Limpopo
Kruger · Timbavati · Welgevonden
Big FiveSelf-driveGuided drives
Stays in LimpopoWhere to see
Where to see the Aardvark in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Aardvark at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Kwandwe Private Game Reserve.
Orycteropus afer
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Aardvark
Hosts have recorded the Aardvark at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Kwandwe Private Game Reserve.
When to go, park by park
Here all yearEasiest viewing
| Park | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kruger | Here | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here | Here | Here |
| Kgalagadi | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | 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.
Best hours of the day
- After dark and around dawn. The Aardvark is mostly active at night, so a night drive gives the best chance.
- Daytime, resting. Usually out of sight in cover, a burrow or water.
Where to base yourself
- Limpopo
Eastern Cape
Kwandwe · Amakhala
Eastern CapeBig FiveGuided drivesMalaria-freeStays in Eastern Cape
Northern Cape
Kgalagadi
Northern CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Northern Cape
KwaZulu-Natal
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi · Ithala
KwaZulu-NatalBig FiveStays in KwaZulu-Natal
Ways to look
Species
Orycteropus afer
Records
1,040
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Aardvark on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Aardvark in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Aardvark at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Timbavati Private Nature Reserve and other reserves. 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 Aardvark in South Africa?
The Aardvark is most recorded in Western Cape (28% of records), Northern Cape (25% of records), Gauteng (17% of records), based on 1,040 iNaturalist observations. 50 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Aardvark on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Aardvark?
The Aardvark 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. Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep; Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May; Kwandwe Private Game Reserve: year-round, best Mar-May, Sep-Nov; Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Aardvark?
The aardvark is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa. It is the only living species of the order Tubulidentata, although other prehistoric species and genera of Tubulidentata are known. Unlike other insectivores, it has a long pig-like snout, which is used to sniff out food.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Aardvark
Every stay on the Aardvark page lists the species its host has recorded on or near the property. A record is a sighting, never a promise.
See where to stay