What is the conservation status of the Lappet-faced Vulture?

The Lappet-faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotos) is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

What is the Lappet-faced Vulture?

The lappet-faced vulture or Nubian vulture (Torgos tracheliotos) is an Old World vulture belonging to the bird order Accipitriformes, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is the only member of the genus Torgos. It is not closely related to the superficially similar New World vultures, and does not share the good sense of smell of some members of that group.

Go Birding

Lappet-faced Vulture

Torgos tracheliotosEndangered

The lappet-faced vulture or Nubian vulture (Torgos tracheliotos) is an Old World vulture belonging to the bird order Accipitriformes, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks.

from Wikipedia

Showing stays that recordLappet-faced Vulture10+ 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

Recorded in Mpumalanga~361 records

Curve from 682 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property and not from this province. 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 Lappet-faced Vulture is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.

682 records, iNaturalist

Parks where hosts record the Lappet-faced Vulture

Places to stay

10+ results in Mpumalanga

Singita Sweni Lodge

Mpumalanga

Lappet-faced Vulture recorded here · Savanna biome · 53 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Singita Lebombo Lodge

Mpumalanga

Lappet-faced Vulture recorded here · Savanna biome · 50 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

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

&Beyond Tengile River Lodge

Bushbuckridge

Lappet-faced Vulture recorded here · Savanna biome · 37 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Wildlife viewing

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 93,000 per night

&Beyond Ngala Safari Lodge

Hoedspruit

Lappet-faced Vulture recorded here · Savanna biome · 31 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Game drives

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 37,800 per night

&Beyond Ngala Tented Camp

Phalaborwa

Lappet-faced Vulture recorded here · Savanna biome · 31 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Dining experiences

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 52,000 per night

Mdluli Safari Lodge

Hazyview

Lappet-faced Vulture 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

Lappet-faced Vulture recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Scenic drives

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 17,400 per night

Dulini Moya

Bushbuckridge

Lappet-faced Vulture recorded here · Savanna biome · 38 birds recorded · Leadwood, Leopard · Safaris, Scenic drives

From R 28,990 per night

Kruger Untamed - Satara Plains Camp

Marloth Park

Lappet-faced Vulture 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

Lappet-faced Vulture recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Guided walk

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 17,500 per night

Orpen Rest Camp

Kruger National Park

Lappet-faced Vulture recorded here · Savanna biome · 56 birds recorded · Delagoa thorn, Knobthorn · Guided walk, Game drives

From R 1,815 per night

Talamati Bushveld Camp

Kruger National Park

Lappet-faced Vulture recorded here · Savanna biome · 56 birds recorded · Delagoa thorn, Giraffe · Guided walk, Game drives

From R 1,756 per night

Dulini River

Bushbuckridge

Lappet-faced Vulture recorded here · Savanna biome · 38 birds recorded · Sausage tree, Leopard · Safaris, Scenic drives

From R 28,990 per night

Dulini Leadwood

Bushbuckridge

Lappet-faced Vulture recorded here · Savanna biome · 38 birds recorded · Leadwood, Jackalberry · Safaris, Game drives

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 28,990 per night

More stays nearby

Ubuntu Lodge at Elephant Point

Hazyview

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

Price on request

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 Castleton

Mpumalanga

Savanna biome · Yoga

Price on request

Singita Ebony Villa

Mpumalanga

Savanna biome

Price on request

Mbizane Escarpment Retreat

Mbombela

Birder friendly · Forest biome · 91 birds recorded

Supports BirdLife South Africa

From R 3,800 per night

Forellenhof Guest Farm

Wakkerstroom

Birder friendly · Grassland biome · 28 birds recorded · Hiking, Fishing

Supports BirdLife South Africa

From R 1,500 per night

Mvuradona Safari Lodge

Marloth Park

Savanna biome · Giraffe, Warthog · Safaris, Game drives

From R 2,473 per night

Plan a trip around these stays

Planning a trip

When and where to find the Lappet-faced Vulture

Hosts have recorded the Lappet-faced Vulture at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Timbavati Private Nature Reserve.

Best hours of the day

Late morning to mid-afternoon. Raptors soar once the sun raises thermals.
Early morning. Often perched while the air warms.

Where to base yourself

Ways to look

Drive yourself

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

Where hosts record it

Kruger

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

Sabi Sand Timbavati

IUCN Red List

Endangered

Species

Torgos tracheliotos

Records

682

iNaturalist observations

Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.

Questions travellers ask

A record means a host has seen the Lappet-faced Vulture on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.

Which parks and reserves are best for the Lappet-faced Vulture in Mpumalanga?

Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Lappet-faced Vulture at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Timbavati Private Nature 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 Lappet-faced Vulture in South Africa?

The Lappet-faced Vulture is most recorded in Mpumalanga (53% of records), Limpopo (24% of records), Northern Cape (14% of records), based on 682 iNaturalist observations. 15 places to stay on Spekboom in Mpumalanga have recorded the Lappet-faced Vulture on site or nearby.

When is the best time to see the Lappet-faced Vulture?

The Lappet-faced Vulture 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; Timbavati Private Nature Reserve: May-Sep, dry season. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.