De Hoop Nature Reserve
Western Cape · Best Sep to Apr
3 places
Go Birdingfrom Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)
Great Egret
Ardea alba
The great egret (Ardea alba), also known as the common egret, large egret or (in the Old World) great white egret or great white heron is a large, widely distributed egret, with four subspecies found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and southern Europe.
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
Records1,150 records
Curve from 1,150 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 Great Egret is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
1,150 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Great Egret
Stays that give back
Across the Western Cape
Zwartberg View Mountain Lodge
Oudtshoorn · From R 5,060 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse
Riebeek Valley, Riebeek West · From R 5,636 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Keurbooms River Nature Reserve
Keurbooms River Nature Reserve · From R 2,170 a night
Great Egret recorded here
The Whale Trail (De Hoop)
De Hoop Nature Reserve · From R 6,460 a night
Great Egret recorded here
Melkkamer Homestead, De Hoop
De Hoop Nature Reserve · Price on request
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
De Hoop Collection
De Hoop Nature Reserve · Price on request
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
More stays nearby
Coastal Retreat
Benguela Cove, Hermanus · From R 17,630 a night
Birder friendly
Thabile Lodge
Oudtshoorn · From R 1,400 a night
Bitou River Lodge
Wittedrift, Plettenberg Bay · From R 2,250 a night
Franschhoek Country House & Villas
Franschhoek · From R 6,195 a night
Babylonstoren
Klapmuts, Simondium · Price on request
Welgelegen House by RETURN Africa
Gardens, Cape Town · From R 2,800 a night
An African Story by RETURN Africa
Bakoven, Cape Town · From R 9,900 a night
La Clé Lodge & Villas
Franschhoek · Price on request
Schoone Oordt Country House
Swellendam · From R 4,355 a night
Plumbago Cottage - Stanford Country Cottages
Stanford · From R 2,850 a night
Coot Club
Stanford · Price on request
Birder friendly
Lauradale
Stellenbosch · From R 1,465 a night
Moonshine on Whiskey Creek
The Crags, Plettenberg Bay · From R 1,950 a night
Vergenoegd Löw Boutique Hotel & Spa
Somerset West · Price on request
Whale Coast Ocean Villa
Voëlklip, Hermanus · From R 2,235 a night
Assendelft Lodge
Prince Albert · From R 1,200 a night
Tintswalo at Boulders
Simon's Town, Cape Town · Price on request
Klein Waterval Riverside Lodge
Franschhoek · From R 3,425 a night
The Whale Coast
Next stop
Southern right whales, sea cliffs, and Hermanus's harbour town
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Great Egret
Hosts have recorded the Great Egret at stays in or beside De Hoop Nature Reserve and Keurbooms River Nature Reserve.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Ardea alba
Records
1,150
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Great Egret on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Great Egret in Western Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Great Egret at stays in or beside De Hoop Nature Reserve and Keurbooms River 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 Great Egret in South Africa?
The Great Egret is most recorded in Mpumalanga (33% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (31% of records), Limpopo (17% of records), based on 1,150 iNaturalist observations. 6 places to stay on Spekboom in Western Cape have recorded the Great Egret on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Great Egret?
The Great Egret 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. De Hoop Nature Reserve: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Keurbooms River Nature Reserve: year-round. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Great Egret?
The great egret (Ardea alba), also known as the common egret, large egret or (in the Old World) great white egret or great white heron is a large, widely distributed egret, with four subspecies found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and southern Europe. Distributed across most of the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world. It builds tree nests in colonies close to water.