Limpopo
Kruger · Marakele · Timbavati
Big FiveSelf-driveGuided drives
Stays in LimpopoWhere to see
Where to see the Hippopotamus in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Hippopotamus at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Kwandwe Private Game Reserve.
Hippopotamus amphibius · Vulnerable
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Hippopotamus
Hosts have recorded the Hippopotamus at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Kwandwe Private 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 |
| 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
- After dark and around dawn. The Hippopotamus 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
- Limpopo
KwaZulu-Natal
Phinda · Hluhluwe-Imfolozi · iSimangaliso Wetland
KwaZulu-NatalBig FiveGuided drivesStays in KwaZulu-Natal
Mpumalanga
Sabi Sand
MpumalangaBig FiveGuided drivesStays in Mpumalanga
Eastern Cape
Kwandwe · Amakhala
Eastern CapeBig FiveGuided drivesMalaria-freeStays in Eastern Cape
Ways to look
IUCN Red List
Vulnerable
Species
Hippopotamus amphibius
Records
5,154
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Hippopotamus on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Hippopotamus in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Hippopotamus at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, Phinda Private Game Reserve, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and Marakele 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 Hippopotamus in South Africa?
The Hippopotamus is most recorded in Mpumalanga (41% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (21% of records), Limpopo (21% of records), based on 5,154 iNaturalist observations. 64 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Hippopotamus on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Hippopotamus?
The Hippopotamus 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; Kwandwe Private Game Reserve: year-round, best Mar-May, Sep-Nov; 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 conservation status of the Hippopotamus?
The Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Hippopotamus?
The common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), or hippo, is a large, mostly herbivorous, semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae, the other being the pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis or Hexaprotodon liberiensis). The name comes from the ancient Greek for "river horse" (ἱπποπόταμος).
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Hippopotamus
Every stay on the Hippopotamus 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