Where to see
Where to see the Loggerhead Turtle in South Africa
Every summer loggerhead turtles come ashore on the beaches of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park in northern KwaZulu-Natal to dig their nests, on the same wild Maputaland coast between Kosi Bay and Sodwana where they hatched decades earlier. It is one of the few places in the world where you can walk a beach at night with a guide and watch a turtle lay her eggs.
Caretta caretta · Vulnerable
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Loggerhead Turtle
Every summer loggerhead turtles come ashore on the beaches of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park in northern KwaZulu-Natal to dig their nests, on the same wild Maputaland coast between Kosi Bay and Sodwana where they hatched decades earlier.
IUCN Red List
Vulnerable
Species
Caretta caretta
Records
154
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Loggerhead Turtle on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
More about the Loggerhead Turtle
Every summer loggerhead turtles come ashore on the beaches of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park in northern KwaZulu-Natal to dig their nests, on the same wild Maputaland coast between Kosi Bay and Sodwana where they hatched decades earlier. It is one of the few places in the world where you can walk a beach at night with a guide and watch a turtle lay her eggs.
Nesting runs from about November to February, and the hatchlings break out and run for the sea from late December into March. Turtle tracking happens after dark on a licensed tour: private vehicles are banned from these beaches, and only permitted operators may take guests onto the sand at night. The beaches have been monitored since 1963, one of the longest-running turtle programmes anywhere, and several hundred loggerhead females now nest here each season.
The stays on this page sit on that coast, in coastal forest above the dunes or beside the Kosi lakes, and their hosts run or book the tracking walks in season. A sighting is never guaranteed, but on a December night in the right place it is likely. Out of season the same coast offers snorkelling on the reefs, humpback whales in winter and the lakes and fish traps of the Thonga people.
When is the best time to see loggerhead turtles nesting?
November to February for nesting females, with December and January usually the busiest nights. Hatchlings emerge from late December into March. Outside those months the turtles are at sea and the beaches are quiet.
Where can you see turtles nesting in South Africa?
On the iSimangaliso coast of northern KwaZulu-Natal, between Kosi Bay, Mabibi and Sodwana Bay. The stays on this page are on that coast, and the hosts arrange the licensed night walks.
Can I go onto the beach on my own to look for turtles?
Not at night in season. The nesting beaches are protected, private vehicles are banned from them and only licensed operators may take guests out after dark. A guide keeps a respectful distance, keeps lights off until she is laying and makes sure the hatchlings reach the sea.
What is the conservation status of the Loggerhead Turtle?
The Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Loggerhead Turtle?
The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), or loggerhead, is an oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world. It is a marine reptile, belonging to the family Cheloniidae. The average loggerhead measures around 90 cm (35 in) long when fully grown, although larger specimens of up to 280 cm (110 in) have been discovered.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Loggerhead Turtle
Every stay on the Loggerhead Turtle 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