uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
KwaZulu-Natal · Year-round
10 places
Wildlife
Blesbok
Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi
The blesbok or blesbuck (Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi) is an antelope endemic to South 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
Records1,691 records
Curve from 1,691 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
Gauteng and beyond
Provinces where Blesbok is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
1,691 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Blesbok
Stays that give back
Across South Africa
Camelroc Guest Farm
Caledonspoort, Fouriesburg
From R 1,000a night
Blesbok recorded here
Tomjachu Bush Retreat
Mbombela
From R 3,300a night
Blesbok recorded here
Heritage View Birding Retreat
Delareyville
From R 1,000a night
Blesbok recorded here
Jaci's Private Lodge
Madikwe
From R 31,500a night
Blesbok recorded here
Penwarn Farm
Underberg
From R 1,200a night
Blesbok recorded here
Marataba Mountain Lodge
Marakele National Park
Price on request
Blesbok recorded here
Qambathi Mountain Lodge
Nottingham Road
From R 4,100a night
Blesbok recorded here
Quatermain's Camp
Paterson
From R 11,592a night
Blesbok recorded here
Marataba Safari Lodge
Marakele National Park
Price on request
Blesbok recorded here
Mountain Zebra National Park
Mountain Zebra National Park
From R 449a night
Blesbok recorded here
Golden Gate Hotel And Chalets
Golden Gate Highlands National Park
From R 1,741a night
Blesbok recorded here
Marataba Villa
Marakele National Park
Price on request
Blesbok recorded here
Camdeboo Rest Camp
Camdeboo National Park
From R 345a night
Blesbok recorded here
Tlopi Tented Camp
Marakele National Park
From R 1,866a night
Blesbok recorded here
Izingwe Lodge
Welgevonden Game Reserve
Price on request
Blesbok recorded here
Glen Reenen Rest Camp
Golden Gate Highlands National Park
From R 339a night
Blesbok recorded here
Karoo Rest Camp
Karoo National Park
From R 437a night
Blesbok recorded here
Inzalo Safari Lodge
Welgevonden Game Reserve
Price on request
Blesbok recorded here
Bontle Rest Camp
Marakele National Park
From R 391a night
Blesbok recorded here
Highlands Mountain Retreat
Golden Gate Highlands National Park
From R 2,160a night
Blesbok recorded here
Addo Rest Camp
Addo Elephant National Park
From R 461a night
Blesbok recorded here
Cobham
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 190a night
Blesbok recorded here
Garden Castle
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 190a night
Blesbok recorded here
Vernon Crookes
Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve
From R 480a night
Blesbok recorded here
The Midlands
Next stop
Rolling green hills, dairy farms, and pottery studios
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Blesbok
Hosts have recorded the Blesbok at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Marakele National Park and Golden Gate Highlands 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| uKhahlamba-Drakensberg | Here | Here | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here | Here | Here |
| Marakele | 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
- Early morning and late afternoon. The Blesbok is out through the day, and easiest to watch before the heat.
- Midday heat. Often resting in shade or near water.
Where to base yourself
KwaZulu-Natal
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg · Chelmsford Nature Reserve (Ntshingwayo Dam) · Giants Castle
KwaZulu-NatalSelf-driveStays in KwaZulu-NatalLimpopo
Marakele · Welgevonden
LimpopoBig FiveSelf-driveGuided drivesStays in LimpopoFree State
Golden Gate Highlands
Free StateSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Free StateEastern Cape
Addo Elephant · Camdeboo
Eastern CapeBig FiveSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Eastern Cape
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
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
Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi
Records
1,691
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Blesbok on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Blesbok in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Blesbok at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Marakele National Park, Golden Gate Highlands National Park, Welgevonden Game Reserve, Addo Elephant National Park and Camdeboo National Park 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 Blesbok in South Africa?
The Blesbok is most recorded in Gauteng (32% of records), Eastern Cape (21% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (16% of records), based on 1,691 iNaturalist observations. 38 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Blesbok on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Blesbok?
The Blesbok 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. uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Marakele National Park: May-Sep, dry season; Golden Gate Highlands National Park: Mar-May, Aug-Oct; Welgevonden Game Reserve: May-Sep, dry season. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Blesbok?
The blesbok or blesbuck (Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi) is an antelope endemic to South Africa. It has a distinctive white face and forehead which inspired the name, because bles is the Afrikaans word for a blaze such as one might see on the forehead of a horse.