Kavango Zambezi launches Africa’s first cross-border birdwatching route

A vast conservation landscape spanning five southern African countries is being promoted as a single birdwatching destination, opening new opportunities for wildlife tourism across the region.

Tourism officials say the initiative reflects growing interest in nature travel and birdwatching across Africa. 

The new route forms part of the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA), one of the world’s largest cross-border conservation regions.

For the first time, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe are presenting their shared natural heritage as one travel experience. 

The Great Kavango Zambezi Birding Route was launched in February 2026 and presented to the global tourism industry during ITB Berlin, one of the world’s leading travel trade fairs.

The project aims to make it easier for international visitors to explore birdlife across the region through structured travel routes and trained local guides. 

Tourism leaders say the effort also highlights the ecological links that bind the region together, particularly the river systems that support wildlife and bird populations across national borders.

A shared landscape for birdwatching 

Stretching across the world’s largest transfrontier conservation area, the route connects birding hotspots shaped by major waterways including the Kavango, Zambezi, Chobe, Kwando and Kafue rivers.

These river systems support wetlands, floodplains and woodlands that provide habitat for more than 650 bird species. 

“No single country in this region can offer what the five partner states offer together,” said Nyambe Nyambe, executive director of the KAZA Secretariat.

“The birding route shows the scale of what this landscape offers and gives visitors a practical way to experience it.” 

The route links 12 key birding areas across the conservation landscape.

Travelers can move between ecosystems within a single itinerary, from the wetlands of Botswana’s Okavango Delta to the woodlands of Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park. 

During a recent international media visit, birdwatchers recorded 215 species across the region. Among them were 43 birds logged for the first time by experienced participants.

Building a regional tourism product 

The initiative has been developed with support from tourism operators across the region.

More than 100 registered Birding Route Ambassadors—including guides, lodges and tour companies—are now promoting the experience. 

Training has also been expanded to strengthen guiding standards.

A total of 69 birding guides have completed certification programs delivered with partners including BirdLife South Africa, BirdLife Zimbabwe, BirdWatch Zambia and the Namibia Nature Foundation. 

Spanning 36 protected areas across a landscape larger than France and Germany combined, the KAZA TFCA remains one of Africa’s most important wildlife regions.

Tourism officials say the birding route provides a clear way for travelers to experience that diversity across borders.