North-west Zululand – Louwsberg Thangami Safari Spa
About the Birding
The Thangami Safari Spa lies within the private ThakaZulu Game Reserve in western Zululand, in an area dominated by thick valley bushveld with areas of lush riverine bush, dense thornveld and forest patches. Open grasslands occur in the hills with wetlands being found on the floodplains.
The camp itself is rich in species, typical of forest-type habitats. A short walk through the grounds should yield the African Green Pigeon, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Purple-crested Turaco and Scarlet-chested Sunbird
About the Birding Site
North-west Zululand is one of the most varied of the birding routes in KwaZulu-Natal ranging in habitat from high altitude temperate grasslands in the west, to low lying subtropical thickets in the east including several large wetlands. Given this incredibly high habitat diversity, it is no surprise that the route also boasts an impressive checklist of birds including 58 of Southern Africa’s endemic and near-endemic species, many of which are confined to the extensive grasslands and wetlands.
Other Related Information
Directions:
Travelling from Vryheid, proceed along the R34 towards Melmoth. Turn left about 35km south of Vryheid at the sign “Gluckstadt”. Continue along this dirt road for approximately 24km and turn right at the Swart Umfolozi shop. Proceed for another 17km to the gate. Coming from Melmoth in the south, turn right at Gluckstadt (about 90km from Melmoth) and follow above directions.
Notable points of interest include the:
Thangami Safari Spa: -28.0107, 31.3058
Key species:
White-bellied Bustard, Gorgeous Bush-shrike, Red-chested Flufftail, Bushveld Pipit
Contact details:
For more information, please contact:
Thangami Safari Spa
Cell: +27 (0)83 256 6036/7
Satellite phone: +27 (0)87 808 6577
Email: info@thangami.co.za
Website: www.thangami.co.za