Our rates are inclusive of Dinner, Bed and Breakfast.

The Big 6 and Other Rare Birds of Kruger National Park

Birds of Kruger National Park

The Kruger is a bird enthusiast’s paradise: With over 800 bird species in South Africa, there are more birds here than the entire North American continent! But when it comes to the birds of Kruger National Park most visitors, birdwatchers or not, are intrigued by the Big 6.

The Big 6 refers to six of the most sought-after birds which travellers to the Kruger National Park want to see, as opposed to the Big 5, which represents the five game species which were historically most prized as hunter’s trophies and now represent the animals that visitors to Kruger  most want to see. The species are straightforward to recognize and easily identifiable, perfectly suited for even amateur birders. Due to human encroachment, habitat destruction, and other factors that have narrowed the range of the species, they are also mostly limited to Kruger and other protected areas.

The Big 6

The lappet-faced vulture, the Pel’s fishing owl, the martial eagle, the saddle-billed stork, the ground hornbill, and the kori bustard, collectively called the Big 6, are just a few of the birds of Kruger National Park. These magnificent birds are some of the biggest and most striking birds in the world, and you can find them all in the Kruger

Pel’s Fishing Owl

The Pel’s fishing owl, a stunning reddish-brown bird, is the ultimate Big 6 bird to see. Although it falls under the IUCN’s “least concern” category, it is typically the most difficult to locate. Rare and elusive, it often eludes skilled birders until revealing itself to observers unaware of the priceless gem they are seeing.

Lappet-Faced Vulture

Another rare find, the lappet-faced vulture is one of the biggest scavengers in Africa. Reaching sizes of up to one metre tall, and a wingspan up to three metres wide, seeing this endangered species is a special sight. Besides their large size, they are easily identified by the fleshy folds of skin on their necks and their bald pink heads.

Saddle-Billed Stork

The multicoloured saddle-billed stork has a similarly large wingspan. In fact, it is the largest member of the stork family. If you’re fortunate, you could get a glimpse of it lurking in tiny ponds and streams in search of fish or frogs to feast on.

Southern Ground Hornbill

Another unique bird to watch out for is the southern ground hornbill, listed as vulnerable on the IUCN’s list of endangered species. It sometimes makes booming noises extremely early in the morning and sounds that bear a frightening resemblance to the grunts of a lion.

Martial Eagle

The martial eagle, the largest eagle in South Africa, is also classed as “vulnerable” despite being one of the Big 6’s most ferocious species. Its black head and wings, spotted white belly, make it easy to identify. It may swoop down and take off with animals as big as a young impala or goat. The open savannah is where you’re most likely to find them.

Kori Bustard

You’ll even have a chance of seeing the heaviest flying bird in the world, the Kori bustard. They can weigh as much as 19 kg. This terrestrial bird has a long neck, long foot that ends in three fingers, and light brown or grey-colored feathers.

When to Go Birdwatching

The peak birding season in South Africa is during the summer, when migratory species also pass through. Approximately 200 migrating bird species from Eurasia and other parts of Africa arrive between October and March. Most start flocking to the Kruger  following the first summer rains, when there is an abundance of water and food. Birdwatchers take note: This is when you want to plan your trip if you hope to catch a glimpse of not only the Big 6, but many of the other birds of Kruger National Park.

Where to Stay

The Kruger offers a broad choice of luxury lodges, self-catering options, and camping sites to accommodate different price ranges. Private game reserves and luxury bush lodges close to the Kruger’s entrance are also available.

But a little bird told me that Kruger Gate Hotel is the best place to spot the Big 6 and other rare birds of Kruger National Park. Book your birdwatching breakaway here.

Guest Reviews

(Translated by Google) I had a wonderful stay at the Kruger Gate Hotel.
It's ideally located for enjoying a safari.
The animals roam freely—I was greeted by a family of warthogs outside my room door. Monkeys roam the trees, and buffalo, elephants, and other species roam freely around the pool.
The staff is lovely and welcoming (special mention to Debrah :) ).
The room is pleasant and comfortable.
The food is delicious.
In short, a perfect place to relax and enjoy nature's bounty.

(Original)
J'ai passé un excellent séjour au Kruger Gate Hotel.
Il est idéalement situé pour profiter d'un safari.
Les animaux viennent librement - j'ai été accueilli par une famille de phacochères devant ma porte de chambre, les singes font leurs vies dans les arbres et de la piscine, buffles, éléphants et autres espèces viennent naturellement.
Le personnel est adorable et accueillant (mention spéciale à Debrah :) )
Chambre agréable et confortable.
La nourriture est délicieuse.
bref un endroit parfait pour se reposer et profiter des cadeaux de la nature.

Posted on 19/05/2025 by Google

highly commendable. simply the best.

Posted on 18/05/2025 by Google

rooms a bit dated rest are good

Posted on 13/05/2025 by Agoda

Kruger Gate Hotel was very nice with an amazing spa. Breakfast & dinner was included in our rate. They were very accomodating for me with Gluten Free requirements. They went thru the whole buffet with me and confirmed what was gluten free & what was not. Surprisingly most of the buffet was good for me. The food was amazing. I did a facial & a 90 min massage. Both were very good & highly recommend them. I did one safari with the lodge, which was extra, but so worth it. We go so close to so many animals. I would definitely stay here again.

Posted on 19/05/2025 by TripAdvisor

Stayed at the hotel for 4 nights with my partner, our room was spacious and cleanliness was very good. Good variety of food for the buffet dinner and all of the top shelf liquors available. Water supplied and topped up daily. The Safari trips were brilliant and I really recommend them. Enoch was our driver for the tour (we did an all day one which started at 5.30am with breakfast available to collect and take with you) and he was fantastic. Really knowledgeable about the area and he knows his animals. Nothing was too much for him and was happy to stop at any animal siting. Enoch is friendly, chatty and I swear he has a sixth sense on where to head out in the vast amount of land on the national park. If you get Enoch as your guide you\'re on to a winner already and have a superb chance of seeing the Big 5 which we did. Definitely going back to Kruger National Park and would stay here again.

Posted on 20/05/2025 by TripAdvisor

Hotel with enormous charm located 2 minutes from the Kruger gate. It is a faultless one! Beautiful place good meals a magical safari.

Posted on 13/05/2025 by TripAdvisor

Excellent location for the price! Courteous staff. Excellent breakfast and dinner( especially for me many vegetarian choices were offered). Staff at dinner and breakfast went out of their way to get what we wanted. Amazing safari offered by the hotel with a great guide. Couldn’t fault a thing! Can think of only superlatives to describe anything. Thanks to all staff!

Posted on 18/05/2025 by TripAdvisor

Everything was great. The staff were amazing, could not do enough for you. There was a great selection of food (I’m vegetarian). We did three safari drives and the guides would endeavour to help guests see as many animals as possible (we saw the big 5 over the three excursions). Great location right next to Kruger Gate. We also used the spa which had a lovely range of treatments. The room and bed were very comfortable. I hope to return and would recommend to anyone wanting to visit this area.

Posted on 20/05/2025 by Booking.com

Breakfast was good,all assorted,spoled for choice

Posted on 19/05/2025 by Booking.com

何から何まで、かなり洗練されていて、とても満足している。

Posted on 19/05/2025 by Booking.com

Das Hotel direkt am Kruger Gate ist wirklich beeindruckend – eine große Anlage, aber mit sehr viel Liebe zum Detail und einem tollen afrikanischen Flair gestaltet. Alles ist geschmackvoll und atmosphärisch. Besonders das Abendessen war ein Highlight: Der Bereich mit Feuerstellen, in dem gegessen wird, ist wunderschön gestaltet und schafft eine ganz besondere Stimmung.

Ein absolutes Highlight ist der beheizte Infinity Pool mit Blick auf ein Wasserloch – das dazugehörige „Viewing -Deck“ ist traumhaft zum Entspannen, Cocktails genießen und einfach die Natur auf sich wirken zu lassen.
Leider wurde unser Erlebnis dort etwas getrübt: Trotz klarer Hinweisschilder zum Ruhebereich hielten sich einige Gäste nicht daran und verhielten sich sehr laut. Schade war, dass das Personal in dieser Situation nicht eingeschritten ist – gerade in einem Bereich, der zur Entspannung gedacht ist, wäre mehr Rücksicht wünschenswert gewesen.
Abgesehen davon ist die Anlage für ihre Größe wirklich hervorragend gestaltet – mit viel Atmosphäre und Komfort. Wir würden wiederkommen, hoffen aber auf etwas mehr Achtsamkeit im Ruhebereich.

Posted on 13/05/2025 by Booking.com

Location to gate of Kruger national park
Staff were polite and helpful
Rooms were good sized and comfortable
Good diverse food options

Posted on 21/05/2025 by Booking.com

Absolutely perfect location for access to the Kruger Park, setting and atmosphere created the African experience.

Posted on 20/05/2025 by Booking.com

Very good breakfast, I enjoyed it. Would like to have better variety of fruits, though

Posted on 20/05/2025 by Booking.com

Perfect location and suitable for the family

Posted on 15/05/2025 by Booking.com

Very friendly and helpful staff! Beautiful pool deck with the best pizza’s. Lovely buffet, both at brekkie and dinner. Handy location right by Paul Kruger Gate.

Posted on 13/05/2025 by Booking.com

Kruger Gate Hotel exceeded my expectations! Lovely staff, great ambiance, excellent breakfast and dinner! Our server, Given, was excellent the first night and recommended some good African Wine. Our first game drive ever was a great experience as our driver tried his best to find the Cats. Thepo|Thope was our server for my wife's birthday dinner, and he was phenomenal, along with the Chef and the crew. We experienced African hospitality! Will recommend Kruger Gate Hotel to friends and family and I hope to come back!

Posted on 13/05/2025 by Booking.com

Extreme hospitality in a beautiful setting. Everyone was kind and smiling. Great food. Clean spacious rooms. Adjacent to Kruger Gate

Posted on 20/05/2025 by Booking.com

De tudo. Desdo café da manhã, a piscina, o mini golf, os funcionários, até o jantar.

Posted on 20/05/2025 by Booking.com

Ein traumhaftes Hotel mit freundlichem und jederzeit hilfsbereitem Personal, top ausgestatteten Ferienhäusern und einem Abend- und Frühstücksbuffet mit einer großen Auswahl. Der Ausblick vom Pool auf den Krüger Nationalpark ist einzigartig und lässt einen täglich was Neues entdecken.
Wir haben 2 Privatsafaris mitgemacht und unsere Guides sind dabei stets auf unsere Wünsche eingegangen und haben es uns ermöglicht, die Big 5 zu sehen.
Es hätte für uns keinen besseren Abschluss unserer Südafrika-Reise geben können.

Posted on 18/05/2025 by Booking.com

We enjoyed the staff, the food, the amenities and the location.

Posted on 14/05/2025 by Booking.com

Sehr schöne, grüne und gepflegte Anlage, mit Blick auf den Sabie River und Krüger. Die Lage ist top, da man in weniger als 5Min im Park ist. Super freundliches und aufgestelltes Personal! Leckeres Essen! Gut geeignet auch für mit Kindern!

Posted on 18/05/2025 by Booking.com

Uitstekend

Posted on 17/05/2025 by Booking.com

Safari
Vue panoramique
Proximité porte

Posted on 17/05/2025 by Booking.com