Limpopo
Kruger · Timbavati · Welgevonden
Big FiveSelf-driveGuided drives
Stays in LimpopoWhere to see
Where to see the Blue Wildebeest in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Blue Wildebeest at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
Connochaetes taurinus
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Blue Wildebeest
Hosts have recorded the Blue Wildebeest at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
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 |
| Sabi Sand | 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 Blue Wildebeest 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
- Limpopo
KwaZulu-Natal
Phinda · Hluhluwe-Imfolozi · Ithala
KwaZulu-NatalBig FiveSelf-driveGuided drivesStays in KwaZulu-Natal
Mpumalanga
Sabi Sand
MpumalangaBig FiveGuided drivesStays in Mpumalanga
Northern Cape
Kgalagadi
Northern CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Northern Cape
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
Connochaetes taurinus
Records
5,040
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Blue Wildebeest on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Blue Wildebeest in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Blue Wildebeest at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Phinda Private Game Reserve, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 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 Blue Wildebeest in South Africa?
The Blue Wildebeest is most recorded in Mpumalanga (30% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (19% of records), Limpopo (18% of records), based on 5,040 iNaturalist observations. 57 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Blue Wildebeest on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Blue Wildebeest?
The Blue Wildebeest 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; Sabi Sand Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep optimal; Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May; Phinda Private Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Blue Wildebeest?
The blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), also called the common wildebeest, white-bearded wildebeest or brindled gnu, is a large antelope and one of the two species of wildebeest. It is placed in the genus Connochaetes and family Bovidae and has a close taxonomic relationship with the black wildebeest. The blue wildebeest is known to have five subspecies.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Blue Wildebeest
Every stay on the Blue Wildebeest 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