Birding by e-Dirt Bike: Spotting Cranes, Marsh Owls, Secretary Birds and many more unusual birds in the Steenkampsberg.

The Steenkampsberg mountain range, just outside Dullstroom, is one of South Africa’s true wilderness areas — a sub-alpine highland landscape of rolling grasslands, misty ridges and wetlands. In summer, from mid-October to mid-March, this region comes alive with birdlife as species migrate here to breed in the clean moist mountain air and rich abundant wetland systems.

Among the most iconic are South Africa’s three crane species — the elegant Blue Crane, the striking Grey Crowned Crane, and the elusive Wattled Crane — all of which can be found breeding in the grasslands and marshy valleys of the Steenkampsberg. You may also spot Secretary Birds striding through the long grass in search of prey, or catch sight of a Grass Owl or Marsh Owl quartering the fields at dusk or dawn.

Exploring this environment by e-dirt bike allows riders to cover large areas quietly and with minimal disturbance, reaching viewpoints and hidden tracks that few people ever see. The bikes’ near-silent operation lets riders enjoy the calls of the cranes, the whisper of wind through grass, the gurgle of water in the streams, and in general the stillness of the wetlands. It’s an experience that combines the freedom of off-road adventure with the calm of observing nature.

The Steenkampsberg supports an extraordinary variety of species, thanks to its mix of mountain grassland and wetland habitats. The summer breeding season is when the Highveld truly shows off — with courtship dances, nesting activity, and the arrival of migratory birds adding energy to the landscape.

For anyone who loves wildlife, photography or simply the open outdoors, birding by e-dirt bike offers a completely different perspective. The ride is the adventure, but the reward is in the detail — the flicker of wings across the skyline, the cranes calling in the distance, and the satisfaction of knowing you’ve explored a rare, wild part of South Africa with respect and awareness. Join e-Dirt Bike Adventures for a birding experience in a very different way.