Guided Birding Safaris in Mozambique

A Birder's Paradise

Mozambique’s famed Zambezi delta region is known for its unique tropical environment and is home to a huge variety of bird life. Our exclusive Mahimba Game Reserve contains lush coastal forests, dense riverine vegetation, palm savanna, open pans and papyrus swamps with easy access to intercoastal aquatic habitats teaming with shorebirds. This unique area offers the discerning bird-watching aficionado a truly wild experience, very different from other areas in Africa. 

Exclusive Birding Trips

At Mahimba, we cater to a very limited number of birding photographic safaris, all of which take place during the month of July and are limited to four guests at a time. Our exclusive, well-appointed camp offers personalized service, excellent cuisine, bespoke beverages and of course, world-class birding opportunities. Chef Miguelito, affectionately known as “Amigo”, takes great pride in preparing “haute safari” cuisine for our esteemed guests. Our comfortable safari bungalows all have en-suite bathrooms, hot water, mosquito nets and plush linens. The thatched ”lapa” is where all the socializing happens. Our well-stocked bar, sitting area, dining room, and campfire are where stories of the day’s events are retold while enjoying a glass of South African wine, ice-cold beer, or a tot of whisky. 

Rare African Bird Species

Rare bird species which can be encountered at Mahimba include the Bohm’s Bee-eater, African Finfoot, White-backed Night Heron, Green Malkoha, Woodward’s Batis, and the locally endemic Swynnertoni sub-specie of the Red-necked Spurfowl. Six species of kingfisher are seen almost daily at Mahimba—Mangrove, Giant, Pied, Striped, Brown-hooded, and Malachite—with chances of sighting the African Pygmy and Half-collared kingfishers during your adventures. Goliath Herons are seen daily on the Macarau River as you wind your way through the picturesque jungle vegetation. Numerous heron and stork species are commonly observed along with raptors such as the African Harrier-Hawk, Palm-nut Vulture, Bateleur, Long-crested Eagle, and African Fish Eagle.

Some true rarities that birders have a chance of seeing while at Mahimba are Pel’s Fishing Owl, Purple Turaco, African Wood Owl, and Southern White-faced owl. Other interesting species include the Black-backed Puffback, Crab Plover, Terek’s Sandpiper, Collared Palm Thrush, Crowned Hornbill, Trumpeter Hornbill, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Green (Red-billed) Wood-hoopoe, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Klaas’s Cuckoo, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Sombre Greenbul, and Red-throated Twinspot. 

Other Wildlife Viewing Opportunities

In addition to the more than two hundred bird species you will encounter while at Mahimba, you will also get the chance to observe crocodiles and hippos while on our river excursions, as well as terrestrial species that call Mahimba home—elephant, buffalo, waterbuck, sable, reedbuck, bushbuck, warthog, and bushpig. Our forests are replete with Vervet and Samango monkeys and if you’re lucky, you might even encounter the nocturnal Thick-tailed Bushbabies, genets, servals, or civets during our after-dinner birding drives.