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I have used Naturetrek many times and this was no exception to the quality of their service. Everything went very smoothly including a last-minute change of internal flights by the South African airline. The guides were exceptionally helpful and knowledgeable about the local birds and wildlife. Nothing was too much for them. I went in the hope of seeing Aardwolf, Aardvark and the very off chance of the endangered Pangolin. I saw the two formerly mentioned animals so was incredibly happy. The night drives were very well run and again the staff running the night drives could not do enough for you. I have a slight disability which was cared for incredibly well. Naturetrek are a well-staffed and organized company who will always look into any queries you might have and come up with in all cases in my experience with a suitable answer to the question. I have a slight disability and ask before I book any holiday whether they think I am capable of undertaking it. I have always got a responsible and honest answer as I have met a number of staff and they know my capabilities. I cannot recommend them highly enough. The staff / guides they use in all their destinations are knowledgeable and helpful.
F.W. London, Sept 22
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South Africa's Rare Mammals
Tour Code: ZAF13A 13-day safari to the deserts and bushveld of South Africa focusing on some of Africa's rarer mammal species, plus birds and other wildlife.
£5,695 (Inc flights)
£4,695
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
South Africa is home to a superb variety of wildlife, including the classic safari ‘must-sees’ such as Lion, Cheetah, Elephant, and Giraffe. But it is also home to another selection of much shyer mammals that are equally thrilling to observe. Many of these are nocturnal and, while we will also look for the iconic species above on this tour, our focus will be on the more rarely seen mammals such as Aardvark, Aardwolf, Brown Hyena, Black-footed Cat and, for the fortunate few, perhaps even Pangolin! Our quest will be located in the north of this stunning country and key areas we will explore the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (which spans 3.3 million hectares of dunes and spectacular rocky desert and is home to Meerkats, Bat-eared Foxes and the beautiful black-maned Lions of the Kalahari), a 2-night stay within the bushveld of Augrabies National Park and night drives in the Marrick Private Game Reserve near Kimblerley. We end with a stay at Karoo Gariep Nature Reserve, an exciting but little visited reserve in which we hope to find Aardvark, Aardwolf and other elusive denizens of the night.
- Look for South Africa’s rare & elusive mammals
- Enjoy multiple night drives
- High success rate for Black-footed Cat, Aardvark, Aardwolf & Bat-eared Fox
- View the spectacular Orange River Gorge & Augrabies Falls
- 3 nights at the vast Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
- Black-maned Lions of the Kalahari, plus Cheetah & Meerkats
- Abundant birdlife including Ludwig’s Bustard, Cinnamon-breasted Warbler & Namaqua Sandgrouse
- Expertly led by South African naturalist guides
Grading
A mix of vehicular safaris and short walks. Grade A.
For first time travellers to Africa there can be few experiences more exhilarating than seeing your first Lion, Rhino, Giraffe or Elephant, and there is no doubt that these are the classic images that are conjured up in most people’s minds when they think of this wonderfully diverse continent. Whilst all of these animals are exciting to find and a privilege to watch, southern Africa is home to another selection of much shyer mammals that do not show themselves quite so readily, but are equally – if not more – thrilling to observe. Many of these species are nocturnal and use the star-studded African night for cover. As such they are rarely seen and demand both the patience and dedication of the observer, coupled with a degree of good fortune, to find!
Thoughts of such species as Aardvark, Aardwolf, Bat-eared Fox, Black-footed Cat and Brown Hyena may get the pulses of many a wildlife enthusiast racing, but they are tantalisingly out of reach on a ‘classic’ African safari where the ‘big five’ take precedence and night drives are rationed. On this unique tour to South Africa’s deserts and bushveld, however, we plan on offering multiple nocturnal excursions and will visit four of the region’s very best areas for our target mammal species: Karoo Gariep Nature Reserve, the Kimberley, Augrabies National Park and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. During the day we will explore these beautiful areas in search of such inhabitants as the famous black-maned Lions of the Kalahari, plus Cheetah, Gemsbok, Ludwig’s Bustard, and Cinnamon-breasted Warbler. Then, when the sun sets, and with spotlight in hand, we will head out in search of our rare nocturnal quarry, outlined above.
Our holiday begins with an overnight flight to Johannesburg from where we make the short hop to Upington for our first three nights on the edge of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park which spans 3.3 million hectares of the Kalahari Desert in South Africa and neighbouring Botswana. Here we will go in search of a fascinating variety of desert wildlife backed by majestic red sand dunes and lit by some of the most evocative sunsets in all of Africa. This is the home of the black-maned Lions of the Kalahari, along with Cheetah, Eland, Springbok, Gemsbok and the endearing Suricate or Meerkat. Birds include Namaqua Sandgrouse, Karoo Korhaan, Greater Kestrel and the attractive Violet-eared Waxbill. Afternoon game drives merge into night drives and the opportunity to turn our attention back to the main focus of our tour. Bat-eared Foxes and Lions are once again likely, but we hope for something rarer such as the shaggy Brown Hyena, Honey Badger, Aardwolf, Hairy-footed Gerbil, Woosnam’s Desert Rat, or for the very fortunate few perhaps the ultimate prize, a Pangolin!
A 2-night stay in Augrabies National Park follows at a rest camp spectacularly positioned next to Augrabies Falls, the most famous feature of the reserve which plunges into the deep canyon carved by the Orange River. Southern Giraffe and Springbok live in the surrounding bushveld along with Pygmy Falcon and the very local Cinnamon-breasted Warbler. Nocturnal inhabitants include African Wildcat, Cape Fox and the second of Africa’s ‘Aards’, the Aardwolf (Afrikaans for ‘earth wolf’), a fascinating relative of the Hyena that feeds exclusively on termites, consuming up to 300,000 individuals in a single night!
Moving on we spend two nights near Kimberley, the capital of the Northern Cape Province, which jumped to fame almost overnight in 1871 after the discovery of diamonds. Here we will look for the rare Black-footed Cat and the bizarre Springhare after dark, whilst during the day we may see Roan Antelope, Tsessebe, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater and the attractive Rufous-eared Warbler. We end our holiday with three nights in the Karoo Gariep Nature Reserve, which lies around three hours to the south of Kimberley. This varied reserve is home to an exciting suite of rarely-seen mammals including Aardvark, Aardwolf and Zorilla, which we will search for on a series of nocturnal spotlighting drives.
Naturally, we will be searching for some of Africa’s rarest and most elusive mammals on this holiday and so cannot give any guarantees of success! We will do our utmost, however, to maximise the chances of finding these elusive species and we have designed the itinerary around this goal. We hope that patience and perseverance will be rewarded, but whether or not our quarry decide to reveal themselves, we are still assured of an exciting variety of nocturnal and diurnal African wildlife enhanced by some of the most spectacular scenery in southern Africa.
Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
A mix of comfortable guesthouses, lodges and national park chalets. All rooms have private facilities.
- Food:
All meals are included in the price.
Reviews
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All the group had visited Africa before and there were some keen spotters amongst us. This meant that we had some truly excellent views of many of the very hard to see animals that were a feature of this trip. Aardvark being one such and we had very good views of several animals on two nights. The highlight for me after a brief nighttime view was when Jason, our guide spotted a Cape Fox curled up outside its burrow only a little way from the vehicle in daylight and posed for some wonderful photos.
J.P. Bedfordshire, Sept 18 -
Due to the outstanding knowledge and expertise of our Naturetrek guides we were privileged to see all the 'wished for' rare mammals on this trip including Aardvark, Brown Hyena, Bat Eared Fox, African Wild Cat and the magnificent Black-maned Lion. This was besides an abundance of top quality sightings of more usual but equally beautiful mammals, birds, reptiles and insects. Every day was rich with exciting wildlife in stunning and varied settings.
B.E. Hampshire -
The title said rare mammals and so the question was would we see any? We most certainly did thanks to the excellence of our guides, aardvarks, aardwolves, brown hyenas plus 54 other species of mammals and hundreds of birds. It wasn't easy but that was to be expected hence our picking this trip as we'd done the big herds holidays. It was a very well planed itinerary making the most of what was a relatively short time in a huge landscape to maximise the chances of seeing these rare and elusive animals. Tough but worth every penny. Thanks guides for some heart stopping views.
V.W. Oxfordshire -
Main goal was to see an aardvark and we saw 5 (FIVE). Great diversity of other (rare) animals seen like aardwolf, hedgehog, black footed cat, caracal, brown hyena. The aim of the trip was to see South Africa's rare animals and we surely did. We did not have real quantity sightings but instead very high quality sightings. Local guides were excellent, very knowledgeable. Accommodations were excellent.
W.F. Angus -
This holiday is aimed at looking for South African Mammals beyond the Big 5. Target species include Aardvark, Aardwolf, Porcupine and Black-footed Cat, the joint smallest Cat in the world. We were also lucky enough to get Hedgehog. Also for Birders there was a chance to add a few species to their list. There is also a cultural element staying at a lodge run by the San and Meer people in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. I thoroughly enjoyed my holiday to the point that as soon as I came home I arranged my next holiday to South Africa.
D.G. Oxfordshire -
Having visited Africa a number of times, I was interested to see the more unusual and smaller animals. The night drives were wonderful and photographing an Aardwolf was rather special. A Honey Badger crossing the road and posing for a few minutes in daylight was a bonus. John and Jason made this a very special trip and I would happily travel with them again.
C.A. Edinburgh -
The small group of 8 meant we all had plenty of room in the vehicles. The night drives were great. The food was the best I've ever had on a Naturetrek holiday, as we always had regional dishes. Our two leaders made the holiday. So knowledgeable and personable.
P.D. London -
The several locations gave opportunities for different wildlife. Small group giving window seats for all in two minibuses was good. Superbly knowledgeable leaders and their pleasant personalities and senses of humour gave much enjoyment to each sighting. Leaders' sensitivity to each participant's individual needs made the trip go smoothly.
P.S. Surrey -
Good number of night drives to maximise the chances of seeing the target species. Small group size to ensure all participants in same vehicle on night drives (eliminating dust problem and unequal sightings for split groups).
D.S. Surrey -
I enjoyed the opportunity to do so many night drives and see some of the nocturnal animals, especially the Aardwolf; spending time in the desert at remote Kaus Lodge and early morning sightings of Honey Badger, Meerkats and Bat-eared Fox. John and Jason also added to my enjoyment with their excellent spotting skills, knowledge, care and humour.
A.M. Kent -
John and Toby were great leaders - knowledgeable and personable. They worked well together and made the trip very enjoyable.
Mr & Mrs W. Australia
Dates & Prices
2025
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The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.
Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:
- Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
- The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
- Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
- Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
- Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
- Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar
Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
Our specialist recommends...
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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Mammal Watching Holidays
Many of the world’s mammals are instantly recognisable to us. Animals such as Lions, Tigers, elephants and bears capture our imaginations from an early age. At Naturetrek, we take great pleasure and pride in helping people to fulfil their lifelong dreams of seeing these iconic species in the wild. We also enjoy introducing our clients to some of the world’s more unusual mammals, many of which are just as fascinating.
Naturetrek Mammal Watching Tours
Many of our tours have a primary focus on mammals and we offer the widest choices of mammal-watching holidays across the globe, from the poles to the tropics. Our holidays are guided by at least one professional naturalist tour leader and usually benefit from additional guiding by expert local naturalist guides. We have holidays to see an incredible range of the world’s most sought-after mammals, such as orangutans, lemurs, bats, polar mammals, big cats, and mammals of the African savannah. A significant number of tours also targets some of the planet’s more unusual and elusive species, from pottos and pangolins to slender lorises and obscure cetaceans.
Here’s a selection of our mammal tours:
- India’s Kanha and Pench Tiger Reserves
- A cruise to Spitsbergen in search of Polar Bears
- A chance to see the ‘Big Five’ and much more in South Africa’s Kruger National Park
- Search for Blue, Fin and Sperm Whales in the Azores
- Close-up views of Brown Bear and Wolverine in Finland
- Enjoy the mammals of Kenya’s Masai Mara, while staying in luxury camps
- Search for elusive nocturnal mammals, such as Aardvark, Black-footed Cat and Aardwolf, in the Kalahari Desert
Bargain mammal selection
We offer a range of action-packed bargain holidays for the dedicated mammal enthusiast, which are exceptional value for money, from Belize to Zambia.
Our specialist recommends...
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
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Safari Holidays – Experience Earth’s Greatest Continent for Wildlife
Why choose Africa for wildlife safaris?
When people think of visiting Africa, safari holidays are regularly at the top of the list. Riding in an open-top jeep along dusty tracks and looking out across sun-baked savannahs teeming with big game is arguably one of life’s best experiences.
For the nature enthusiast, Naturetrek’s African safari holidays offer unparalleled opportunities. Africa is the world’s greatest continent for wildlife, being home to many of the planet’s most iconic mammals and birds.
Many of these animals are relatively easy to observe and exist in scarcely believable abundance, guaranteeing that our African safari tours are always full of amazing sightings.
From the Okavango Delta in Botswana and Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park to Namibia’s Etosha National Park and the superb Kruger National Park in South Africa, our African wildlife safaris will take you to all the continent’s most unmissable destinations.
Classic African safari holidays
We offer classic safari-style packages to Botswana, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa and Namibia.
On these African safari tours you will stay in or very near the prime game-rich areas such as national parks and reserves, heading out daily for wildlife watching in vehicles. There will usually be additional chances to join night drives and look for nocturnal species.
On the majority of our African wildlife safaris, even those in our bargain range, we are able to use superb accommodation, including in remote locations. Tented, fully serviced camps with private facilities are the norm.
Expert naturalist guides
All of our African safari tours are led by expert naturalist guides. Most of our tours are led by superb local guides (the quality of guiding in many parts of Africa is second to none), while some of our longer tours are joined by a UK leader.
What wildlife might I see?
Africa is the best place in the world for seeing large concentrations of big game such as African Bush Elephant, Lion, Cape Buffalo, Giraffe and Blue Wildebeest. On Naturetrek’s African safari tours we visit some of the world’s most famous national parks and reserves, such as the Serengeti, Kruger and Okavango Delta, as well as some less well known regions, in search of a full range of the continent’s most spectacular mammals, from Hippos, Wild Dogs and White Rhinos to Leopards, bushbabies and African Wildcats.
The birdlife is equally staggering, with an enormous variety of charismatic species found across the continent, from bee-eaters and hornbills to finches, weavers and a stunning diversity of birds of prey. Naturetrek’s African wildlife safaris offer a chance to search for a superb variety of species and avian spectacles, such as flamingo-lined lakes in the Rift Valley, bizarre Shoebills in Uganda’s swamps, and giant Ostriches strutting across endless savannahs.
See our list of the best African Safari Holidays
Our specialist recommends...
"We offer a superb choice of expert-led African safari holidays ranging from 9-day bargain tours in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park to a 17-day birdwatching and mammal-viewing safari through Namibia, Botswana and Zambia. For those who have previously enjoyed a traditional safari, I would recommend our ‘South Africa’s Rare Mammals’ tour, which targets some of the continent’s most rarely seen creatures, such as Aardwolf, Black-footed Cat, Cape Porcupine, African Wildcat, Brown Hyaena and the iconic Aardvark
Paul Stanbury – Operations Manager
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
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