Western Cape
Table Mountain · Garden Route
Self-driveMalaria-free
Stays in Western CapeWhere to see
Where to see the Cape Genet in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Cape Genet at stays in or beside Table Mountain National Park, Tsitsikamma National Park and Garden Route National Park.
Genetta tigrina
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Cape Genet
Hosts have recorded the Cape Genet at stays in or beside Table Mountain National Park, Tsitsikamma National Park and Garden Route 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Table Mountain | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here | Here | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing |
| Tsitsikamma | Here | Here | Here | 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 Cape Genet 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
- Western Cape
Eastern Cape
Tsitsikamma
Eastern CapeSelf-driveStays in Eastern Cape
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Genetta tigrina
Records
682
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Cape Genet on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Cape Genet in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Cape Genet at stays in or beside Table Mountain National Park, Tsitsikamma National Park and Garden Route National Park. 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 Cape Genet in South Africa?
The Cape Genet is most recorded in Western Cape (84% of records), Eastern Cape (10% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (6% of records), based on 682 iNaturalist observations. 7 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Cape Genet on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Cape Genet?
The Cape Genet 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. Table Mountain National Park: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Tsitsikamma National Park: Apr-Sep; Garden Route National Park: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Cape Genet?
The Cape genet (Genetta tigrina), also known as the South African large-spotted genet, is a genet species endemic to South Africa. As it is common and not threatened, it is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Like other genets, it is nocturnal and arboreal, preferring to live in the riparian zones of forests, as long as these are not marshy areas.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Cape Genet
Every stay on the Cape Genet 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