Limpopo
Kruger
Self-drive
Stays in LimpopoWhere to see
Where to see the Goliath Heron in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Goliath Heron at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Phinda Private Game Reserve and Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park.
Ardea goliath
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Goliath Heron
Hosts have recorded the Goliath Heron at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Phinda Private Game Reserve and Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park.
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
KwaZulu-Natal
Phinda · Hluhluwe-Imfolozi · iSimangaliso Wetland
KwaZulu-NatalGuided drivesStays in KwaZulu-Natal
Mpumalanga
Sabi Sand
MpumalangaGuided drivesStays in Mpumalanga
Western Cape
Keurbooms River
Western CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Western Cape
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Ardea goliath
Records
1,763
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Goliath Heron on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Goliath Heron in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Goliath Heron at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Phinda Private Game Reserve, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Ithala 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 Goliath Heron in South Africa?
The Goliath Heron is most recorded in KwaZulu-Natal (28% of records), Mpumalanga (24% of records), Limpopo (16% of records), based on 1,763 iNaturalist observations. 40 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Goliath Heron on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Goliath Heron?
The Goliath Heron 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; Phinda Private Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; 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 Goliath Heron?
The Goliath heron (Ardea goliath), also known as the giant heron, is a very large wading bird of the heron family, Ardeidae. It is found in sub-Saharan Africa, with smaller numbers in Southwest and South Asia.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Goliath Heron
Every stay on the Goliath Heron 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