Western Cape
Cederberg Wilderness Area · Goukamma · Anysberg
Self-driveMalaria-free
Stays in Western CapeWhere to see
Where to see the European Bee-eater in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the European Bee-eater at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Cederberg Wilderness Area and Goukamma Nature Reserve.
Merops apiaster
Planning a trip
When and where to find the European Bee-eater
Hosts have recorded the European Bee-eater at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Cederberg Wilderness Area and Goukamma 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 · Timbavati · Welgevonden
LimpopoSelf-driveGuided drivesStays in Limpopo
Northern Cape
Kgalagadi
Northern CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Northern Cape
Mpumalanga
Sabi Sand
MpumalangaGuided drivesStays in Mpumalanga
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Guided drives from a lodge
A guide who knows where to look, with off-road and night drives in the private reserves.
Where hosts record it
Species
Merops apiaster
Records
1,536
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the European Bee-eater on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the European Bee-eater in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the European Bee-eater at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Cederberg Wilderness Area, Goukamma Nature Reserve, Anysberg Nature Reserve, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Rocherpan Nature Reserve and other reserves. 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 European Bee-eater in South Africa?
The European Bee-eater is most recorded in Mpumalanga (21% of records), Limpopo (19% of records), Western Cape (15% of records), based on 1,536 iNaturalist observations. 75 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the European Bee-eater on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the European Bee-eater?
Sightings of the European Bee-eater peak from Nov to Jan, based on 1,536 iNaturalist records. You may still see it outside those months, sightings are just less frequent.
What is the European Bee-eater?
The European bee-eater (Merops apiaster) is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family Meropidae. The genus name Merops is Ancient Greek for "bee-eater", and apiaster is Latin, also meaning "bee-eater", from apis, "bee". It breeds in southern Europe and in parts of north Africa and western Asia. It is strongly migratory, wintering in tropical Africa.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the European Bee-eater
Every stay on the European Bee-eater 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