M. mungos is brownish gray with dark brown and well-defined yellowish or whitish bands across the back. The banded pattern is produced by hair markings of the same type that produce the ground color of the remainder of the body. Although the tail is not bushy, it is covered with coarse hair and is tapered toward the tip. The foreclaws are elongate, the soles are naked to the wrist and heel, and there are five digits on each limb. There is no naked grooved line from the tip of the nose to the upper lip.
Females have six mammae.
The banded mongoose is found in grassland, brushland, woodland, and rocky, broken country. It dens mainly in old termite mounds but also in such places as erosion gullies, abandoned aardvark holes, and hollow logs. Dens are communal and consist of one to nine entrance holes, a central sleeping chamber of about 1-2 cubic meters, and perhaps several smaller chambers. Most dens are used only for a few days, but some favorite sites may be occupied for as long as 2 months. M. mungos is terrestrial and diurnal and has excellent senses of vision, hearing, and smell.