This comparatively short tour is designed both for those who have already visited South Africa and fallen in love with its fabulous birds and wildlife and for those with a limited amount of time in search of the quintessential African safari. With the exception of Kruger National Park—obligatory in light of its stupendous bird and big game viewing opportunities—the venues we visit are different from other South African tours, and will offer us the chance to see many birds and mammals that are unique to their regions. Our first morning will find us in the Natal Midlands near Durban. The emerald Karkloof range is home to many species of South African endemic birds, some large and glamorous such as Mountain Buzzard and Knysna Turaco, others elusive, including Bush Blackcap—one of South Africa’s most sought-after birds. In the same forests we will also search for more widespread yet no less spectacular birds such as Rameron Pigeon, Olive Woodpecker, Narina Trogon, the uncommon Orange Ground-Thrush, White-starred Robin, and Yellow-throated Wood-Warbler. Farther up the Karkloof, we visit a pristine area of upland grassland hosting breeding Blue Cranes, indisputably one of the world’s most elegant species. Gray-crowned Cranes share the tall grassveld here with scarce and majestic Wattled Cranes, largest of the three species. Striking Buff-streaked Chat, an endemic wheatear that is breathtaking both in its appearance and in its call, is another local Karkloof specialty. The following day we descend to the mist forests of Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve. Our route takes us down a spectacular canyon that seems only appropriate for the pair of Crowned Eagles that live at Oribi (we will visit their nesting site). Other member’s of Oribi’s bird community include African Harrier-Hawk, African Goshawk, the green-crested Knysna Turaco, Blue-mantled Flycatcher, Southern Tchagra, Cape Batis, and Black-tailed Waxbill. Endemic and rarely seen is the Knysna Woodpecker, here at the northern limit of its range. Luxurious accommodations and new birds await us after our flight from Durban to Johannesburg at Genius Loci Lodge in the precincts of Rust De Winter. One of our first birds at Genius Loci will probably be Fiery-necked Nightjar, conspicuous as it forages around the lodge lights. We will especially concentrate on finding dry country species that we are unlikely to encounter later in the tour, including Ovambo Sparrowhawk, Kalahari Scrub-Robin, Mariqua Flycatcher, and the outrageous Crimson-breasted Gonolek, a stunning scarlet and velveteen black bird, often as unafraid as it is vivid. Other species of the acacia community include delights such as the handsome Gabar Goshawk, purple-winged Rufous-crowned Roller, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, and both Groundscraper and Karoo Thrushes (the latter split from Olive Thrush too recently to appear in most field guides). The grand finale of our tour, of course, is Kruger National Park. Kruger provides us with an excellent opportunity to see the African “Big Five:” Lion, Leopard, African Elephant, Cape Buffalo, and White Rhinoceros. Hippopotamus and a variety of smaller mammals are also common. The savanna bushveld at Kruger is also home to such large and wide-ranging African birds as Ostrich, Bateleur Eagle, Marabou Stork, and Red-billed Hornbill, as well as local specialties like Southern Ground Hornbill, Black Korhaan (a bustard), and Shikra. Other highly sought after animals we have an chance of finding include Cheetah, African Wild Dog, and Spotted Hyena. Mammals really abound and we should have no difficulty in seeing Giraffe, Plain’s Zebra, Rhinoceros, Blue Wildebeest, Greater Kudu, Impala, Klipspringer, Bushbuck, Warthog, Chacma Baboon, Vervet Monkey, and Dwarf Mongoose. Kruger National Park also provides us with fantastic birding opportunities. Of special note here are species requiring vast areas of wilderness, such as Kori Bustard, the world’s heaviest flying bird, Martial Eagle, and Saddle-billed Storks. The “classic” African families such as turacos, mousebirds, bee-eaters, kingfishers, rollers, woodhoopoes, hornbills, barbets, shrikes, starlings, widows, weavers, and sunbirds are all well represented. We expect to find a variety of examples of each of these families. Altogether over 750 species of birds are recorded from South Africa, and more than 100 of these are endemic or nearly so. Given excellent accommodations, delicious food, internationally famous wines, and its dazzling bird communities, it is easy to understand why South Africa is considered one of the world’s great birding destinations.