Where to see
Where to see the African Penguin in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the African Penguin at stays in or beside Table Mountain National Park and Kogelberg Nature Reserve.
Spheniscus demersus · Critically Endangered
Planning a trip
When and where to find the African Penguin
Hosts have recorded the African Penguin at stays in or beside Table Mountain National Park and Kogelberg Nature Reserve.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
IUCN Red List
Critically Endangered
Species
Spheniscus demersus
Records
4,525
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the African Penguin on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the African Penguin in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the African Penguin at stays in or beside Table Mountain National Park and Kogelberg Nature Reserve. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the African Penguin in South Africa?
The African Penguin is most recorded in Western Cape (98% of records), based on 4,525 iNaturalist observations. 6 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the African Penguin on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the African Penguin?
The African Penguin is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Table Mountain National Park: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Kogelberg Nature Reserve: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the conservation status of the African Penguin?
The African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus) is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
What is the African Penguin?
The African penguin (Spheniscus demersus), also known as the jackass penguin and black-footed penguin is a species of penguin, confined to southern African waters. It is also widely known as the "jackass" penguin for its donkey-like bray, although several related species of South American penguins produce the same sound.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the African Penguin
Every stay on the African Penguin page lists the species its host has recorded on or near the property. A record is a sighting, never a promise.
See where to stay