KwaZulu-Natal
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg · Hluhluwe-Imfolozi · Giants Castle
Big FiveSelf-drive
Stays in KwaZulu-NatalWhere to see
Where to see the Water Monitor in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Water Monitor at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Kruger National Park and Sabi Sand Game Reserve.
Varanus niloticus
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Water Monitor
Hosts have recorded the Water Monitor 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
- The warm hours of the day. The Water Monitor needs the sun's warmth before it moves.
- Cold mornings and nights. Tucked away until the day warms up.
Where to base yourself
- KwaZulu-Natal
Limpopo
Kruger · Welgevonden
LimpopoBig FiveSelf-driveGuided drivesStays in Limpopo
Mpumalanga
Sabi Sand
MpumalangaBig FiveGuided drivesStays in Mpumalanga
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 niloticus
Records
2,242
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Water Monitor on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Water Monitor in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Water Monitor at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, Welgevonden Game Reserve and Giants Castle 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 Water Monitor in South Africa?
The Water Monitor is most recorded in Mpumalanga (35% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (26% of records), Limpopo (19% of records), based on 2,242 iNaturalist observations. 32 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Water Monitor on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Water Monitor?
The Water 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. 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; Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Water Monitor?
The Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus) is a large member of the monitor lizard family (Varanidae) found throughout much of Africa, but is absent from the west, where it is replaced by Varanus stellatus.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Water Monitor
Every stay on the Water 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