Addo Elephant National Park
Eastern Cape · Year-round
5 places
Wildlife
Spotted Hyena
Crocuta crocuta
The spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), also known as the laughing hyena, is a species of hyena, currently classed as the sole member of the genus Crocuta, native to Sub-Saharan Africa.
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
Records3,393 records
Curve from 3,393 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
Mpumalanga and beyond
Provinces where Spotted Hyena is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
3,393 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Spotted Hyena
Stays that give back
Across the Eastern Cape
Langebos Huts
Addo Elephant National Park
From R 2,093a night
Spotted Hyena recorded here
Spekboom Tented Rest Camp
Addo Elephant National Park
From R 1,490a night
Spotted Hyena recorded here
Kwandwe Melton Manor
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Price on request
Spotted Hyena recorded here
Nyathi Rest Camp
Addo Elephant National Park
From R 2,901a night
Spotted Hyena recorded here
Matyholweni Rest Camp
Addo Elephant National Park
From R 2,426a night
Spotted Hyena recorded here
Kwandwe Great Fish River Lodge
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Price on request
Spotted Hyena recorded here
Addo Rest Camp
Addo Elephant National Park
From R 461a night
Spotted Hyena recorded here
Kwandwe Uplands Homestead
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Price on request
Spotted Hyena recorded here
Kwandwe Fort House
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Price on request
Spotted Hyena recorded here
Kwandwe Ecca Lodge
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Price on request
Spotted Hyena recorded here
More stays nearby
Cycads On Sea
St Francis Bay
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Karoo Cottage - Sneeuberg Nature Reserve
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From R 3,100a night
Hlosi Game Lodge
Amakhala Game Reserve
From R 4,000a night
Lupus Den Country House
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From R 2,600a night
Forest Hall Guest House
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From R 1,050a night
GweGwe Beach Lodge
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From R 12,950a night
Quatermain's Camp
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From R 11,592a night
Hitgeheim Country Lodge Addo
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From R 2,000a night
Karoo Secret Farm Stay
Aberdeen
From R 1,200a night
Aasvogelkrans Farm Cottages & Camping
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From R 1,760a night
Pabala Private Nature Reserve
Hankey
From R 485a night
Walkerbouts Inn - Rhodes
Rhodes
From R 600a night
Storms River Mouth Rest Camp (Tsitsikamma)
Garden Route National Park
From R 457a night
Mountain Zebra National Park
Mountain Zebra National Park
From R 449a night
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 Spotted Hyena
Hosts have recorded the Spotted Hyena at stays in or beside Addo Elephant National Park and Kwandwe Private Game Reserve.
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 |
| Kwandwe | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | 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 Spotted Hyena 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
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
Crocuta crocuta
Records
3,393
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Spotted Hyena on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Spotted Hyena in Eastern Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Spotted Hyena at stays in or beside Addo Elephant National Park and 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 Spotted Hyena in South Africa?
The Spotted Hyena is most recorded in Mpumalanga (64% of records), Limpopo (25% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (5% of records), based on 3,393 iNaturalist observations. 10 places to stay on Spekboom in Eastern Cape have recorded the Spotted Hyena on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Spotted Hyena?
The Spotted Hyena 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; 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 Spotted Hyena?
The spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), also known as the laughing hyena, is a species of hyena, currently classed as the sole member of the genus Crocuta, native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is listed as being of least concern by the IUCN on account of its widespread range and large numbers estimated between 27,000 and 47,000 individuals.