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African Snipe
Showing stays that recordAfrican Snipe20+ stays list it on site or nearby
Species insights

Parks where hosts record the African Snipe

Stays that give back

Across South Africa

Reliably seen · Birder friendly

De Hoop Collection

Reliably seen · Birder friendly

Wilge River Bush Camp

Reliably seen · Birder friendly

Kosi Forest Lodge

African Snipe recorded here

Ichelesi Cottage
More stays nearby

Sandstone amphitheatres and cool mountain air

See places that give back
The Drakensberg

Planning a trip

When and where to find the African Snipe

Hosts have recorded the African Snipe at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, De Hoop Nature Reserve and Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve.

How and when to see the African Snipe

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.

Where to base yourself

  • Self-driveMalaria-free
    Stays in Western Cape
    Western Cape
  • Self-drive
    Stays in Limpopo
    Limpopo
  • Stays in KwaZulu-Natal
    KwaZulu-Natal

Ways to look

Drive yourself

Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.

Species

Gallinago nigripennis

Records

464

iNaturalist observations

Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.

Questions travellers ask

A record means a host has seen the African Snipe on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.

Which parks and reserves are best for the African Snipe in South Africa?

Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the African Snipe at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, iSimangaliso Wetland 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 Snipe in South Africa?

The African Snipe is most recorded in Gauteng (36% of records), Western Cape (28% of records), Mpumalanga (14% of records), based on 464 iNaturalist observations. 20 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the African Snipe on site or nearby.

When is the best time to see the African Snipe?

The African Snipe 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. Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep; De Hoop Nature Reserve: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve: Autumn and spring, Mar-May, Sep-Nov; Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.

What is the African Snipe?

The African snipe (Gallinago nigripennis) also known as the Ethiopian snipe, is a small stocky wader. It breeds in eastern and southern Africa in wet mountain moorland and swamps at altitudes of 1,700-4,000 m (5,600-13,100 ft). When not breeding it disperses widely, including into coastal lowlands.