Lesser Moorhen
Waterbirds
Photographed in the wider Zaagkuilsdrift / Kgomo-Kgomo area. An archive portrait, not a current sighting report.
Mark Tittley · CC BY 3.0 · displayed crop Photo licence ↗ Explore the hides ↗Birding at Zaagkuilsdrift
A landscape worth looking closer at.
Explore the Kgomo-Kgomo floodplain and its surrounding habitats, with Zaagkuilsdrift as your base.
Check availability ↗
Follow the birds
Wetlands. Grassland. Woodland.
This varied landscape attracts wetland specialists, migrants and a rich mix of birdlife. The lodge is a starting point for exploring the surrounding birding area, with opportunities to watch and photograph birds through the seasons.
Summer brings migratory visitors and increased wetland activity. Conditions change with rainfall, so ask the lodge what to expect before your trip.
Ask about current birding ↗Look a little closer
Faces of the floodplain
and the bushveld.
A small photographic introduction to birds recorded in the wider Zaagkuilsdrift and Kgomo-Kgomo area. These credited archive portraits celebrate the region's variety; ask the lodge about activity during your visit.
Search the archive portraits by name or bird group.
Showing all 6 bird portraits.
African Crake
Waterbirds
Photographed in the wider Zaagkuilsdrift / Kgomo-Kgomo area. An archive portrait, not a current sighting report.
Derek Keats · CC BY 2.0 · displayed crop Photo licence ↗ Explore the hides ↗
Jacobin Cuckoo
Cuckoos
Photographed in the wider Zaagkuilsdrift / Kgomo-Kgomo area. An archive portrait, not a current sighting report.
Derek Keats · CC BY 2.0 · displayed crop Photo licence ↗ Explore the hides ↗
Marico Sunbird
Songbirds
Photographed in the wider Zaagkuilsdrift / Kgomo-Kgomo area. An archive portrait, not a current sighting report.
Derek Keats · CC BY 2.0 · displayed crop Photo licence ↗ Explore the hides ↗
Black-faced Waxbill
Songbirds
Photographed in the wider Zaagkuilsdrift / Kgomo-Kgomo area. An archive portrait, not a current sighting report.
Derek Keats · CC BY 2.0 · displayed crop Photo licence ↗ Explore the hides ↗
Olive-tree Warbler
Songbirds
Photographed in the wider Zaagkuilsdrift / Kgomo-Kgomo area. An archive portrait, not a current sighting report.
Derek Keats · CC BY 2.0 · displayed crop Photo licence ↗ Explore the hides ↗Three hides. A slower perspective.
Let the birds
come into view.
Our Delta Hide, Sanctuary Hide and Photography Hide are part of a birding stay designed around patient observation. Ask the lodge which hides and viewing areas suit your visit and the current conditions.
Plan your hide visit ↗
Hide photograph from the lodge archive; shown as a general sanctuary view. Bird activity and access vary.
One landscape. Always changing.
The floodplain
through the seasons.
Rainfall changes the character of this landscape. Wetland edges, open grassland and surrounding bushveld offer different reasons to look closer.
When the rains return
Summer can bring migrants and renewed wetland activity. In wetter years, crakes and other water-associated birds are part of the area's appeal. Conditions depend on rainfall.
A quieter colour palette
In drier conditions, slow down around the water, scan the woodland and listen in the bushveld. Resident birdlife gives you reasons to explore beyond the floodplain.
Archive landscape photographs illustrate changing conditions; they are not current water-level reports.
Make the most of your visit.
Bring binoculars, your camera and time to explore. Ask the lodge about access, hides and viewing areas, seasonal conditions and arrangements for your group.
Stay at the lodge ↗ Visit for the day ↗A different perspective
See the sanctuary from above.
Take a quiet flight over the lodge and surrounding bushveld. Press play to watch our drone film.
Summer access: a high-clearance vehicle is required, generally October–April. Entry is via Crake Road across the floodplain, which may be waterlogged or flooded after significant rain. Contact the lodge before travelling for current road conditions.