Northern Cape
Kgalagadi
Self-driveMalaria-free
Stays in Northern CapeWhere to see
Where to see the Meerkat in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Meerkat at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Kwandwe Private Game Reserve.
Suricata suricatta
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Meerkat
Hosts have recorded the Meerkat at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kgalagadi | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here | Here | Here | Here | Here | Here | Here |
| Kwandwe | 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 Meerkat 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
- Northern Cape
Eastern Cape
Kwandwe
Eastern CapeBig FiveGuided drivesMalaria-freeStays in Eastern Cape
Ways to look
Species
Suricata suricatta
Records
926
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Meerkat on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Meerkat in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Meerkat at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Kwandwe Private Game Reserve. 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 Meerkat in South Africa?
The Meerkat is most recorded in Northern Cape (45% of records), Eastern Cape (25% of records), Mpumalanga (8% of records), based on 926 iNaturalist observations. 16 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Meerkat on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Meerkat?
The Meerkat 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. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May; 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 Meerkat?
The meerkat or suricate (Suricata suricatta) is a small carnivoran belonging to the mongoose family (Herpestidae). It is the only member of the genus Suricata. Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, in much of the Namib Desert in Namibia and southwestern Angola, and in South Africa. A group of meerkats is called a "mob", "gang" or "clan".
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Meerkat
Every stay on the Meerkat 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