uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
KwaZulu-Natal · Year-round
10 places
Wildlife
Serval
Leptailurus serval
The serval (Leptailurus serval) is a wild cat native to 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
Recorded in KwaZulu-Natal~90 records
Curve from 449 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
Gauteng and beyond
Provinces where Serval is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
449 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Serval
Stays that give back
Across KwaZulu-Natal
Qambathi Mountain Lodge
Nottingham Road
Serval recorded here · Grassland biome · Bushbuck · Serval
Gives back to Royal Drakensberg Education Trust
From R 4,100 a night
Tandweni Villa
Mkuze
Serval recorded here · Savanna biome · African elephant · Cape buffalo
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 14,000 a night
Penwarn Farm
Underberg
Serval recorded here · Grassland biome · Blesbok · Serval
Gives back to Zululand Conservation Trust and 3 others
From R 1,200 a night
Cobham
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
Serval recorded here · Grassland biome · Southern rock agama · Tree fuchsia
From R 190 a night
Garden Castle
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
Serval recorded here · Grassland biome · Southern rock agama · Cape heath
From R 190 a night
Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park
Serval recorded here · Savanna biome · African wild dog · Spotted hyena
Gives back to Isibindi Foundation
Price on request
Monk's Cowl
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
Serval recorded here · Grassland biome · Real yellowwood · Chacma baboon
From R 130 a night
Kamberg
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
Serval recorded here · Grassland biome · Tree fuchsia · Black wildebeest
From R 840 a night
Lotheni
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
Serval recorded here · Grassland biome · Southern rock agama · Common eland
From R 270 a night
Highmoor
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
Serval recorded here · Grassland biome · Real yellowwood · Chacma baboon
From R 200 a night
Royal Natal (Thendele, Mahai & Rugged Glen)
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
Serval recorded here · Grassland biome · Chacma baboon · Bushbuck
From R 360 a night
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park: Mpila Camp
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park
Serval recorded here · Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
From R 1,420 a night
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park: Hilltop Camp
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park
Serval recorded here · Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
From R 900 a night
Ithala (Ntshondwe)
Ithala Game Reserve
Serval recorded here · Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
From R 130 a night
Ndumo
Ndumo Game Reserve
Serval recorded here · Savanna biome · Nile crocodile · Hippopotamus
From R 190 a night
Injisuthi
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
Serval recorded here · Grassland biome · Real yellowwood · Chacma baboon
From R 170 a night
Didima (Cathedral Peak)
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
Serval recorded here · Grassland biome · Real yellowwood · Tree fuchsia
From R 1,070 a night
Giant's Castle
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
Serval recorded here · Grassland biome · Real yellowwood · Chacma baboon
From R 1,150 a night
More stays nearby
Kingfisher Cove Umdloti
Umdloti, Ballito
Indian Ocean Coastal Belt biome
Gives back to Isibindi Foundation
From R 13,000 a night
The Cavern Drakensberg Resort & Spa
Drakensberg, Bergville
Grassland biome
Gives back to Royal Drakensberg Education Trust
From R 4,280 a night
Makongo Hills Lodge
Magudu
Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
Gives back to Zululand Conservation Trust
From R 1,280 a night
Sasi Bush Lodge
Bergville
Grassland biome
Gives back to Royal Drakensberg Education Trust and 2 others
From R 5,400 a night
Duma Manzi Wilderness & Wellness Retreat
Richmond
Grassland biome
Gives back to Isibindi Foundation
From R 5,990 a night
Sungubala Eco Camp
Drakensberg, Bergville
Grassland biome · Spotted hyena · Leopard
Gives back to Royal Drakensberg Education Trust
From R 1,140 a night
The Elephant Coast
Next stop
iSimangaliso wetlands, sand forest, and Sodwana reefs
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Serval
Hosts have recorded the Serval at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and Giants Castle 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| uKhahlamba-Drakensberg | Here | Here | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here | Here | Here |
| Hluhluwe-Imfolozi | Here | Here | Here | Here | 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
- First and last hours of daylight. The Serval moves and hunts in the cool.
- Midday, resting. Usually lying up in shade and hard to spot.
- After dark, on a night drive. Where the reserve or park offers one.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Leptailurus serval
Records
449
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Serval on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Serval in KwaZulu-Natal?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Serval at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, Giants Castle Game Reserve, Ithala Game Reserve, Kamberg Nature Reserve and Ndumo Game Reserve and other reserves. 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 Serval in South Africa?
The Serval is most recorded in Gauteng (26% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (20% of records), Mpumalanga (18% of records), based on 449 iNaturalist observations. 18 places to stay on Spekboom in KwaZulu-Natal have recorded the Serval on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Serval?
The Serval 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; Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Giants Castle Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Ithala Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Serval?
The serval (Leptailurus serval) is a wild cat native to Africa. It is rare in North Africa and the Sahel, but widespread in sub-Saharan countries except rainforest regions. On the IUCN Red List it is listed as Least Concern. Across its range, it occurs in protected areas, and hunting it is either prohibited or regulated in range countries.