Wildlife

Black Mamba

Dendroaspis polylepis

The black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is a highly venomous snake endemic to parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

from Wikipedia

Showing stays that recordBlack Mamba10+ 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

Records339 records

Curve from 339 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

KwaZulu-Natal and beyond

Provinces where Black Mamba is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.

339 records, iNaturalist

Parks where hosts record the Black Mamba

Places to stay

10+ results in South Africa

Singita Ebony Lodge

Mpumalanga

Black Mamba recorded here · Savanna biome · 42 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Singita Boulders Lodge

Mpumalanga

Black Mamba recorded here · Savanna biome · 43 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Singita Sweni Lodge

Mpumalanga

Black Mamba recorded here · Savanna biome · 53 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Singita Lebombo Lodge

Mpumalanga

Black Mamba recorded here · Savanna biome · 50 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris

Mpumalanga

Black Mamba recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Aardvark, African elephant · Guided walk, Game drives

Supports BirdLife South Africa

Price on request

Mdluli Safari Lodge

Hazyview

Black Mamba 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

Black Mamba recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Scenic drives

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 17,400 per night

Izingwe Lodge

Welgevonden Reserve, Vaalwater

Black Mamba recorded here · Savanna biome · 15 birds recorded · Aardvark, Banded mongoose · Hiking, Scenic drives

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

Price on request

Kruger Untamed - Satara Plains Camp

Marloth Park

Black Mamba 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

Black Mamba recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Guided walk

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 17,500 per night

Inzalo Safari Lodge

Welgevonden Reserve, Vaalwater

Black Mamba recorded here · Savanna biome · 15 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Scenic drives

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

Price on request

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

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

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

Price on request

Plan a trip around these stays

Planning a trip

When and where to find the Black Mamba

Hosts have recorded the Black Mamba at stays in or beside Kruger National Park and Welgevonden Game Reserve.

When to go, park by park

Here all yearEasiest viewing

Best months to visit each park where hosts record the Black Mamba
Park	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Kruger	Here	Here	Here	Easiest viewing	Easiest viewing	Easiest viewing	Easiest viewing	Easiest viewing	Easiest viewing	Here	Here	Here
Welgevonden	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.

Best hours of the day

The warm hours of the day. The Black Mamba needs the sun's warmth before it moves.
Cold mornings and nights. Tucked away until the day warms up.

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

Welgevonden

Species

Dendroaspis polylepis

Records

339

iNaturalist observations

Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.

Questions travellers ask

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

Which parks and reserves are best for the Black Mamba in South Africa?

Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Black Mamba at stays in or beside Kruger National Park and Welgevonden 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 Black Mamba in South Africa?

The Black Mamba is most recorded in KwaZulu-Natal (39% of records), Limpopo (30% of records), Mpumalanga (22% of records), based on 339 iNaturalist observations. 11 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Black Mamba on site or nearby.

When is the best time to see the Black Mamba?

The Black Mamba 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; Welgevonden Game Reserve: May-Sep, dry season. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.

What is the Black Mamba?