The lion (Panthera leo) is a species in the family Felidae and a member of the genus Panthera. It has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1996, as populations in African range countries declined by about 43% since the early 1990s. Lion populations are untenable outside designated protected areas.

Wildlife

Lion

Q: What is the conservation status of the Lion?

The Lion (Panthera leo) is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

Panthera leoVulnerable

The lion (Panthera leo) is a species in the family Felidae and a member of the genus Panthera.

from Wikipedia

Showing stays that recordLion10+ 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

Records5,763 records

Curve from 5,763 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 Lion is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.

5,762 records, iNaturalist

Parks where hosts record the Lion

Places to stay

10+ results in the Western Cape

Mont Eco Game Reserve

Mont Eco Game Reserve, Montagu

Lion recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome · Leopard, Lion · Guided walk, Game drives

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

Price on request

Kamagu Homestead & Safari Lodge

Touws River

Lion recorded here · Fynbos biome · Leopard, Lion · Spa, Stargazing

Supports Saving Private Rhino

Price on request

Kuganha Luxury Tented Lodge

Western Cape

Lion recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome · Giraffe, Leopard · Spa, Stargazing

Supports Saving Private Rhino

Price on request

Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve

Western Cape

Lion recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome · 16 birds recorded · Black wildebeest, Black backed jackal · Spa, Stargazing

Supports Saving Private Rhino

Price on request

Aquila Private Game Reserve & Spa

Touws River

Lion recorded here · Fynbos biome · 1 bird recorded · Giraffe, Leopard · Spa, Stargazing

Supports Saving Private Rhino

From R 7,820 per night

Ulubisi House at Gondwana Game Reserve

Gondwana Game Reserve, Mossel Bay

Lion recorded here · Fynbos biome · Leopard, Lion · Spa, Mountain biking

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

Price on request

Kwena Lodge Villas at Gondwana Game Reserve

Gondwana Game Reserve, Mossel Bay

Lion recorded here · Fynbos biome · Leopard, Lion · Spa, Guided walk

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

Price on request

Lehele Lodge at Gondwana Game Reserve

Gondwana Game Reserve, Mossel Bay

Lion recorded here · Fynbos biome · 33 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Spa, Guided walk

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

Price on request

Black Rhino House at Gondwana Game Reserve

Gondwana Game Reserve, Mossel Bay

Lion recorded here · Fynbos biome · Leopard, Lion · Spa, Guided walk

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

Price on request

Kwena Lodge at Gondwana Game Reserve

Gondwana Game Reserve, Mossel Bay

Lion recorded here · Fynbos biome · 33 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Spa, Guided walk

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

Price on request

Loganda Karoo Lodge

Touws River

Lion recorded here · Fynbos biome · Leopard, Lion

Supports Saving Private Rhino

Price on request

More stays nearby

Babylonstoren

Klapmuts, Simondium

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

Price on request

La Clé Lodge & Villas

Franschhoek

Fynbos biome · Cycling

Price on request

Coot Club

Stanford

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

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

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

Supports BirdLife South Africa

From R 5,636 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

Welgelegen House by RETURN Africa

Gardens, Cape Town

Fynbos biome

From R 2,800 per night

An African Story by RETURN Africa

Bakoven, Cape Town

Fynbos biome

From R 9,900 per night

The Kohling

Gardens, Cape Town

Fynbos biome

Supports Streetscapes

Price on request

Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat

Western Cape

Fynbos biome · 4 birds recorded · Cape fox, Caracal · Stargazing, Spa

Price on request

Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate

Benguela Cove, Hermanus

Fynbos biome · 24 birds recorded · Whale watching, Surfing

Supports BirdLife South Africa

Price on request

The Manor House at Colmant

Franschhoek

Fynbos biome · Hot air ballooning

Price on request

Plan a trip around these stays

Planning a trip

When and where to find the Lion

Hosts have recorded the Lion at stays in or beside Gondwana Game Reserve and Mont Eco Private Game Reserve.

When to go, park by park

Here all yearEasiest viewing

Best months to visit each park where hosts record the Lion
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
Mont Eco	Easiest viewing	Easiest viewing	Easiest viewing	Here	Here	Here	Here

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

First and last hours of daylight. The Lion moves and hunts in the cool.
Midday, resting. Usually lying up in shade and hard to spot.
After dark, on a night drive. Where the reserve or park offers one.

Ways to look

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

Gondwana Mont Eco

IUCN Red List

Vulnerable

Species

Panthera leo

Records

5 762

iNaturalist observations

Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.

Questions travellers ask

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

Which parks and reserves are best for the Lion in Western Cape?

Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Lion at stays in or beside Gondwana Game Reserve and Mont Eco Private 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.

Where can you see the Lion in South Africa?

The Lion is most recorded in Mpumalanga (47% of records), Limpopo (19% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (10% of records), based on 5 762 iNaturalist observations. 11 places to stay on Spekboom in Western Cape have recorded the Lion on site or nearby.

When is the best time to see the Lion?

The Lion 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; Mont Eco Private Game Reserve: year-round, peak: Dec-Mar. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.

What is the conservation status of the Lion?