Mokala National Park
Northern Cape · Best Aug to Oct
3 places
Wildlife
Tsessebe
Damaliscus lunatus
The common tsessebe or sassaby is one of five subspecies of African antelope Damaliscus lunatus of the genus Damaliscus and subfamily Alcelaphinae in the family Bovidae.
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~145 records
Curve from 725 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
Limpopo and beyond
Provinces where Tsessebe is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
725 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Tsessebe
Stays that give back
Across the Northern Cape
Motswedi Camp Site
Mokala National Park
From R 628a night
Tsessebe recorded here
Mosu Lodge
Mokala National Park
From R 1,401a night
Tsessebe recorded here
Lilydale Rest Camp
Mokala National Park
From R 1,206a night
Tsessebe recorded here
More stays nearby
Richmond Rooms
Richmond
From R 1,230a night
Mooifontein Farm
Colesberg
From R 1,486a night
Rooikloof Guest Farm
Sutherland
From R 1,600a night
Frontier River Resort
Northern Cape
From R 2,050a night
Twee Rivieren Rest Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
From R 450a night
Sendelingsdrif Rest Camp
Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
From R 311a night
Mata-Mata Rest Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
From R 450a night
Grootkolk Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
From R 2,634a night
Bitterpan Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
From R 2,634a night
Kokerboomkloof Camp Site
Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
From R 311a night
Skilpad Rest Camp
Namaqua National Park
From R 953a night
Kieliekrankie Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
From R 2,634a night
Tankwa Karoo Rest Camp
Tankwa Karoo National Park
From R 192a night
Nossob Rest Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
From R 450a night
Gharagab Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
From R 2,634a night
Augrabies Falls Rest Camp
Augrabies Falls National Park
From R 362a night
Kalahari Tented Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
From R 2,314a night
Elandsberg Rest Camp
Tankwa Karoo National Park
From R 1,741a night
Urikaruus Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
From R 2,634a night
De Hoop Camping Site
Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
From R 373a night
The Apollis Cottage
Concordia, Springbok
From R 1,700a 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 Tsessebe
Hosts have recorded the Tsessebe at stays in or beside Mokala 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mokala | 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.
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
Damaliscus lunatus
Records
725
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Tsessebe on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Tsessebe in Northern Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Tsessebe at stays in or beside Mokala 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 Tsessebe in South Africa?
The Tsessebe is most recorded in Limpopo (47% of records), Northern Cape (20% of records), North West (19% of records), based on 725 iNaturalist observations. 3 places to stay on Spekboom in Northern Cape have recorded the Tsessebe on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Tsessebe?
The Tsessebe 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. Mokala National Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the conservation status of the Tsessebe?
The Tsessebe (Damaliscus lunatus) is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Tsessebe?
The common tsessebe or sassaby is one of five subspecies of African antelope Damaliscus lunatus of the genus Damaliscus and subfamily Alcelaphinae in the family Bovidae. It is most closely related to the topi, korrigum, coastal topi and tiang (all subspecies of Damaliscus lunatus), and the bangweulu tsessebe and bontebok in the same genus.