Limpopo
Kruger · Timbavati · Thornybush
Big FiveSelf-driveGuided drives
Stays in LimpopoWhere to see
Where to see the Spotted Hyena in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Spotted Hyena at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
Crocuta crocuta
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Spotted Hyena
Hosts have recorded the Spotted Hyena at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
When to go, park by park
Here all yearEasiest viewing
| Park | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kruger | Here | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here | Here | Here |
| Sabi Sand | Here | Here | Here | Here | 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
- After dark and around dawn. The Spotted Hyena is mostly active at night, so a night drive gives the best chance.
- Daytime, resting. Usually out of sight in cover, a burrow or water.
Where to base yourself
- Limpopo
Mpumalanga
Sabi Sand
MpumalangaBig FiveGuided drivesStays in Mpumalanga
KwaZulu-Natal
Phinda · Hluhluwe-Imfolozi · Ithala
KwaZulu-NatalBig FiveGuided drivesStays in KwaZulu-Natal
Northern Cape
Kgalagadi
Northern CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Northern Cape
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
Crocuta crocuta
Records
3,393
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Spotted Hyena on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Spotted Hyena in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Spotted Hyena at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, Phinda Private Game Reserve and Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 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 Spotted Hyena in South Africa?
The Spotted Hyena is most recorded in Mpumalanga (64% of records), Limpopo (25% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (5% of records), based on 3,393 iNaturalist observations. 55 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Spotted Hyena on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Spotted Hyena?
The Spotted Hyena 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. Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep; Sabi Sand Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep optimal; 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 Spotted Hyena?
The spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), also known as the laughing hyena, is a species of hyena, currently classed as the sole member of the genus Crocuta, native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is listed as being of least concern by the IUCN on account of its widespread range and large numbers estimated between 27,000 and 47,000 individuals.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Spotted Hyena
Every stay on the Spotted Hyena 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