uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
KwaZulu-Natal · Year-round
10 places
Wildlife
Yellow Mongoose
Cynictis penicillata
The yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata), sometimes referred to as the red meerkat, is a member of the mongoose family averaging about 1 lb (1/2 kg) in weight and about 20 in (500 mm) in length.
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
Records1,962 records
Curve from 1,962 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
Eastern Cape and beyond
Provinces where Yellow Mongoose is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
1,963 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Yellow Mongoose
Stays that give back
Across KwaZulu-Natal
Cobham
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 190a night
Yellow Mongoose recorded here
Garden Castle
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 190a night
Yellow Mongoose recorded here
Monk's Cowl
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 130a night
Yellow Mongoose recorded here
Kamberg
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 840a night
Yellow Mongoose recorded here
Lotheni
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 270a night
Yellow Mongoose recorded here
Spioenkop
Spioenkop Resort
From R 240a night
Yellow Mongoose recorded here
Highmoor
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 200a night
Yellow Mongoose recorded here
Royal Natal (Thendele, Mahai & Rugged Glen)
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 360a night
Yellow Mongoose recorded here
Injisuthi
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 170a night
Yellow Mongoose recorded here
Didima (Cathedral Peak)
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 1,070a night
Yellow Mongoose recorded here
Giant's Castle
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 1,150a night
Yellow Mongoose recorded here
More stays nearby
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Penwarn Farm
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From R 1,200a night
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From R 1,950a night
Kosi Forest Lodge
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Montusi Mountain Lodge
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From R 6,800a 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 Yellow Mongoose
Hosts have recorded the Yellow Mongoose at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Giants Castle Game Reserve and Kamberg Nature 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 |
| Giants Castle | 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.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
IUCN Red List
Least Concern
Species
Cynictis penicillata
Records
1,963
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Yellow Mongoose on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Yellow Mongoose in KwaZulu-Natal?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Yellow Mongoose at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Giants Castle Game Reserve, Kamberg Nature Reserve, Royal Natal National Park and Spioenkop Dam Nature 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 Yellow Mongoose in South Africa?
The Yellow Mongoose is most recorded in Eastern Cape (28% of records), Northern Cape (22% of records), Gauteng (19% of records), based on 1,963 iNaturalist observations. 11 places to stay on Spekboom in KwaZulu-Natal have recorded the Yellow Mongoose on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Yellow Mongoose?
The Yellow Mongoose 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; Giants Castle Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Kamberg Nature Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Royal Natal National Park: 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 Yellow Mongoose?
The Yellow Mongoose (Cynictis penicillata) is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Yellow Mongoose?
The yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata), sometimes referred to as the red meerkat, is a member of the mongoose family averaging about 1 lb (1/2 kg) in weight and about 20 in (500 mm) in length. It lives in open country, from semi-desert scrubland to grasslands in Angola, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.