Western Cape
De Hoop · Vrolijkheid · Kogelberg
Self-driveMalaria-free
Stays in Western CapeWhere to see
Where to see the African Snipe in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the African Snipe at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, De Hoop Nature Reserve and Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve.
Gallinago nigripennis
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.
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
- Western Cape
Limpopo
Kruger
LimpopoSelf-driveStays in Limpopo
KwaZulu-Natal
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi · iSimangaliso Wetland
KwaZulu-NatalStays in KwaZulu-Natal
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
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.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the African Snipe
Every stay on the African Snipe 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