Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Northern Cape · Best Aug to Oct
6 places
Wildlife
Meerkat
Suricata suricatta
The meerkat or suricate (Suricata suricatta) is a small carnivoran belonging to the mongoose family (Herpestidae).
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 Northern Cape~417 records
Curve from 926 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
Northern Cape and beyond
Provinces where Meerkat is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
926 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Meerkat
Stays that give back
Across the Northern Cape
Grootkolk Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Meerkat recorded here · Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Springbok
From R 2,634 a night
Bitterpan Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Meerkat recorded here · Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Camel thorn
From R 2,634 a night
Kieliekrankie Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Meerkat recorded here · Savanna biome · Camel thorn · Gemsbok
From R 2,634 a night
Gharagab Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Meerkat recorded here · Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Giraffe
From R 2,634 a night
Kalahari Tented Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Meerkat recorded here · Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Springbok
From R 2,314 a night
Urikaruus Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Meerkat recorded here · Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Springbok
From R 2,634 a night
More stays nearby
Rooikloof Guest Farm
Sutherland
Succulent Karoo biome · Spekboom
Gives back to Saving Private Rhino
From R 1,600 a night
Richmond Rooms
Richmond
Nama-Karoo biome · Spekboom
Gives back to Boundless
From R 1,230 a night
Mooifontein Farm
Colesberg
Nama-Karoo biome · Spekboom
Gives back to Boundless
From R 1,486 a night
Frontier River Resort
Northern Cape
Desert biome · Spekboom
From R 2,050 a night
Twee Rivieren Rest Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Camel thorn
From R 450 a night
Sendelingsdrif Rest Camp
Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
Desert biome · Halfmens · Quiver tree
From R 311 a night
Mata-Mata Rest Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Camel thorn
From R 450 a night
Motswedi Camp Site
Mokala National Park
Savanna biome · African elephant · Brown hyena
From R 628 a night
Kokerboomkloof Camp Site
Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
Succulent Karoo biome · Quiver tree · Spekboom
From R 311 a night
Skilpad Rest Camp
Namaqua National Park
Succulent Karoo biome · Spekboom
From R 953 a night
Mosu Lodge
Mokala National Park
Savanna biome · Camel thorn · Spekboom
From R 1,401 a night
Tankwa Karoo Rest Camp
Tankwa Karoo National Park
Succulent Karoo biome · Gemsbok · Springbok
From R 192 a night
Nossob Rest Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Brown hyena
From R 450 a night
Augrabies Falls Rest Camp
Augrabies Falls National Park
Nama-Karoo biome · Gemsbok · Giraffe
From R 362 a night
Lilydale Rest Camp
Mokala National Park
Savanna biome · Mopane · Spekboom
From R 1,206 a night
Elandsberg Rest Camp
Tankwa Karoo National Park
Succulent Karoo biome · Spekboom
From R 1,741 a night
De Hoop Camping Site
Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
Fynbos biome · Gemsbok · Springbok
From R 373 a night
The Apollis Cottage
Concordia, Springbok
Succulent Karoo biome · Springbok · Spekboom
From R 1,700 a night
The Karoo
Next stop
South Africa's vast inland heart: silence, stars, and wide horizons
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Meerkat
Hosts have recorded the Meerkat at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
When to go, park by park
Here all yearEasiest viewing
| Park | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kgalagadi | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here | Here | Here | Here | Here | Here | 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 Meerkat is out through the day, and easiest to watch before the heat.
- Midday heat. Often resting in shade or near water.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Suricata suricatta
Records
926
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Meerkat on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Meerkat in Northern Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Meerkat at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier 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 Meerkat in South Africa?
The Meerkat is most recorded in Northern Cape (45% of records), Eastern Cape (25% of records), Mpumalanga (8% of records), based on 926 iNaturalist observations. 6 places to stay on Spekboom in Northern Cape have recorded the Meerkat on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Meerkat?
The Meerkat 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. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Meerkat?
The meerkat or suricate (Suricata suricatta) is a small carnivoran belonging to the mongoose family (Herpestidae). It is the only member of the genus Suricata. Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, in much of the Namib Desert in Namibia and southwestern Angola, and in South Africa. A group of meerkats is called a "mob", "gang" or "clan".