Mpumalanga
Sabi Sand
Big FiveGuided drives
Stays in MpumalangaWhere to see
Where to see the Rock Monitor in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Rock Monitor at stays in or beside Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Kruger National Park and Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park.
Varanus albigularis
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Rock Monitor
Hosts have recorded the Rock Monitor at stays in or beside Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Kruger National Park and Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park.
When to go, park by park
Here all yearEasiest viewing
| Park | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sabi Sand | Here | Here | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here | Here | Here |
| Kruger | Here | Here | Here | 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
- The warm hours of the day. The Rock Monitor needs the sun's warmth before it moves.
- Cold mornings and nights. Tucked away until the day warms up.
Where to base yourself
- Mpumalanga
Limpopo
Kruger · Welgevonden
LimpopoBig FiveSelf-driveGuided drivesStays in Limpopo
KwaZulu-Natal
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi · Ndumo
KwaZulu-NatalBig FiveStays in KwaZulu-Natal
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Guided drives from a lodge
A guide who knows where to look, with off-road and night drives in the private reserves.
Where hosts record it
Species
Varanus albigularis
Records
1,370
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Rock Monitor on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Rock Monitor in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Rock Monitor at stays in or beside Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Kruger National Park, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, Welgevonden Game Reserve and Ndumo 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 Rock Monitor in South Africa?
The Rock Monitor is most recorded in Limpopo (30% of records), Mpumalanga (22% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (12% of records), based on 1,370 iNaturalist observations. 16 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Rock Monitor on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Rock Monitor?
The Rock Monitor 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. Sabi Sand Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep optimal; Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep; Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Welgevonden Game Reserve: May-Sep, dry season. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Rock Monitor?
The rock monitor (Varanus albigularis), also called the leguaan, likkewaan or black-throated monitor, is a species of monitor lizard found in Central, East and southern Africa. It is the second-longest lizard found on the continent, and the heaviest bodied.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Rock Monitor
Every stay on the Rock Monitor 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