Wildlife

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

The Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) is an African crocodile, the largest freshwater predator in Africa, and may be considered the second largest extant reptile in the world, after the saltwater crocodile.

from Wikipedia

Showing stays that recordNile Crocodile30+ 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

Records3,543 records

Curve from 3,543 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 Nile Crocodile is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.

3,542 records, iNaturalist

Parks where hosts record the Nile Crocodile

Places to stay

30+ results in South Africa

Tanda Tula Safari Camp

Limpopo

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

Price on request

Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge

Hluhluwe

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

Price on request

Thonga Beach Lodge

Manguzi

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

Price on request

Maninghi Lodge

Hoedspruit

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

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

Price on request

Singita Ebony Lodge

Mpumalanga

Nile Crocodile recorded here · Savanna biome · 42 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Singita Boulders Lodge

Mpumalanga

Nile Crocodile recorded here · Savanna biome · 43 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Singita Sweni Lodge

Mpumalanga

Nile Crocodile recorded here · Savanna biome · 53 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Singita Lebombo Lodge

Mpumalanga

Nile Crocodile recorded here · Savanna biome · 50 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris

Mpumalanga

Nile Crocodile 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

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

Supports BirdLife South Africa

Price on request

&Beyond Phinda Zuka Lodge

Hluhluwe

Nile Crocodile 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

Nile Crocodile 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

Nile Crocodile 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

Nile Crocodile 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

Nile Crocodile 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

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

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 36,200 per night

&Beyond Ngala Safari Lodge

Hoedspruit

Nile Crocodile 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

Nile Crocodile 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

Nile Crocodile 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

Nile Crocodile 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

Nile Crocodile recorded here · Savanna biome · 38 birds recorded · Leadwood, Leopard · Safaris, Scenic drives

From R 28,990 per night

Izingwe Lodge

Welgevonden Reserve, Vaalwater

Nile Crocodile 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

Nile Crocodile 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

Nile Crocodile recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Guided walk

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 17,500 per night

Plan a trip around these stays

Planning a trip

When and where to find the Nile Crocodile

Hosts have recorded the Nile Crocodile 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 Nile Crocodile
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

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

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 Timbavati

Species

Crocodylus niloticus

Records

3 542

iNaturalist observations

Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.

Questions travellers ask

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

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

Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Nile Crocodile at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Phinda Private Game Reserve, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Welgevonden 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 Nile Crocodile in South Africa?

The Nile Crocodile is most recorded in Mpumalanga (49% of records), Limpopo (28% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (18% of records), based on 3 542 iNaturalist observations. 34 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Nile Crocodile on site or nearby.

When is the best time to see the Nile Crocodile?

The Nile Crocodile 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.