Addo Elephant National Park
Eastern Cape · Year-round
5 places
Wildlife
Puff Adder
Bitis arietans
Bitis arietans is a venomous viper species found in savannah and grasslands from Morocco and western Arabia throughout Africa except for the Sahara and rain forest regions.
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
Recorded in Eastern Cape~441 records
Curve from 3,670 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.
Where you'll find it
Western Cape and beyond
Provinces where Puff Adder is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
3,672 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Puff Adder
Stays that give back
Across the Eastern Cape
Storms River Mouth Rest Camp (Tsitsikamma)
Garden Route National Park
From R 457a night
Puff Adder recorded here
Langebos Huts
Addo Elephant National Park
From R 2,093a night
Puff Adder recorded here
Spekboom Tented Rest Camp
Addo Elephant National Park
From R 1,490a night
Puff Adder recorded here
Nyathi Rest Camp
Addo Elephant National Park
From R 2,901a night
Puff Adder recorded here
Matyholweni Rest Camp
Addo Elephant National Park
From R 2,426a night
Puff Adder recorded here
Addo Rest Camp
Addo Elephant National Park
From R 461a night
Puff Adder recorded here
More stays nearby
Cycads On Sea
St Francis Bay
From R 2,460a night
Walkerbouts Inn - Rhodes
Rhodes
From R 600a night
Avoca River Cabins
Sundays River Valley, Addo
From R 980a night
Lupus Den Country House
Sundays River Valley, Addo
From R 2,600a night
Forest Hall Guest House
Walmer, Port Elizabeth
From R 1,050a night
Kwandwe Melton Manor
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Price on request
GweGwe Beach Lodge
Mkambati Nature Reserve
From R 12,950a night
Quatermain's Camp
Paterson
From R 11,592a night
Kwandwe Great Fish River Lodge
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Price on request
Karoo Cottage - Sneeuberg Nature Reserve
Sneeuberg Nature Reserve, Nieu Bethesda
From R 3,100a night
Hlosi Game Lodge
Amakhala Game Reserve
From R 4,000a night
Kwandwe Uplands Homestead
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Price on request
Hitgeheim Country Lodge Addo
Sundays River Valley, Addo
From R 2,000a night
Karoo Secret Farm Stay
Aberdeen
From R 1,200a night
Kwandwe Fort House
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Price on request
Aasvogelkrans Farm Cottages & Camping
Nieu Bethesda
From R 1,760a night
Pabala Private Nature Reserve
Hankey
From R 485a night
Kwandwe Ecca Lodge
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Price on request
The Garden Route
Next stop
Forests, lagoons, and Knysna's sheltered bay
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Puff Adder
Hosts have recorded the Puff Adder at stays in or beside Addo Elephant National Park and Tsitsikamma National Park.
When to go, park by park
Here all yearEasiest viewing
| Park | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Addo Elephant | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here |
| Tsitsikamma | Here | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing |
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
- After dark and around dawn. The Puff Adder is mostly active at night, so a night drive gives the best chance.
- Daytime, resting. Usually out of sight in cover, a burrow or water.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Bitis arietans
Records
3,672
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Puff Adder on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Puff Adder in Eastern Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Puff Adder at stays in or beside Addo Elephant National Park and Tsitsikamma 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 Puff Adder in South Africa?
The Puff Adder is most recorded in Western Cape (52% of records), Eastern Cape (12% of records), Limpopo (10% of records), based on 3,672 iNaturalist observations. 6 places to stay on Spekboom in Eastern Cape have recorded the Puff Adder on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Puff Adder?
The Puff Adder 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. Addo Elephant National Park: year-round, best Mar-May, Sep-Nov; Tsitsikamma National Park: Apr-Sep. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Puff Adder?
Bitis arietans is a venomous viper species found in savannah and grasslands from Morocco and western Arabia throughout Africa except for the Sahara and rain forest regions. It is responsible for causing the most snakebite fatalities in Africa owing to various factors, such as its wide distribution, frequent occurrence in highly populated regions, and aggressive disposition.
