Destinations
2026
- South Africa: Cape & the Garden Route
- Extremadura
- Crete
- South of Salamanca
- Picos de Europa
- French Pyrenees (June)
- Bulgaria's Western Rhodopes
- Falsterbo
- Danube Delta
- Madeira
2027
News
Namibia opportunity, October-November 2027
Geoff Crane has secured five nights' accommodation in Etosha National Park, Namibia — rooms here are in heavy demand and short supply — and around this has scheduled a two-week trip to Namibia in our autumn next year, namely 25 October to 7 November 2027. Geoff has three rooms available, for three couples or two couples and a single: the group size will be 2-6 people. The Honeyguide holiday to Namibia in 2018 was one of the most memorable trips that I have taken, writes Chris, and it's worth saying that this is an opportunity that will only occasionally come around. For an itinerary, please ask the Honeyguide office. This is a holiday to be booked directly with Geoff of Crane's Cape Tours & Travel, our partner over many years in southern Africa, and it will not be available as a flight-inclusive package.
Etosha National Park
Danube Delta, September 2026
Honeyguide’s first September group in the Danube Delta was a great success. There was plenty of water, with lakes full of water lilies and flocks of pelicans competing with cormorants. Other highlights included a hobby eating a bee-eater and an 'eruption' of red-footed falcons. One new Honeyguider mentioned an evening boat trip on which the group saw black-crowned night heron, squacco heron and a ‘perfectly posted’ white-tailed eagle. The Carpathians added brown bears, wallcreeper and five nutcrackers on their last day. Holiday report: Danube Delta, September 2026.
Whiskered tern and white-tailed eagle, Danube Delta (Neil Storey)
Brown bears in the Carpathians (Everard Daniel)
Rhodope lilies 2026 - a good year
The rare Rhodope lily Lilium rhodopeum had a good year, at the site that our groups visit. The annual report, written by Vladimir Trifonov, our guide in Bulgaria's Western Rhodopes, shows a big increase in flowering plants from 160 to 473. That's mostly because last year, 2025, was a relatively poor year. There are various factors affecting how many lilies grow and flower, such as the impact of grazing, mowing and rooting wild boars (the last mostly helpful to lilies), and Vlado isn't sure why 2026 was a marked improvement on 2025. Valdo's report is here: Rhodope lilies 2026.
Rhodope lily photos 2026 (Vladimir Trifonov).
Falsterbo, September 2026
The first week of September and good weather usually go hand-in-hand, but less so this year at Falsterbo. But after droughts at home, there seemed to be a consensus not to complain about rain, on the two days away from the Falsterbo peninsula. The local time, two full days plus two part days, were dry, and no erratic migration this year: it was full on, with honey buzzards flying over the moment we stepped out of the minibus.
Sparrowhawks, yellow wagtails and wheatears were also regular, and we saw scarce waders: a Temminck's stint and two red-necked phalaropes. Late flowers, invertebrates - e.g. a 'flock' of migrating blue emperor dragonflies - and fungi added to the mix. We found an obliging black woodpecker; long-tailed tits (with distinctive white head) and pied flycatchers were nice bonuses. Everyone loved the food and hospitality at Höllviksnäs. Holiday report: Falsterbo 2026.
Sparrowhawk and honey buzzard (Christopher Hall, both from September 2024).
The group also made a brief visit to the Falsterbo Bird Show. It was an opportunity to make links with BirdLife Sverige (BirdLife Sweden), the national Swedish bird association and the Swedish partner in the global partnership BirdLife International.
Honeyguide features in an article about the Falsterbo Bird Show on BirdLife Sverige's website: https://birdlife.se/falsterbo-bird-show-2026/ (web browsers should have a translate function).
Honeyguide group members - those nearby when the photo was taken - and Birdlife Sweden (photo by Mikaela Lindholm, Kommunikatör, BirdLife Sverige.)
French Pyrenees and Picos de Europa, June 2026
Amazing scenery and flowers are always highlights in the French Pyrenees and this visit was no exception, though the birds, butterflies and mammals were also very good. Confiding snowfinches, bearded vultures and both chough species showed well. We enjoyed a very confiding marmot at the entrance to its burrow. On the final day at Troumouse there were lots of Pyrenean chamois (isards) and we quickly found Pyrenean brook newts. Gatherings of butterflies on the ground, big and small, were a great feature. The Hotel La Brèche de Roland in Gèdre looked after us very well, and we enjoyed a talk - with Google translate's help - from LPO (BirdLife France). French Pyrenees holiday report; photos by Ivan Nethercoat; photos on Facebook.
Top: black vanilla orchid, marmot, Pyrenean brook newt (Julian Lawrence).
Bottom: black-veined whites, spring gentians.
Honeyguider Brennan Aunger writes, about the Picos de Europa: "I enjoyed the holiday very much - I think the group as a whole was as much interested in botany and butterflies as birdwatching, but for me the birds were very good too. I had my closest view ever of a wallcreeper at Fuente Dé. Pau did a great job, I think everyone appreciated his local knowledge and taking time to show us places of cultural interest as well." Picos de Europa holiday report.
Black-eyed blue (Pau Lucio); alpine chough and rock-jasmine (Brennan Aunger).
South of Salamanca, May 2026
When collecting holiday highlights towards the end of our South of Salamanca holiday, it struck me that it was the most varied collection that I could remember. Some birds featured: wryneck, bee-eaters, lesser spotted woodpecker, rock thrush, rock bunting, penduline tit and the variety and numbers of raptors. The scenery and medieval villages were mentioned, as were a couple of lunches, including a demonstration of how pollen decorating yoghurts was collected. Butterflies, an earthstar fungus and thick-legged flower beetle were named, and flowers such as hoop petticoat narcissi. It was all thanks to guide Vega's local knowledge, shared with an enthusiastic group of Honeyguiders. Holiday report: South of Salamanca 2026.
Hygroscopic earthstar fungus; sooty copper on a Scilla; hoop petticoat narcissi.
Group members by the river in Puente del Congosto.
Crete, April 2026
Blue-cheeked bee-eaters - a flock of 21 - were the star birds for this year's Crete group on 10 April, though they weren't the first we've seen here: a flock of 10 flew through in April 2022 (18 April, dates noted for interest). Roller - a write-in on the checklist - was a surprise, with a fine supporting cast of collared flycatchers, flocks of purple herons, bearded vultures and more. Tree frogs and a freshwater crab were other highlights, and the orchids and other flowers were a delight, as always. Nature in action included a swallowtail caught by a wasp spider and a Balkan green lizard catching an Egyptian grasshopper.
The group's conservation contributions enabled a sizeable donation of £850 (nearly €1000) to be sent to HOS (BirdLife Crete). Photos on Facebook and more photos by David Bennett. Blog: Banded argiope spider Argiope trifasciata on Crete. Holiday report: Crete 2026.
Blue-cheeked bee-eaters and roller (David Bennett).
Cretan bee orchid (Ophrys cretica); Monkey orchid; Bishop's ophrys (Ophrys episcopalis); milky orchid (Orchis lactea), a species that has often finished flowering for our visits.
Donations to SEO since 1991 / Extremadura
Honeyguide has donated £24,431 to SEO - Sociedad Española de Ornitología, BirdLife Spain, through our holidays since 1991, mostly our Extremadura and Spanish Pyrenees holidays, plus contributions from Fuerteventura, South of Salamanca and the Picos de Europa. This all explained in this blog: Conservation donations to SEO (BirdLife Spain) from Honeyguide since 1991.
 |
To mark this long collaboration, Marcelino from SEO in Extremadura met our group in March 2026, Honeyguide's 29th and probably last group in Extremadura. The photo shows Marce presenting a memento to Honeyguide's Chris Durdin to celebrate our partnership. We are pictured at our holiday base of Casa El Recuerdo in Extremadura. (Photo by Mick Gold.) More photos here on Facebook. Holiday report Extremadura 2026. |
Extremadura (March 2026) was every bit as good as we hoped, for what is likely to be Honeyguide's last group here, staying for a fifth time at Martin & Claudia Kelsey's Casa Rural El Recuerdo. For birds, some you could guess: vultures, Spanish imperial eagles, bustards, daily azure-winged magpies. The list of write-ins was surprising, considering this was Honeyguide's 29th group (28th in early spring): bee-eater, nightingales singing on the final three days, gull-billed tern and American wigeon, the last two males with other wigeons at Alcollarín reservoir. The orchids, after a wet winter, were spectacular: 11 species, including colourful patches of pink butterfly and Italian man orchids.
Griffon vulture, woodchat shrike, lesser kestrel (all by Everard Daniel)
Pink butterfly and mirror orchids; Provence hairstreak.
Kgalagadi / Southern Namibia / Namaqualand
There is an opportunity for a couple or a single person to join a select group in South Africa / Namibia in the first half of September 2026. Three Honeyguiders have arranged this holiday with Geoff Crane, and there is room in Geoff's minibus for one or two more; there is one room available at the accommodations. If this could be of interest, please ask for details from the Honeyguide office. [Report here: Kgalagadi, Southern Namibia and Namaqualand, September 2026, for the group of three Honeyguiders.]
South Africa, January-February 2026
"It was a great break with good company, sun and warmth – just what was needed to raise the spirits. And so many birds." So said one group member with me in South Africa: Cape & the Garden Route. Two varied weeks are tricky to sum up, but I'll try by noting just a few of the holiday highlights nominated by participants. African penguins (below); blue cranes; Cape cobra with its hood; starred robin; southern pale chanting goshawk; mountain ranges; sunbirds; Denham's bustard; Geoff's lunches; the lovely places we stayed; Cape rockjumper and spotted eagle owl. Photos on Facebook (various collages) plus Bird photographs by David Collins on Honeyguide's Facebook here. Holiday report: South Africa: Cape and Garden Route.
African painted snipe; Erica discolor; garden commodore.
African penguins
Have I got old news for you? . . . News 2025 . . . News 2024 . . . News 2023 . . . News 2022 . . . News 2020-21 . . . News 2019. . . News 2018 . . . News 2017 . . . News 2016 . . . News 2015 . . . News 2014 . . . News 2013 . . . News 2012 . . . News 2011 . . . News 2010 . . . News 2009 . . . News 2008 . . . Back to top of this main news page
Honeyguide's Air Travel Organiser's Licence 2026-27 here (Honeyguide's 33rd renewal).
Photos 2025/2026
La Brenne photos September 2026
Baltic Cruise photos July 2026
Asturias photos June 2026
Strasbourg photos October 2025
Norway photos Aug-Sept 2025
Blogs 2026
On the Honeyguide blogspot.
When nettles don't sting September 2026
Malcolm Crowder 1933 – 2026 July 2026
Honeyguide and LPO – a longstanding connection July 2026
Bee orchids return to Big Yellow June 2026.
Banded argiope spider Argiope trifasciata on Crete May 2026.
A host of warblers at NWT Thorpe Marshes May 2026.
Conservation donations to SEO (BirdLife Spain) from Honeyguide since 1991 March 2026
Spectrum, a book by Honeyguider Tessa Needham February 2026
Picos de Europa - another favourite destination January 2026
Winter at Thorpe Marshes January 2026
Blogs list continues on News 2025, News 2024, News 2023, News 2022 and News 2020-21
Hoof fungus and birch polypore
Honeyguiders with an interest in fungi may have noticed me showing particular interest in hoof fungus and birch polypore, two distinctive species often found on birch trees.
This paper by James Emerson (including a contribution by me) Bracket fungi on Silver Birch explores how these two species are increasingly being seen on the same birch tree.
Birch polypore and hoof fungus on a birch trunk, Mousehold Heath, Norwich, 12 November 2022.
Ryanair app
From 2026 onwards, everyone flying on Ryanair will need the Ryanair app for bag drop. Honeyguide will do your check-in as usual.
You can download the Ryanair app here.
UK border, exit and entry systems
Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA):this is for all visitors to the UK. An ETA is a digital permission to travel and if you’re not a UK or Irish national, you may need one to enter the UK. What you need to know: From 2nd April 2025, all visitors who are not UK or Irish nationals will be required to purchase an ETA before they travel to the UK. More information on gov.uk
EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES): this started in October 2025. This is "for a short stay using a UK passport, you will be required to register your biometric details, such as fingerprints and a photo, when you arrive. You do not need to take any action before you arrive at the border, and there is no cost for EES registration."
Countries are introducing this gradually; it should be fully in place by April 2026. More information here (from the EU) or on gov.uk here.
Gola Forest now UNESCO
Sierra Leone’s Gola Rainforest has been named a new UNESCO World Heritage site for its global importance to wildlife.
More information on the RSPB's website here (July 2025)
Though not a place that our groups go to, there is a Honeyguide connection through our Carbon offsets. These have supported Gola Rainforest National Park since 2013.
That's eight payments so far, the first of which was for three years of carbon credits, with a two year gap for the 'Covid years' when there were no flights.
That eighth payment was in late July 2025. The July 2025 purchase was for 43 tonnes of carbon credits through Stand for Trees. The cost was £19/tonne x 43 tonnes = £817. The certificate looked the same as in recent years, so they kindly sent another: the original certificate is here and the new one is pictured below.
GHIC/EHIC
Following on from the passport notes below, a reminder that any EHIC/GHIC has an expiry date. Cards can be renewed free of charge online via the NHS website.
Less widely known is that you can get temporary cover for emergency treatment abroad with a Provisional Replacement Certificate. In this way, if you do not have a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or UK European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and need emergency treatment abroad, you can still get help with paying for your treatment.
GHIC
Passports
You may have seen a recent news story about travellers finding that their passport was not still in date when they thought it had some months to run e.g. here on the BBC’s website. This is due to the passport’s ten year life span being counted from the issue date.
Under the "10-year rule", for the EU your UK passport must have been issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the EU country (ie the "date of issue"), and be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave (ie the "date of expiry").
Honeyguide booking forms request that you note passport issue and expiry dates, so we may spot when there is a problem – this happened earlier this year. In the end, it’s up to any traveller to be sure that their passport is valid.
Honeyguide holidays without flights
Honeyguide wildlife holidays to March 2027 are offered with flights, linking with offering ATOL-protected flight inclusive packages.
Holidays without flights for a large group would bring logistical challenges, as well as being outside the ATOL framework.
However some Honeyguiders have chosen to join a group without flying, out of preference or for practical reasons.
This blog - Honeyguide holidays without flights - pulls together several discussion strands and ideas on this potentially wide-ranging subject.
