Description

We are excited to be heading back to South Africa again in 2024 with a new itinerary, and a unique opportunity to go butterflying with leading expert and author on South African butterflies Steve Woodhall! 

When one thinks of South African wildlife perhaps the first animals that spring to mind include iconic lions, elephants, giraffes, zebra, leopards or rhino. But what about the Blotched Leopard or the Beautiful Zebra Blue? South Africa is home to almost 700 species of butterfly! They are as diverse in size and colour as they are in number, from the smallest blues and coppers to the largest swallowtails and emperors. This tour offers the chance to get to grips with both the butterflies and some exciting wildlife.

Our holiday will be based in the central-south part of Zululand. We will cover the forests, wooded savannas north of the Tugela River, around the famous wetlands at Lake St Lucia and False Bay, and inland along the adjacent escarpment. This area has most of South Africa’s tropical species and some of its largest butterflies.

We’ll be based at 3 different sites, each encompassing a different set of habitats. Over the years, over 320 species have been recorded from this area. Late summer is the best time for many of them; it’s the beginning of the dry season and numbers should be close to their peak.

What makes this holiday so special and exclusive is having Steve Woodhall is available to lead the group. Steve has been studying the butterflies of South Africa for over 30 years and has published 2 field guides; as well as finding time to be the president of The Lepidopterists’ Society of Southern Africa (LepSoc) for the past 8 years. There simply isn’t anyone better to show you the butterflies South Africa has to offer!

Steve will be joined by Callan Cohen, one of South Africa’s top bird experts. Callan has vast experience and has led over 100 bird, flora and other wildlife tours. He has co-authored two birding books and was once the youngest person to have seen a landmark 800 species in southern Africa. Steve and Callan together make up the perfect team for you to have a rewarding and fun experience.

Contact us now to find out more or reserve places on what we expect to be a very popular tour!