KwaZulu-Natal Expedition 2026: over 100 lifers in five days

Five days. Hundreds of kilometres. Over 100 lifers recorded. Countless memories.

Our latest Wildlens Photo Adventures birding expedition took us from Gauteng to the forests, wetlands and coastline of KwaZulu-Natal in search of some of South Africa’s most sought-after bird species.

The trip got off to an incredible start at Benvie Gardens with species like Crowned Eagle, Knysna Turaco, Forest Canary and the always spectacular Orange Ground Thrush before making our way to Mtunzini.

The following day, Dlinza Forest rewarded us with one of our main targets, the Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon, along with Spotted Ground Thrush, Narina Trogon and Grey Cuckooshrike. Although the Green Barbet escaped us at Ongoye Forest, a surprise Scaly-throated Honeyguide and several other fantastic species made up for it.

St Lucia continued the momentum with a host of lifers, including Crowned Hornbill, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Green Malkoha and even an African Wild Cat. A walk along the Gwalagwala Trail added more forest specials before Cape Vidal delivered one of the highlights of the trip: excellent views of both Green Twinspot and Pink-throated Twinspot after a rewarding search.

Our final morning couldn’t have ended any better. After missing it earlier in the trip, we finally found the elusive African Finfoot, bringing a perfect end to an unforgettable adventure.

Over the five days, the group recorded more than 100 lifers combined, a testament to the incredible birding that KwaZulu-Natal has to offer. More importantly, we shared unforgettable moments, made lasting friendships and created memories that will stay with us for years to come.

If you’d like to join us on next year’s KwaZulu-Natal Bird Photography Expedition, or you’d simply like more information about future trips, get in touch.