The ultimate Wilderness guide
Birding safaris in Africa
Discover Africa through its remarkable avifauna, balancing birding with the broader safari experience. Our safaris are not designed as specialist birding expeditions, but offer rewarding opportunities to see regional species alongside wildlife.
Birds on safari
Birds on safari
Africa is one of the greatest birding destinations on Earth. Across its vast landscapes, from wetlands and floodplains to rainforests and savannahs, around 2,500 bird species have been recorded, with hundreds found nowhere else on the planet. Within the protected areas where we operate, each ecosystem reveals its own avian story, making our safaris a true delight for birders.
Travelling with us
Birding with Wilderness
Whether you’re with fellow bird enthusiasts or companions drawn to other aspects of safari, our camps offer activities for every interest. Thoughtfully positioned to blend seamlessly into the environment, they allow for natural birding opportunities, while small visitor numbers and access to remote concessions mean you can explore a rich variety of habitats where birdlife thrives.
Private concessions
Wilderness’s private concessions offer birders a rare level of seclusion. Removed from the busier, publicly accessible safari routes, these remote areas offer uninterrupted time to observe Africa’s avian life at your own pace. With fewer vehicles and minimal noise, birds are usually more relaxed, allowing you to witness their natural behaviour.
Expert guides
Our safari guides bring years of field experience and deep local knowledge to every safari. While not solely birding guides, most of our staff hail from the areas surrounding our camps and know these areas intimately. Their insights turn every outing into an educational adventure, revealing stories and details that even experienced birders might miss.
Diverse habitats
From lush wetland to dry savannah, dense forest, and arid desert, the habitats in which our safari camps are based are as diverse as the birdlife. Our itineraries can reveal these contrasting landscapes, whether through combining destinations like Botswana and Namibia, or Rwanda and Tanzania, with each offering unique species and endemics for you to keep growing that life list.
Bird hides
Many of our camps boast purpose-built hides that allow you to get close to wildlife and birds without disturbing them. Ideal for photography or quiet observation, these structures are thoughtfully placed to give you the best views. Furthermore, in certain concessions, night drives with red LED spotlights allow you to see owls, nightjars and other nocturnal birds.
Private concessions
Private concessions
Wilderness’s private concessions offer birders a rare level of seclusion. Removed from the busier, publicly accessible safari routes, these remote areas offer uninterrupted time to observe Africa’s avian life at your own pace. With fewer vehicles and minimal noise, birds are usually more relaxed, allowing you to witness their natural behaviour.
Expert guides
Expert guides
Our safari guides bring years of field experience and deep local knowledge to every safari. While not solely birding guides, most of our staff hail from the areas surrounding our camps and know these areas intimately. Their insights turn every outing into an educational adventure, revealing stories and details that even experienced birders might miss.
Diverse habitats
Diverse habitats
From lush wetland to dry savannah, dense forest, and arid desert, the habitats in which our safari camps are based are as diverse as the birdlife. Our itineraries can reveal these contrasting landscapes, whether through combining destinations like Botswana and Namibia, or Rwanda and Tanzania, with each offering unique species and endemics for you to keep growing that life list.
Bird hides
Bird hides
Many of our camps boast purpose-built hides that allow you to get close to wildlife and birds without disturbing them. Ideal for photography or quiet observation, these structures are thoughtfully placed to give you the best views. Furthermore, in certain concessions, night drives with red LED spotlights allow you to see owls, nightjars and other nocturnal birds.
A safari highlight
Birding showstoppers
Africa’s birdlife is a visual spectacle. Find a Ross's turaco in a Masai Mara forest , or witness the spectacle of southern carmine bee-eaters flashing crimson in Mana Pools. Scarce species like slaty egret may appear from your Delta boat ride, or you may catch a glimpse of an elusive migrant like African pitta in Rwanda. For birders, these sightings define an exceptional safari.
African birds of prey
Endemics on safari
Migrating from Europe to Africa
Spotlight: Pel’s fishing owl
The mythical owl of the waterways, the Pel’s fishing owl is one of Africa’s most sought-after sightings. Revered among birders for its rarity and secretive nature, it inhabits quiet, mature riverine forests where it hunts fish under the cover of darkness. Many of our Botswana camps provide homes and roost sites, with our guides among the few able to consistently locate this elusive species.
Regional birding opportunities
From the waters of the Delta to Namibia’s desert, Rwanda’s Albertine Rift forest, and the vast savannah of East Africa, these destinations offer exceptional diversity on land, on water and in the skies. With local guides and exclusive concessions, birders can experience Africa’s richest habitats and some of its most sought-after species.
Botswana
Botswana’s Okavango Delta and Linyanti are among Africa’s finest birding destinations, with over 450 recorded species. Seasonal waters attract rare wetland specialists like the wattled crane and slaty egret, while riverine forests provide habitat for the elusive Pel’s fishing owl. From lagoons to woodlands, diversity and exclusivity define the experience.
Namibia
Namibia’s stark, dramatic landscapes are home to a fascinating array of desert-adapted birds. Endemics and near-endemics such as the dune lark and Rüppell’s korhaan thrive in arid conditions, while coastal wetlands at Walvis Bay draw vast flocks of flamingos, pelicans and migratory waders. It’s a destination where resilience and rarity meet striking photographic backdrops.
Rwanda
Rwanda’s montane forests offer a completely different birding experience, rich in Albertine Rift endemics. Species like the vivid Rwenzori turaco and a variety of colourful sunbirds move through the dense canopy. These high-altitude habitats are among Africa’s most biodiverse, rewarding birders with rare sightings in lush, mist-covered landscapes.
Zimbabwe
The river systems of Zimbabwe create ideal conditions for diverse birdlife. Carmine bee-eaters nest in riverbanks, kingfishers flash along waterways, and colonies of African skimmers fly low over water surfaces. From the Zambezi to remote wetlands, these regions offer exceptional opportunities for both birding and photography.
Zambia
Birdwatching in Zambia is thrilling, from African finfoot on the banks of the Zambezi River at Toka Leya, to numerous rare endemics in Kafue’s Busanga Plains. The latter’s open, grassy areas are known breeding sites for Endangered wattled cranes, sometimes seen in large flocks mixed with grey crowned cranes. The magical fish eagle provides the soundtrack to your birding safari across our areas.
Kenya & Tanzania
East Africa’s classic safari landscapes support an impressive mix of grassland, wetland, and Rift Valley species. Birders can seek out the stately kori bustard, the colourful Ross’ turaco, sought-after Narina trogon, striking secretarybird, and seasonal flocks of flamingos across alkaline lakes. With high species diversity and iconic safari settings, this region delivers both variety and scale.
South Africa
Add a Cape Town city stay on to your safari and join a specialist birding trip through the fynbos, where you can find local endemics such as Cape sugarbirds and orange-breasted sunbirds on a hike or walk. Further itineraries to the Drakensberg, Garden Route or Kruger National Park allow you to explore even more of the country’s birds.
Botswana
Botswana
Botswana’s Okavango Delta and Linyanti are among Africa’s finest birding destinations, with over 450 recorded species. Seasonal waters attract rare wetland specialists like the wattled crane and slaty egret, while riverine forests provide habitat for the elusive Pel’s fishing owl. From lagoons to woodlands, diversity and exclusivity define the experience.
Namibia
Namibia
Namibia’s stark, dramatic landscapes are home to a fascinating array of desert-adapted birds. Endemics and near-endemics such as the dune lark and Rüppell’s korhaan thrive in arid conditions, while coastal wetlands at Walvis Bay draw vast flocks of flamingos, pelicans and migratory waders. It’s a destination where resilience and rarity meet striking photographic backdrops.
Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda’s montane forests offer a completely different birding experience, rich in Albertine Rift endemics. Species like the vivid Rwenzori turaco and a variety of colourful sunbirds move through the dense canopy. These high-altitude habitats are among Africa’s most biodiverse, rewarding birders with rare sightings in lush, mist-covered landscapes.
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
The river systems of Zimbabwe create ideal conditions for diverse birdlife. Carmine bee-eaters nest in riverbanks, kingfishers flash along waterways, and colonies of African skimmers fly low over water surfaces. From the Zambezi to remote wetlands, these regions offer exceptional opportunities for both birding and photography.
Zambia
Zambia
Birdwatching in Zambia is thrilling, from African finfoot on the banks of the Zambezi River at Toka Leya, to numerous rare endemics in Kafue’s Busanga Plains. The latter’s open, grassy areas are known breeding sites for Endangered wattled cranes, sometimes seen in large flocks mixed with grey crowned cranes. The magical fish eagle provides the soundtrack to your birding safari across our areas.
Kenya & Tanzania
Kenya & Tanzania
East Africa’s classic safari landscapes support an impressive mix of grassland, wetland, and Rift Valley species. Birders can seek out the stately kori bustard, the colourful Ross’ turaco, sought-after Narina trogon, striking secretarybird, and seasonal flocks of flamingos across alkaline lakes. With high species diversity and iconic safari settings, this region delivers both variety and scale.
South Africa
South Africa
Add a Cape Town city stay on to your safari and join a specialist birding trip through the fynbos, where you can find local endemics such as Cape sugarbirds and orange-breasted sunbirds on a hike or walk. Further itineraries to the Drakensberg, Garden Route or Kruger National Park allow you to explore even more of the country’s birds.
Through the lens
Through the lens
Travelling with Wilderness offers the opportunity to improve your bird photography. Purpose-built hides place you at eye level with waterbirds and wildlife. Open vehicles offer window-seat access for unobstructed shooting. And with small guest numbers and the option to book a private vehicle, your guide will ensure you are positioned for the perfect light or behaviour.
Wilderness birding camps
Vumbura Plains, Botswana
Set deep within the Okavango Delta, Wilderness Vumbura Plains offers outstanding wetland birding. Quiet channels attract species like herons, egrets, storks, and jacanas.
Vumbura Plains
DumaTau, Botswana
Located in the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, Wilderness DumaTau delivers superb birding along permanent water courses. The area is alive with raptors, from fish eagles to hawks.
Little Kulala, Namibia
Fringing the Namib Desert near Sossusvlei, Little Kulala offers a unique desert birding experience. Endemic species thrive in these arid conditions, while seasonal rains attract migratory birds.
Linkwasha, Zimbabwe
Set within Hwange National Park, Linkwasha combines open savannah with scattered woodland, supporting a diverse range of species. Raptors are a highlight, alongside hornbills, & other woodland birds.
Linkwasha
Bisate, Rwanda
Bisate offers access to Rwanda’s rich montane birdlife. Albertine Rift endemics move through dense forest and reforested slopes, alongside a variety of colourful sunbirds.
Planning your birding safari
Planning a birding safari is about timing, preparation, and choosing the right itinerary. From understanding when to go, what land and water activities are available – from walking to game drives and mokoro trips – a little forethought ensures you make the most of every sighting. With expert guidance , every journey with Wilderness is designed to maximise your birding experience.
Best times for birding
The prime birding season across much of Southern and East Africa runs in summer from November to April (also known as green season). This is when migratory species arrive from Europe and Asia, and many resident birds are in breeding plumage and actively calling. Dramatic landscapes, abundant insect life, and increased bird activity, make this time ideal for both sightings and photography.
What to pack on a bird safari
A good pair of binoculars is essential , ideally complemented by a telephoto lens for photography. While our expert guides are always on hand, a field guide or birding app will also help with identification, while neutral, lightweight clothing keeps you comfortable in the field. We’ll also provide a notebook and bird list to record sightings.
Duration & itineraries
A safari of around 7 to 14 days will allow enough time to explore multiple habitats and maximise bird sightings. Combining regions, such as the wetlands of Botswana with the sands of Namibia, will also add variety, and increases your chances of seeing both iconic and rare species. We will help you craft a thoughtfully planned itinerary to ensure a balanced, rewarding birding experience.
Suggested itineraries
Travelling with gear
Light aircraft transfers are a key part of many Wilderness journeys, so packing efficiently is important. Soft bags are recommended, with weight limits typically under 20kg. Protect camera gear with padded inserts, carry essential equipment in hand luggage where possible, and keep batteries and memory cards easily accessible for aerial transfers between camps.
Best times for birding
Best times for birding
The prime birding season across much of Southern and East Africa runs in summer from November to April (also known as green season). This is when migratory species arrive from Europe and Asia, and many resident birds are in breeding plumage and actively calling. Dramatic landscapes, abundant insect life, and increased bird activity, make this time ideal for both sightings and photography.
What to pack on a bird safari
What to pack on a bird safari
A good pair of binoculars is essential , ideally complemented by a telephoto lens for photography. While our expert guides are always on hand, a field guide or birding app will also help with identification, while neutral, lightweight clothing keeps you comfortable in the field. We’ll also provide a notebook and bird list to record sightings.
Duration & itineraries
Duration & itineraries
A safari of around 7 to 14 days will allow enough time to explore multiple habitats and maximise bird sightings. Combining regions, such as the wetlands of Botswana with the sands of Namibia, will also add variety, and increases your chances of seeing both iconic and rare species. We will help you craft a thoughtfully planned itinerary to ensure a balanced, rewarding birding experience.
Suggested itinerariesTravelling with gear
Travelling with gear
Light aircraft transfers are a key part of many Wilderness journeys, so packing efficiently is important. Soft bags are recommended, with weight limits typically under 20kg. Protect camera gear with padded inserts, carry essential equipment in hand luggage where possible, and keep batteries and memory cards easily accessible for aerial transfers between camps.
Frequently asked questions
Birding safari guidelines
Birds, twitching and listers
Equipment needed for a birding safari
Discover Africa’s birdlife
Plan your birding safari
Speak to a Travel Designer and start crafting your dream birding safari with Wilderness.
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When we say we’re there every step of the way, we mean it, literally. From planning the perfect circuit, to private inter-camp transfers on Wilderness Air, and easing you through Customs. We’re with you on the ground, at your side, 24-7, from start to finish. Ready to take the road less travelled? Contact our Travel Designers to plan an unforgettable journey.