Subject · Wildlife · Mammal

Serval Cat

Leptailurus serval · best Apr–May, Jul–Dec

In season now

Where and when

Months by place

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Greater Mara private conservancies: Olare Motorogi, Mara North, Naboisho. Work grassland and drainage line edges near water where standing grass stays above 30 cm (serval habitat requirement)., Kenya

Eastern Serengeti around Namiri Plains camp (area closed to tourism for about 20 years for cheetah recovery). Cat Expeditions also searched a specific eastern Serengeti area for melanistic servals (location not published)., Tanzania

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Rietvlei Nature Reserve, City of Tshwane, Pretoria., South Africa

Serval Cat shooting windows: places down, months across
Subject	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Greater Mara private conservancies: Olare Motorogi, Mara North, Naboisho. Work grassland and drainage line edges near water where standing grass stays above 30 cm (serval habitat requirement)., Kenya	In season	In season	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	In season	In season	In season	In season	Peak	Peak	In season
Eastern Serengeti around Namiri Plains camp (area closed to tourism for about 20 years for cheetah recovery). Cat Expeditions also searched a specific eastern Serengeti area for melanistic servals (location not published)., Tanzania	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Peak	Outside the window
Ngorongoro Conservation Area	In season	In season	In season	Peak	Peak	Outside the window	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak
Rietvlei Nature Reserve, City of Tshwane, Pretoria., South Africa	In season	In season	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	In season

Best for November

Odds: Likely, 4 of 5. Verdict: Prime.
Serval Cat at Greater Mara private conservancies: Olare Motorogi, Mara North, Naboisho. Work grassland and drainage line edges near water where standing grass stays above 30 cm (serval habitat requirement)., Kenya: you will probably see it (Oct–Dec)
Odds: Likely, 4 of 5. Verdict: Good.
Serval Cat at Eastern Serengeti around Namiri Plains camp (area closed to tourism for about 20 years for cheetah recovery). Cat Expeditions also searched a specific eastern Serengeti area for melanistic servals (location not published)., Tanzania: you will probably see it (Nov)
Odds: Likely, 4 of 5. Verdict: Good.
Serval Cat at Ngorongoro Conservation Area: you will probably see it (Nov–May)

Its year

Across its windows

Serval Cat — Masai Mara conservancies (Olare Motorogi, Mara North, Naboisho) — Short rains Oct to Dec

Shoot window

Greater Mara private conservancies: Olare Motorogi, Mara North, Naboisho. Work grassland and drainage line edges near water where standing grass stays above 30 cm (serval habitat requirement)., Kenya

Serval Cat: you will probably see it (Oct–Dec)

Serval Cat by month
Month	Presence
Jan	Outside the window
Feb	Outside the window
Mar	Outside the window
Apr	Outside the window
May	Outside the window
Jun	Outside the window
Jul	Outside the window
Aug	Peak
Sep	Peak
Oct	Peak
Nov	Peak
Dec	In season

Peak: November. Births in the Mara reportedly peak Aug to Nov (Cat Expeditions, single source, unverified). Short rains onset varies year to year.
Days needed: 8 days
Behaviour: Hunting / predation, Calving / pupping
Coat: Juveniles present
Habitat: Green season / lush
Crowds: Quiet
Also here: Cheetah, lion (Olare Motorogi and Naboisho hold some of Kenya's densest lion populations), leopard, bat eared fox, caracal (rare), aardwolf, secretarybird.

Light: 1.3°S. 10 Nov: sunrise 06:17, sunset 18:27, noon sun 74° (computed with astral, not sourced). Golden hour about 40 min each end; sun below 20° only about 85 min per end of day. Clear sky midday is unusable. Soft light source is short rains cloud: afternoon build ups and fully overcast days extend usable time; overcast frequency figures not found (unverified). Servals hunt more by day in the wet season and are more active at midday when cloudy, so activity and soft light overlap. Access: conservancies are not bound by national reserve rules, so both golden hours are reachable and night drives are allowed. Exposure cost: dawn or heavy cloud means roughly ISO 3200 to 6400 for 1/2000 s at f/4 on a pounce (estimate).
Weather risk: Rainy season
Atmosphere: Storm skies over green plains, rain curtains as a backdrop, backlit wet grass, rim light through the ears at low sun.
Permits: Driving a conservancy requires staying at a camp inside it. Conservancies allow off road driving and night drives (confirm current rules per conservancy when booking). Olare Motorogi caps beds at 94. Drones need Kenyan civil aviation permits; assume none. Keep distance so the cat keeps hunting; back off from any mother with kittens.
Getting there: Fly Nairobi Wilson to the Mara airstrips (Safarilink, AirKenya) or drive via Narok. Minimum practical stay 6 nights; splitting two conservancies covers more serval territories. Cost is a rough estimate for ground costs only, excluding international flights; not sourced.

Who runs trips here: Kicheche Bush Camp, Olare Motorogi: vehicles modified for cameras, extended drives are normal. Mara Plains Camp, Olare Motorogi: lists serval as common and seen regularly. No operator with a published serval track record found here (unverified).

Confidence: medium · Last verified 22 Sept 2026

Serval Cat — Eastern Serengeti, Namiri Plains — Short rains Nov

Shoot window

Serval Cat: you will probably see it (Nov)

Serval Cat by month
Month	Presence
Jan	Outside the window
Feb	Outside the window
Mar	Outside the window
Apr	Outside the window
May	Outside the window
Jun	Outside the window
Jul	Outside the window
Aug	Outside the window
Sep	Outside the window
Oct	Outside the window
Nov	Peak
Dec	Outside the window

Peak: Early to mid November. The Nov 2023 Cat Expeditions trip saw 5 servals in 8 days, sightings averaging 30 min at about 20 m, closest 4 m.
Days needed: 8 days
Behaviour: Hunting / predation, Migration / passage
Coat: Not applicable
Habitat: Green season / lush
Crowds: Quiet
Also here: Cheetah (very high density, mothers with cubs), lion on kopjes, caracal (very difficult), aardwolf, African wildcat, bat eared fox, secretarybird, black bellied bustard display.

Light: 2.5°S. 10 Nov: sunrise 06:16, sunset 18:29, noon sun 75° (computed). TANAPA rules: driving only 06:00 to 18:00. Morning golden hour (06:02 to 06:44) is reachable because the camp sits in serval country. Evening: drives must end by 18:00, about 30 min before sunset, so the lowest sun is lost; whether Namiri has any dispensation is unverified. Soft light source is short rains cloud and showers (a shower and rainbow recorded on the 2023 trip). Usable soft light: about 45 min morning low sun, maybe 20 to 30 min evening, plus overcast.
Weather risk: Rainy season
Atmosphere: Storm skies over short grass plains and kopjes, post shower clarity, rainbows, wildebeest herds arriving as a dark band behind.
Permits: Serengeti NP (TANAPA): 06:00 to 18:00 only; off track driving prohibited except under a research permit; stay in the vehicle. No low angle possible.
Getting there: Kilimanjaro to Arusha, charter to Namiri Plains (tour format). 8 nights. Cost is the tour price, excluding international flights.

Who runs trips here: Cat Expeditions (Sebastian Kennerknecht and Rachel), Cheetahs and Servals of the Serengeti photo tour, based at Namiri Plains camp, 6 guests, one photographer per row. Next open date 4 to 12 Nov 2028 at USD 16,950 pp (single supplement USD 2,000); 27 Mar to 4 Apr 2027 green season departure sold out. Local guide on the 2023 trip: Moinga.

Confidence: medium · Last verified 22 Sept 2026

Serval Cat — Ngorongoro Crater floor — Wet season Nov to May

Shoot window

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Serval Cat: you will probably see it (Nov–May)

Serval Cat by month
Month	Presence
Jan	In season
Feb	In season
Mar	In season
Apr	Peak
May	Peak
Jun	Outside the window
Jul	Outside the window
Aug	Outside the window
Sep	Outside the window
Oct	Outside the window
Nov	Peak
Dec	Peak

Peak: Short rains Nov to mid Dec and long rains Apr to May for the fewest vehicles and most cloud. Exact weeks unverified.
Days needed: 5 days
Behaviour: Hunting / predation
Coat: Not applicable
Habitat: Green season / lush, Wetland / water
Crowds: Moderate

Light: 3.2°S. Noon sun 72° to 75° in this window (computed). Sunrise about 06:15 (Nov) to 06:38 (Jan); sunset 18:31 to 18:55. Access kills the evening: descent gate opens 06:00, closes to entries at 16:00, all vehicles out by 18:00, so the whole evening golden hour is lost. Morning: first at the gate means the floor by roughly 06:30 to 06:45; the 600 m eastern rim should delay direct sun on the floor (how long is unverified), giving open shade and rim mist first. Soft light source is wet season cloud: servals hunt by day in the wet season and are more active at midday when cloudy. Usable soft light: about 1 to 1.5 h of morning low sun plus whatever cloud delivers; overcast frequency not found.
Weather risk: Rainy season and Fog / mist (asset)
Atmosphere: Rim mist on most mornings, storm skies against the crater wall, rain curtains; the wall itself as a dark, even backdrop at long focal lengths.
Permits: NCAA rules: stay in the vehicle except at picnic sites, 25 km/h, no off road driving. Fees (2025/26): conservation fee USD 70.80 per person per 24 h; crater service fee USD 295 per vehicle per descent; USD 59 per person concession fee if sleeping on the rim. The 6 hour floor limit is reported as a soft rule, but gate times are enforced. Whether a guide is mandatory is disputed across sources; use a licensed guide.
Getting there: Arusha to the rim 3.5 to 4 h by road. Sleep on the rim (Serena is closest to the Seneto descent) to be first at the 06:00 gate, or in Karatu, 20+ min further, to avoid the concession fee. Every descent is a new USD 295 vehicle fee, so plan one descent per day. Cost is a rough ground only estimate; not sourced.

Who runs trips here: No serval specialist operator found. Book a private vehicle and guide for sole use so you control where you stop; ask for a guide who tracks servals. Unverified.

Confidence: medium · Last verified 22 Sept 2026

Serval Cat — Aberdare National Park moorland — Dry spells Jun to Sep and Jan to Feb (melanistic)

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Aberdare NP afro alpine moorland above about 3,000 m, between Kinangop (3,903 m) and Ol Donyo Lesatima (4,001 m). A published melanistic serval image was taken on the moorland at about 10,000 ft. Best gate for a moorland circuit unverified., Kenya

Serval Cat: you might see it, but it is far from sure (Jan–Feb, Jun–Sep)

Serval Cat by month
Month	Presence
Jan	In season
Feb	In season
Mar	Outside the window
Apr	Outside the window
May	Outside the window
Jun	In season
Jul	In season
Aug	In season
Sep	In season
Oct	Outside the window
Nov	Outside the window
Dec	Outside the window

Peak: Unverified. Dry spells keep moorland tracks passable.
Days needed: 7 days
Behaviour: Hunting / predation
Coat: Not applicable
Habitat: Tundra
Crowds: Quiet

Light: 0.4°S, about 3,000 m. Mid July: sunrise 06:36, sunset 18:42, noon sun 68° (computed). KWS hours 06:00 to 18:00 cut the evening golden hour (sunset about 40 min after the gate). Here soft light does not depend on low sun: mist and rain often build by midday even in dry months, and the moorland is frequently in cloud, so usable soft light can run most of the day. Frequency of mist days not found. Cost: mist at altitude is dim, so expect high ISO at long focal lengths on a dark subject; exposing for a black cat in white fog needs care.
Weather risk: Fog / mist (asset) and Rainy season
Atmosphere: Mist, drizzle, giant heather and giant groundsel shapes, cold air. The natural monochrome setting.
Permits: KWS park entry via eCitizen. Gates 06:00 to 18:00. 4x4 required; moorland tracks get slippery or impassable in rain, which is why the dry spells are chosen.
Getting there: Nyeri side is 3 to 4 h by road from Nairobi; air to Nyeri possible. KWS bandas and campsites bookable; nights are cold. Cost is a rough ground only estimate for 7 days; not sourced.

Who runs trips here: None found with a serval specific track record. Treetops and The Ark are forest salient lodges with floodlit waterholes, not moorland. Unverified.

Confidence: low · Last verified 22 Sept 2026

Serval Cat — Ngorongoro Crater floor — Dry peak Jul to Oct

Shoot window

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Serval Cat: you will probably see it (Jul–Oct)

Serval Cat by month
Month	Presence
Jan	Outside the window
Feb	Outside the window
Mar	Outside the window
Apr	Outside the window
May	Outside the window
Jun	Outside the window
Jul	Peak
Aug	Peak
Sep	Peak
Oct	Peak
Nov	Outside the window
Dec	Outside the window

Peak: Avoid all of Jul to Sep. October only if the short rains arrive early.
Behaviour: Hunting / predation
Coat: Not applicable
Habitat: Dry season / dust
Crowds: Crowded — vehicles in frame

Light: Noon sun 65° mid July (computed); sunrise 06:45, sunset 18:42. Dry season floor skies are typically sunny and cloudless, while the mist stays up on the rim. The 18:00 exit removes the evening golden hour entirely. What remains is roughly 45 min of morning low sun per day, much of it possibly shaded by the eastern rim.
Atmosphere: Rim mist at dawn only. Dust in low sun late in the season.
Permits: Same NCAA rules and fees as the wet season window: tracks only, stay in vehicle, out by 18:00, USD 295 per vehicle per descent.
Getting there: Not applicable. Avoid.

Who runs trips here: Not applicable. Avoid.

Confidence: medium · Last verified 22 Sept 2026

Serval Cat — Rietvlei Nature Reserve, Pretoria — Highveld summer Dec to Feb

Shoot window

Rietvlei Nature Reserve, City of Tshwane, Pretoria., South Africa

Serval Cat: you might see it, but it is far from sure (Dec–Feb)

Serval Cat by month
Month	Presence
Jan	In season
Feb	In season
Mar	Outside the window
Apr	Outside the window
May	Outside the window
Jun	Outside the window
Jul	Outside the window
Aug	Outside the window
Sep	Outside the window
Oct	Outside the window
Nov	Outside the window
Dec	In season

Peak: Avoid the whole window.
Behaviour: Hunting / predation
Coat: Not applicable
Habitat: Green season / lush
Crowds: Moderate
Also here: Zebra foals, blesbok lambs, nesting ostrich.

Light: 15 Jan: sunrise 05:28, sunset 19:03, noon sun 85°, nearly overhead (computed). Summer gates 05:30, stay until 19:00, so access is fine; the light is not. Afternoon thunderstorms are common; storm light is possible but unpredictable and arrives with lightning and hail risk.
Weather risk: Rainy season
Atmosphere: Occasional storm light before afternoon thunderstorms.
Permits: Same reserve rules: tar and gravel roads only, R480 fine for late exit.
Getting there: Not applicable. Avoid.

Who runs trips here: Not applicable. Avoid.

Confidence: medium · Last verified 22 Sept 2026

Hides, lodges and tours for the Serval Cat

No hides, lodges or tours match these filters yet.

Where it lives

Show the Serval Cat range on the globe

Species

IUCN status: Unknown
Regions: Africa
Range on the globe: No range polygons yet

GBIF taxon 2435172