Marine life

Leatherback Turtle

Dermochelys coriaceaVulnerable

The leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), sometimes called the lute turtle or leathery turtle or simply the luth, is the largest of all living turtles and is the fourth-heaviest modern reptile behind three crocodilians.

from Wikipedia

Showing stays that recordLeatherback Turtle2 stays list it on site or nearby

Species insights▾

Where you'll find it

KwaZulu-Natal and beyond

Provinces where Leatherback Turtle is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.

18 records, iNaturalist

Stays that give back

2 results in South Africa

Thonga Beach Lodge

Manguzi

Leatherback Turtle recorded here · Forest biome · 60 birds recorded · Humpback whale, Southern right whale · Canoeing, Snorkelling

Supports Isibindi Foundation

Price on request

Kosi Forest Lodge

Manguzi

Leatherback Turtle recorded here · Forest biome · 434 birds recorded · Hippopotamus, Nile crocodile · Canoeing, Fishing

Supports Isibindi Foundation and 1 other

Price on request

More stays nearby

Babylonstoren

Klapmuts, Simondium

12 birds recorded · Angulate tortoise, Wild olive · Spa, Vineyards

Price on request

Tanda Tula Safari Camp

Limpopo

Savanna biome · 27 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard · Guided walk, Game drives

Price on request

Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge

Hluhluwe

Savanna biome · 285 birds recorded · African wild dog, Spotted hyena · Game drives

Supports Isibindi Foundation

Price on request

La Clé Lodge & Villas

Franschhoek

Fynbos biome · Cycling

Price on request

Coot Club

Stanford

Fynbos biome · 8 birds recorded · White milkwood, Southern right whale · Whale watching, Canoeing

Price on request

Ubuntu Lodge at Elephant Point

Hazyview

Savanna biome · 1 bird recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Scenic drives

Price on request

Vergenoegd Löw Boutique Hotel & Spa

Somerset West

Fynbos biome · 1 bird recorded · Vineyards, Wine tasting

Price on request

Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse

Riebeek Valley, Riebeek West

Fynbos biome · 149 birds recorded · Black wildebeest, Bontebok · Horse riding, Hiking

Supports BirdLife South Africa

From R 5,636 per night

Maninghi Lodge

Hoedspruit

Savanna biome · 8 birds recorded · Giraffe, African elephant · Game drives

Supports DAKTARI Bush School and 1 other

Price on request

Rhino Sands Safari Camp

Hazyview

Savanna biome · 30 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Scenic drives

Supports Zululand Conservation Trust and 1 other

From R 22,680 per night

Franschhoek Country House & Villas

Franschhoek

Fynbos biome · 1 bird recorded · Spa, Mountain biking

Supports Cape Leopard Trust

From R 6,195 per night

Tintswalo at Boulders

Simon's Town, Cape Town

Fynbos biome · 1 bird recorded · Surfing, Scenic drives

Supports SANCCOB and 4 others

Price on request

De Hoop Villa

Western Cape

Fynbos biome · 185 birds recorded · Bontebok, Southern right whale · Whale watching, Trail running

Price on request

Melkkamer Homestead, De Hoop

Western Cape

Fynbos biome · 185 birds recorded · Bontebok, Southern right whale · Whale watching, Trail running

Price on request

De Hoop Opstal

Western Cape

Fynbos biome · 185 birds recorded · Bontebok, Southern right whale · Whale watching, Trail running

Price on request

De Hoop in Plett

Plettenberg Bay

Fynbos biome · Southern right whale · Whale watching, Hiking

Price on request

De Mond Villa, De Hoop

Western Cape

Fynbos biome · 185 birds recorded · Bontebok, Southern right whale · Whale watching, Trail running

Price on request

Nalu Villa

Camps Bay, Cape Town

Price on request

Singita Ebony Lodge

Mpumalanga

Savanna biome · 42 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Singita Boulders Lodge

Mpumalanga

Savanna biome · 43 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Singita Lebombo Villa

Mpumalanga

Savanna biome

Price on request

Singita Sweni Lodge

Mpumalanga

Savanna biome · 53 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Plan a trip around these stays

Planning a trip

When and where to find the Leatherback Turtle

The leatherback is the largest turtle alive, up to two metres long and often over half a tonne, with a ridged, leathery shell instead of hard plates.

IUCN Red List

Vulnerable

Species

Dermochelys coriacea

Records

iNaturalist observations

Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.

Questions travellers ask

A record means a host has seen the Leatherback Turtle on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.

More about the Leatherback Turtle

The leatherback is the largest turtle alive, up to two metres long and often over half a tonne, with a ridged, leathery shell instead of hard plates. A few dozen females return each summer to nest on the beaches of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park in northern KwaZulu-Natal, the southernmost leatherback nesting site in the world, on the same coast as the far more numerous loggerheads.

Nesting runs from about November to February, with hatchlings from late December into March. Leatherbacks are roughly one in ten of the turtles nesting here, so most turtle-tracking nights find loggerheads, and a leatherback coming ashore is the night guides talk about for the rest of the season. Only licensed operators may take guests onto these beaches after dark.

The stays on this page sit on the Maputaland coast between Kosi Bay and Mabibi, and their hosts book the tracking walks in season. A leatherback is never guaranteed, and that is part of what makes one unforgettable.

When is the best time to see leatherback turtles in South Africa?

November to February, when the females come ashore to nest at night. Hatchlings emerge from late December into March. Leatherbacks are far fewer than loggerheads, so a sighting is a bonus, never a promise.

Where do leatherback turtles nest in South Africa?

Only on the iSimangaliso coast of northern KwaZulu-Natal, between Kosi Bay and Sodwana Bay. It is the southernmost leatherback nesting beach in the world.

How is a leatherback different from a loggerhead?

A leatherback is much larger, up to two metres long, with a dark, soft, ridged shell instead of the hard reddish-brown plates of a loggerhead. It dives deeper, feeds mainly on jellyfish and travels further than any other turtle.

What is the conservation status of the Leatherback Turtle?

The Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

What is the Leatherback Turtle?