Kruger National Park
Limpopo · Best Apr to Sep
6 places
Wildlife
Black Mamba
Dendroaspis polylepis
The black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is a highly venomous snake endemic to parts of sub-Saharan Africa.
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
Records339 records
Curve from 339 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
KwaZulu-Natal and beyond
Provinces where Black Mamba is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
339 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Black Mamba
Stays that give back
Across South Africa
Singita Ebony Lodge
Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Price on request
Black Mamba recorded here
Singita Boulders Lodge
Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Price on request
Black Mamba recorded here
Singita Sweni Lodge
Kruger National Park
Price on request
Black Mamba recorded here
Singita Lebombo Lodge
Kruger National Park
Price on request
Black Mamba recorded here
Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris
Mpumalanga
Price on request
Black Mamba recorded here
Mdluli Safari Lodge
Kruger National Park
From R 10,670a night
Black Mamba recorded here
Izingwe Lodge
Welgevonden Game Reserve
Price on request
Black Mamba recorded here
Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge
Kruger National Park
From R 17,400a night
Black Mamba recorded here
Kruger Untamed - Satara Plains Camp
Kruger National Park
From R 11,980a night
Black Mamba recorded here
Kruger Untamed - Tshokwane River Camp
Kruger National Park
From R 17,500a night
Black Mamba recorded here
Inzalo Safari Lodge
Welgevonden Game Reserve
Price on request
Black Mamba recorded here
Makulu Birders Cottage at Wilds Uitvlugt
Rust de Winter
Price on request
Black Mamba recorded here
Vhembe Wilderness Camp
Mapungubwe National Park
From R 1,044a night
Black Mamba recorded here
Mazhou Camp Site
Mapungubwe National Park
From R 339a night
Black Mamba recorded here
Leokwe Rest Camp
Mapungubwe National Park
From R 1,743a night
Black Mamba recorded here
More stays nearby
Babylonstoren
Klapmuts, Simondium
Price on request
Tanda Tula Safari Camp
Timbavati Private Nature Reserve
Price on request
Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park
Price on request
Thonga Beach Lodge
iSimangaliso Wetland Park
Price on request
La Clé Lodge & Villas
Franschhoek
Price on request
Coot Club
Stanford
Price on request
Ubuntu Lodge at Elephant Point
Kruger National Park
Price on request
Vergenoegd Löw Boutique Hotel & Spa
Somerset West
Price on request
Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse
Riebeek Valley, Riebeek West
From R 5,636a night
The Drakensberg
Next stop
Sandstone amphitheatres and cool mountain air
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Black Mamba
Hosts have recorded the Black Mamba at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Mapungubwe National Park and Sabi Sand 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 |
| Mapungubwe | Here | Here | Here | Here | 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
- The warm hours of the day. The Black Mamba needs the sun's warmth before it moves.
- Cold mornings and nights. Tucked away until the day warms up.
Where to base yourself
Limpopo
Kruger · Mapungubwe · Welgevonden
LimpopoBig FiveSelf-driveGuided drivesStays in LimpopoMpumalanga
Sabi Sand
MpumalangaBig FiveGuided drivesStays in Mpumalanga
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Guided drives from a lodge
A guide who knows where to look, with off-road and night drives in the private reserves.
Where hosts record it
Species
Dendroaspis polylepis
Records
339
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Black Mamba on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Black Mamba in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Black Mamba at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Mapungubwe National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Welgevonden Game 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 Black Mamba in South Africa?
The Black Mamba is most recorded in KwaZulu-Natal (39% of records), Limpopo (30% of records), Mpumalanga (22% of records), based on 339 iNaturalist observations. 15 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Black Mamba on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Black Mamba?
The Black Mamba 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; Mapungubwe National Park: May-Sep, dry season; Sabi Sand Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep optimal; Welgevonden Game Reserve: May-Sep, dry season. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Black Mamba?
The black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is a highly venomous snake endemic to parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Skin colour varies from grey to dark brown. Juvenile black mambas tend to be paler than adults and darken with age. It is the longest species of venomous snake indigenous to the African continent; mature specimens generally exceed 2 meters (6.6 ft) and commonly attain 3 meters (9.8 ft).