Western Cape
Cederberg Wilderness Area · Goukamma · De Hoop
Self-driveMalaria-free
Stays in Western CapeWhere to see
Where to see the Giant Kingfisher in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Giant Kingfisher at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Cederberg Wilderness Area and Goukamma Nature Reserve.
Megaceryle maxima
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Giant Kingfisher
Hosts have recorded the Giant Kingfisher 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
LimpopoSelf-driveStays in Limpopo
KwaZulu-Natal
Phinda · uKhahlamba-Drakensberg
KwaZulu-NatalGuided drivesStays in KwaZulu-Natal
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
Species
Megaceryle maxima
Records
1,688
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Giant Kingfisher on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Giant Kingfisher in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Giant Kingfisher at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Cederberg Wilderness Area, Goukamma Nature Reserve, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve and Phinda Private Game 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 Giant Kingfisher in South Africa?
The Giant Kingfisher is most recorded in Mpumalanga (27% of records), Western Cape (26% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (18% of records), based on 1,688 iNaturalist observations. 89 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Giant Kingfisher on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Giant Kingfisher?
The Giant Kingfisher 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; Cederberg Wilderness Area: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Goukamma Nature Reserve: year-round, warm Oct-Apr; Sabi Sand Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep optimal. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Giant Kingfisher?
The giant kingfisher (Megaceryle maxima) is the largest kingfisher in Africa, where it is a resident breeding bird over most of the continent south of the Sahara Desert other than the arid southwest.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Giant Kingfisher
Every stay on the Giant Kingfisher 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