KwaZulu-Natal
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg · Hluhluwe-Imfolozi · Giants Castle
Big Five
Stays in KwaZulu-NatalWhere to see
Where to see the Common Eland in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Common Eland at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Kruger National Park.
Taurotragus oryx
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Common Eland
Hosts have recorded the Common Eland at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Kruger 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 |
| 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
- Early morning and late afternoon. The Common Eland 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
Limpopo
Kruger · Welgevonden
LimpopoBig FiveSelf-driveGuided drivesStays in Limpopo
Northern Cape
Kgalagadi
Northern CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Northern Cape
Eastern Cape
Kwandwe · Addo Elephant
Eastern CapeBig FiveSelf-driveGuided drivesMalaria-freeStays in Eastern 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
Taurotragus oryx
Records
3,633
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Common Eland on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Common Eland in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Common Eland at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Kruger National Park, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and De Hoop 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 Common Eland in South Africa?
The Common Eland is most recorded in Western Cape (49% of records), Gauteng (11% of records), Eastern Cape (9% of records), based on 3,633 iNaturalist observations. 50 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Common Eland on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Common Eland?
The Common Eland 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; Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May; Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep; Kwandwe Private Game Reserve: year-round, best Mar-May, Sep-Nov. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Common Eland?
The common eland (Taurotragus oryx), also known as the southern eland or eland antelope, is a savannah and plains antelope found in East and Southern Africa. It is a species of the family Bovidae and genus Taurotragus. It was first described by Peter Simon Pallas in 1766.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Common Eland
Every stay on the Common Eland 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