KwaZulu-Natal
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg · Hluhluwe-Imfolozi · Giants Castle
Big FiveSelf-drive
Stays in KwaZulu-NatalWhere to see
Where to see the Serval in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Serval at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Kruger National Park and Sabi Sand Game Reserve.
Leptailurus serval
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Serval
Hosts have recorded the Serval at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Kruger National 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| uKhahlamba-Drakensberg | 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
- First and last hours of daylight. The Serval moves and hunts in the cool.
- Midday, resting. Usually lying up in shade and hard to spot.
- After dark, on a night drive. Where the reserve or park offers one.
Where to base yourself
- KwaZulu-Natal
Limpopo
Kruger · Welgevonden
LimpopoBig FiveSelf-driveGuided drivesStays in Limpopo
Mpumalanga
Sabi Sand
MpumalangaBig FiveGuided drivesStays in Mpumalanga
Eastern Cape
Kwandwe
Eastern CapeBig FiveGuided drivesMalaria-freeStays in Eastern Cape
Ways to look
Species
Leptailurus serval
Records
449
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Serval on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Serval in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Serval at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and Gondwana Game 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 Serval in South Africa?
The Serval is most recorded in Gauteng (26% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (20% of records), Mpumalanga (18% of records), based on 449 iNaturalist observations. 51 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Serval on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Serval?
The Serval 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. uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep; Sabi Sand Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep optimal; 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 Serval?
The serval (Leptailurus serval) is a wild cat native to Africa. It is rare in North Africa and the Sahel, but widespread in sub-Saharan countries except rainforest regions. On the IUCN Red List it is listed as Least Concern. Across its range, it occurs in protected areas, and hunting it is either prohibited or regulated in range countries.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Serval
Every stay on the Serval 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