
Wildlife
The leopard tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis) is a large and attractively marked tortoise found in the savannas of eastern and southern Africa, from Sudan to the southern Cape.
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.
Curve from 6,814 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.
Western Cape and beyond
Provinces where Leopard Tortoise is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
6,814 records, iNaturalist
3 results in the Western Cape
Planning a trip
Hosts have recorded the Leopard Tortoise at stays in or beside Gondwana Game Reserve.
| Park | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gondwana | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here | Here | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | 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.
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
Stigmochelys pardalis
Records
6 814
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
A record means a host has seen the Leopard Tortoise on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Leopard Tortoise at stays in or beside Gondwana Game 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.
The Leopard Tortoise is most recorded in Western Cape (30% of records), Eastern Cape (16% of records), Limpopo (15% of records), based on 6 814 iNaturalist observations. 3 places to stay on Spekboom in Western Cape have recorded the Leopard Tortoise on site or nearby.
The Leopard Tortoise 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. Gondwana Game Reserve: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
The leopard tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis) is a large and attractively marked tortoise found in the savannas of eastern and southern Africa, from Sudan to the southern Cape. It is the only member of the genus Stigmochelys, although in the past it was commonly placed in Geochelone. This tortoise is a grazing species that favors semi-arid, thorny to grassland habitats.