Where to see
Where to see the Bearded Vulture in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Bearded Vulture at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Giants Castle Game Reserve and Kamberg Nature Reserve.
Gypaetus barbatus · Near Threatened
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Bearded Vulture
Hosts have recorded the Bearded Vulture at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Giants Castle Game Reserve and Kamberg Nature Reserve.
Best hours of the day
- Late morning to mid-afternoon. Raptors soar once the sun raises thermals.
- Early morning. Often perched while the air warms.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
IUCN Red List
Near Threatened
Species
Gypaetus barbatus
Records
191
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Bearded Vulture on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Bearded Vulture in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Bearded Vulture at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Giants Castle Game Reserve, Kamberg Nature Reserve and Royal Natal National Park. 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 Bearded Vulture in South Africa?
The Bearded Vulture is most recorded in KwaZulu-Natal (63% of records), Free State (25% of records), Eastern Cape (13% of records), based on 191 iNaturalist observations. 14 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Bearded Vulture on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Bearded Vulture?
The Bearded Vulture 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. uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Giants Castle Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Kamberg Nature Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Royal Natal National Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the conservation status of the Bearded Vulture?
The Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Bearded Vulture?
The bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), also known as the lammergeier or ossifrage, is a bird of prey and the only member of the genus Gypaetus. Traditionally considered an Old World vulture, it actually forms a minor lineage of Accipitridae together with the Egyptian vulture, its closest living relative.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Bearded Vulture
Every stay on the Bearded Vulture 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