uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
KwaZulu-Natal · Year-round
10 places
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Sentinel Rock Thrush
Monticola exploratorNear threatened
The sentinel rock thrush (Monticola explorator) is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae.
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
Records389 records
Curve from 389 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
Western Cape and beyond
Provinces where Sentinel Rock Thrush is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
389 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Sentinel Rock Thrush
Stays that give back
Across South Africa
Drie Kuilen Nature Reserve
Montagu
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Fynbos biome · Bontebok · Gemsbok
Gives back to Cape Leopard Trust
From R 350 a night
Wilge River Bush Camp
Bronkhorstspruit
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Savanna biome
Gives back to Lessons in Conservation (LiC)
From R 600 a night
Forellenhof Guest Farm
Wakkerstroom
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Grassland biome
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 1,500 a night
Zwartberg View Mountain Lodge
Oudtshoorn
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · Gemsbok · Greater kudu
Gives back to Wolwekraal Nature Reserve
From R 5,060 a night
Wetlands Country House & Sheds
Wakkerstroom
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Grassland biome
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 2,550 a night
Karoo Secret Farm Stay
Aberdeen
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Nama-Karoo biome
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 1,200 a night
Aasvogelkrans Farm Cottages & Camping
Nieu Bethesda
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Nama-Karoo biome
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa and 1 other
From R 1,760 a night
Tapfontein
Anysberg Nature Reserve
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome
From R 250 a night
Anysberg Campsites
Anysberg Nature Reserve
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome
From R 250 a night
Chameleon Cottage
Anysberg Nature Reserve
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome
From R 1,520 a night
Leguaan Cottage
Anysberg Nature Reserve
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome
From R 1,520 a night
Gecko Cottage
Anysberg Nature Reserve
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome
From R 1,060 a night
Seps Cottage
Anysberg Nature Reserve
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome
From R 930 a night
Agama Cottage
Anysberg Nature Reserve
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome
From R 1,340 a night
Smitswinkel Tented Camp
Table Mountain National Park
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Fynbos biome · King protea · Sugarbush
From R 965 a night
Olifantsbos Guest House
Table Mountain National Park
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Fynbos biome · Bontebok · King protea
From R 4,859 a night
Cobham
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Grassland biome · Southern rock agama · Tree fuchsia
From R 190 a night
Garden Castle
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Grassland biome · Southern rock agama · Cape heath
From R 190 a night
Monk's Cowl
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Grassland biome · Real yellowwood · Chacma baboon
From R 130 a night
Kamberg
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Grassland biome · Tree fuchsia · Black wildebeest
From R 840 a night
Lotheni
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Grassland biome · Southern rock agama · Common eland
From R 270 a night
Highmoor
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Grassland biome · Real yellowwood · Chacma baboon
From R 200 a night
Royal Natal (Thendele, Mahai & Rugged Glen)
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Grassland biome · Chacma baboon · Bushbuck
From R 360 a night
Injisuthi
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Grassland biome · Real yellowwood · Chacma baboon
From R 170 a night
The Klein Karoo
Next stop
Dry mountains, ostriches, and Calitzdorp's port wines
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Sentinel Rock Thrush
Hosts have recorded the Sentinel Rock Thrush at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Anysberg Nature Reserve and Table Mountain National 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
KwaZulu-Natal
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg · Giants Castle · Kamberg
KwaZulu-NatalSelf-driveStays in KwaZulu-NatalWestern Cape
Anysberg · Table Mountain
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
IUCN Red List
Near Threatened
Species
Monticola explorator
Records
389
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Sentinel Rock Thrush on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Sentinel Rock Thrush in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Sentinel Rock Thrush at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Anysberg Nature Reserve, Table Mountain National 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 Sentinel Rock Thrush in South Africa?
The Sentinel Rock Thrush is most recorded in Western Cape (51% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (25% of records), Mpumalanga (10% of records), based on 389 iNaturalist observations. 27 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Sentinel Rock Thrush on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Sentinel Rock Thrush?
The Sentinel Rock Thrush 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; Anysberg Nature Reserve: Autumn and spring, Mar-May, Sep-Nov; Table Mountain National Park: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Giants Castle Game Reserve: 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 Sentinel Rock Thrush?
The Sentinel Rock Thrush (Monticola explorator) is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Sentinel Rock Thrush?
The sentinel rock thrush (Monticola explorator) is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in Lesotho, South Africa, and Swaziland. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland.