Rockjumper Birding Tours - pdf brochure 2011

2 0 1 1 T o u r Recommended partner

Bateleur by Marius Coetzee

Neotropical Bird Club corporate sponsor

corporate sponsor

B r o c h u r e

Rockjumper Wo r l d w i d e B i rd i n g A d ve n t u re s

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

Dear Friends of Rockjumper Welcome to our 2011 tour brochure! We are pleased to announce that we have listened carefully to what you, our valued clients, have told us - both as part of our comprehensive survey, as well as from tour feedback.

With this in mind, our office team has worked tirelessly to produce an unbeatable variety and diversity of tours which we are excited to launch.

conditions. They have been carefully crafted to provide participants with the chance to capture potentially award-winning images, and our expert leaders will not only tutor you on photographic techniques and digital processing, but will also interpret animal behavior to ensure a thoroughly rewarding birding and wildlife experience.

To provide you with the particular travel experience you desire, we have classified our tours into six categories:

Our Mammal tours are offered in conjunction with our sister company Indri – Ultimate Mammal Voyages.

These tours are also structured on the same basis as our Classic tours, but are instead planned around the mammalian highlights of each destination. Our Mammal tours are guided by accomplished wildlife tour leaders, and although the birding aspect of the destination will not be ignored, observing and photographing mammals, both large and small, will be the primary focus of our attention.

Our Classic tours are the backbone of Rockjumper’s success and we have perfected these tours over more than a dozen years of successful birding tour operations.

We use the best available accommodation most convenient to birding sites, but seldom exceeding 4-star standards. Our maximum group size is 8 participants with one professional bird tour leader, or 14 with two leaders (except on ship cruises.) Our itineraries are planned to maximize your birding experiences, as well as taking advantage of the major highlights of each destination – be they cultural, historical, scenic or large and furry.

Our Premier tours offer stylish and luxury accommodations, especially chosen for their charm and exemplary guest services. This, combined with small group sizes (a maximum of 6 participants), an unrushed schedule and appreciated little extras, all add up to a superb birding and wildlife tour experience.

Front Cover: Yellow-bellied Sunbird-Asity photographed on a Rockjumper Madagascar tour by Ketil Knudsen

African Emerald Cuckoo by Hugh Chittenden

We offer professional bird guides, small groups, solid value for money and a long-established reputation

Address: PO Box 13972, Cascades, 3202, South Africa • Website: www.rockjumperbirding.com Telephone: +27 333 940 225 • Fax: +27 880 333 940 225 • Skype: rockjumperbt • Email: info@rockjumperbirding.com

Our Essential tours are a 2011 debut and arise from the demand for lower priced birding tours. We have been able to reduce tour rates by offering shorter tours which only concentrate on the essential birding highlights of each region, slightly larger group sizes, and utilizing more economical hotels and lodges. These tours are guided by professional bird tour leaders; either full time Rockjumper guides or premier local birding experts.

Our Essential tours are not full board, allowing where possible a flexibility of choices for lunches and dinners to suit your taste and budget.

Our Photographic tours are offered in conjunction with our sister company Oryx – Worldwide Photographic Expeditions. These tours are structured on the same basis as our Classic tours, but are designed and guided by professional wildlife photographers. These tours are timed for premier photographic opportunities, be it optimal bird and wildlife activity or favorable weather

Our Custom Tours are one of our key strengths and we take particular pride in tailor-making your ultimate birding and wildlife adventure. Contact us for a nonobligatory quote, and we will design the perfect tour to meet your exact requirements; be it a fun educational experience for your family, or a hard core twitch to fill the gaps in your bird list. You are sure to be impressed by our office team’s friendliness and the great rates we can offer!

We would like to reiterate that all our tours offer exceptional value for money, and this cornerstone of Rockjumper’s business has not been compromised by the diversification of our tours. Although the price tag of a Premier tour may be significantly higher than that of an Essential tour, they both offer the same unbeatable value for money with which Rockjumper has become synonymous. You may rest assured that we will also continue to provide the same personalized attention to detail and the most passionate and friendly leaders in the birding world.

To our many return guests, we say thank you for your unwavering support; and to those who have yet to experience a Rockjumper tour, we look forward to hosting you on one of our exceptional birding and wildlife adventures!

Yours in birding The Rockjumper Team

01 Lion and game drive by Lee Gutteridge

WELCOME

02

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

Southern White-faced Owl by Marius Coetzee

Rockjumper in a Nutshell 2011 Tour Calendar The Rockjumper Team Custom Tours Angola Antarctica The Arctic Argentina & Chile Bhutan & Assam Bolivia, Ecuador & the Galapagos Brazil Cameroon Central African Republic China Colombia Cuba Egypt, Jordan & Tunisia Ethiopia Ghana Guyana India Indonesia Japan Kenya, Tanzania & Rwanda Madagascar Malawi & Zambia Malaysia & Borneo Morocco Myanmar Namibia, Botswana & Zambia New Caledonia Panama Papua New Guinea The Philippines Scandinavia Sierra Leone South Africa Sri Lanka & the Maldives Thailand Uganda The Western Pacific Odyssey

BROCHURE CONTENTS 03 04 06 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 44 45 46 47

ROCKJUMPER IN A NUTSHELL Our tour leaders are all passionate birders and accomplished tour coordinators who just love sharing their birding experiences with others. Although many of our tours are guided by full time Rockjumper leaders, we also use some of the most accomplished regional leaders across the globe. This ensures that you always get the best possible leader for the tour of your choice.

Whilst we therefore guarantee that our leaders have superb birding skills, we also understand that they need to be personable, professional, friendly, attentive and dedicated to delivering a rewarding, educational and enjoyable birding experience!

Our office team is based in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, and is highly proficient in orchestrating the complex arrangements that efficient and organized traveling requires. Questions are gladly answered in a friendly and comprehensive manner, and you will find that booking with us is nothing but a pleasure. We do our utmost to ensure that all your requirements and requests are met; whether before, during or after your tour with us.

Chestnut-crowned Antpitta by Tim Boucher

Our tour costs and booking conditions are very reasonable and represent excellent value for money. Being based in South Africa, rather than North America or Europe, helps keep our operational costs down. We are, however, not always the least expensive in the market, and in these cases it is important to read the fine print - cheaper tours often exclude necessities such as domestic flights or tips. We also demand the highest degree of quality from our leaders and ground agents, aiming to provide you with a premier travel experience. Furthermore, our booking terms and conditions are among the fairest African Hoopoe by Leon Fouche in the market. We accept payment by credit cards, wire transfers and cheques in all major currencies. Testimony to our good value and fair play philosophy are the many loyal Rockjumper guests who keep coming back for more!

Our leader to guest ratio is one of the best in the bird tour industry and most of our tours have a maximum of eight participants, giving our guests a very personalized tour experience. For some destinations, however, larger groups are necessary, and on these tours we provide two leaders with an absolute maximum of 14 participants. The only exception to this is on some ship cruises where larger groups are unavoidable.

Great Argus by Adam Riley

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

03

Our scheduled tours are generally designed for the keen birder, though the pace varies from tour to tour. For example, our Cape Wildflowers, Birding & Big Game tour is a relaxed birding adventure with much time dedicated to exploring the tapestry of spectacular wildflowers that grace the Cape region of South Africa. On the other hand, our Kenya Mega tour is a more intense adventure suited to hardcore birders looking to increase their life lists. Nestling between these extremes fall the balance of our tours, which are designed to maximize the birding experience without feeling rushed. We also include the salient highlights of every region we visit, be it the Taj Mahal and Tigers in India, Jaguars and Giant Otters in Brazil, or the Sphinx and Pyramids in Egypt. Our Photographic and Mammal tours are, however, focused on these core aspects of each destination, rather than on birding per se.

The taxonomy and nomenclature we use is based on the International Ornithological Congress (IOC) list as published by Gill & Wright, and accepted by almost all ornithological councils and authorities. The IOC list is more regularly updated and is generally regarded as more scientifically accurate than any other world list. Our checklists detail deviations by other major world lists and fieldguides, and we are happy to provide checklists in advance of your tour. Mammal, reptile, amphibian and botanical names follow the leading reference works for the region concerned.

Our loyalty programme offers 10% discount (limited to US$600) on every 5th full (14-day or longer) tour booked with Rockjumper. We also give a $300 discount to anyone who signs up for two back-to-back full Rockjumper tours. This is designed to assist guests who wish to travel for longer periods and make the most of expensive flights to distant parts of the world.

Our conservation initiative includes activities undertaken by the Rockjumper Birding Conservation Fund. A proportion of the fees from each tour sign-up are used solely to conserve the birds that give our lives so much fulfillment and joy. Further details can be found on our new look website www.rockjumperbirding.com.

04

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

CLASSIC TOURS JANUARY Classic Antarctica - the Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctica I: 28 Dec 2010 - 15 Jan 2011 Ethiopian Endemics Birding I: 11 - 29 Jan; Lalibela Historical Ext I: 29 - 31 Jan Colombia - Andean Endemics I: 18 Jan - 5 Feb; Santa Marta Mountains Extension I: 5 - 9 Feb Antarctic Peninsula Adventure: 27 Jan - 6 Feb FEBRUARY Ethiopian Endemics Birding II: 1 - 19 Feb Eastern South Africa I: 7 - 20 Feb; Cape Ext I: 20 - 25 Feb Borneo - Pittas, Broadbills & Orangutan: 20 Feb - 8 Mar Northern & Central Thailand - Asian Birding at its Best: 20 Feb - 9 Mar; Southern Thailand Extension - Gurney’s Pitta & Rainforest Birding: 9 - 15 Mar MARCH Cuba - Caribbean Endemic Birding I: 2 - 11 Mar Morocco - Atlas to Sahara: 4 - 14 Mar Cameroon - Rainforest, Rockfowls & Sahel I: 6 - 27 Mar Malaysia & Borneo - Rainforest Birds & Mammals: 9 - 27 Mar Cuba - Caribbean Endemic Birding II: 12 - 21 Mar Assam - Kaziranga & Nameri Birding & Big Game Extension I: 21 - 25 Mar Bhutan - Birding the Buddhist Kingdom I: 25 Mar - 13 Apr Central African Republic’s Dzanga-Sangha - Birds, Baï’s & Gorillas: 28 Mar - 7 Apr APRIL Kenya Mega Birding Tour: 2 - 27 Apr Philippines - Endangered Endemics: 3 - 20 Apr; Visayan Islands Extension: 20 - 26 Apr

2011 TOUR CALENDAR Tunisia - the Jewel of North Africa I: 7 - 15 Apr Egypt - Birding & Antiquities: 15 Apr - 1 May; Petra Extension I: 1 - 3 May Assam - Kaziranga & Nameri Birding & Big Game Extension I: 16 - 20 Apr Bhutan - Birding the Buddhist Kingdom I: 20 Apr - 9 May Western Pacific Odyssey: 19 Apr - 19 May Cameroon - Rainforest, Rockfowls & Sahel II: 20 Apr - 11 May Kenya & Tanzania - Birds & Big Game I: 22 Apr - 8 May China - Manchuria’s Cranes & Tibetan Plateau: 27 Apr - 17 May Tanzania - Pemba to Lake Victoria Endemics: 28 Apr - 14 May MAY Kenya & Tanzania - Birds & Big Game II: 15 - 31 May Rwanda - Gorillas & Albertine Rift Endemics: 31 May - 8 Jun Scandinavia - Denmark, Norway & Sweden: 27 May - 8 Jun JUNE Russian Arctic - Birding the Kurils: 12 - 25 Jun New Caledonia - Kagu & Melanesian Endemics I: 26 - 29 Jun Papua New Guinea - Birding in Paradise I: 30 Jun - 17 July; New Britain Endemics Extension I: 17 - 21 Jul Uganda - Birds & Gorillas I: 29 Jun - 17 Jul JULY Galapagos - Birding & Wildlife Cruise: 18 - 27 Jul Madagascar Highlights: 11 - 25 Jul Spitsbergen - Land of Arctic Dreams: 16 - 24 Jul Uganda - Birds & Gorillas II: 18 Jul - 5 Aug Papua New Guinea - Birding in Paradise II: 21 Jul - 7 Aug; New Britain Endemics Extension II: 7 - 11 Aug Indonesia’s Sulawesi & Halmahera - Wallacean Endemics: 24 Jul - 10 Aug Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls I: 25 Jul - 11 Aug

AUGUST Papua New Guinea - Birding in Paradise III: 11 - 28 Aug New Caledonia - Kagu & Melanesian Endemics II: 28 - 31 Aug Eastern South Africa II: 13 - 26 Aug; Cape Ext II: 26 - 31 Aug South Africa’s Cape Wildflowers, Birding & Big Game: 20 Aug - 2 Sep SEPTEMBER Ecuador - Birding the Andes to the Amazon: 5 - 19 Sep Angola - Endemics Overland Adventure: 11 - 30 Sep Cape to Windhoek - the Best of the West: 16 Sep - 1 Oct Malawi - Miombo & Montane Birding: 16 - 30 Sep; South Luangwa Birding & Big Game Extension: 30 Sep - 3 Oct Bolivia - Birding the Amazon to Lake Titicaca: 19 Sep - 2 Oct Tunisia - the Jewel of North Africa II: 20 - 28 Sep Eastern South Africa III: 24 Sep - 7 Oct; Cape Extension III: 7 - 12 Oct OCTOBER Brazil Atlantic Rainforest Extension - Endangered Endemics: 1 - 5 Oct Brazil - Birds & Wildlife of the Pantanal & Cerrado: 6 - 14 Oct; Amazon Rainforest Birding Extension: 14 - 19 Oct Guyana Kaieteur Falls Extension: 1 - 2 Oct Guyana - Birds & Wildlife: 2 - 13 Oct; Sun Parakeet Extension: 13 - 18 Oct Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls Overland II: 1 - 18 Oct Best of Argentina - Buenos Aires to Iguazú: 2 - 12 Oct; Patagonia Extension - Birds & Wildlife: 12 - 17 Oct South Africa - Mega Birding Tour: 2 - 25 Oct Madagascar’s Remote North - Pochard & Endangered Endemics: 12 - 28 Oct North West Argentina - Cloudforests & Altiplano: 18 - 30 Oct

2011 TOUR CALENDAR Eastern South Africa IV: 19 Oct - 1 Nov; Cape Extension IV: 1 - 6 Nov Madagascar Comprehensive: 28 Oct - 18 Nov Colombia - Andean Endemics II: 30 Oct - 17 Nov; Santa Marta Mountains Extension II: 17 - 21 Nov NOVEMBER Southern India - Birding the Western Ghats: 9 - 20 Nov Japan - Dancing Cranes & Winter Birding: 13 - 29 Nov Galapagos of the Southern Ocean - Australasian Subantarctic Islands: 18 Nov - 1 Dec Sri Lanka - Endemic Birds & Big Game: 20 - 30 Nov Panama’s Darien Birding Extension: 21 - 25 Nov Panama - Rainforest & Canopy Tower Birding: 25 Nov - 5 Dec Eastern Bhutan - Birding the Himalayas: 22 Nov - 4 Dec Ghana Mega Birding Tour: 29 Nov - 21 Dec DECEMBER Myanmar - Endemics of Remote Asia: 1 - 13 Dec Northern India - Birds & Tigers: 1 - 18 Dec Eastern South Africa V: 3 - 16 Dec; Cape Ext V: 16 - 21 Dec Sierra Leone - Rockfowl & Upper Guinea Specials: 5 - 20 Dec Classic Antarctica - the Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctica II: 28 Dec - 15 Jan 2012

Essential Tanzania Birding: 20 - 31 May Essential Philippines Birding: 29 May - 9 Jun JULY Essential Eastern South Africa: 24 Jul - 4 Aug Essential Madagascar Birding I: 25 Jul - 5 Aug Essential Ghana Birding: 30 Jul - 10 Aug AUGUST Essential Western South Africa: 4 - 15 Aug SEPTEMBER Essential Egypt - Birding the Red Sea and Sahara: 28 Sep - 9 Oct; Petra Extension II: 9 - 11 Oct OCTOBER Essential Madagascar Birding I: 4 - 15 Oct Essential Borneo Birding: 12 - 21 Oct; Essential Malaysia Birding Extension: 21 - 25 Oct NOVEMBER Essential Ethiopia Birding II: 2 - 13 Nov Essential Northern India Birding & Tigers: 22 Nov - 4 Dec Essential Thailand Birding: 28 Nov - 09 Dec DECEMBER Essential Namibia Birding II: 12 - 21 Dec Essential Uganda Birding: 12 - 23 Dec

PREMIER TOURS JANUARY Botswana Birding & Big Game in Style: 15 - 23 Jan OCTOBER Madagascar Birding & Wildlife in Style: 16 - 30 Oct NOVEMBER Ethiopian Birding in Style: 14 - 25 Nov; Northern Extension Simiens, Gondar & Lalibela: 25 Nov - 2 Dec Tanzania under Canvas: 27 Nov - 4 Dec DECEMBER India in Style - Birds & Tigers: 3 - 15 Dec Kenya & Tanzania - Birding & Big Game in Style: 5 - 21 Dec ANY TIME PACKAGES South Africa Predator Safari in Style; Cape Exploration in Style

PHOTOGRAPHIC TOURS JANUARY Kenya Photographic - Birds & Wildlife: 18 - 31 Jan FEBRUARY Tanzania Photographic - Birds & Wildlife: 1 - 14 Feb India Photographic - Birds, Tigers & Wildlife: 18 Feb - 14 Mar MARCH Sri Lanka Photographic - Birds & Big Game: 5 - 18 Mar Botswana Photographic - Birds & Big Game I: 6 - 18 Mar SEPTEMBER South Africa Photographic - Kruger Birds & Game: 3 - 13 Sep South Africa Photographic - Kalahari Birds & Game: 13 - 23 Sep Botswana photographic - Birds & Big Game II: 25 Sep - 7 Oct OCTOBER Madagascar Photographic - Birds & Wildlife: 19 Oct - 1 Nov NOVEMBER Argentina Patagonia Photographic - Birds, Wildlife & Spectacular Scenery: 13 - 23 Nov DECEMBER Ethiopia’s Simien Extension - Gelada & Ibex Photographic: 1 6 Dec Ethiopia Photographic - Birds & Wildlife: 6 - 18 Dec

ESSENTIAL TOURS FEBRUARY Essential Ethiopia Birding I: 20 Feb - 3 Mar MARCH Essential Morocco Birding: 14 - 21 Mar Essential Sri Lanka Birding: 19 - 29 Mar APRIL Essential Namibia Birding I: 3 - 12 Apr MAY Essential Kenya Birding: 9 - 20 May Birding Northern India’s Kosi River by Felicity Fryer

MAMMAL TOURS JANUARY The Maldives - Cetaceans & Tropical Seabirds I: 23 - 30 Jan

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

05

The Maldives - Cetaceans & Tropical Seabirds II: 30 Jan - 6 Feb MARCH Chile’s Chiloé Island Blue Whale Extension: 24 - 27 Mar Argentina & Chile - Patagonia’s Orcas & Pumas: 27 Mar - 6 Apr APRIL Central African Republic’s Dzanga-Sangha - Gorillas & Rainforest Megafauna: 7 - 17 Apr China - Giant Panda & Crested Ibis Expedition I: 16 - 26 Apr MAY Kenya & Tanzania - Mega Mammal Safari: 16 - 31 May Uganda - Primates & Big Game: 20 - 31 May JUNE Malaysia & Borneo - Rainforest Mammals of: 4 - 18 Jun Botswana - Okavango Delta & Beyond: 15 - 24 Jun AUGUST Namibia - Wildlife of the Deserts & Wilderness: 14 - 25 Aug Brazil - Neotropical Mammals of the Amazon & Pantanal: 15 26 Aug; Maned Wolf Extension: 26 - 30 Aug South Africa - Ultimate Kruger Big Game Safari: 26 Aug - 2 Sep SEPTEMBER South Africa - Fairest Cape to Kalahari Wildlife Safari: 2 - 12 Sep OCTOBER The Maldives - Cetaceans & Tropical Seabirds III: 2 - 9 Oct Madagascar - Mammals of a Magical Island: 30 Oct - 10 Nov; Kirindy Fossa Extension: 10 - 14 Nov NOVEMBER China - Giant Panda & Crested Ibis Expedition II: 5 - 15 Nov DECEMBER Ethiopia - Endemic Mammals & Ancient Cultures: 2 - 17 Dec; Omo Valley Tribal Extension: 18 - 22 Dec India - Tigers & the Taj Mahal: 6 - 16 Dec; Kaziranga Rhino Extension: 16 - 21 Dec Tanzania - Serengeti Migration & Ngorongoro: 11 - 22 Dec

06

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

The Rockjumper team consists of a diverse group of dedicated people who, from the ever busy office team to our ground agent in Cameroon, have one thing in common: a commitment to delivering the ultimate birding experience to our guests! This space is dedicated to bringing you closer to some of the core members of our team who make your birding dreams come true.

ROCKJUMPER HEADQUARTERS STAFF Alison Wakelin has been surrounded by birders her whole life and it is no surprise that she should find herself working for a bird tour operator. She is committed to service excellence and is talented in communicating in a clear and friendly manner the tour logistics to a mind-boggling diversity of countries.

Clive Wyatt is not your typical chartered accountant. Having worked abroad for most of his career, Clive decided to ditch the tie and return to his grassroots in South Africa. Clive brings a wide range of professional business skills to the team and is excited about the future prospects of the company (and the opportunities to grow his bird list!)

Coral Gold heads our finance department with enviable passion and vigor!

While she has lived abroad, South Africa is definitely home and this is where she, along with her husband Hats, have decided to raise their two beautiful children.

Crystal Brook was born and raised in Johannesburg, but moved away from the big city and is responsible for our sales and bookings department.

Crystal’s dedication to her work is outstanding and you can be assured that she will handle all of your queries with efficiency.

David Kaplan has been an ardent lover of birds and wildlife as long as he can remember. He studied for a BSc in the natural sciences, but spent the next 16 years running a variety of small businesses before joining Rockjumper in 2009. David works on itineraries, photos, trip reports, checklists and our website.

Matthew Drew holds a degree in Economics and a Diploma in Project Management which has placed him in good stead for his role as Rockjumper’s Business Manager. Matthew has a passion for conservation and eco-tourism and he brings a solid set of business skills to our dynamic team.

Rose Hall holds a degree in Architecture and at one point ran her own design and renovation business. Since the birth of her sons Rose has been involved in website content management, marketing and communication which she now performs for Rockjumper, Indri and Oryx.

Sue Anderson worked at KZN Wildlife for 14 years followed by seven years for BirdLife South Africa before joining the team, where she heads our

THE ROCKJUMPER TEAM travel division. Sue works hard to ensure that our clients enjoy a completely hassle-free tour by arranging all the necessary bookings.

ROCKJUMPER TOUR LEADERS Adam Riley qualified as a chartered accountant but his lifelong passion for birding, wildlife and travel saw him co-found Rockjumper Birding Tours with his friend Jonathan Rossouw in 1998. Adam has since traveled extensively throughout the world, leading birding tours to numerous countries ranging from Antarctica to Egypt, and Alaska to Papua New Guinea. Adam is one of Africa’s most experienced birders, having seen over 2,000 species on the continent.

Cuan Rush earned a conservation diploma before launching his career in bird related work as curator of birds at Umgeni Bird Park in Durban. He then spent several years developing birding multimedia products and has also worked as lodge manager and guide in Zambia. Cuan splits his time as Rockjumper’s operations manager and leading tours through Africa and Asia.

David Hoddinott has extensive experience leading birding tours throughout the world. His zeal for bird guiding has earned him the position as senior leader at Rockjumper and a reputation as one of the world’s most talented birders. He is well known in birding circles for his endless energy and legendary bird spotting skills and is one of only 4 birders to have seen over 2,000 birds in Africa.

David Shackelford is an avid naturalist and accomplished photographer.

David resides in Texas and has extensive experience leading Rockjumper tours across the globe. Whilst traveling to more than 80 countries spanning every continent, David racked up a lifelist of 7,500 birds before he turned 30!

David is a dependable and convivial leader with an excellent understanding of birds and wildlife behavior.

Erik Forsyth is a long-standing Rockjumper leader now living in New Zealand. He is a superb birder who currently leads for Rockjumper in Asia and Australasia. Erik is also blessed with a contagious sense of humor and a wonderful gift for sharing his enthusiasm and knowledge whilst in the field.

Glen Valentine has an unquestionable passion for birds that, like his brother Keith, developed at an extremely tender age. Glen has traveled extensively in Africa and is becoming Rockjumper’s lead Asian bird guide.

He possesses exceptional birding skills and a personable nature coupled with hearty levels of enthusiasm.

Keith Valentine completed a Degree in Financial Management but decided to follow his dream to become a bird tour leader. Keith guides throughout Africa, Asia and Madagascar and has an in-depth knowledge of the region’s birds and wildlife. He also plays an important role in the management of Rockjumper and Indri.

THE ROCKJUMPER TEAM

Marius Coetzee is a professional safari tour leader and award-winning wildlife photographer. His photos have graced the covers and pages of numerous premier publications. With over 10 years experience in the safari industry, Marius has become a highly sought-after guide. His knowledge of and enthusiasm for both wildlife and photography are encyclopedic.

Gavin Lautenbach has showcased Africa’s birdlife to thousands of guests over the past ten years whilst working at one of Africa’s premier lodges. Outside of birding his bush interests focus on tracking potentially dangerous game and specialist photographic safaris.

Markus Lilje fulfilled his passion for birding and photography by guiding in and around Kruger National Park for over five years. He completed a BSc in Environmental Management and now guides birding and mammal tours throughout Africa and Asia. He is a fluent German linguist and accomplished photographer.

Hetti Hettiarachchi is one of Sri Lanka’s finest naturalists and birders. His knowledge of all aspects of Sri Lankan wildlife is augmented by his professionalism in handling tour logistics and his fun demeanor.

PJ Fryer grew up on a farm in the heart of Zululand and nurtured his love for the natural environment during countless hours in South Africa’s famous game reserves. PJ guided at a premier lodge bordering Kruger for over two years and is now a full-time member of the Rockjumper team where he also plays an important role in operations.

Jan Pienaar has birded extensively throughout South Africa and has traveled to remote corners of the continent in search of birds. He has spent a number of years residing in the African bush sharing the birds, wildlife and ecology of the continent with eager visitors.

Rainer Summers has a BSc Honors degree in Ecology and Conservation Biology and has worked on numerous bird related projects. He is an avid sportsman and birder and his passion for African birds, exceptional enthusiasm and extremely likeable personality make Rainer one of our most popular leaders.

Simon Bellingham developed a love for wildlife whilst growing up in Zimbabwe and later guiding at Richard Branson’s Private Reserve near the Kruger Park. Simon and his wife Jenifer are partners with Adam in Indri. Simon is a master big game tracker, great birder and his infectious enthusiasm make traveling with him a delight.

PART-TIME ROCKJUMPER TOUR LEADERS Athol Marchant is one of Southern Africa’s most experienced birders and bird tour leaders. Athol has a strong scientific background and has worked in the conservation field for several decades. Athol expertly leads many of our South African birding tours.

Brian Finch is Kenya’s premier bird guide. Brian’s expertise extends to butterflies, dragonflies and herps. His knowledge of Kenya is unsurpassable and he is the natural choice for our record breaking Kenya mega tours.

Carlos Bethancourt was born and raised in Panama and is the nation’s top birder. Having studied in the USA and trained formally in Ornithology he has an excellent understanding of Neotropical birds. Carlos leads our Panama tours.

Daniel Uribe and Sergio Ocampo are Colombia’s premier birders and bird photographers. They are both committed conservationists who play major roles in the preservation of the rich avifauna of their beloved country. Daniel and Sergio are co-leading Rockjumper’s Colombian tours.

Jesper Hornskov hails from Denmark and is Rockjumper’s principal tour leader in China where he has resided for over 20 years. Jesper is China’s most experienced birder and his language skills and knowledge of the country make him a vital asset to our Chinese tours.

Lawrence Weitz has an in-depth understanding of animal behavior from years of guiding in Southern Africa and his love of natural science combined with his personable character and fun-loving nature ensures an unforgettable wildlife journey. Lawrence is also fluent in German.

Lelis Navarrete is a native of Ecuador and has led birding tours throughout South America. A Biology BSc graduate, his 18 years of experience and astounding knowledge of bird calls make him an invaluable leader on our Ecuador tours.

Livingstone Kalema is one of Uganda’s top birders and he co-leads Rockjumper’s famous Ugandan birding tours. His superb spotting abilities, extensive knowledge of Ugandan bird calls, incredible logistical skills and gentle manner make him an invaluable asset to our tours.

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

07

Suricato Safaris with Adam Riley, a wildlife tour company for Spanish speaking naturalists.

Mano Tharmalingam and Dennis Yong were amongst the first Malaysians to pioneer nature tourism in their country. Mano and Dennis have traveled extensively in search of birds throughout Malaysia and Borneo and their knowledge of the songs and habits of Malaysian forest birds is second to none.

Simon Bellingham

Rainer Summers

Glen Valentine

Erik Forsyth

Adam Riley

Marius Coetzee

David Shackelford

Keith Valentine

Mark Beevers hails from the UK and, while he has been a police officer for over 30 years, has been a passionate birder for even longer. Mark has enviable people skills and an incredible knowledge of Palaearctic birds, much to the advantage of our North African tours.

Mark Brazil is a leading authority on the birds of Japan and recently published a superb fieldguide: Birds of East Asia. Mark is a veteran tour leader and his knowledge and skills will be greatly valued on our Japan tours.

Miguel Castelino worked as Chief Naturalist in Argentina’s Iguazú Falls but now leads birding tours throughout Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil. He still lives near the falls where he also trains professional nature tour guides. Miguel’s Neotropical birding ability is deeply impressive.

Tim Fisher has lived and birded for many years in the Philippines. He is the principal leader on our Philippines tours and his years in this country have developed his keen sense of humor and astounding knowledge of the region’s birds.

Uthai Treesucon is one of Thailand’s finest birders and was one of the first specialized bird guides to share the avian riches of Thailand with visitors. Uthai also has extensive global birding experience. He is a gentleman and an inspirational bird tour leader.

Cuan Rush

David Hoddinott

Markus Lilje

Luis Segura’s homeland is Argentine Patagonia.

With a background in nature conservation Luis has been a nature tour leader since 1982. He co-founded

PJ Fryer

The Rockjumper Office Team from left: Rose, David, Coral, Cuan, Crystal, Matthew, Keith, Alison, Adam, PJ & Sue

CUSTOM TOURS

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

Blue Waxbill trio by Leon Fouche

Allow Rockjumper to make the vacation of your dreams come true!

Since our humble beginnings in 1998, we have specialized in custom guided birding and wildlife adventures. Our capacity has now matured to deliver unbeatable voyages for individuals, special interest groups, families, birding and wildlife societies, and tour operators alike. Thousands of delighted guests have seen their dream journeys realized by traveling with Rockjumper to the four corners of our abundant planet. Whether you are a single traveller with a specific target species list, or a family group seeking a relaxing and educational wildlife vacation, we have the experience to create the perfect private tour to suit your needs.

In fact, we pride ourselves in being one of the world leaders in both creating and guiding such tailor-made tours.

Here’s what one of our guests has to say about his custom travel experiences with Rockjumper: ‘I have been very fortunate over the past three years in putting together four private birding tours with Rockjumper. Their home office in South Africa responded promptly to any and all email requests I made. They provided a combined trip list of birds from previous tours and the latest trip report for our group to study.

They know the countries we want to bird and provided us with safe and enjoyable trips. The booking process was very easy to implement via email. They have a very good payment setup here in the States with a secure mailbox.

Our guides we had were just great; they knew the birds and were very enthusiastic. The photographers in our group had a great time in photographing many of the birds we saw. My only regret I have is that I wish I had started earlier with Rockjumper in putting together trips to far away places. I highly recommend them!’

Tony Menart More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

Panama City, Florida

ANGOLA

• Knowledge of the areas in which we operate.

Our vast experience allows us to arrange the right tour to the right destination at the right time of year.

• Commitment to delivering the finest wildlife experience. Our team of professional office staff and tour leaders are dedicated to giving you the very best travel experience to your chosen destination.

• Value for money. By avoiding the set costs associated with fixed departure tours we can offer you very reasonably priced customized tours, dispelling the myth that custom tours are prohibitively expensive.

• Diversity of knowledge. Our guiding team boasts a wide diversity of interests and strengths. Whether you are seeking a rewarding botanical or photographic voyage, a thrilling family big game safari or a hardcore birding mega-tour, we have the perfect leader for you. We also draw on the knowledge and experience of our specialized sister companies: namely Indri – Ultimate Mammal Voyages, and Oryx – Worldwide Photographic Expeditions.

09

R

How do we achieve this quality service?

• Passionate tour leaders. Our leaders have all been birders since they were young and haven’t lost their enthusiasm and contagious passion for sharing the joys of birding and wildlife viewing. Throughout your journey with us they will do all they can to make your trip rewarding, enlightening and, above all, fun.

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

Gabela Akalat by Adam Riley

Red-crested Turaco by Adam Riley

ockjumper’s first tour to Angola was successfully run in 2004, and we are now able to offer the most comprehensive Angolan birding tour available.

Our overland camping safari begins in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, from where our convoy of safarikitted 4x4 vehicles will head north on this exciting birding adventure. Ending 20 days later in Luanda, we will have covered all the major habitats and birding sites in Angola, from the parched Namib Desert to misty Afromontane scarp forests, rainforest and climax Miombo woodlands. Our intrepid group can expect to find many birds seen by just a handful of birders. We will seek out all of Angola’s endemic and range restricted birds, from the striking Red-crested Turaco and Angola Cave-Chat, to the recently rediscovered White-headed Robin-Chat, Braun’s Bushshrike and Swierstra’s Francolin. Our previous Rockjumper trips to Angola have recorded over 400 bird species, while at the same time making a genuine contribution to the known distributions and even the existence of some of the rarest and least known birds in the world.

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Angola - Endemics Overland Adventure: 11 - 30 Sep (20 days)

US$5,950 pp & US$400 ss

12 with David Hoddinott & Markus Lilje

Birding at Mt Moco by Adam Riley

08

• Freedom to personalize your tour exactly to meet your desires. Our team is both innovative and free-thinking and will assist you to design your journey to perfectly suit your specific tastes, requirements and budget.

We invite you to explore the wealth of opportunities available for creating the wildlife holiday of your dreams, and look forward to discussing this with you today!

African Broadbill by Hugh Chittenden

Brown-chested Alethe by Matthew Matthiessen

More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

10

ANTARCTICA

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

Our Birding the Kurils cruise explores Russia’s rugged Atlantic seaboard, and includes the Kurils and Commander Islands and Kamchatka. Referred to as the ‘Ring of Fire’ for the prevalence of its active volcanoes, this little disturbed wilderness still supports spectacular numbers of wildlife. These range from numerous alcids, including the highly sought-after Whiskered Auklet and Spectacled Guillemot, to impressive seal colonies that dot the coastline.

We also have excellent chances for finding a number of superb cetaceans and other special birds such as Steller’s Sea Eagle, Short-tailed Albatross and numerous Asian passerines. Our time spent in this spell-binding wilderness will certainly be an extraordinary experience.

King Penguin colony, South Georgia by Markus Lilje

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Antarctic Peninsula Adventure: 27 Jan - 6 Feb (11 days)

from US$5,700 pp

According to ship capacity with Erik Forsyth & cruise guides

Classic Antarctica - the Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctica I: 28 Dec 2010 - 15 Jan 2011 (19 days)

from US$9,350 pp

According to ship capacity with Simon Bellingham & cruise guides

Classic Antarctica - the Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctica II: 28 Dec 2011 - 15 Jan 2012 (19 days)

from US$10,800 pp

According to ship capacity with Simon Bellingham & cruise guides

Galapagos of the Southern Ocean Australasian Subantarctic Islands: 18 Nov - 1 Dec (14 days)

from US$5,475 pp + US$450 landing fees

According to ship capacity with Richard White & cruise guides

albatrosses, petrels, shearwaters and other Antarctic fauna, not to mention spectacular scenery.

Our Galapagos of the Southern Ocean cruise sets off from New Zealand, and here we explore four groups of subantarctic islands; the Snares, Auckland, Macquarie and Campbell Islands.

These waters support the richest seabird assemblage on Earth, plus an impressive diversity of endemic land birds and waterfowl. Vast penguin and seabird colonies include the entire world population of Royal Penguins on Macquarie! (Three other penguin species also breed here).

This cruise offers a unique opportunity to visit these remote and little known islands and their teeming wildlife.

More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

11

S

O

Humpback Whale by Jonathan Rossouw

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

pitsbergen, lying a mere 600 miles from the North Pole, is the largest island of the Svalbard Archipelago. Draped in darkness during the long northern winter, this frigid land is dramatically transformed into a place of perpetual sunshine during our summer visit. The scenery is nothing short of breathtaking, with towering snowcapped mountains, forbidding glaciers and flower studded tundra. Avian specials include Ivory Gull, King Eider and vast colonies of breeding alcids. An abundance of iconic Arctic mammals also occur, including whales, Walrus, Arctic Fox, Reindeer and the fabulous Polar Bear, of which we stand an excellent chance of close and personal encounters. Our epic high Arctic journey will circumnavigate Spitsbergen as we explore great seabird breeding cliffs by zodiac, hike through tundra and break into the pack ice on this unforgettable voyage.

ur Classic Antarctica cruise is a ‘must’ for every wildlife and nature enthusiast, and we guarantee that you will return enriched by this experience of a lifetime! During this incredible journey we will explore the remote Falkland Islands, South Georgia, South Shetlands and finally, the Antarctic Peninsula. We will marvel at some of the world’s last truly pristine wildernesses, be treated to spectacular vistas, hauntingly beautiful icebergs and the planet’s greatest concentrations of marine wildlife. Walking amongst vast, crowded nesting colonies of displaying King Penguins and their fluffy young is an experience that defies description. We will set foot on the Great White Continent itself at the aptly named Paradise Bay, while our return via the Drake Passage promises to produce some really exciting pelagic birding. This cruise also offers unbeatable photographic opportunities!

Our Antarctic Peninsula Adventure follows our Classic Antarctica cruise, but excludes the Falklands and South Georgia. Although the vast King Penguin colonies will not be visited, we will nonetheless still be treated to encounters with numerous species of penguins,

THE ARCTIC

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Spitsbergen - Land of Arctic Dreams: 16 - 24 July (9 days)

from US$3,225 pp

According to ship capacity with Simon Bellingham

Russian Arctic - Birding the Kurils: 12 - 25 Jun (14 days)

from $6,825 pp + US$350 landing fees

According to ship capacity with Adam Riley

Whiskered & Crested Auklets by Niels Poul Dreyer

Light-mantled Albatross by Jonathan Rossouw

Wandering Albatross by Markus Lilje

Walrus bull by Adam Riley

Polar Bear by James Wakelin More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

12

ARGENTINA & CHILE

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

T

he vast countries of Argentina & Chile span 2,500 miles from north to south, encompassing biomes that range from lowland rainforests to alpine deserts. Our uniquely crafted selection of southern South American birding and wildlife tours offer the very best of these exceptionally faunal-rich countries.

Our Best of Argentina – Buenos Aires to Iguazú tour is an overland birding adventure covering an incredible diversity of sites. We will explore endless pampas grasslands, thorny woodlands, the vast Iberá marshes, the last remaining patches of native Araucaria forest, and conclude at the mighty, rainforest cloaked Iguazú Falls. Some of our many targets include Black-fronted Piping-Guan, Straight-billed Reedhaunter and Canebrake Groundcreeper.

Seldom explored North Western Argentina provides the avid birder with a selection of little known range restricted bird species, combined with some of the finest scenery in Argentina.

Areas such as Bishop’s Rise, Quebrada de las Conchas and the spectacular Humahuaca Valley provide the perfect backdrop against which to

More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

Rufous-throated Dipper by Jonathan Rossouw

13

T

Our Patagonia Photographic tour takes in the most spectacular faunal and scenic hotspots of Argentina and Chile. The wind-swept steppes and endless shores of Patagonia’s Atlantic coast teem with wildlife, and here we visit the Valdés Peninsula and the world’s largest colony of Magellanic Penguins, consisting of up to 700,000 birds! In the Andes we will photograph the Moreno Glacier before driving across the high plains to the legendary Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. Under the dagger-like peaks of this dramatic landscape, we aim to provide you with the opportunity of taking award-winning photographs of iconic species ranging from the mighty Andean Condor to the secretive Puma.

Magellanic Plover by Rich Lindie

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

hanks to a small population embracing their Buddhist traditions, Bhutan has avoided the environmental ravages that have left neighboring Himalayan forests sadly degraded. Here great mountain passes littered with prayer flags give way to pristine forests often dominated by massive dzongs (temple-fortresses), where we will have an opportunity to view the impressive artwork that adorn these structures and interact with the devout Bhutanese people.

search out the region’s avian gems. Highlights include the localized Rufous-throated Dipper, Tucumán Mountain Finch and the extraordinary Lyre-tailed Nightjar.

Our Patagonia - Orcas & Pumas tour is perfectly timed for one of Nature’s most famous dramas, as Orcas rush onto the beaches of the Valdés Peninsula to hunt hapless Sea Lion pups!

Other fascinating mammals of this region range

BHUTAN & ASSAM

Traveling across the breadth of this remarkable country, we will pass through lush broadleafed forests dripping with orchids, blazes of rhododendrons and magnolias, seemingly endless coniferous forests, and arguably the most magnificent mountain scenery in the world. Our tour includes comfortable camping, often at spectacular sites, where our needs are catered for by a team of helpful camp assistants. Much of our birding is done whilst walking the most productive sections of the road that winds its way across the Kingdom. Targets include Satyr Tragopan, Himalayan Monal, Ibisbill, Ward’s Trogon, Firetailed Myzornis and an unbeatable selection of wren-babblers.

Join us on this adventure through a paradise of culture, birds and scenic vistas as we explore the heavenly riches of Bhutan.

Guanaco at Torres del Paine National Park by Adam Riley

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Best of Argentina - Buenos Aires to Iguazú: 2 - 12 Oct (10 days)

US$3,275 pp & US$350 ss

8 with Luis Segura

Patagonia Extension - Birds & Wildlife: 12 - 17 Oct (6 days)

US$1,975 pp & US$175 ss

8 with Luis Segura

North West Argentina - Birding Cloudforests & Altiplano: 18 - 30 Oct (13 days)

US$3,975 pp & US$375 ss

8 with Luis Segura

Chiloé Island Blue Whale Extension: 24 - 27 Mar (4 days)

US$1,700 pp & US$200 ss

8 with Luis Segura

Argentina & Chile - Patagonia’s Orcas & Pumas : 27 Mar - 6 Apr (11 days)

US$4,750 pp & US$900 ss

8 with Luis Segura

Patagonia Photographic - Birds, Wildlife & Spectacular Scenery: 13 - 23 Nov (11 days)

US$6,675 pp & US$700 ss

10 with Luis Segura & Marius Coetzee

from tiny Hairy Armadillos to inquisitive Commerson’s Dolphins; while Torres del Paine is arguably the world’s most reliable site for seeing Pumas. Our Blue Whale extension takes us to Chiloé Island where significant numbers of this, the largest creature to ever grace our planet, are known to gather.

In Assam, our extension showcases Kaziranga, arguably India’s most famous reserve, as well as Nameri. Vast swathes of swamps, grasslands and forests support masses of large mammals, unrivalled anywhere else in Eurasia. The prehistoric Indian Rhinoceros is abundant, while large numbers of Water Buffalo, Asian Elephant and deer can also be seen. Our birding targets include the rare White-winged Duck, Bengal Florican, Greater Adjutant and Blue-naped Pitta.

Ibisbill by Adam Riley

Camping in Bhutan by David Shackelford

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Bhutan - Birding the Buddhist Kingdom I: 25 Mar - 13 Apr (20 days)

US$6,250 pp & US$600 ss

12 with Glen Valentine, Rainer Summers & local guide

Assam - Kaziranga & Nameri Birding & Big Game Extension I: 21 - 25 Mar (5 days)

US$1,450 pp & US$200 ss

12 with Glen Valentine, Rainer Summers & local guide

Bhutan - Birding the Buddhist Kingdom II: 20 Apr - 9 May (20 days)

US$6,250 pp & US$600 ss

12 with Glen Valentine, Rainer Summers & local guide

Assam - Kaziranga & Nameri Birding & Big Game Extension I: 16 - 20 Apr (5 days)

US$1,450 pp & US$200 ss

12 with Glen Valentine, Rainer Summers & local guide

Eastern Bhutan - Hiking & Birding the Himalayas: 22 Nov - 4 Dec (13 days)

US$5,675 pp & US$375 ss

8 with Markus Lilje

Indian Rhinoceros by Markus Lilje More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

14

Bolivia, Ecuador & the Galapagos

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

BRAZIL

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

C

B

omparatively little known, Bolivia is nevertheless considered one of South America’s birding hotspots. This nation’s avifauna is influenced by the incredibly diverse bio-geographic regions that converge here: Amazonian rainforests, the Cerrado, Grand Chaco, Yungas cloud-forests and Puna. In addition, altitudes range from 300 to over 21,000 feet! Bolivia boasts over 1,350 bird species, including 23 of the 25 Neotropical endemic families and 18 endemics. Some of our many tour highlights will include visiting a colony of unique Oilbirds, being thrilled by lekking Andean Cock-of-the-Rocks, and finding three species of flamingo together on the altiplano! With welcoming and friendly people, spectacular landscapes, great accommodation and brilliant birding, Bolivia is bound to be an all-time favorite tour!

razil is one of the world’s 10 ‘megadiversity’ countries. Our Best of Brazilian Birding tour takes in three significant locations; deciduous Amazonian forests, where we will visit the nesting site of a Harpy Eagle, the bird rich Cerrado woodlands, and the celebrated Pantanal – the planet’s largest wetland, encompassing 80,000 square miles of emerald forests, savannas, rivers and lagoons. Here we will find ourselves privy to an incredible range of fauna. With over 650 bird species and a staggering 200 mammals, this region is unlikely to disappoint. To boot, this is also the most reliable place for sighting the magnificent Jaguar.

Ecuador, sporting a bird list of more than 1,600 species, has entrenched itself as a premier birding nation. Furthermore, its small size, good infrastructure, unsurpassable scenery and friendly people make a tour to Ecuador one of the world’s most productive and enjoyable experiences. Our Andes to Amazon birding adventure begins at Bellavista, situated in the exceptionally biodiverse cloudforests. A highlight of this area is the now famous Antpitta show, which usually produces incredibly close encounters with three species of this very tricky family!

The Antisana Reserve could not be more different, and in tundra-like grasslands we stand chances for birds ranging from the huge Andean Condor to the miniscule Ecuadorian Hillstar. We end at Sacha Lodge in the great Amazonian lowlands.

Almost 600 species have been seen around the lodge, and here we will bird from canoes, along forest trails, swamp boardwalks, and on Sacha’s brilliant canopy walkway! From the verdant Amazon to the endemic rich Andes, this tour of Ecuador offers the very best birding that this remarkable country has to offer.

The Galapagos need little introduction, and Rockjumper is pleased to now offer our clients a luxury cruise to these magical islands aboard the Isabella 2. The volcanic islands of the Galapagos have become world famous for their spectacular array of approachable wildlife, ranging from giant Galapagos Tortoises and bizarre Marine Iguanas, to dancing Bluefooted Boobies and displaying Waved Albatrosses. This cruise is timed for the perfect season to observe and photograph the iconic wonders of the Galapagos at their absolute peak.

Hoatzin by Jonathan Rossouw

Chapada Diamantina scenery by David Shackelford

Our exciting Atlantic Rainforest Extension takes us to the productive Intervales State Park. Situated on the high Serra do Mar escarpment, the pristine forests in this area harbor a number of endangered and sought-after species, including Helmeted Woodpecker, Swallow-tailed Cotinga, Atlantic Royal Flycatcher and Spotted Bamboowren. The verdant Amazon, replete with a diversity of avifauna rivaled nowhere else on our planet, forms the focus of our post-tour extension. As a base we

have selected a wonderful lodge that boasts well over 500 species, and offers 20 km of well-maintained trails and a high platform that exposes you to the hidden world of the forest canopy. Whilst on trail we will look for the likes of Cryptic Forest Falcon, nunlets, jacamars and a horde of antbirds, antpittas, antwrens and ant-thrushes! The mammals here are not neglected, and we may encounter lethargic sloths, Lesser Anteater and primates including the endemic Red-nosed Spider and Bearded Saki Monkey.

Our Neotropical Mammals of the Amazon & Pantanal tour will explore both the verdant Amazon rainforest and the bountiful Pantanal, where wildlife viewing compares well with the African savannas.

Our tour takes us in search of creatures such as Brazilian Tapir, Giant Anteater, herds of Capybaras, Marsh Deer, family groups of Giant River Otters, Brown-throated Threetoed Sloth and, of course, Jaguar. The Maned Wolf Extension to Emas National Park offers an opportunity to see this endangered canid along with a vast array of birds and other fauna and flora, including the possibility of Puma.

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leader:

Atlantic Rainforest Extension - Endangered Endemics: 1 - 5 Oct (5 days)

US$1,675 pp & US$75 ss

8 with Miguel Castelino

Brazil - Birds & Wildlife of the Pantanal & Cerrado: 6 - 14 Oct (9 days)

US$3,975 pp & US$650 ss

8 with Miguel Castelino

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Bolivia - Birding the Amazon to Lake Titicaca: 19 Sep - 2 Oct (14 days)

US$3,650 pp & US$400 ss

8 with Miguel Castelino

Amazon Rainforest Birding Extension: 14 - 19 Oct (6 days)

US$2,650 pp & US$275 ss

8 with Miguel Castelino

Ecuador - Birding the Andes to the Amazon: 5 - 19 Sep (15 days)

US$3,975 pp & US$550 ss

8 with Lelis Navarete

Brazil - Neotropical Mammals of the Amazon & Pantanal: 15 - 26 Aug (12 days)

US$6,650 pp & US$650 ss

8 with Simon Bellingham

Galapagos - Birding & Wildlife Cruise: 18 - 27 Jul (10 days)

from US$5,600 pp

According to ship capacity with Michael O’Brien & cruise guide

Maned Wolf Extension: 26 - 30 Aug (5 days)

US$1,800 pp & US$50 ss

8 with Simon Bellingham

Swallow-tailed Gull by Rich Lindie More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

Yellow-breasted Antpitta by Luis Segura

Jaguar by Thais Racy

Harpy Eagle by Ted Kenefick

15

Spangled Cotinga by Adam Riley More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

16

CAMEROON

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

Yellow-crowned Gonolek by Ignacio Yufera

D

ue largely to the poorly developed infrastructure of the region, Central Africa is one of the world’s least visited tourism destinations, and we at Rockjumper pride ourselves in having operated numerous successful tours to this region. If you are game for an adventure and want to experience first class birding and tropical Africa at its best, we highly recommend these tour.

Cameroon harbors a wide range of habitats, from vast lowland and montane forests on some of Africa’s highest peaks, to extensive Sahelian semi-desert.

In the moist south, we visit prime sites that include Mount Cameroon, Korup National Park, Mount Kupe, Bakossi Mountains and the Bamenda Highlands, where we will seek out numerous endemics and both lowland and montane forest specials. Korup is famous for its colonies of Grey-necked Rockfowl, and we have never

missed these strange birds on our tours! In central Cameroon, we visit the Adamawa Plateau and Benoue National Park, areas of mixed broadleafed woodlands.

This region teems with incredible birds, and here we can even find the spectacular Pennant-winged and Standard-winged Nightjars side by side. To the far north, the fabulous Waza National Park is renowned as a superb arid-zone birding and mammal-watching destination.

Names such as Bare-cheeked Trogon, Vermiculated Fishing Owl, Mount Kupe Bushshrike, Arabian Bustard, Quail-plover and Cricket Longtail should whet any birder’s appetite! Our Cameroon tour will provide some of the most memorable birding possible on the African continent and, as we thoroughly cover this vast country, we hope to observe up to 600 species plus a wealth of exciting African wildlife.

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Cameroon - Rainforest, Rockfowls & Sahel I: 6 - 27 Mar (22 days)

US$6,475 pp & US$250 ss

10 with Keith Valentine & Markus Lilje

Cameroon - Rainforest, Rockfowls & Sahel II: 20 Apr - 11 May (22 days)

US$6,475 pp & US$250 ss

8 with Markus Lilje

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

T

he little known Central African Republic harbors one of Africa’s greatest wildlife gems in the form of Dzanga-Sangha Reserve. This pristine rainforest protects some of the densest concentrations of surviving rainforest megafauna. A visit to the Sangha Baï, a large mineralrich forest clearing, is one of the ultimate wildlife experiences on the planet. Quintessential mammals we will seek to encounter include mud stained Forest Elephants, Forest Buffalo, Red River Hog, Bongo and even Lowland Gorilla. We will also enjoy an enthralling Gorilla trek where we hope for up-close-and-personal encounters with these gentle apes.

From our simple yet idyllic lodge perched on the banks of the Sangha River, we will search for some of Africa’s toughest birds, including Plumed Guineafowl, Grey-throated Rail, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide and Sangha Forest Robin. Small colonies of Grey-necked Rockfowl have recently also been discovered in the area. Other available activities include observing traditional net-hunting with the friendly BaAka Pygmies, night spotlighting sessions, and exploring riverine forests by boat. We invite you to join us for a real rainforest adventure of discovery!

Forest Elephants in Sangha Baï by Jonathan Rossouw

Rosy Bee-eater by Jonathan Rossouw

African Finfoot by David Shackelford

Grey-necked Rockfowl by David Shackelford More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

17

Egyptian Plover by Ignacio Yufera

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Dzanga-Sangha - Birds, Baï’s & Gorillas: 28 Mar - 7 Apr (11 days)

US$6,375 pp & US$600 ss

8 with Keith Valentine

Dzanga-Sangha - Gorillas & Rainforest Megafauna: 7 - 17 Apr (11 days)

US$6,375 pp & US$600 ss

8 with Keith Valentine

Silverback Lowland Gorilla by David Shackelford More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

18

CHINA

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

I

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

19

C

n a country as immense and diverse as China, we aim to achieve maximum coverage by combining Manchuria in the far north-east with the rugged Tibetan Plateau in the west. Manchuria is China’s new birding hotspot, and offers not only many exciting resident species, but also numerous migrants. Here we will search for no less than six species of cranes (including the highly sought-after Siberian), Oriental Stork and the endangered Jankowski’s Bunting. We then continue to Qinghai Province, China’s most sparsely populated region. Here we seek the high Tibetan Plateau specials at sites ranging from fabled Lake Koko Nor, arid deserts, birch forests, to passes over 15,000 ft. These include Tibetan and Pallas’s Sandgrouse, the hardy Tibetan Snowcock, Black-necked Crane, Henderson’s Ground Jay and Przevalski’s Finch, which now belongs to its own monotypic family. Mammals are also regularly encountered and include Tibetan Wild Ass (Kiang), Pallas’s Cat, Wolf and even a chance for Snow Leopard! This is an unforgettable tour to a seldom-visited yet spectacular region of the world.

Our special Giant Panda & Crested Ibis Extension takes us to the Qinling Mountains, which support the highest density of wild Giant Panda. Until very recently, seeing one of these iconic animals was just a fantasy for nature enthusiasts, but now it’s really possible with the use of specialist panda trackers! Other exciting targets include the strange Golden Takin and Chinese Snub-nosed Monkey, the critically endangered Crested Ibis, Temminck’s Tragopan, Golden Pheasant and Ibisbill. An exploration of the famous Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum also forms part of this highly recommended tour.

Colombia olombia has more bird species than any other country on Earth! A staggering 1,870 have been recorded, of which 62 are endemic. This massive diversity results from the equally diverse range of habitats that include three Andean Cordilleras, two inter-Andean valleys, the lowland forests of the Amazon and Orinoco regions, the isolated snow-capped Santa Marta Mountains, as well as coastlines, deserts and lakes. Colombia is rightfully ranked as the world’s most exciting country for birders. Despite this, it is probably the least visited birding destination on the continent, no doubt due to its turbulent political past. Today, however, many parts of the country are now open for tourism, and numerous bird reserves beckon the foreign birder. Our exciting Colombia tour, co-guided by premier Colombian birding specialists, will focus on the endemics and special birds within these areas.

While our main tour explores the bird-rich Andean regions, our extension visits the Guajira Desert and impressive Santa Marta Mountains on the northern coast. Some of the target birds we will be looking for include Colourful Puffleg, Bearded Helmetcrest, Beautiful Woodpecker, Tanager Finch and Apolinar’s Marsh Wren. Our 2009 tour recorded a remarkable 683 bird species!

Golden-fronted Whitestart by Tim Boucher

Birding from the Great Wall of China by David Shackelford

White-capped Tanager by Daniel Uribe

Tour name & dates:

Giant Panda by Cagan Sekercioglu More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

White-naped Crane by Rich Lindie

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

US$6,450 pp & US$575 ss

9 with David Shackelford, Adam Riley & Daniel Uribe

China - Manchuria’s Cranes & the Tibetan Plateau: 27 Apr - 17 May (21 days)

US$6,675 pp & US$800 ss

12 with Jesper Hornskov & Erik Forsyth

Colombia - Andean Endemics I: 18 Jan - 5 Feb (19 days)

China - Giant Panda & Crested Ibis Expedition I: 16 - 26 Apr (11 days)

US$4,250 pp & US$350 ss

8 with Simon Bellingham & local guide

Santa Marta Mountains Extension I: 5 - 9 Feb (5 days)

US$1,850 pp & US$100 ss

9 with David Shackelford, Adam Riley & Daniel Uribe

China - Giant Panda & Crested Ibis Expedition II: 5 - 15 Nov (11 days)

US$4,250 pp & US$350 ss

8 with Simon Bellingham & local guide

Colombia - Andean Endemics II: 30 Oct - 17 Nov (19 days)

US$6,450 pp & US$575 ss

8 with David Shackelford & Sergio Ocampo

Santa Marta Mountains Extension II: 17 - 21 Nov (5 days)

US$1,850 pp & US$100 ss

8 with David Shackelford & Sergio Ocampo

Ocellated Tapaculo by Daniel Uribe

Bearded Helmetcrest by Nigel Voaden More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

20

CUBA

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

C

E

uba, the Caribbean’s largest island, lies just 55 miles south of Florida, yet offers an impressive 28 endemic birds, numerous Caribbean specials and a rich assemblage of overwintering North American warblers and seabirds. Our comprehensive Rockjumper tour targets almost all possible endemic and near-endemic species. Using the services of local bird specialists at each site, we guarantee an impressive success rate in observing the island’s amazing avian diversity. From the world’s tiniest bird, the Bee Hummingbird, to such soughtafter species as Giant Kingbird, the cute Cuban Tody, beautiful Cuban Trogon, delightful Oriente and Yellow-headed Warblers, the incredibly localized Zapata Wren and no less than four species of stunning quail-doves, Cuba is an absolute pleasure to bird!

gypt has been the world’s most desirable tourist destination since the birth of tourism several thousand years ago, and marveling at Egypt’s antiquities is a major feature of our tour.

With this in mind, we will visit all the important sites and indulge ourselves in the region’s essential experiences. This includes being dazzled by the Sound-and-Light show at the giant Abu Simbel statues close to the Sudanese border, a camel ride around the Sphinx and Great Pyramids, visiting the Egyptian Museum housing Tutenkhamun’s breathtaking treasures, the vast Temples of Luxor and Karnak, and the tombs of the Valley of the Kings.

On this tour we will cover a wide variety of habitats, ranging from interior tropical forests and mangroves, to extensive wetlands and white sand beaches along the northern coral cays.

The awesome birdlife is further augmented by ease of travel, comfortable lodges, fascinating culture, a turbulent history, vintage cars that take one back to the 1950’s, and super-friendly people. We hope you will join us on this exciting Caribbean adventure.

Furthermore, our tour is timed to coincide with the peak bird migration between Africa and Eurasia.

Storks, raptors, waders and passerines passing through make birding here easy and enjoyable.

Amongst others, we will be searching for specialties that include Crowned Sandgrouse, Greater Painted Snipe, Pharaoh Eagle-Owl, Greater HoopoeLark, Nile Valley and Palestine Sunbirds, and the beautiful Sinai Rosefinch. The superb and easy birding combined with the breathtaking antiquities are augmented by luxurious hotels, a 3-day Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor, incredible snorkeling and exciting shopping opportunities, to make this a thoroughly enjoyable tour for both keen birders and

Cuban Tody by Adam Riley

Bee Hummingbird, the world’s smallest bird by Luis Segura

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Cuba - Caribbean Endemic Birding I: 2 - 11 Mar (10 days)

US$3,050 pp & US$200 ss

8 with Luis Segura & local guide

Cuba - Caribbean Endemic Birding II: 12 - 21 Mar (10 days)

US$3,050 pp & US$200 ss

8 with Luis Segura & local guide Yellow-headed Warbler by Adam Riley

More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

Egypt, JORDAN & Tunisia

Cuban Trogon by Luis Segura

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

21

non-birding spouses.

Our 3-day extension to the Kingdom of Jordan includes a full day exploration of Petra, the most astounding ancient city left to the modern world.

This capital of the Nabataeans’ housed an estimated 30,000 people, and many impressive state buildings were manually hewn from the rose-red cliffs of the Sharrah Mountains. This is without doubt the most ‘must-see’ site in the entire Middle East while also providing some excellent birding.

With luxury accommodations, great food, friendly people, impressive antiquities and abundant birds, time spent in Tunisia could not be more pleasurable. We will visit spectacular sites ranging from towering mountains, desert oases to vast tidal saltpans. Some of our target species include the endangered Yelkouan Shearwater and Whiteheaded Duck, Barbary Partridge, Dupont’s Lark and Moussier’s Redstart. We will also have the opportunity to observe rare North African mammals such as the spectacular Addax, Scimitar-horned Oryx, Dama and Dorcas Gazelles, and the hamsterlike Gundi. We cannot ignore the archaeological treasures of Tunisia, and we will visit world-famous sites including the Punic City of Carthage, Berber Troglodyte houses, the Roman Empire’s 3rd largest Coliseum and Muslim medinas (walled cities).

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Tunisia - the Jewel of North Africa I: 7 - 15 Apr (9 days)

US$2,400 pp & US$150 ss

14 with Mark Beevers & PJ Fryer & local guide

Egypt - Birding & Antiquities: 15 Apr - 1 May (17 days)

US$5,975 pp & US$1100 ss

14 with Mark Beevers & PJ Fryer & local guide

Petra Extension I: 1 - 3 May (3 days)

US$975 pp & US$120 ss

14 with Mark Beevers & PJ Fryer & local guide

Tunisia - the Jewel of North Africa II: 20 28 Sep (9 days)

US$2,400 pp & US$150 ss

14 with Mark Beevers & Jeff Trollip & local guide

Essential Egypt - Birding the Red Sea & Sahara: 28 Sep - 9 Oct (12 days)

US$3,500 pp & US$300 ss

14 with Mark Beevers & Jeff Trollip & local guide

Petra Extension II: 9 - 11 Oct (3 days)

US$850 pp & US$95 ss

14 with Mark Beevers & Jeff Trollip& local guide

Egyptian Vulture by Werner Suter

Palestine Sunbird by Mike Pope

Sphynx and Khafre Pyramid by Markus Lilje More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

22

ETHIOPIA

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

E

thiopia boasts the second highest endemic bird list on the African continent, and this unique avifauna and Ethiopia’s remarkable mammal assemblage form the main focus of our tours. Ethiopia hosts an ancient Christian culture, and was the only African country to escape colonization. As a consequence, several outlying tribes, especially in the remote Omo Valley, remain little influenced by the modern world, allowing a unique insight into their traditional ways and customs.

Our comprehensive Ethiopian Endemics Birding tour loops through central and southern Ethiopia as we seek out the very best birding Ethiopia offers. Participants can expect up to 500 species, including the fabled Ruspoli’s Turaco, strange Stresemann’s Bush Crow, Rouget’s Rail, remarkable Thick-billed Raven, and even Ethiopian Wolf.

churches hewn out of solid rock; while to the remote south we offer packages to the Omo Valley, where we will enjoy excellent arid zone birding while meeting traditional tribespeople adorned in the most fantastic accoutrements.

Our Endemic Mammals & Ancient Cultures tour commences with an exploration of the high Bale Mountains, home of the critically endangered Ethiopian Wolf - the world’s rarest canid. We also visit Awash National Park, rich in plains game that include the rare Soemmerring’s Gazelle. Lion, Striped Hyena, Aardwolf and Aardvark will also be sought. The grand finale of our travels is the spectacular Simien Mountains, with its impressive aggregations of Gelada Baboons and the magnificent Walia Ibex.

For our Ethiopia Birding in Style tour, we have handpicked the prime birding locations in central Ethiopia and chosen only premier lodges. Our new range of Essential Ethiopia Birding tours have now made this fascinating country available to the budget conscious, while still visiting the nation’s most important birding sites.

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Ethiopian Endemics Birding I: 11 - 29 Jan (19 days)

US$4,695 pp & US$325 ss

10 with Gavin Lautenbach & Rainer Summers

Lalibela Historical Extension I: 29 - 31 Jan (3 days)

US$1,550 pp & US$140 ss

10 with Gavin Lautenbach & Rainer Summers

Ethiopian Endemics Birding II: 1 - 19 Feb (19 days)

US$4,695 pp & US$325 ss

10 with David Hoddinott & Gavin Lautenbach

Omo Valley Extension - Birding & Tribal Cultures: package

from US$1,850 pp & US$140 ss

10 with Gavin Lautenbach & Rainer Summers

Ethiopia Birding in Style: 14 - 25 Nov (12 days)

US$5,575 pp & US$600 ss

5 with Rainer Summers

Northern Extension - Simiens, Gondar & Lalibela: 25 Nov - 2 Dec (8 days)

US$3,950 pp & US$400 ss

5 with Rainer Summers

Ethiopia - Endemic Mammals & Ancient Cultures: 2 - 17 Dec (16 days)

US$5,050 pp & US$600 ss

8 with Rainer Summers

Omo Valley Tribal Extension: 18 - 22 Dec (5 days)

US$1,850 pp & US$140 ss

8 with Rainer Summers

Simien Extension - Gelada & Ibex Photographic: 1 - 6 Dec (6 days)

US$2,650 pp & US$325 ss

8 with Marius Coetzee

Ethiopia Photographic - Birds & Wildlife: 6 - 18 Dec (13 days)

US$4,250 pp & US$375 ss

8 with Marius Coetzee

Essential Ethiopia Birding I: 20 Feb - 3 Mar (12 days)

US$2,450 pp & US$200 ss

11 with Gavin Lautenbach

Essential Ethiopia Birding II: 2 - 13 Nov (12 days)

US$2,450 pp & US$200 ss

11 with Rainer Summers

Awe-inspiring scenery, photogenic and approachable birds and mammals, plus some striking ancient buildings make Ethiopia a photographer’s dream. Our Ethiopia Photographic tour will allow the opportunity to encapsulate these exceptional scenes and wildlife on camera. We also venture north to the fantastic Simien Mountains, where we will photograph large troops of Gelada Baboons and Walia Ibex in this, their final stronghold.

GHANA

Omo Valley mother and child by Jonathan Rossouw More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

Shining Sunbird by Markus Lilje

Ethiopian Wolf by Matthew Matthiessen

23

G

hana offers core West African rainforest and savanna birding, while the recent discovery of easily accessible White-necked Rockfowl colonies has firmly established this as a ‘must-visit’ destination. We spend a number of days exploring the wonders of Kakum National Park, home to a variety of Upper Guinea endemics.

Time at forests near Kumasi and Atewa gives us ample opportunity to work through the lower-storey bird waves that are typically filled with greenbuls, flycatchers and warblers. Several sessions on Africa’s only rainforest canopy walkway will ensure up-close-and-personal experiences of a plethora of canopy dwellers, including an assemblage of turacos, bee-eaters, forest hornbills, barbets, bushshrikes and weavers.

Further north, Mole National Park lies in a belt of broad-leafed Guinea woodlands where we will seek the beautiful Oriole Warbler, Violet Turaco and several species of kingfishers, bee-eaters, rollers, sunbirds and starlings that create a riot of color! We will also not ignore the typical savanna mammals, and Mole Park boasts a healthy population of particularly well-habituated Elephants.

Our Essential Ghana Birding tour covers all of these critical sites, offering an in-depth view of Ghana’s spectacular avifauna. Our Ghana Mega Birding tour is the ultimate West African birding tour that thoroughly covers the entire country. We even explore remote forest sites such as Kalakpa and Ankasa, where the rare Capuchin Babbler and White-breasted Guineafowl can be found. On this tour we also travel into the seldom visited far north of the country. Here woodlands give way to dry Sahelian savanna, home to some really special birds that include the splendid Egyptian Plover and highly sought-after Standard-winged Nightjar, one of the world’s most uniquely adorned birds!

Standard-winged Nightjar by David Shackelford

Our Lalibela Historical Extension explores the astounding series of 12th century monolithic

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

White-necked Rockfowl by David Shackelford

Violet Turaco by Adam Riley

White-crowned Robin-Chat by Adam Riley

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Ghana Mega Birding Tour: 29 Nov - 21 Dec (23 days)

US$6,250 pp & US$575 ss

8 with David Hoddinott & local guide

Essential Ghana Birding: 30 Jul - 10 Aug (12 days)

US$2,975 pp & US$300 ss

12 with Keith Valentine & local guide Northern Carmine Bee-eater by Markus Lilje

Northern Red Bishop by Jonathan Rossouw

More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

24

GUYANA

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

H

G

uyana, a small English-speaking South American country nestled on the Atlantic Coast east of Venezuela, is fast becoming recognized as one of South America’s top birding and wildlife destinations and hosts some of the last relatively unexplored wildernesses on Earth. The variety of pristine habitats, from lowland rainforests and the cool savannas of Surama Mountain, to the waterways of the famed Rupununi River and Kaieteur Falls, one of the world’s highest waterfalls, ensures that this magical destination has something to offer for every birder. Locations we visit include Iwokrama, Atta and Surama Lodges, and the Karanambu Ranch. Guianan Cock-of-the-rock, Scarlet Ibis, Guianan Red Cotinga, Capuchinbird and Harpy Eagle are among many birding highlights that can be anticipated.

Mammals also form a major emphasis of this tour, and we can expect species ranging from the amazing Giant Anteater to Giant River Otter, plus a good chance for Jaguar. Those wishing to visit Kaieteur Falls and view it from the air will have the opportunity to do so before starting our main tour. A post tour extension to Lethem will allow us to see a most wanted species, the Sun Parakeet, and much more besides.

INDIA

Grey-winged Trumpeter

by Cagan Sekercioglu

Giant River Otter by Tim Boucher

Guianan Cock-of-the-rock by Luke Johnson

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Kaieteur Falls Extension: 1 - 2 Oct (2 days)

US$995 pp & US$75 ss

8 with David Shackelford

Guyana - Birds & Wildlife: 2 - 13 Oct (11 days)

US$4,900 pp & US$400 ss

8 with David Shackelford

Sun Parakeet Extension: 13 - 18 Oct (6 days)

US$1,975 pp & US$175 ss

8 with David Shackelford Giant Anteater by Jonathan Rossouw

ome to over a billion people, reflecting the world’s richest cultural kaleidoscope, India is also justly famous for its rich avifauna and charismatic mammalian megafauna. Our Northern India – Birds & Tigers circuit is one of the world’s classic ‘must-do’ birding, wildlife and cultural tours.

We begin with astonishingly productive birding on the outskirts of bustling Delhi, before relocating northwards to the Himalayas to explore Corbett Tiger Reserve and the hill station of Nainital. In Ranthambore we seek unforgettable encounters with the mighty Royal Bengal Tiger, as well as chances for numerous other mammals. Our tour also takes in a boat trip on the Chambal River, one of the final strongholds of the Gangetic Dolphin and Royal Bengal Tiger by Markus Lilje Indian Skimmer.

After marveling at the incomparable Taj Mahal and Agra Red Fort, we complete our journey at the world-famous waterbird sanctuary of Bharatpur. Here we take rickshaw rides around wetlands that teem with waterfowl, storks, cranes, raptors and migrant passerines. This fascinating, thoroughly enjoyable and multi-faceted tour is taken at a leisurely pace enjoyable for birders and non-birding spouses alike.

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

25

the Western Ghats mountain range. Birding highlights might include Malabar Whistling-Thrush, Blackand-orange Flycatcher and Wynaad Laughingthrush.

Furthermore, excellent mammal opportunities exist for Dhole and Gaur, amongst many others. This destination can also be linked with our Sri Lanka tour.

Our India Photographic tour provides unbeatable opportunities to photograph wild Tigers in their natural habitat. Here we will spend an incredible 8 days in open top jeeps, exploring two of India’s finest Tiger parks, Bandhavgarh and Kanha. This tour also takes in the wonders of Bharatpur, Chambal and Agra.

Our Tigers & the Taj Mahal wildlife tour caters for the avid naturalist. Ranthambore is where we will search of the magnificent Royal Bengal Tiger. Our tour then continues into Western India, home to star mammals that include Striped Hyena, Four-Horned Antelope, Blackbuck and the last earthly refuge of the Asiatic Lion. The Kaziranga Rhino Extension takes us on an adventure to view armor-plated Great Indian Rhinoceros (while riding on elephant back!), massive wild Water Buffalo and troops of Indian Elephant Orange-headed Thrush by Adam Riley

Rockjumper’s 14-day Essential Northern India tour explores key areas of India from Bharatpur and Ranthambore, to Nainital and Corbett. This tour offers the outright birding highlights of this vast country at economical rates.

Southern India is widely recognized as one of the most important endemic bird areas in Asia, and this fabulous tour produces not only an amazing number of endemics, but also spectacular scenery as we wind our way through the foothills and higher reaches of

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Northern India - Birds & Tigers: 1 - 18 Dec (18 Days)

US$4,650 pp & US$975 ss

12 with Erik Forsyth, Cuan Rush & local guide

Southern India - Birding & Wildlife of the Western Ghats: 9 - 20 Nov (12 days)

US$3,475 pp & US$550 ss

12 with Erik Forsyth, Cuan Rush & local guide

Essential Northern India Birding & Tigers: 22 Nov - 5 Dec (14 days)

US$2,975 pp & US$450 ss

12 with Simon Bellingham & local guide

India Photographic - Birds, Tigers & Wildlife: 18 Feb - 4 Mar (15 days)

US$5,675 pp & US$800 ss

8 with Marius Coetzee & local guide

India in Style - Birds & Tigers: 3 - 15 Dec (13 days)

US$11,550 pp & US$2,750 ss

6 with David Shackelford & local guide

India - Tigers & the Taj Mahal: 6 - 18 Dec (13 days)

US$4,700 pp & US$800 ss

8 with Markus Lilje & local guide

Kaziranga Rhino Extension: 18 - 23 Dec (6 days)

US$3,250 pp& ss US$200 ss

8 with Markus Lilje & local guide

Mottled Wood Owl by David Semler More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

26

INDONESIA

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

JAPAN

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

27

N

estled in the tropical waters of Wallacea, the remarkable islands of Sulawesi and Halmahera are seldom-visited parts of the Indonesian archipelago. These two strangely shaped islands lie just to the east of Borneo, yet their fauna could not be more contrasting. On this birding adventure, we will have the opportunity to experience the uniqueness of these islands’ avifauna.

This tectonically induced phenomenon is represented on a map as Wallace’s line, a barrier between Borneo and Sulawesi that separates the Oriental fauna from the Australasian. Our carefully crafted tour will provide the intrepid birder with a mouth-watering array of highly sought-after endemics. The most extraordinary of these must be Wallace’s Standardwing, an outrageous bird-of-paradise that we stand an excellent chance of viewing on its display lek. These luxuriant lowland rainforests are also home to a wonderful assortment of parrots, fruit doves and a number of endemic kingfishers, while other special targets include Ivory-breasted Pitta, the strange Maleo, Purple-bearded Bee-eater, the remarkable Knobbed Hornbill and Purple-winged Roller. Unique mammals also occur and we have a chance for seeing the bizarrely tusked Babirusa, cute Spectral Tarsier and aberrant Crested Macaque.

This tour offers some of the finest endemic island birding in the world, and we invite you to join us for what promises to be an unforgettable experience!

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Sulawesi & Halmahera - Wallacean Endemics: 24 Jul - 10 Aug (18 days)

US$5,975 pp & US$500 ss

8 with David Shackelford & local guide

Wallace’s Standardwing by Ignacio Yufera

Steller’s Sea Eagle by Glen Valentine Babirusa by Ignacio Yufera

J

Dancing Red-crowned Cranes by David Shackelford

apan, ‘The Land of the Rising Sun’, stretches from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea in the south, and comprises 3,000 mountainous and volcanic islands. Our Japan - Dancing Cranes and Winter Birding tour explores the main islands of Honshu, Hokkaido and Kyushu where some of the world’s most spectacular and sought-after birds can be found, whilst simultaneously enjoying the wonderfully diverse scenery and fine local cuisine.

Beginning on the central island of Honshu we will search for a fine array of specialties, including Japanese Accentor, the stunning endemic Copper and Green Pheasants, Japanese Green and Japanese Pygmy Woodpeckers and dainty Japanese Waxwing. We will also spend time with endearing families of Japanese Macaques, better known as Snow Monkeys, at their hotspring hangouts. Hokkaido to the far north of Japan’s long chain of islands will open the curtain to a wonderland of snow, frozen lakes and pine forests. This is the land of the Red-crowned Crane, Purple-bearded Bee-eater by Ignacio Yufera More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

Blakiston’s Fish Owl by Glen Valentine

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Japan - Dancing Cranes & Winter Birding: 13 - 29 Nov (17 days)

US$TBA pp & US$TBA ss

12 with Adam Riley & Mark Brazil

which dance these snowfields with grace and elegance. The world’s biggest raptor, Steller’s Sea Eagle, and White-tailed Eagles cavort on the icy coastline, while vast numbers of sea-dwelling ducks, gulls and smaller numbers of loons and alcids forage in the frigid Pacific Ocean. A highlight of this region is the magnificent Blakiston’s Fish Owl. To the south, on the island of Kyushu, over 10,000 cranes congregate during these winter months to escape the blizzards of the Siberian steppes. The majority of this gathering consists of White-naped and Hooded Cranes, but a remarkable seven crane species have been recorded! Large stands of temperate broadleafed forests harbor Japanese Grosbeak, the secretive and endemic Grey Bunting, and Japanese Wood and Whistling Green Pigeons, whilst Baikal Teal is regular on small water-bodies. Here we will also search for the near-endemic and highly desirable Japanese Murrelet. Author of the recently published ‘Birds of East Asia’, Mark Brazil will be co-leading this tour with Adam Riley and we welcome you to join us for this very special winterland birding adventure.

Knobbed Hornbill by Ignacio Yufera More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

28

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

K

enya and Tanzania, each boasting a bird list in excess of a thousand species, epitomize Africa’s label as being ‘the’ birding continent, with prolific, outrageously colorful and easily observable birds! Augmenting this incredible birding, you are guaranteed the finest mammal show on the planet. In our many years of experience in this region we have tailored an exciting portfolio of tours to satisfy every visitor, from hardcore birders to travelers seeking a more diverse vacation that blends birding, wildlife and cultural activities with luxury game lodges.

Our Kenya & Tanzania Birds & Big Game safari is designed to maximize both the big game experience and birding by selecting the very best and most accessible destinations of these two lands. In Tanzania we explore the floor of the legendary Ngorongoro Crater that literally teems with mammals and birdlife, the endless plains of the Serengeti and the verdant riverbeds of Tarangire. In Kenya we visit key reserves that offer a variety of habitats, from Amboseli in the shadows of Mt Kilimanjaro, the montane forests of Mount Kenya, fantastic Shaba in the dry Samburu region, as well as Lake Nakuru, glowing pink with up to two million Lesser Flamingos! Offering almost 500 bird species and unparalleled African mammal experiences, it’s

Kenya, Tanzania & Rwanda

Kenya, Tanzania & Rwanda

no surprise that this remains one of our most popular tours. A small group size of just 6 guests makes for a very personalized experience, while we also offer a luxurious In Style version of this exceptional tour.

operate back-to-back, and each provides an unforgettable 12-day birding and wildlife experience by visiting the prime reserves of these two countries.

Our Kenya Mega Birding tour provides 26 days of non-stop birding! This tour produces a staggering total of more than 800 bird species, as well as an amazing diversity of large mammals.

Not only do we obtain a huge list of mouth-watering species, but also Kenya’s most sought-after rarities and endemics. We explore areas that include Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Tsavo West and East, the isolated Taita Hills, Lake Baringo, Kakamega and the plains of the Masai Mara. This is the finest tour available for those wanting a complete Kenyan birding experience.

Our Tanzania - Pemba to Lake Victoria Endemics tour is a new offering, combining the famous big game parks of Tanzania with the spice island of Pemba, the verdant Usambara Mountains and other special sites for Tanzania’s endemics. This is the definitive northern Tanzania birding and wildlife tour. Tanzania under Canvas is a luxury serviced private camping experience that offers an incredible Big Five and birding experience in Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti parks. Our Essential Tanzania Birding and Essential Kenya Birding tours

We are also very excited to launch our Kenya Photographic and Tanzania Photographic tours, led by professional wildlife photographer and specialist tour leader Marius Coetzee.

These two departures will ensure that you return with an outstanding selection of images, ranging from bold and stunning birds such as Kori Bustard and Superb Starling, to the incomparable Big Five.

Our Kenya & Tanzania Mega Mammal Safari visits the prime big game sanctuaries of East Africa, from Samburu in the north to the fabulous Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti.

Our visit is timed to coincide with the great Wildebeest migration that heads north through the Western Corridor of the Serengeti, and this tour is perfect for those wanting a complete East African mammal experience. The Tanzania - Serengeti Migration & Ngorongoro Crater tour is designed to be the ultimate northern Tanzania big game safari. This includes an unforgettable encounter with the Wildebeest migration as they calve on the Ndutu Plains.

Rwanda is a fascinating add-on to our Kenya & Tanzania – Birds & Big Game tour as we cover this tiny nation over 9 days. Tracking the Virunga race of Mountain Gorilla and seeking out a plethora of Albertine Rift endemics in the beautiful Nyungwe Forest will be just a few of the highlights. In addition, we visit Akagera National Park where we bird broad-leafed woodlands and papyrus swamps for Shoebill and many other specials. We also

Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse by Markus Lilje

Mountain Gorilla by Adam Riley More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

Wildebeest sunset by Greg du Toit

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

29

offer 2-day Rwanda Gorilla Packages that can be added onto any of our Kenya & Tanzania tours, as can 4 or 5 day Selous Birding & Big Game Packages. This, the largest game reserve on the continent, offers exceptional wildlife, birding and wilderness experiences, and harbors half of the world’s remaining African Wild Dogs.

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Kenya Mega Birding Tour: 2 - 27 Apr (26 days)

US$8,550 pp & free ss

12 with David Hoddinott & Brian Finch

Kenya & Tanzania - Birds & Big Game I: 22 Apr - 8 May (17 days)

US$6,075 pp & US$300 ss

6 with Gavin Lautenbach

Tanzania - Pemba to Lake Victoria Endemics: 28 Apr - 14 May (17 days)

US$6,475 pp & US$300 ss

6 with David Hoddinott

Kenya & Tanzania - Birds & Big Game II: 15 - 31 May (17 days)

US$6,075 pp & US$300 ss

6 with Rainer Summers

Rwanda Extension - Gorillas & Albertine Rift Endemics: 31 May - 8 Jun (9 days)

US$2,975 pp & US$350 ss

6 with Rainer Summers

Rwanda Gorilla Package

from $500 + $500 gorilla permit

Rockjumper guide or local guide

Selous Birding & Big Game 3 Star Package

from US$1,500 pp

Rockjumper guide or local guide

Selous Birding & Big Game 4 Star Package

from US$2,200 pp

Rockjumper guide or local guide

Selous Birding & Big Game 5 Star Package

from US$2,500 pp

Rockjumper guide or local guide

Tanzania under Canvas: 27 Nov - 4 Dec (8 days)

US$3,750 pp & US$200 ss

12 with Gavin Lautenbach & PJ Fryer

Kenya & Tanzania - Birding & Big Game in Style: 5 - 22 Dec (18 days)

US$13,975 pp & US$3,900 ss

6 with Gavin Lautenbach

Essential Kenya Birding: 9 - 20 May (12 days)

US$3,425 pp & free ss

12 with Gavin Lautenbach & local guide

Essential Tanzania Birding: 20 - 31 May (12 days)

US$3,450 pp & free ss

12 with Gavin Lautenbach & local guide

Kenya & Tanzania Mega Mammal Safari: 16 - 31 May (16 days)

US$6,850 pp & US$390 ss

6 with Markus Lilje

Tanzania - Serengeti Migration & Ngorongoro: 11 - 22 Dec (12 days)

US$5,950 pp & US$300 ss

6 with Lawrence Weitz

Kenya Photographic - Birds & Wildlife: 18 - 31 Jan (14 days)

US$5,675 pp & US$800 ss

6 with Marius Coetzee

Tanzania Photographic - Birds & Wildlife: 1 - 14 Feb (14 days)

US$6,750 pp & US$300 ss

6 with Marius Coetzee

Yellow-necked Spurfowl by David Shackelford More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

30

Madagascar

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

M

More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

31

alawi, an attractive land-locked country of plateaus, rolling plains, lakes, mountains, forests and seemingly endless Miombo woodlands, is fast becoming recognized as one of Africa’s essential birding destinations. Our Malawi – Miombo & Montane Specials tour has been especially designed to target the many near-endemic birds found in the vast broad-leafed woodlands of Dzalanyama and on the high mountain plateaus of Nyika and Viphya to the north of the country.

Whether birding the broad-leafed Brachystegia or montane forests, a feature of this region are the multi-species feeding flocks that create a riot of action. Specials we seek include Stierling’s Woodpecker, Souza’s Shrike, Olive-headed Weaver, Sharpe’s Akalat, Olive-flanked Robin-Chat and the stunning White-winged and endemic Yellowthroated Apalis. We also take time to enjoy the beauty of Lake Malawi before exploring Liwonde National Park for typical African megafauna and a variety of quality birds.

The gorgeous Böhm’s Bee-eater and Pel’s Fishing Owl are emblematic of this reserve. Few birders realize how rewarding and diverse is Malawi’s birding and game viewing, and we invite you to join us to discover this for yourself! Many of the lodges we use on this trip are surprisingly luxurious. Our South Luangwa Birding & Big Game Extension visits this teeming national park in eastern Zambia, famous for its magnificent game diversity and rich birdlife. With rare and elusive mammals including Leopard and African Wild Dog being regularly encountered, this extension is a perfect addition to our Malawi adventure.

Our 3-week Comprehensive Madagascar tour offers an all encompassing overview of this remarkable island. We visit key habitats from the deciduous woodlands of the northwest to the unique spiny forests of the south and the rainforests that blanket the island’s eastern spine.

Highlights include the spectacular Schlegel’s Asity, Scaly Ground Roller, Subdesert Mesite and Sickle-billed Vanga. We stand a chance of experiencing up to 27 lemur species, including the dancing sifakas and the unforgettable song of the Indri. Other highlights range from civets to strange tenrecs, cryptic leaf-tailed geckos and some of the world’s most outlandish insects.

Madagascar’s Remote North tour is an ‘off-the-beaten track’ birding adventure in search of some of the world’s rarest birds and mammals. We will visit isolated lakes holding the last population of the recently rediscovered Madagascar Pochard and the lowland rainforests of the Masoala Peninsula where the outrageous Helmet Vanga occurs. Other targets include Sakalava Rail, Madagascar Serpent Eagle, Red Owl and Slender-billed Flufftail.

Ring-tailed Lemur by Andy Livermore

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

M

adagascar, the world’s fourth-largest island is referred to as the ‘Eighth Continent’ and its exceptional fauna and flora have evolved during millions of years of isolation. Of the 200 bird species regularly recorded on the island no fewer than 140 are endemic or near endemic, including 5 endemic bird families. However, the wonder of Madagascar extends well beyond its avifauna and we do not neglect the amazing lemurs, colorful chameleons and fascinating flora of this ‘laboratory of evolution’.

For our Madagascar Highlights tour we have cherry-picked the very best of Madagascar and offered it as a shorter package. This tour still produces all 5 endemic bird families and an exciting selection of lemurs and other representative wildlife. One of the amazing aspects of Madagascar’s fauna is its tameness, making this the perfect location for wildlife photography. Our Madagascar Photographic tour will visit three sites all handpicked for offering unrivalled photographic opportunities! Our Essential Madagascar Birding tour provides the budget conscious birder with a fantastic opportunity for observing the highlights of the island’s birds and wildlife. Bird and lemur watching on Madagascar can also be enjoyed in luxury and we have blended our Madagascar Birding & Wildlife in Style tour to obtain the ultimate wildlife experience with elegance and comfort. Our Mammals of a Magical Island tour combined with the Kirindy Fossa Extension is an unbeatable mammal focused tour that provides our participants the opportunity of an in-depth and fascinating study of the bizarre mammals and other wildlife that have evolved here. We will enjoy quality time with numerous charismatic lemur species and also seek out lesser known creatures from spiny tenrecs and primitive carnivores to Giant Jumping Rats.

Malawi & Zambia

Blue Coua by Jim James

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Madagascar Highlights: 11 - 25 Jul (14 days)

US$5,950 pp & US$775 ss

8 with Rainer Summers

Madagascar Comprehensive: 28 Oct - 18 Nov (22 days)

US$7,995 pp & US$995 ss

8 with Glen Valentine

Madagascar’s Remote North - Pochard & Endangered Endemics: 12 - 28 Oct (17 days)

US$7,975 pp & US$625 ss

8 with David Hoddinott

Madagascar Birding & Wildlife in Style: 16 30 Oct (14 days)

US$7,950 pp & US$1,450 ss

6 with Markus Lilje

Essential Madagascar Birding I: 25 Jul - 5 Aug (12 days)

US$3,225 pp & US$300 ss

10 with Rainer Summers

Essential Madagascar Birding II: 4 - 15 Oct (12 days)

US$3,225 pp & US$300 ss

10 with Markus Lilje

Madagascar - Mammals of a Magical Island: 30 Oct - 10 Nov (12 days)

US$5,500 pp & US$655 ss

8 with Markus Lilje

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Kirindy Fossa Extension: 10 - 14 Nov (5 days)

US$2,450 pp & US$150 ss

8 with Markus Lilje

Malawi - Miombo & Montane Birding: 16 - 30 Sep (15 days)

US$5,250 pp & US$750 ss

8 with Keith Valentine

Madagascar Photographic - Birds & Wildlife: 19 Oct - 1 Nov (14 days)

US$5,975 pp & US$750 ss

8 with Marius Coetzee

South Luangwa Birding & Big Game Extension: 30 Sep - 3 Oct (4 days)

US$1,550 pp & US$175 ss

8 with Keith Valentine

Malachite Kingfisher by Matthew Matthiessen

Pel’s Fishing Owl by Jonathan Rossouw

Böhm’s Bee-eater by Adam Riley More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

32

Malaysia & Borneo

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

M

Morocco

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

33

F

alaysia is a modern Asian country where first class facilities exist within an extensive network of parks and reserves. Our Malaysia & Borneo - Rainforest Birds & Mammals tour will visit some of the world’s most famous birding sites, including Fraser’s Hill, venue of the legendary annual Bird Race, the grand Taman Negara National Park, Danum Valley, which protects the largest pristine lowland rainforests in South East Asia, Kinabatangan River and the fabled Mount Kinabalu. A rich mix of typical South East Asian birds, peninsular Malaysian specialties and Bornean endemics combine to create truly fantastic birding.

ascinating Morocco with its breathtaking scenery, delicious food, complex history and fabulous birding has become a vital destination for serious and casual birders alike.

Walled Medieval medinas bustle with activity; colorful tribal people, snake charmers and leather craftsmen throng the markets, and souks (Arab markets) are filled with bazaars selling carpets and laden with exotic spices. Our Morocco – Atlas to Sahara adventure begins in fabulous Marrakech, but we will soon find ourselves winding up the snow-capped High Atlas Mountains. Woodland cloaked slopes and alpine areas support North African endemics, including Moussier’s Redstart, African Crimson-winged Finch and Levaillant’s Woodpecker.

After dropping down dizzying mountain passes, we reach the coast at Agadir and bird nearby lagoons and estuaries teeming with waterfowl, waders and gulls. However, the main target is one of the world’s most endangered birds, the Northern Bald Ibis or Waldrapp, now restricted to only two colonies in Morocco and a few pairs in Syria. A new addition to our tour is a productive pelagic birding trip off Agadir and an exciting array of oceanic birds can be expected. Moving inland, the countryside gradually becomes drier until we reach the spectacular red sand dunes of the Erg Chebbi, near the Algerian border. Along the way we search for specials that include the

Our Borneo - Island of Pittas, Broadbills & Orangutan tour offers an in-depth exploration into the wonders of this extraordinary island, where our focus is especially geared towards the region’s endemic birds and mammals. We will in particular seek out Bornean Bristlehead, Bluebanded Pitta and Hose’s Broadbill, while we even stand a chance for Clouded Leopard, seen on Rockjumper’s most recent Bornean excursion. The Essential Borneo Birding tour has been designed to provide prime Bornean birding and wildlife viewing at a much more economical price and can be coupled with our Essential Malaysia Extension.

On all of these departures we can expect to see several species of fabulous pittas, trogons, kingfishers, woodpeckers, broadbills, leafbirds, ioras, pheasants, babblers, bulbuls and a broad range of exciting mammals, including Orangutan. We will bird along forest trails, boardwalks through mangrove forests, rainforest canopy walkways, and even from boats as we cruise along jungle rivers.

Our Rainforest Mammals of Tropical Asia tour visits the most famous wildlife sites of Borneo and Peninsula Malaysia. We stand excellent chances for finding the old man of the forest, the Orangutan, as well as Bornean Gibbon, Siamang and the anomalous Proboscis Monkey.

However, it’s the nocturnal mammals that make this tour so special, and we know of no other location that can compare with the diversity that we will encounter here - Leopard and Flatheaded Cats, Malaysian Tapir, Tarsier, the bizarre Colugo, Sun Bear and even Clouded Leopard have all been previously recorded.

Cream-coloured Courser by Werner Suter Scarlet-rumped Trogon by Adam Riley

Northern Bald Ibis by Adam Riley

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Borneo - Island of Pittas, Broadbills & Orangutan: 20 Feb - 8 Mar (17 days)

US$5,975 pp & US$900 ss

10 with Erik Forsyth & Mano Tharmilangam

Morocco - Atlas to Sahara: 4 - 14 Mar (11 days)

US$2,175 pp & US$295 ss

12 with Mark Beevers & Rainer Summers

Malaysia & Borneo - Rainforest Birds & Mammals: 9 - 27 Mar (19 days)

US$5,925 pp & US$1,175 ss

10 with Erik Forsyth & Dennis Yong

Essential Morocco Birding: 14 - 21 Mar (8 days)

US$1,275 pp & US$150 ss

10 with Mark Beevers

Essential Borneo Birding: 12 - 21 Oct (10 days)

US$2,575 pp & US$400 ss

10 with Dennis Yong

Essential Malaysia Birding Extension: 21 - 25 Oct (5 days)

US$725 pp & US$95 ss

10 with Dennis Yong

Malaysia & Borneo - Rainforest Mammals of Tropical Asia: 4 - 18 Jun (15 days)

US$6,700 pp & US$1,200 ss

10 with Markus Lilje & Mano Tharmilangam

rare Houbara Bustard, dainty Cream-colored Courser, Desert Sparrow, African Desert Warbler and larks such as Temminck’s, Thick-billed and Dupont’s. Our Essential Morocco Birding tour is designed around the birding highlights of southern Morocco and is an economical option for finding Morocco’s most sought-after birds. A visit to Morocco is thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended.

Temminck’s Sunbird by David Hoddinott

More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

Rufous Piculet by Adam Riley

Black-crowned Pitta by Markus Lilje

Moussier’s Redstart by Adam Riley

African Desert Warbler by Adam Riley More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

myanmar

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

O

M

ur popular Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls Overland tour visits the major highlights of three of Africa’s most remarkable countries. This comprehensive tour combines the endemic birds of the Namib Desert with spectacular savanna species.

Spending time observing mammals will also be a major aspect as we seek creatures ranging from elephant-shrews to elephants and the fabled ‘Big 5’. Our mode of transport optimizes our viewing experience with massive windows and pop-top roofs, spacious seating and an onboard fridge for ice cold drinks! We begin our explorations in the rugged highlands around Windhoek before making our way through the desert plains of the Namib-Naukluft to Walvis Bay. Here, thousands of flamingos and other waterbirds feast on the riches of the cold Atlantic. Further north we combine birding with unrivalled game-watching in Etosha National Park. As we move to the Okavango Delta in Botswana, the woodlands become taller and denser and we search for a range of new species. Days spent along the floodplains of the Okavango and Zambezi River systems provide exciting birding and animal watching. Finally, after crossing the Caprivi Strip, we end in Livingstone, after marveling at one of the natural wonders of the world, the mighty Victoria Falls.

yanmar, previously known as Burma, is an ornithologically little explored nation saddled between India and Thailand. It supports a wealth of endemic and range restricted species and, with the help of our local operator, we have obtained permission to bird some of these seldom-visited hotspots. Our ‘off-the-beaten track’ birding adventure begins on the Irrawaddy plains to the north of the capital Yangon. Over 4,000 temples and pagodas dot this breath-taking landscape, testimony to the region’s rich history as the last independent Burmese kingdom and centre of Buddhist learning. Key sites here hold important populations of declining waterbirds, as well as supporting no less than four birds endemic to this unique dry zone habitat.

The bulk of our time will be spent exploring the moss-draped forests of the Chin Hills in the vicinity of Mount Victoria. These mountains form part of the Eastern Himalayas, an endemicrich bird region where several species seen only by a handful of intrepid birders occur. These include the endemic White-browed Nuthatch, Mount Victoria Babax, Chin Hills Wren-Babbler and a chance for the mythical Blyth’s Tragopan. Our final destination will be the southern Shan State situated in the hills of central Burma. Here we visit the sparkling Inle Lake to search for the endemic Collared Myna, Black-headed Greenfinch and other specialties. After birding the deciduous forests around Kalaw for Burmese Yuhina, another highly localized species, plus a good selection of other hill forest birds, our exploration of this fascinating land will come to a close.

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Myanmar - Endemics of Remote Asia: 1 - 13 Dec (13 days)

US$3,550 pp & US$175 ss

8 with Glen Valentine & local guide

Namibia, Botswana & Zambia

Our Essential Namibia Birding tour is a camping circuit of Namibia’s prime birding and wildlife sites. This tour offers a comprehensive experience of the very best that arid Namibia offers at an extremely reasonable price. Our Namibia – Wildlife of the Deserts & Wilderness adventure begins in the desolate beauty of the towering Sossusvlei dunes. At the quaint seaside

Bagan Temples by Nigel Voaden

Black-throated Sunbird by Markus Lilje

Streak-throated Barwing by Nigel Voaden

More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

Chestnut-headed Tesia by Adam Riley

35

encounters with these magnificent giants. Our Botswana Birding & Big Game in Style safari is the ultimate luxurious adventure utilizing award-winning lodges to explore the prime big game and birding sites of Botswana. We are also proud to launch our Botswana Photographic tours, proficiently led by specialist wildlife photographic guides and aimed at providing unrivalled photographic opportunities of the country’s birds, big game and wide open landscapes.

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls Overland I: 25 Jul - 11 Aug (18 days)

US$5,975 pp & US$500 ss

12 with Jeff Trollip & Jan Pienaar

Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls Overland II: 1 - 18 Oct (18 days)

US$5,975 pp & US$500 ss

12 with Rainer Summers & Jan Pienaar

Botswana Birding & Big Game in Style: 15 - 23 Jan (9 days)

US$7,975 pp & US$1,300 ss

6 with Lawrence Weitz

town of Swakopmund we seek out the endemic Heaviside’s Dolphin before journeying inland to the ancient Erongo Mountains where unique Dassie Rats and Damara Dik-diks abound. Our adventure culminates in Etosha where elephants slaking their thirst at crowded waterholes, lazing lions, the endangered Black Rhinoceros, and, if we are lucky, a hunting Cheetah, will augment our sightings.

Essential Namibia Birding I: 3 - 12 Apr (10 days)

US$2,150 pp & free ss

12 with Jeff Trollip

Essential Namibia Birding II: 12 - 21 Dec (10 days)

US$2,150 pp & free ss

12 with Jeff Trollip

Namibia - Wildlife of the Deserts & Wilderness: 14 - 25 Aug (12 days)

US$5,300 pp & US$300 ss

12 with Markus Lilje & Lawrence Weitz

We also offer a range of tours to the great safari nation of Botswana. Our Botswana - Wildlife of the Okavango Delta & Beyond tour takes us into the heart of the Delta, made up of a checkerboard of islands and waterways brimming with wildlife including elephants and big predators. Journeying onwards to the Savuti, wildlife is best viewed as it congregates around series of isolated waterholes, the life blood of this arid savanna. Our final destination is the Chobe River where an astonishing 30,000 elephant thrive, and we can be assured of incredible

Botswana - Wildlife of the Okavango Delta & Beyond: 15 - 24 Jun (10 days)

US$4,250 pp & US$250 ss

8 with Lawrence Weitz

Botswana Photographic - Birds & Big Game I: 6 - 18 Mar (13 days)

US$6,150 pp & US$425 ss

8 with Matt Copham

Botswana Photographic - Birds & Big Game II: 25 Sep - 7 Oct (13 days)

US$6,975 pp & US$500 ss

8 with Marius Coetzee

Etosha Lions by Jonathan Rossouw

White-browed Nuthatch by Nigel Voaden

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS Rockrunner by Keith Valentine

34

Scarlet-chested Sunbird by Leon Fouche

White-tailed Shrike by Markus Lilje

More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

36

New Caledonia

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

T

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

New Caledonia - Kagu & Melanesian Endemics I: 26 - 29 Jun (4 days)

US$1,850 pp & US$325 ss

8 with Erik Forsyth

New Caledonia - Kagu & Melanesian Endemics II: 28 - 31 Aug (4 days)

US$1,850 pp & US$325 ss

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

White-whiskered Puffbird by Adam Riley

he remote Melanesian island of New Caledonia is considered to be one of the world’s most ecologically important and critically endangered hotspots, hosting a collection of extremely localized and rare endemic birds. Our tour will spend time searching through a variety of habitats ranging from stunning subtropical forest to rugged mountains. Various targets include the beautiful Cloven-feathered Dove, the unique tool-using New Caledonian Crow, rare Crow Honeyeater, Horned Parakeet, Southern Shrikebill and the difficult Red-throated Parrot-Finch, among many others.

Of course, our primary target will be locating the emblematic bird of New Caledonia, the extraordinary flightless Kagu. This strange avian relic from the past is placed in its own monotypic family and ensures that this remote island receives a good share of tourism from avid birders. We are offering two short tours to New Caledonia, which can be added on as extensions to our fabulous Papua New Guinea – Birds in Paradise tours.

Panama

8 with Erik Forsyth

P

anama is the perfect introduction to South and Central American birding. This friendly and easily accessible country offers a great diversity of typical Neotropical bird species, as well as several endemics and birds that are very difficult to find elsewhere. Birding Panama is a joy as long travel days and arduous hikes are not necessary. We spend several days at and around the famous Panama Canopy Tower, allowing us an unrivalled opportunity to explore the rainforest canopy of Soberanía National Park from a bird’s eye view. Colorful tanagers, tityras, toucans and honeycreepers can be watched even from your bed or dining room! Surrounding forest and wetland sites

37

provide superb birding and the mammal watching opportunities are surprisingly good. Another major attraction in this tiny country is the Canopy Lodge, which presents a different forest type than that at the Canopy Tower, and a whole range of new mouthwatering species is available! A post tour extension to the great rainforests of the Darien area gives us additional chances for species that are normally only possible in Colombia. Here we stand our best chances for the regal Harpy Eagle. Other key targets of our tour include Sunbittern, Rufous-vented Ground Cuckoo, endemic Veraguan Mango, the stunning Blue Cotinga and Sapayoa.

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Darien Birding Extension: 21 - 25 Nov (5 days)

US$2,250 pp & US$350 ss

8 with Carlos Bethancourt

Panama - Rainforest & Canopy Tower Birding : 25 Nov - 5 Dec (11 days)

US$2,975 & free ss

8 with Carlos Bethancourt

Kagu by Adam Riley

Bicolored Antbird by Adam Riley

Crow Honeyeater by Adam Riley More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

Red-throated Parrot-Finch by Adam Riley

Melanesian Flycatcher by Adam Riley

Violet-bellied Hummingbird by Adam Riley

Slaty-tailed Trogon by Adam Riley More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

38

Papua New Guinea

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

the Philippines

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

39

Nicobar Pigeon by Adam Riley

O

C

Huli wigmen by Adam Riley

f all the world’s birding destinations, Papua New Guinea would have to rank as the most fascinating and exotic. New Guinea, the planet’s second largest island, was the last inhabited landmass to be explored by Europeans. These virtually untouched forests come alive with the sights and sounds of fruit doves, fig parrots, fairywrens, whistlers, paradise kingfishers, jewel-babblers, honeyeaters, berrypeckers and bowerbirds, whilst more than twenty species of dazzling birds-of-paradise display their iridescent colors and elaborate plumes in one of the most astonishing exhibits of the natural world.

Traveling by air, road and boat, our Birds in Paradise tour explores the region’s diverse habitats, from winding lowland rivers and sprawling grasslands to rich highland ecosystems and forested valleys. Here tribes dance to mimic the fabulous birds-of-paradise, adorned with elaborate head plumes of the exotic birds that grace this mystical island. Over the years Rockjumper has established an unbeatable reputation for leading highly successful birding tours to Papua New Guinea, and our tour totals of around 400 species include up to 24 different birds-of-paradise! We also enjoy almost 20 kingfisher species, a feat impossible to match anywhere else. Furthermore, most of our tours boast sightings of the rarely seen Shovel-billed Kookaburra, remarkable Southern Crowned Pigeon and Papuan Eagle. You can therefore expect a phenomenal array of remarkable birds amidst vast and pristine forests. Our New Britain Endemics Extension takes us to another beautiful and little-explored region of the world, the Bismarck Archipelago. Here we bird forests and tiny islets for several exciting species including Melanesian Megapode, Nicobar Pigeon and a plethora of endemic doves, kingfishers and parrots. Some of our New Guinea tours can be combined with New Caledonia.

More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

Lesser Bird-of-paradise by Adam Riley

Southern Crowned Pigeon by Adam Riley

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Papua New Guinea - Birding in Paradise I: 30 Jun - 17 Jul (18 days)

US$8,325 pp & US$875 ss

10 with Erik Forsyth & Glen Valentine

New Britain Endemics Extension I: 17 - 21 Jul (5 days)

US$2,075 pp & free ss

10 with Erik Forsyth & Glen Valentine

Papua New Guinea - Birding in Paradise II: 21 Jul - 7 Aug (18 days)

US$8,325 pp & US$850 ss

10 with Erik Forsyth & Glen Valentine

New Britain Endemics Extension II: 7 - 11 Aug (5 days)

US$2,075 pp & free ss

10 with Erik Forsyth & Glen Valentine

Papua New Guinea - Birding in Paradise III: 11 - 28 Aug (18 days)

US$8,325 pp & US$850 ss

10 with Erik Forsyth & Glen Valentine

omposed of 7,107 islands strewn across a great stretch of tropical sea, the Philippines occupy the unenviable position for harboring the most birds facing imminent extinction. Many of these critically endangered yet spectacular species survive only in increasingly shrinking remnants of habitat.

During our tour, we can expect to encounter close to 150 endemic birds and many other spectacular migrants and residents.

Pheasant. Mindanao hosts the largest tracts of remaining lowland forest and here we search for the secretive Wattled Broadbill, Azure-breasted Pitta and Philippine Trogon. The forested slopes of Mount Kitanglad are the most reliable site for the magnificent Philippine Eagle; this giant raptor is often rated as the world’s single most desirable bird! Here we will also search for the recently discovered Bukidnon Woodcock, Apo Myna and Giant Scops Owl.

Our Endangered Endemics tour explores the Philippines’ three largest islands. On Luzon we visit sites for Stripe-headed Creeper (Rhabdornis), Scale-feathered Malkoha, the sensational Yellow-breasted Fruit Dove and secretive Whiskered Pitta. On Palawan, white sandy beaches, extensive coral reefs and an underground river make a great backdrop for a number of the specials we are likely to find. Highlights include the mound-building Philippine Megapode, Red-bellied and Hooded Pittas, the incredibly beautiful Blue Paradise Flycatcher and glittering Palawan Peacock-

Our Visayan Islands Extension takes in the smaller islands of Cebu, Bohol and Negros where we target some highly sought-after birds, including the critically endangered Cebu Flowerpecker, Flame-templed Tree-Babbler and Visayan Broadbill. This extension also provides chances for the strange Philippine Colugo and Philippine Tarsier, while the Chocolate Hills scenery is simply spell-binding. Our carefully crafted Essential Philippines Birding tour combines great value for money with maximum birding opportunities. This tour focuses on Luzon, Mindanao and Palawan.

Chocolate Hills scenery by David Shackelford

Scale-feathered Malkoha by Tina Mallari

Red-bellied Pitta by Ignacio Yufera

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Philippines - Endangered Endemics: 3 - 20 Apr (18 days)

US$4,875 pp & US$385 ss

10 with Erik Forsyth & TBA

Visayan Islands Extension: 20 - 26 Apr (7 days)

US$1,575 pp & US$190 ss

10 with Erik Forsyth & TBA

Essential Philippines Birding: 29 May - 9 Jun (12 days)

US$2,650 pp & US$150 ss

8 with TBA

More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

40

Scandinavia

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

S

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Scandinavia - Birding Denmark, Norway & Sweden: 27 May - 8 Jun (13 days)

US$4,975 pp & US$790 ss

12 with David Hoddinott & local guide

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

41

S

candinavia’s three kingdoms of Sweden, Norway and Denmark are deeply steeped in European history and our tour focuses not only on the fantastic birding they offer, but also on the highlights of these countries’ pasts. On the birding front, our comprehensive tour, timed for the prime Spring period, encompasses a wide variety of habitats and we expect to notch up most of the region’s important species.

Some of the sites we visit include the lowlands of Sweden for the magnificent Whitetailed Eagle, the elegant Red Kite and difficult Eurasian Bittern, amongst many others.

We also travel to the island of Öland in the Baltic Sea, a migrant hotspot where thousands of birds stop-over to feed and rest on their long journey to their traditional breeding grounds. Amongst the birds we will search for here are the smart Velvet Scoter, stunning breeding plumaged Red-necked Phalaropes, the frilled Ruff, Corn Crake, the beautiful Bluethroat, European Green Woodpecker, Eurasian Golden Oriole and Red-breasted Flycatcher. We will also visit Sweden’s vast forest and mountain areas in search of some highly sought-after birds including Great Grey, Ural, Eurasian Eagle and Eurasian Pygmy Owls, Hazel and Black Grouse, Western Capercaillie, the mighty Golden Eagle, Rock Ptarmigan, Black and Eurasian Threetoed Woodpeckers and the scarce Grey-headed Chickadee. Join us for the ultimate European birding tour!

Tour name & dates:

Sierra Leone ierra Leone’s biologically rich rainforests are the undoubted stronghold of West Africa’s Upper Guinea endemics. The unfortunate political history of this country has meant that for many years these superb forests have been under-birded and little explored. In recent years, however, Sierra Leone has opened up and intrepid birders now have a fantastic opportunity to explore this productive country.

Sought-after species such as Crimson Seedcracker and Turati’s Boubou can often be located in close proximity to the capital, Freetown, while others such as the beautiful Emerald Starling, Dybowski’s Twinspot and Togo Paradise Whydah are also huge attractions. In the Western Peninsula Forest Reserve we visit a breeding colony of the mythical White-necked Rockfowl, a species we have never missed on any of our tours. They occur here at their highest densities and are revered and unmolested by the local people.

Further north we will visit the famed Gola Forest, the largest tract of lowland rainforest in Sierra Leone, which boasts the eponymous Gola Malimbe and a range of other little known birds. With luck, exciting mammals including Chimpanzee, Western Red Colobus and Zebra

White-necked Rockfowl by Paul Ellis

Duiker may be seen skulking through the forest. A further highlight will be searching for White-breasted Guineafowl during a visit to Tiwai Island on the Moa River. The seldom observed Pygmy Hippopotamus also occurs in this area, and we can expect to find no less than five species of monkeys whilst on the island. Join us for an ‘off-the-beaten track’ birding adventure to this little known but welcoming country.

Bluethroat by Glyn Sellors

Emerald Starling by Paul Ellis

White-tailed Eagle by John Larson More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

Lapland Longspur by Glyn Sellors

Western Capercailie by Erik Mølgaard

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Sierra Leone - Rockfowl & Upper Guinea Specials: 5 - 20 Dec (16 days)

US$4,975 pp & US$500 ss

8 with Keith Valentine

White-bibbed Swallow by Keith Valentine More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

42

SOUTH AFRICA

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

SOUTH AFRICA

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

43

O

ur home country of South Africa is quite simply one of the most pleasurable destinations in which to bird and travel, offering exceptional value for money along with worldclass infrastructure. In addition, South Africa boasts the most endemic bird species of any African country, while a rich seabird assemblage and vast numbers of more widespread, yet no less spectacular, African birds and large mammals occur. Add to this the rich botanical heritage, fine food and wines, friendly people and the scenic splendor of Africa’s most varied country, and it’s not hard to see why South Africa is our most popular destination!

The combination of our two week Eastern South Africa tour and six day Cape Extension is one of Rockjumper’s top sellers. Eastern South Africa offers the classic African savannas of the world-renowned Kruger National Park plus the teeming Zululand game reserves. Besides the exhilarating array of colorful bushveld birds, we spend time seeking big game, including the endangered African Wild Dog. We also explore endemic-rich mist-belt forests and highveld grasslands, and scale the lofty peaks of the Drakensberg into the mountain kingdom of Lesotho.

Target birds include Ground Woodpecker, Blue Crane, Gurney’s Sugarbird and the lovely Pinkthroated Twinspot. On our Cape Extension we spend unforgettable days exploring the breathtaking Cape Peninsula and its offshore pelagic waters, before searching the succulent TanquaKaroo and the flower laden West Coast for endemics. Cape targets include African Penguin, the glittering Orange-breasted Sunbird and Cape Rockjumper. These tours typically produce up to 500 bird and 50 mammal species.

African Wild Dog by Marius Coetzee

Our Cape Wildflowers, Birding & Big Game tour is scheduled to take in the very best of the fairest Cape at a time when the Cape Fynbos and Namaqualand Spring flowers are at their peak.

This wildflower display is one of Mother Nature’s most colorful ceremonies and a once-in-alifetime event that no nature-lover should miss! Our tour is guided by one of South Africa’s most knowledgeable botanists. To boot, we spend time searching for endemic birds on the plains of Bushmanland and also big game in the famous Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. The Cape Town to Windhoek - Best of the West tour is a two-week adventure that can be taken in conjunction with our Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls Overland tour. Besides covering much of the same ground as our Wildflowers tour, we also include a pelagic birding trip off the Cape and visit the Great Fish River Canyon.

Our South African Mega Birding Tour is the ultimate South African adventure. We visit every far-flung corner of our beautiful land and target all 143 regionally endemic bird species! From Barlow’s Lark in Port Nolloth to Knysna Woodpecker at Agulhas and Short-clawed Lark near Polokwane, we will traverse deserts, Fynbos, high mountain passes, rolling grasslands, tropical dune forests and prime Acacia savanna. In the course of this 24-day tour, we can expect to amass an impressive bird list, observe scores of mammal species and intimately get to know one of the world’s most spectacular countries.

Kruger National Park and the Kgalagadi Park in the Kalahari, as well as surrounding sites, will play host to our new selection of South African Photographic tours. Here, opportunities

Leopard cub by Leon Fouche More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

Southern Double-collared Sunbird by Adam Riley

Cape Sugarbird by Glen Valentine

Drakensberg Rockjumper by Ignacio Yufera

to capture first-class images of numerous bird and wildlife subjects will abound. The combination of the time of the year and our specialist wildlife photographic tour leaders will ensure an unbeatable photo safari. The South Africa Predator Safari in Style tour is an exclusive tour based at three of Africa’s most luxurious safari lodges in the Madikwe, Timbavati and Sabi Sands Game Reserves. We travel by charter flight between these camps, where we will have our own dedicated safari vehicle and specialist wildlife leader who will ensure that we have the ultimate big game and birding experience, with a focus on Africa’s largest predators. Our Cape Exploration in Style tour will find us residing in one of Cape Town’s most stunningly situated luxury lodges as we enjoy the numerous highlights of the southern Cape. Rockjumper’s Essential Western & Eastern South Africa tours are offered back-to-back and showcase the most important birding and wildlife sites of South Africa. These tours will appeal to the avid birder looking for an inexpensive but thorough exploration of this vast and biodiverse country.

Our Ultimate Kruger Big Game Safari

explores one of Africa’s most famous parks on foot and by vehicle as we attempt to locate the legendary ‘Big 5’ and other wildlife. Some nights we will head out in open 4x4 vehicles in search of nocturnal mammals, and we may even be fortunate enough to observe a thrilling hunt! The Fairest Cape to Kalahari Wildlife Safari will include cruises on the deep waters of the icy Atlantic seeking Southern Right Whales and Great White Sharks, walking the flower-laden slopes of the Cape Mountains in the company of Chacma Baboons, and travels to the remote landscapes of Bushmanland.

Further north, we explore the Kalahari for it famous black-maned Lions, Brown Hyena, Leopard, Cheetah and entertaining Meerkats.

Ground Woodpecker by Adam Riley

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Eastern South Africa I: 7 - 20 Feb (14 days)

US$4,100 pp & US$350 ss

8 with Athol Marchant

Cape Extension I: 20 - 25 Feb (6 days)

US$1,850 pp & US$120 ss

8 with Athol Marchant

Eastern South Africa II: 13 - 26 Aug (14 days)

US$4,100 pp & US$350 ss

8 with Gavin Lautenbach

Cape Extension II: 26 - 31 Aug (14 days)

US$1,850 pp & US$120 ss

8 with Gavin Lautenbach

Cape Wildflowers, Birding & Big Game: 20 Aug - 2 Sep (14 days)

US$3,975 pp & US$500 ss

12 with Cliff Dorse & Jeff Trollip

Eastern South Africa III: 24 Sep - 7 Oct (14 days)

US$4,100 pp & US$350 ss

8 with Athol Marchant

Cape Extension III: 7 - 12 Oct (6 days)

US$1,850 pp & US$120 ss

8 with Athol Marchant

South Africa - Mega Birding Tour: 2 - 25 Oct (24 days)

US$6,475 pp & US$475 ss

8 with Gavin Lautenbach

Eastern South Africa IV: 19 Oct - 1 Nov (14 days)

US$4,100 pp & US$350 ss

8 with Athol Marchant

Cape Extension IV: 1 - 6 Nov (6 days)

US$1,900 pp & US$120 ss

8 with Athol Marchant

Eastern South Africa V: 3 - 16 Dec (14 days)

US$4,250 pp & US$360 ss

8 with Jeff Trollip

Cape Extension V: 16 - 21 Dec (6 days)

US$1,900 pp & US$120 ss

8 with Jeff Trollip

Cape to Windhoek - the Best of the West: 16 Sep - 1 Oct (16 days)

US$4,450 pp & US$425 ss

12 with Rainer Summers

South Africa Predator Safari in Style: 10 day packages

from US$7,500 pp

6 with Rockjumper guide

Cape Exploration in Style: 6 day packages

from US$3,750 pp

6 with Rockjumper guide

Essential Eastern South Africa: 24 Jul - 4 Aug (12 days)

US$2,275 pp & US$275 ss

12 with Jeff Trollip

Essential Western South Africa: 4 - 15 Aug (12 days)

US$1,975 pp & US$200 ss

12 with Jeff Trollip

South Africa - Ultimate Kruger Big Game Safari: 26 Aug - 2 Sep (8 days)

US$3,900 pp & US$230 ss

8 with PJ Fryer

South Africa - Fairest Cape to Kalahari Wildlife Safari: 2 - 12 Sep (11 days)

US$4,650 pp & US$360 ss

8 with Simon Bellingham

South Africa Photographic - Kruger Birds & Big Game: 3 - 13 Sep (11 days)

US$4,550 pp & US$550 ss

6 with Marius Coetzee

South Africa Photographic - Kalahari Birds & Big Game: 13 - 23 Sep (11 days)

US$3,350 pp & US$400 ss

6 with Marius Coetzee

More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

44

Sri Lanka & the Maldives

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

T

he small, friendly island nation of Sri Lanka provides one of the most enjoyable and rewarding birding tours imaginable. Loaded with endemics, most of which are extremely easy to locate, great lodges and abundant wildlife, it makes perfect sense that Sri Lanka has become such a popular birding destination. Our Sri Lanka Endemic Birds & Big Game tour targets all 34 endemics and other wildlife highlights of the island. We commence at lowland rainforest sites, looking for endemics that include Sri Lanka Spurfowl and the vibrant Sri Lanka Blue Magpie.

Next we ascend the terraced highlands of central Sri Lanka. Overwintering specials here include Indian Pitta, Pied Thrush and the lovely Kashmir Flycatcher, while the rare Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush is one of many hill endemics. Situated in the dry zone, Yala National Park and the saltpans of Bundala provide excellent birding, but here we will also concentrate on Sri Lanka’s big game such as Leopard, Asian Elephant and Sloth Bear. Sinharaja Forest provides our final opportunity to mop-up the remaining Sri Lanka endemics, highlights being Redfaced Malkoha, Sri Lanka Frogmouth and the recently described Serendib Scops Owl.

T

Our Essential Sri Lanka Birding tour is a condensed version of our main tour and is guided by one of Sri Lanka’s premier local birders. Avid photographers will be kept enthralled on our Sri Lanka Photographic – Birds & Big Game tour. Besides the prime sites mentioned already, this tour includes a boat trip to view the impressive aggregations of giant Blue and Sperm Whales that have recently been discovered off the southern tip of the island.

The Maldives, composed entirely of coral atolls, are the tropical picture postcard of your dreams! Our cruise here can expect some of the finest cetacean viewing on Earth. In the last few seasons our tour leader, Charles Anderson, a long time Maldivian resident and cetacean authority, has seen an astounding 18 different species. While tropicbirds sail overhead, we will scan the waters for such delights as Spinner, Striped, Rough-toothed and Risso’s Dolphins, Longman’s Beaked and Blue Whale, the largest animal ever to have graced our planet! This wealth of cetaceans is complemented by tropical pelagic birds, and we will spend our days on the deck scanning for Black-naped, White-cheeked and Bridled Tern, Tropical Shearwater and Lesser Frigatebird, to name only a few.

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Sri Lanka - Endemic Birds & Big Game: 20 - 30 Nov (11 days)

US$3,325 pp & US$450 ss

12 with Erik Forsyth & Cuan Rush

Essential Sri Lanka Birding: 19 - 29 Mar (11 days)

US$1,775 pp & US$225 ss

Sri Lanka Photographic - Birds & Big Game: 5 - 18 Mar (14 days) The Maldives - Cetaceans & Tropical Seabirds: 23 - 30 Jan, 30 Jan - 6 Feb, 2 - 9 Oct (8 days)

Thailand hailand is the quintessential birding destination in South East Asia, showcasing habitats from mountain peaks draped with Rhododendron forests to dense tropical lowlands resounding with birdsong. Thailand’s treasures also extend beyond the natural world into the cultural realm, and spectacular pagodas and temples adorn this tropical nation.

Our Northern & Central Thailand – Asian Birding at its Best tour provides a detailed overview of the major sites of the country.

Setting out from Bangkok, we first explore the forested hillsides of Khao Yai National Park where we will be overwhelmed by a vast array of broadbills, hornbills, babblers and barbets.

After scanning the mudflats of Samuth Sakhon for migrant waders, including the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper, we will continue to Kaeng Krachan. This park offers unbroken rainforest scenery and supports one of the richest bird lists in South East Asia. We

Indian Pitta by Adam Riley

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

45

then fly north to Chang Mai where we will explore the montane forests of Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s highest mountain and most famous birding site. Here a collection of uniquely Asian groups such as ioras, barwings, mesias, minlas, sibias, and niltavas will dazzle us.

Moving east we will bird the mountains of Doi Angkhang on the border of Myanmar, where we will continue finding representatives of unique groups including parrotbills, liocichlas, finchbills and stunning minivets.

Other sites visited include Sab Sadou, Thaton and Doi Lang. Our tour is designed to take advantage of the incredible influx of migrants from the north, complimented by an amazing cast of Asian bird species.

Our Gurney’s Pitta and Rainforest Birding Extension to southern Thailand takes us to remnant lowland forests on the Malay Peninsula, which support some of the world’s most sought-after and endangered birds. At the top of our list is the critically endangered

Buffy Fish Owl by Adam Riley

Gurney’s Pitta, along with five other pitta species, true jewels of the forest understorey. We explore nearby mangroves by boat, searching for specialties such as Mangrove Pitta, while mudflats support wintering Chinese Egret and Nordmann’s Greenshank. We also venture to the idyllic Similan Islands for the outlandish Nicobar Pigeon and stunning snorkeling opportunities.

Black-rumped Flameback by Adam Riley

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

12 with Hetti Hettiarachchi

Northern & Central Thailand - Asian Birding at its Best: 20 Feb - 9 Mar (18 days)

US$4,250 pp & US$550 ss

12 with Jeff Trollip & Uthai Treesucon

US$4,575 pp & US$650 ss

8 with Marius Coetzee & Hetti Hettiarachchi

US$1,575 pp & US$175 ss

10 with Jeff Trollip & Uthai Treesucon

US$2,375 pp & US$550 ss

16 with Charles & Sue Anderson

Southern Thailand Extension - Gurney’s Pitta & Rainforest Birding: 9 -15 Mar (7 days) Essential Thailand Birding: 28 Nov - 09 Dec (12 days)

US$1,975 pp & US$350 ss

10 with Uthai Treesucon

Serendib Scops Owl by Adam Riley More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

Striped Dolphin by Adam Riley

Green Broadbill by Markus Lilje

Red-bearded Bee-eater by Adam Riley More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

46

Uganda

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

the Western Pacific Odyssey

ROCKJUMPER BIRDING TOURS

47

T

R

he Western Pacific Odyssey is a 31-day cruise from New Zealand to Japan, providing an unprecedented opportunity to see some of the world’s most rarely-observed seabirds and remote island endemics. Whilst the cruise was designed with seabird enthusiasts in mind, the planned landings add a variety of stunning species, including the curious Kagu on New Caledonia. A good selection of Solomon Islands endemics such as Solomon Sea Eagle and Rennell Shrikebill will be sought on four different islands. A variety of other small-island endemics include Norfolk Parakeet on Norfolk Island, Teardrop White-eye in Micronesia and Izu Thrush on Mijake-Jima. This cruise is undoubtedly one of the most interesting of all the birding pelagics available. Seabird targets include Short-tailed Albatross, Japanese Murrelet, Beck’s, Bonin and Tahiti Petrels, Heinroth’s Shearwater and Polynesian and New Zealand Storm Petrels. An impressive selection of cetaceans will also be encountered. The cruise is taken on a comfortable Russian expedition ship, the ‘Spirit of Enderby’.

ockjumper is proud of our vast depth of experience in Uganda where we have successfully arranged and guided more than 30 tours over the past twelve years. Our Uganda – Birds & Gorillas tour visits Kibale, famed for its primates that range from minuscule galagos to Chimpanzees, as well as being the best site for the mythical Greenbreasted Pitta. We also marvel at the towering trees of the fabled Royal Mile, and five days are enjoyed in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to more than half the world’s surviving Mountain Gorillas. Although the Gorilla trek here can be strenuous, staring into the eyes of one of these magnificent beasts from only a few feet away is nothing short of a life changing experience, and is rated by many to be the greatest wildlife experience on the planet! In drier country, we visit the mighty Murchison Falls where the Nile is forced through a tiny gap, forming the most powerful water surge on earth. A boat cruise allows us to watch the birds and animals that throng the river’s banks. Here we can expect to find one of the world’s most wanted birds, the bizarre Shoebill. Straddling the Equator is the vast Queen Elizabeth NP, boasting impressive crater-lake scenery, grasslands and forests, huge herds of Elephant and Buffalo, Lions and

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Western Pacific Odyssey 2011: 19 Apr - 19 May (31 days)

from US$9,950 pp + $500 landing fees

According to ship capacity with Chris Collins

Western Pacific Odyssey 2012: 1 Apr - 1 May (31 days)

from US$10,500 pp + $500 landing fees

According to ship capacity with Chris Collins & Peter Harrison

White Tern by John Graham Shoebill by Jonathan Rossouw

Grey Crowned Crane by Jonathan Rossouw

Chimpanzee by Jonathan Rossouw

Tour name & dates:

Tour cost:

Group size & tour leaders:

Uganda - Birds & Gorillas I: 29 Jun - 17 Jul (19 days)

US$6,995 pp & US$700 ss

9 with David Hoddinott & Livingstone Kalema

Uganda - Birds & Gorillas II: 18 Jul - 5 Aug (19 days)

US$6,995 pp & US$700 ss

9 with David Hoddinott & Livingstone Kalema

Essential Uganda Birding: 12 - 23 Dec (12 days)

US$3,275 pp & US$275 ss

12 with Simon Bellingham & Livingstone Kalema

Uganda - Primates & Big Game: 20 - 31 May (12 days)

US$7,100 pp & US$900 ss

9 with Lawrence Weitz & Livingstone Kalema

More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

Leopards. Over 550 species of birds and a diverse array of mammals can be expected on this unbeatable tour.

Essential Uganda Birding covers the highlights of this diverse country, from opportunities to track Mountain Gorillas and Chimpanzees, to seeking out rare Albertine Rift endemics and other forest specialties. This 12 day tour offers a fantastic overview at a much reduced price.

Our Uganda Primates & Big Game tour focuses on the highlight mammals of Uganda, the stars being Mountain Gorilla, Chimpanzee and 10 other primate species. However, we will not ignore the impressive range of other readily viewed big game, including Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Hippopotamus and Giant Forest Hog, to name but a few. Spotlight excursions could reveal rarely seen species, from African Palm Civet to Lord Derby’s Anomalure and the curious Potto.

Rennell Shrikebill by Adam Riley

Finsch’s Pygmy Parrot by Adam Riley

New Zealand Storm Petrel by John Graham

Short-tailed Albatross by Adam Riley More information and images on our website www.rockjumperbirding.com

S

ince our inception in 1998, the Rockjumper team has been passionately crafting and leading set departure and customized tours for thousands of birders and avid naturalists. Whilst tracking Giant Pandas in the misty Tien Shan Mountains, the concept of creating a suite of tours that would showcase the world’s most iconic mammals was born. In 2008, after countless hours of planning, we proudly launched our sister company Indri – Ultimate Mammal Voyages. Dedicated to providing the nature traveler with a range of wildlife adventures to the planet’s last great wildernesses, Indri has matured into a highly successful tour company.

Spanish speakers are catered for by Suricato Safaris, which offers both birding and general wildlife tours throughout Africa.

Combining the valuable experience obtained

by Rockjumper and Indri with enthusiastic and knowledgeable first-language Spanish guides, Suricato offers professional African set departure and custom tours.

The Ultimate

Visual Experience Partner of Professionals

High-performance binocular Victory 10 x 42 T*FL

Rockjumper’s professional tour leaders rely on binoculars and spotting scopes from Carl Zeiss. The brilliant image, quality and reliable functionality assist them in leading tours through some of the world’s most exotic and challenging birding destinations. Be it in the heat and humidity of South America or the extreme cold of Antarctica, ZEISS optics never fail to deliver. State-of-theart technology for an unbeatable birding tour experience. www.zeiss.com/sportsoptics

We are now delighted to announce the next chapter in our company’s adventurous history, the birth of Oryx – Worldwide Photographic Expeditions! Oryx offers a range of specialist photographic tours, proficiently led by awardwinning photographic guides.

All our companies offer both set departure and customized tours, and share a passion for nature, a strong commitment to conservation and a belief in service excellence. We look forward to welcoming you on one of our upcoming tours. If you would like to learn more about our exciting newer ventures, please visit our websites:

Lion by Marius Coetzee

Indri: www.indritours.com Oryx: www.oryxphotography.com Suricato: www.suricatosafaris.com

Safaris

X

Worldwide Photographic Expeditions