Sun 8 – Tue 10 October: Three full days in the Kalwelwa Depression, a highly diverse and scenic area only known to the ornithological world since 2015. It can be argued to be among Zambia’s most ‘complete’ systems with habitats ranging from desert-like white sands, grasslands, sedge marsh and open water, to deciduous woodlands and both dry and wet evergreen forest. It is now known to hold almost all of the “Mwinilunga specials”, most of which in great densities.
Kalwelwa Bushcamp is operated by Frank & Inge. We will spend some time around camp, looking for the likes of Bannerman’s Sunbird, Honeyguide Greenbul, Black-collared Bulbul, Stout and Whistling Cisticola, Sharp-tailed Starling and Black-bellied Seedcracker in the forest, grassland and fishponds complex. We might hear the calls of a yet to be identified Dwarf Galago at night, as well as various amphibians of interest 

 We will try the extensive rainforests - Zambia’s 2nd largest such forest - for Spotted Thrush Babbler, Least Honeyguide, White-spotted Flufftail, Blue Malkoha, Afep, Olive and Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Shining-blue, Blue-breasted and the elusive White-bellied Kingfisher, while the forest edges may produce Compact Weaver, Black-faced canary and White-chinned Prinia. As recent as May 2021, the presence of Vermiculated Fishing Owl and Spot-breasted Ibis was confirmed here. Vermiculated Fishing Owl forms a prime target for our visit, though sightings are not guaranteed. We will work the plains in search of Grimwood’s, Fülleborn’s and Rosy-throated Longclaw, Blue Quail, Locust Finch, Black-chinned Quail Finch, Short-tailed Pipit, a wealth of cisticolas (notably Dambo, Wing-snapping, Pale-crowned,  Levaillant’s, Stout and Tinkling), Angolan Lark, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Black-and-rufous Swallow, Red-throated Wryneck, Wattled Crane, Denham’s and Blackbellied Bustard, and much more. The wealth of wetland birds is now known to include breeding African Great Bittern, one of Africa’s rarest birds, while displaying African Snipes make for spectacular sunsets. 

Wed 11 October: Early start from Kalwelwa. We will first dedicate a few hours to Chitunta Plain, where Zambia’s only breeding colony of Bocage’s Weaver is present. Our lunch will be at the Source of the Zambezi, the well-known National Monument which also is of great interest for forest birds. From here, it is another 3-4 hours to reach our mobile bushcamp in the very remote Jimbe Drainage.

Thu 12 and Fri 13 October: Full days in the Jimbe Drainage. The tall evergreen forests here have a stronger ‘Guineo-Congolian affinity’ than any other site in Zambia. Our camp is at “Mad Man’s Crossing”, a site famous as Zambia’s only known locality for the elusive African Shrike-Flycatcher. It is at this very site that Frank together with Birding Zambia’s Wouter van Spijker discovered Grey-chinned and Blue-throated
Brown Sunbirds new to Zambia in 2020. In 2021, Zambia’s first Western Nicators and Forest Hinged Terrapin were discovered during the Birding Zambia tour, while Chapin’s River Frog was added in 2022! Other mouth-watering key species here include Green-throated and Orange-tufted Sunbird, Sooty Flycatcher, Red-tailed Bristlebill, Chestnut Wattle-eye and Orange-cheeked Waxbill. 

Sat 14 October: This day is also Cornell’s (eBird) Global Big Day which we will contribute to. Early morning in the Jimbe Drainage. From here, we will head for the extensive and scenic Zambezi Rapids, where we hope to find Forbes’s Plover and Cassin’s Flycatcher. We will traverse the Chitunta Plain and end at Wina wa Nzambi, just north of Mwinilunga Town. Time depending, we will still bird the premises.

Sun 15 October: Morning birding at Wina wa Nzambi. The scenic old house and lodge overlooks a large and deep sinkhole, surrounded by excellent miombo woodlands. A long list of miombo specials is reliably found here. Notable species include Bar-winged Weaver, Rufous-bellied and Miombo Tit, Spotted Creeper, Souza Shrike, Miombo Wren-warbler, Miombo Rock Thrush, Yellow-bellied Hyliota, Blacknecked Eremomela, Western Miombo Sunbird, Western Violet-backed Sunbird, Red-capped Crombec, Dusky Flycatcher and Pale-billed Hornbill, with chances of a range of honeyguides including Pallid and Scaly-throated. Both Trilling and Whistling Cisticola occur and may be found in mixed groups. Böhm’s Spinetail might be seen foraging and displaying above the “crater” or other parts of the property.
After a decent late morning brunch, you will head to Mutanda Nature Lodge, a 4-hour drive.

Mon 16 October: Early morning birding within the premises of Mutanda Nature Lodge, followed by breakfast and the return drive (9 hours to Lusaka, or 30 minutes to Solwezi Airport).