Limpopo
Kruger · Timbavati · Welgevonden
Big FiveSelf-driveGuided drives
Stays in LimpopoWhere to see
Where to see the Honey Badger in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Honey Badger at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Sabi Sand Game Reserve.
Mellivora capensis
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Honey Badger
Hosts have recorded the Honey Badger at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Sabi Sand 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 |
| 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
- After dark and around dawn. The Honey Badger 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
Northern Cape
Kgalagadi
Northern CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Northern Cape
Mpumalanga
Sabi Sand
MpumalangaBig FiveGuided drivesStays in Mpumalanga
Western Cape
Goukamma · Gondwana
Western CapeBig FiveSelf-driveGuided drivesMalaria-freeStays in Western Cape
Ways to look
Species
Mellivora capensis
Records
621
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Honey Badger on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Honey Badger in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Honey Badger at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Goukamma Nature 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 Honey Badger in South Africa?
The Honey Badger is most recorded in Western Cape (34% of records), Mpumalanga (26% of records), Limpopo (16% of records), based on 621 iNaturalist observations. 42 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Honey Badger on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Honey Badger?
The Honey Badger 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; Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May; Sabi Sand Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep optimal; Goukamma Nature Reserve: year-round, warm Oct-Apr. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Honey Badger?
The honey badger (Mellivora capensis), also known as the ratel, is the only species in the mustelid subfamily Mellivorinae and its only genus Mellivora. It is native to Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Despite its name, the honey badger does not closely resemble other badger species; instead, it bears more anatomical similarities to weasels.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Honey Badger
Every stay on the Honey Badger 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