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South Africa / Zambia/Namibia / Botswana / Zimbabwe

Southern Africa Birding Safari: From Zimbabwe to Zambia & Beyond

Program No. 21528RJ
Add the birds of Southern Africa to your birding life list as you explore the diverse habitats of four countries with experts, spotting unique wildlife and learning about local culture.

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We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more

Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Feb 2 - Feb 16, 2024
Starting at
7,949
Oct 24 - Nov 7, 2024
Starting at
7,949
Nov 7 - Nov 21, 2024
Starting at
7,949
Nov 12 - Nov 26, 2024
Starting at
7,949
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Feb 2 - Feb 16, 2024
Starting at
8,429
Oct 24 - Nov 7, 2024
Starting at
8,429
Filling Fast!
Nov 7 - Nov 21, 2024
Starting at
8,429
Filling Fast!
Nov 12 - Nov 26, 2024
Starting at
8,429

At a Glance

Embark on the birding adventure of a lifetime in some of Southern Africa’s most renowned national parks. Search for beautiful and exotic species such as Carmine Bee-eaters, Rock Pratincoles, Western Banded Snake Eagles, African Jacanas, Sacred Ibis and countless more. Be there at the optimal time of year, as migratory birds are in the area, and learn from local experts who speak in-depth about the birdlife, wildlife, flora and cultures you encounter.
Activity Level
Outdoor: No Sweat
Walking up to two miles daily on paved, possibly uneven paths. Open-air safari vehicles require stamina, flexibility, stability for long rides, getting in and out. Elevations up to 5,575 feet.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Wonder at myriad birdlife present in Southern Africa, up to 400+ different species in some locations.
  • Marvel at the beauty of Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
  • Search for the “Big Five” (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and Cape buffalo) while on safari in Hwange and Chobe National Parks.

General Notes

All Road Scholar birding programs have a maximum participant-to-instructor ratio of 14:1 in the field. We adhere to the American Birding Association’s Code of Ethics. Learn more at http://www.aba.org/about/ethics.html Please refer to the "Travel Information" section on the Road Scholar website or contact the provider if you plan on booking your own flights for correct arrival and departure dates. Due to the nature of this program, listening devices are not available.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Sam Mushandu
Sam was born in a small village in southeast Zimbabwe. Growing up in the village gave him an appreciation for nature, particularly during holidays when he would herd his family’s cattle in the bush. Sam attended Bulawayo Commercial College and is an award-winning safari educator. He has lead learning safaris throughout southern Africa, including top destinations like Hwange and Kafue National Parks. Sam lives with his wife and family in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and enjoys history and fishing. (Be prepared to hear some fishing stories!)

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Sam Mushandu
Sam Mushandu View biography
Sam was born in a small village in southeast Zimbabwe. Growing up in the village gave him an appreciation for nature, particularly during holidays when he would herd his family’s cattle in the bush. Sam attended Bulawayo Commercial College and is an award-winning safari educator. He has lead learning safaris throughout southern Africa, including top destinations like Hwange and Kafue National Parks. Sam lives with his wife and family in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and enjoys history and fishing. (Be prepared to hear some fishing stories!)
Profile Image of Honest Siyawareva
Honest Siyawareva View biography
Growing up, Honest Siyawareva spent much of his life in close proximity to nature, thanks to his family’s passion. Fulfilling his family legacy — his father and uncle were both professional nature leaders — in 2014, Honest qualified as a professional nature leader in Zimbabwe, the only person to pass the extremely onerous examinations that year. Working for Wilderness Safaris in Zimbabwe, he has split his time between camps in Hwange National Park and Mana Pools National Park.
Profile Image of Chris Chiparaushe
Chris Chiparaushe View biography
Chris Chiparaushe was born in Zimbabwe and exposed to the bush from an early age when he herded cattle with his grandfather over school holidays. He learned a lot about animals, birds and plants from his grandfather, and knew from an early age that he wanted to work in hospitality. He studied tourism management in Victoria Falls and has been a professional leader since 1998. He is especially passionate about birding and astronomy and loves teaching travelers about Southern Africa’s rich history and culture.
Profile Image of Victoria Falls Heritage Tours, David Livingstone Presentation
Victoria Falls Heritage Tours, David Livingstone Presentation View biography
A dynamic storyteller from Victoria Falls Heritage Tours will join your group to discuss David Livingstone's fascinating life and his explorations, which covered more than 28,000 miles of uncharted territory. Dr. Livingstone's unparalleled story is truly an inspiration and will offer new-found perspectives on the African continent.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Glory
by NoViolet Bulawayo
Award-winning author follows the fall of the Old Horse, the long-serving leader of a fictional country, and the drama that follows for a nation of animals on the path to true liberation. Inspired by the unexpected fall by coup in 2017 of Robert G. Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s president of nearly four decades, Glory shows a country's imploding, narrated by a chorus of animal voices.
The Big Conservation Lie
by John Mbaria, Mordecai Ogada
This book takes the reader through Kenya’s conservation ‘industry’ and the players therein with all their prejudices, weaknesses and commitment to causes. It is a call to indigenous Africans to claim their place at the table where the management of their natural resources is being discussed, and invites well-meaning donors to look beyond the romantic images and detect the possible role of their money in the disenfranchisement of a people.
Africa Is Not a Country: Notes on a Bright Continent
by Dipo Faloyin
So often, Africa has been depicted simplistically as a uniform land of famines and safaris, poverty and strife, stripped of all nuance. This book offers stories that bring to life Africa’s rich diversity, communities, and histories.
Birds of Southern Africa: The Complete Photographic Guide
by Ian Sinclair
This brand new photographic field guide to the birds of southern Africa presents more than 2,500 images showing a wide selection of age and sex plumage variations, perched and in-flight birds, and color morphs where relevant, making it the most comprehensive collection of bird photographs of the region ever produced in a single volume. Accompanying text focuses on identification, call, status, breeding details and diet. Also included for each species is a distribution map and a calendar bar indicating occurrence and breeding months. About the author: IAN SINCLAIR is renowned in African birding circles for his field knowledge and expertise in identifying the region's many bird species. His vast experience has been gained in expeditions to every corner of Africa, as well as to the Himalayas, Antarctica and Marion Island. He has authored or co-authored several successful bird books, including the hugely successful Field Guide to Birds of SA and the equally successful Birds of Southern Africa.
Long Walk to Freedom
by Nelson Mandela
An unpretentious tale of an extraordinary life. Mandela recounts the circumstances of his imprisonment and ultimately his successful drive to end Apartheid.
Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood
by Alexandra Fuller
A worthy heir to Isak Dinesen and Beryl Markham, Alexandra Fuller remembers her African childhood with candor and sensitivity. Though it is a diary of an unruly life in an often inhospitable place, it is suffused with Fuller's endearing ability to find laughter, even when there is little to celebrate. Fuller's debut is unsentimental and unflinching but always captivating. In wry and sometimes hilarious prose, she stares down disaster and looks back with rage and love at the life of an extraordinary family in an extraordinary time.
SASOL Birds of Southern Africa
by Ian Sinclaire, Phil Hockey & Warwick Tarboton
An excellent all round bird field guide for southern Africa. This comprehensively revised edition ensures up-to-the-minute information, latest taxonomy and an advanced technique for improved field identification. A checklist corresponding to this field guide will be provided at the beginning of the program.
Southern Africa Wildlife, A Visitor's Guide
by Mike Unwin
A popular, photographic guide to the mammals, birds, reptiles and habitats south of the Zambezi. With 300 color photographs and illuminating text.
Out of Darkness, Shining Light
by Petina Gappah
So begins Petina Gappah's powerful novel of exploration and adventure in nineteenth-century Africa—the captivating story of the loyal men and women who carried explorer and missionary Dr. Livingstone's body, his papers and maps, fifteen hundred miles across the continent of Africa, so his remains could be returned home to England and his work preserved there.
Silent Thunder, In the Presence of Elephants
by Katy Payne
In this memoir, Katy Payne relates stories of research, discovery and conservation in Africa. An acoustic biologist, Payne has worked on communication among elephant populations at Amboseli National Park, Etosha and Sengwa.





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If you want to attend the live lecture, please do not wait until the last minute to enroll.
If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.