What is the conservation status of the Hippopotamus?

The Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

Wildlife

Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibiusVulnerable

The common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), or hippo, is a large, mostly herbivorous, semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae, the other being the pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis or Hexaprotodon liberiensis).

from Wikipedia

Showing stays that recordHippopotamus50+ 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

Records5,154 records

Curve from 5,154 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 Hippopotamus is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.

5,154 records, iNaturalist

Parks where hosts record the Hippopotamus

Places to stay

50+ results in South Africa

Tanda Tula Safari Camp

Limpopo

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

Price on request

Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge

Hluhluwe

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

Price on request

Thonga Beach Lodge

Manguzi

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

Price on request

Ubuntu Lodge at Elephant Point

Hazyview

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

Price on request

Maninghi Lodge

Hoedspruit

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

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

Price on request

Singita Ebony Lodge

Mpumalanga

Hippopotamus recorded here · Savanna biome · 42 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Singita Boulders Lodge

Mpumalanga

Hippopotamus recorded here · Savanna biome · 43 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Singita Sweni Lodge

Mpumalanga

Hippopotamus recorded here · Savanna biome · 53 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Singita Lebombo Lodge

Mpumalanga

Hippopotamus recorded here · Savanna biome · 50 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Kwandwe Melton Manor

Eastern Cape

Hippopotamus recorded here · Albany Thicket biome · 207 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Kwandwe Great Fish River Lodge

Eastern Cape

Hippopotamus recorded here · Albany Thicket biome · 207 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard · Game drives

Price on request

Kwandwe Uplands Homestead

Eastern Cape

Hippopotamus recorded here · Albany Thicket biome · 207 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Kwandwe Fort House

Eastern Cape

Hippopotamus recorded here · Albany Thicket biome · 207 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Kwandwe Ecca Lodge

Eastern Cape

Hippopotamus recorded here · Albany Thicket biome · 207 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Hutwini Walking Camp by RETURN Africa

Limpopo

Hippopotamus recorded here · Forest biome · 16 birds recorded · Leopard, Spotted hyena · Fishing, Guided walk

Supports BirdLife South Africa

From R 11,820 per night

Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris

Mpumalanga

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

Supports BirdLife South Africa

Price on request

Kosi Forest Lodge

Manguzi

Hippopotamus recorded here · Forest biome · 41 birds recorded · Hippopotamus, Nile crocodile · Canoeing, Fishing

Supports BirdLife South Africa

Price on request

Jaci's Private Lodge

Madikwe

Hippopotamus recorded here · Savanna biome · 71 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Game drives, Photography

Supports Jaci's Lodge Trust

From R 31,500 per night

&Beyond Phinda Zuka Lodge

Hluhluwe

Hippopotamus recorded here · Savanna biome · 34 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Scenic drives

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 31,600 per night

&Beyond Tengile River Lodge

Bushbuckridge

Hippopotamus recorded here · Savanna biome · 37 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Wildlife viewing

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 93,000 per night

&Beyond Phinda Vlei Lodge

Hluhluwe

Hippopotamus recorded here · Savanna biome · 34 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Wildlife viewing

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 44,800 per night

&Beyond Phinda Rock Lodge

Hluhluwe

Hippopotamus recorded here · Savanna biome · 34 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Hiking

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 44,800 per night

&Beyond Phinda Mountain Lodge

Hluhluwe

Hippopotamus recorded here · Savanna biome · 34 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Wildlife viewing

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 35,500 per night

&Beyond Phinda Forest Lodge

Hluhluwe

Hippopotamus recorded here · Forest biome · 34 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Hiking

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 36,200 per night

Plan a trip around these stays

Planning a trip

When and where to find the Hippopotamus

Hosts have recorded the Hippopotamus at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Phinda Private Game Reserve and Sabi Sand Game Reserve.

When to go, park by park

Here all yearEasiest viewing

Best months to visit each park where hosts record the Hippopotamus
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
Phinda	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

After dark and around dawn. The Hippopotamus is mostly active at night, so a night drive gives the best chance.
Daytime, resting. Usually out of sight in cover, a burrow or water.

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

Phinda Sabi Sand Welgevonden Amakhala Gondwana

IUCN Red List

Vulnerable

Species

Hippopotamus amphibius

Records

5 154

iNaturalist observations

Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.

Questions travellers ask

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

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

Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Hippopotamus at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Phinda Private Game Reserve, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Welgevonden Game Reserve, Amakhala Game Reserve and Gondwana Game Reserve and other reserves. 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 Hippopotamus in South Africa?

The Hippopotamus is most recorded in Mpumalanga (41% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (21% of records), Limpopo (21% of records), based on 5 154 iNaturalist observations. 51 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Hippopotamus on site or nearby.

When is the best time to see the Hippopotamus?

The Hippopotamus 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; Phinda Private Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Sabi Sand Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep optimal; Welgevonden Game Reserve: May-Sep, dry season. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.