Great Egret

Ardea alba

The great egret (Ardea alba), also known as the common egret, large egret or (in the Old World) great white egret or great white heron is a large, widely distributed egret, with four subspecies found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and southern Europe.

from Wikipedia

Showing stays that recordGreat Egret7 stays list it on site or nearby

Species insights▾

When to visit

Recorded year-round

Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.

Best monthsAny month

Records1,150 records

Curve from 1,150 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.

Where you'll find it

Mpumalanga and beyond

Provinces where Great Egret is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.

1,150 records, iNaturalist

Parks where hosts record the Great Egret

5 places
Kruger National ParkLimpopo · Best Apr to Sep
5 places

Places to stay

7 results in South Africa

Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris

Mpumalanga

Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Aardvark, African elephant · Guided walk, Game drives

Supports BirdLife South Africa

Price on request

Mdluli Safari Lodge

Hazyview

Great Egret recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Game drives

From R 10,670 per night

Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge

Hazyview

Great Egret recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Scenic drives

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 17,400 per night

Kruger Untamed - Satara Plains Camp

Marloth Park

Great Egret recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Impala, Spotted hyena · Safaris, Guided walk

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 11,980 per night

Kruger Untamed - Tshokwane River Camp

Marloth Park

Great Egret recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Guided walk

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 17,500 per night

The Whale Trail (De Hoop)

De Hoop Nature Reserve

Great Egret recorded here · Fynbos biome · 185 birds recorded · Bontebok, Southern right whale · Whale watching, Cycling

From R 6,460 per night

Shimuwini Bushveld Camp

Kruger National Park

Great Egret recorded here · Savanna biome · 43 birds recorded · Baobab, Cheetah · Guided walk, Game drives

From R 1,670 per night

More stays nearby

Babylonstoren

Klapmuts, Simondium

12 birds recorded · Angulate tortoise, Wild olive · Spa, Vineyards

Price on request

Tanda Tula Safari Camp

Limpopo

Savanna biome · 27 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard · Guided walk, Game drives

Price on request

Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge

Hluhluwe

Savanna biome · 285 birds recorded · African wild dog, Spotted hyena · Game drives

Price on request

Thonga Beach Lodge

Manguzi

Forest biome · 60 birds recorded · Humpback whale, Southern right whale · Canoeing, Snorkelling

Price on request

La Clé Lodge & Villas

Franschhoek

Fynbos biome · Cycling

Price on request

Coot Club

Stanford

Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · 8 birds recorded · White milkwood, Southern right whale · Whale watching, Canoeing

Price on request

Ubuntu Lodge at Elephant Point

Hazyview

Savanna biome · 1 bird recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Scenic drives

Price on request

Vergenoegd Löw Boutique Hotel & Spa

Somerset West

Fynbos biome · 1 bird recorded · Vineyards, Wine tasting

Price on request

Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse

Riebeek Valley, Riebeek West

Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · 26 birds recorded · Black wildebeest, Bontebok · Horse riding, Hiking

Supports BirdLife South Africa

From R 5,636 per night

Maninghi Lodge

Hoedspruit

Savanna biome · 8 birds recorded · Giraffe, African elephant · Game drives

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

Price on request

Rhino Sands Safari Camp

Hazyview

Savanna biome · 30 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Scenic drives

Supports Zululand Conservation Trust

From R 22,680 per night

Franschhoek Country House & Villas

Franschhoek

Fynbos biome · 1 bird recorded · Spa, Mountain biking

Supports Cape Leopard Trust

From R 6,195 per night

Tintswalo at Boulders

Simon's Town, Cape Town

Fynbos biome · 1 bird recorded · Surfing, Scenic drives

Supports Friends of Table Mountain

From R 4,060 per night

Singita Ebony Lodge

Mpumalanga

Savanna biome · 42 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Singita Boulders Lodge

Mpumalanga

Savanna biome · 43 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Singita Lebombo Villa

Mpumalanga

Savanna biome

Price on request

Singita Sweni Lodge

Mpumalanga

Savanna biome · 53 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Plan a trip around these stays

Planning a trip

When and where to find the Great Egret

Hosts have recorded the Great Egret at stays in or beside Kruger National Park.

Best hours of the day

The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.

Ways to look

Drive yourself

Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.

Where hosts record it

Kruger

Species

Ardea alba

Records

1 150

iNaturalist observations

Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.

Questions travellers ask

A record means a host has seen the Great Egret on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.

Which parks and reserves are best for the Great Egret in South Africa?

Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Great Egret at stays in or beside Kruger National Park. 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 Great Egret in South Africa?

The Great Egret is most recorded in Mpumalanga (33% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (31% of records), Limpopo (17% of records), based on 1 150 iNaturalist observations. 7 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Great Egret on site or nearby.

When is the best time to see the Great Egret?

The Great Egret 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. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.

What is the Great Egret?