Rocherpan Nature Reserve
Western Cape · Best Winter and spring for birds and flowers
5 places
Go Birdingfrom Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)
Great White Pelican
Pelecanus onocrotalus
The great white pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) also known as the eastern white pelican, rosy pelican or white pelican is a bird in the pelican family.
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 Western Cape~1,005 records
Curve from 1,169 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
Western Cape and beyond
Provinces where Great White Pelican is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
1,169 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Great White Pelican
Stays that give back
Across the Western Cape
Oceans Away
Benguela Cove, Hermanus · From R 34,972 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Swallows Rest
Benguela Cove, Hermanus · From R 29,981 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse
Riebeek Valley, Riebeek West · From R 5,636 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Coastal Retreat
Benguela Cove, Hermanus · From R 14,985 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Lagoon Ocean Lodge
Benguela Cove, Hermanus · From R 24,990 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Melkkamer Homestead, De Hoop
De Hoop Nature Reserve · Price on request
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Vine & Vale
Benguela Cove, Hermanus · From R 34,972 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Lavender Dreams
Benguela Cove, Hermanus · From R 24,990 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
De Hoop Collection
De Hoop Nature Reserve · Price on request
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Azure Retreat
Benguela Cove, Hermanus · From R 17,492 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Milk & Honey
Benguela Cove, Hermanus · From R 17,492 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate
Benguela Cove, Hermanus · Price on request
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Tidesong
Benguela Cove, Hermanus · From R 34,972 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Oceanique
Benguela Cove, Hermanus · From R 24,990 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Sea Whisper
Benguela Cove, Hermanus · From R 17,492 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Utopia
Benguela Cove, Hermanus · From R 31,223 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Coot, Shoveler, Egret & Moorhen Cottages
Rocherpan Nature Reserve · From R 1,990 a night
Great White Pelican recorded here
Kingfisher Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve · From R 1,500 a night
Great White Pelican recorded here
Flamingo Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve · From R 1,430 a night
Great White Pelican recorded here
Oystercatcher Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve · From R 1,430 a night
Great White Pelican recorded here
Sandpiper Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve · From R 1,430 a night
Great White Pelican recorded here
The Whale Trail (De Hoop)
De Hoop Nature Reserve · From R 6,460 a night
Great White Pelican recorded here
More stays nearby
Thabile Lodge
Oudtshoorn · From R 1,400 a night
Bitou River Lodge
Wittedrift, Plettenberg Bay · From R 2,250 a night
The Cape Peninsula
Next stop
Mountain, ocean, and fynbos within reach of the city
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Great White Pelican
Hosts have recorded the Great White Pelican at stays in or beside Rocherpan Nature Reserve and De Hoop 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
Species
Pelecanus onocrotalus
Records
1,169
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Great White Pelican on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Great White Pelican in Western Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Great White Pelican at stays in or beside Rocherpan Nature Reserve and De Hoop 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 White Pelican in South Africa?
The Great White Pelican is most recorded in Western Cape (86% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (11% of records), based on 1,169 iNaturalist observations. 22 places to stay on Spekboom in Western Cape have recorded the Great White Pelican on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Great White Pelican?
The Great White Pelican 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. Rocherpan Nature Reserve: Winter and spring for birds and flowers, Jun-Oct; De Hoop Nature Reserve: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Great White Pelican?
The great white pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) also known as the eastern white pelican, rosy pelican or white pelican is a bird in the pelican family. It breeds from southeastern Europe through Asia and Africa, in swamps and shallow lakes.