the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve
and Cape Point where the Atlantic and Indian
Cape Sugarbird
Oceans supposedly meet. Apart from
wonderful scenery and flora, this reserve has
mammals endemic to the Cape including
Bontebok, Cape Mountain Zebra and Cape
Grysbok. We should also see Eland, the largest
antelope and Ostrich, the largest bird.
Days 10 & 11
We now move to Langebaan on the west coast
and stay for two nights at a private guesthouse,
on the boundary of West Coast National Park.
This national park surrounds an enormous tidal
lagoon and at this time of year will be teeming
with birds. Apart from Palearctic waders arriving
from the north there will be flocks of Lesser and
Greater Flamingos. En route to this destination
we may see Blue Crane, the national bird of
South Africa. This area is also the southern
extension of the Namaqualand spring flower
region. It is difficult to predict peak season in
the short period the flowers mature, but if our
timing is right we should see the spectacle of
carpets of wildflowers in bloom. These will be
mainly species representative of Compositeae,
Asteraceae, Liliaceae and Geraniaceae but many
others as well. In a good season (dependant on
the amount and timing of winter rainfall and
temperatures) the transformation of a barren
scene is almost unimaginable.
Days 12 & 13
We have the last full morning for further
sightseeing at Langebaan and will visit a
Verreaux’s Eagle nest on a man-made cliff in a
quarry. There should be a young chick on the
nest at this time. We then make our way back to
Cape Town for an evening scheduled flight to
London where we arrive early next morning.
Kirstenbosch
Outline Itinerary
Day 1 Depart London
Days 2-5 Hermanus
Days 6-9 Simon’s Town
Days 10-11 Langebaan
Day 12 Depart Cape Town
Day 13 Arrive London
Party Size
Maximum of eight clients.
Accommodation
Comfortable accommodation in twin/double
and single rooms with private facilities at
hotels and guest-houses.
Transport
By private coach and minibus.
Includes
All flights, meals, accommodation, transport,
entry fees, services of the leaders, airport
taxes and tips.
S O U T H A F R I C A
Gradings
Good
220
Warm
Low
Special
Relaxed
Good
Easy
Scheduled
Verreaux’s Eagle
To make a booking please call Ornitholidays on 01794 519445
45