Kruger National Park
Limpopo · Best Apr to Sep
15 places
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Crested Barbet
Trachyphonus vaillantii
The crested barbet (Trachyphonus vaillantii) ('trachys'=rough, 'phone'=voice, sound') is a sub-Saharan bird in the Lybiidae family.
Species insights
When to visit
Recorded year-round
Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.
Best monthsAny month
Records2,647 records
Curve from 2,647 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Where you'll find it
Mpumalanga and beyond
Provinces where Crested Barbet is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
2,646 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Crested Barbet
Stays that give back
Across South Africa
Montusi Mountain Lodge
Drakensberg, Bergville
From R 6,800a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Pafuri Camp by RETURN Africa
Kruger National Park
From R 11,820a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Forellenhof Guest Farm
Wakkerstroom
From R 1,500a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Baobab Hill House by RETURN Africa
Kruger National Park
From R 17,120a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Nkula Walking Camp by RETURN Africa
Kruger National Park
From R 8,380a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park
Price on request
Crested Barbet recorded here
Hutwini Walking Camp by RETURN Africa
Kruger National Park
From R 11,820a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Mdluli Safari Lodge
Kruger National Park
From R 10,670a night
Crested Barbet recorded here
Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris
Mpumalanga
Price on request
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge
Kruger National Park
From R 17,400a night
Crested Barbet recorded here
Kruger Untamed - Satara Plains Camp
Kruger National Park
From R 11,980a night
Crested Barbet recorded here
Kosi Forest Lodge
iSimangaliso Wetland Park
Price on request
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Kruger Untamed - Tshokwane River Camp
Kruger National Park
From R 17,500a night
Crested Barbet recorded here
Wetlands Country House & Sheds
Wakkerstroom
From R 2,550a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
&Beyond Ngala Safari Lodge
Timbavati Private Nature Reserve
Price on request
Crested Barbet recorded here
Wilge River Bush Camp
Bronkhorstspruit
From R 600a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Aasvogelkrans Farm Cottages & Camping
Nieu Bethesda
From R 1,760a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
&Beyond Ngala Tented Camp
Timbavati Private Nature Reserve
Price on request
Crested Barbet recorded here
Birdsong Cottage
Howick
From R 795a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Tomjachu Bush Retreat
Mbombela
From R 3,300a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Makulu Birders Cottage at Wilds Uitvlugt
Rust de Winter
Price on request
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Orpen Rest Camp
Kruger National Park
From R 1,815a night
Crested Barbet recorded here
Maroela Satellite Camp
Kruger National Park
From R 390a night
Crested Barbet recorded here
Berg-en-Dal Rest Camp
Kruger National Park
From R 390a night
Crested Barbet recorded here
Kruger Lowveld
Next stop
Bushveld game country and the southern gates of the Kruger
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Crested Barbet
Hosts have recorded the Crested Barbet at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and Timbavati Private 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
Limpopo
Kruger · Timbavati
LimpopoSelf-driveGuided drivesStays in LimpopoKwaZulu-Natal
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi · iSimangaliso Wetland
KwaZulu-NatalStays in KwaZulu-Natal
Ways to look
Species
Trachyphonus vaillantii
Records
2,646
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Crested Barbet on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Crested Barbet in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Crested Barbet at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, Timbavati Private Nature Reserve and iSimangaliso Wetland 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 Crested Barbet in South Africa?
The Crested Barbet is most recorded in Mpumalanga (26% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (22% of records), Limpopo (22% of records), based on 2,646 iNaturalist observations. 32 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Crested Barbet on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Crested Barbet?
The Crested Barbet 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; Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Timbavati Private Nature Reserve: May-Sep, dry season; iSimangaliso Wetland Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Crested Barbet?
The crested barbet (Trachyphonus vaillantii) ('trachys'=rough, 'phone'=voice, sound') is a sub-Saharan bird in the Lybiidae family. Its specific name commemorates François Levaillant, a famed French naturalist.