
Wildlife
Gemsbok
The gemsbok or gemsbuck (Oryx gazella) is a large antelope in the Oryx genus.
Species insights
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.
Curve from 1,561 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property and not from this province. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Northern Cape and beyond
Provinces where Gemsbok is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
1,562 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Gemsbok
Stays that give back
Across the Eastern Cape
Gemsbok recorded here · Albany Thicket biome · Lion · Leopard
Price on request
Gemsbok recorded here · Albany Thicket biome · Lion · Leopard
Price on request
Gemsbok recorded here · Albany Thicket biome · Lion · Leopard
Price on request
Gemsbok recorded here · Albany Thicket biome · Lion · Leopard
Price on request
Gemsbok recorded here · Albany Thicket biome · Lion · Leopard
Price on request
Fynbos biome · Spekboom
Gives back to National Sea Rescue Institute
From R 2,460 a night
Nama-Karoo biome
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa and 1 other
From R 1,760 a night
Fynbos biome · Giraffe · Impala
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 485 a night
Albany Thicket biome · Black backed jackal · Bushbuck
Gives back to Wilderness Foundation Africa
From R 2,600 a night
Albany Thicket biome · Spekboom
Gives back to National Sea Rescue Institute
From R 1,050 a night
From R 12,950 a night
Albany Thicket biome · Black wildebeest · Blesbok
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
From R 11,592 a night
Nama-Karoo biome · Spekboom
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
From R 3,100 a night
Albany Thicket biome · Lion · Spekboom
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
From R 4,000 a night
Albany Thicket biome · Leopard · Lion
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
From R 2,000 a night
Nama-Karoo biome
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 1,200 a night
Grassland biome
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 600 a night
Forest biome · Arum lily · Krantz aloe
From R 457 a night
Grassland biome · Black wildebeest · Springbok
From R 449 a night
Albany Thicket biome · Spekboom
From R 2,093 a night
Fynbos biome · Spekboom
Gives back to Wilderness Foundation Africa
Price on request
Albany Thicket biome · Black backed jackal · Spotted hyena
From R 1,490 a night
Albany Thicket biome · Blesbok · Springbok
From R 345 a night
Nama-Karoo biome · Spekboom
Gives back to Boundless
Price on request
Forests, lagoons, and Knysna's sheltered bay
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Gemsbok
Hosts have recorded the Gemsbok at stays in or beside Kwandwe Private Game Reserve.
When to go, park by park
| Park | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kwandwe | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here |
Darker months are each park's own best season, when thinner bush or scarce water makes viewing easier. A sighting is never guaranteed.
Best hours of the day
- Early morning and late afternoon. The Gemsbok is out through the day, and easiest to watch before the heat.
- Midday heat. Often resting in shade or near water.
Ways to look
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
Oryx gazella
Records
1,562
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Gemsbok on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Gemsbok in Eastern Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Gemsbok at stays in or beside Kwandwe Private Game Reserve. 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 Gemsbok in South Africa?
The Gemsbok is most recorded in Northern Cape (50% of records), Western Cape (27% of records), Eastern Cape (9% of records), based on 1,562 iNaturalist observations. 5 places to stay on Spekboom in Eastern Cape have recorded the Gemsbok on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Gemsbok?
The Gemsbok 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. Kwandwe Private Game Reserve: year-round, best Mar-May, Sep-Nov. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Gemsbok?
The gemsbok or gemsbuck (Oryx gazella) is a large antelope in the Oryx genus. It is native to the arid regions of Southern Africa, such as the Kalahari Desert. Some authorities formerly included the East African oryx as a subspecies.
























