uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
KwaZulu-Natal · Year-round
10 places
Go Birdingfrom Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)
Grey Crowned Crane
Balearica regulorumEndangered
The grey crowned crane (Balearica regulorum) is a bird in the crane family Gruidae.
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
Records780 records
Curve from 780 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
KwaZulu-Natal and beyond
Provinces where Grey Crowned Crane is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
780 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Grey Crowned Crane
Stays that give back
Across South Africa
Aasvogelkrans Farm Cottages & Camping
Nieu Bethesda
From R 1,760a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Wetlands Country House & Sheds
Wakkerstroom
From R 2,550a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Forellenhof Guest Farm
Wakkerstroom
From R 1,500a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Wilge River Bush Camp
Bronkhorstspruit
From R 600a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Mvemve GrootPoort Lodge
Memel
From R 1,800a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Cobham
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 190a night
Grey Crowned Crane recorded here
Garden Castle
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 190a night
Grey Crowned Crane recorded here
Monk's Cowl
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 130a night
Grey Crowned Crane recorded here
Kamberg
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 840a night
Grey Crowned Crane recorded here
Lotheni
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 270a night
Grey Crowned Crane recorded here
Highmoor
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 200a night
Grey Crowned Crane recorded here
Royal Natal (Thendele, Mahai & Rugged Glen)
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 360a night
Grey Crowned Crane recorded here
Injisuthi
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 170a night
Grey Crowned Crane recorded here
Didima (Cathedral Peak)
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 1,070a night
Grey Crowned Crane recorded here
Giant's Castle
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 1,150a night
Grey Crowned Crane recorded here
Antbear Eco Lodge
Estcourt
From R 2,000a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Ntsikeni Community Lodge
KwaZulu-Natal
From R 850a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
More stays nearby
Whale Coast Ocean Villa
Voëlklip, Hermanus
From R 2,235a night
Schoone Oordt Country House
Swellendam
From R 4,355a night
Rhino Sands Safari Camp
Hazyview
From R 22,680a night
Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse
Riebeek Valley, Riebeek West
From R 5,636a night
Birder friendly
Welgelegen House by RETURN Africa
Gardens, Cape Town
From R 2,800a night
Babylonstoren
Klapmuts, Simondium
Price on request
An African Story by RETURN Africa
Bakoven, Cape Town
From R 9,900a night
The Drakensberg
Next stop
Sandstone amphitheatres and cool mountain air
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Grey Crowned Crane
Hosts have recorded the Grey Crowned Crane at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Giants Castle Game Reserve and Kamberg 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.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
IUCN Red List
Endangered
Species
Balearica regulorum
Records
780
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Grey Crowned Crane on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Grey Crowned Crane in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Grey Crowned Crane 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 Grey Crowned Crane in South Africa?
The Grey Crowned Crane is most recorded in KwaZulu-Natal (54% of records), Eastern Cape (22% of records), Mpumalanga (14% of records), based on 780 iNaturalist observations. 17 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Grey Crowned Crane on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Grey Crowned Crane?
The Grey Crowned Crane 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 Grey Crowned Crane?
The Grey Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum) is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Grey Crowned Crane?
The grey crowned crane (Balearica regulorum) is a bird in the crane family Gruidae. It is found in eastern and southern Africa, and is the national bird of Uganda.