Early game hunters in Africa created the phrase “Big Five” to describe a group of animals they deemed most hazardous to pursue on foot. These days, the hobby of photography safaris has taken over the phrase, and seeing the Big Five on safari in Africa is a major highlight especially for first-time safarists.

The Big Five creatures include lion, elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros. Many visitors to Safari Africa fantasise of seeing all members of the Big Five on only one safari vacation. Should you want to accomplish this, we advise traveling on safari inside one of the following wildlife areas: the Serengeti in Tanzania, the Maasai Mara in Kenya, the Sabi Sands and Phinda in South Africa, the Okavango Delta in Botswana, and Akagera in Rwanda. Sightings can never be guaranteed, though, as the Big Five are all wild and erratic creatures.

Below, we offer some more details on each Big Five species together with our suggestions for the top locations in Africa to view the big 5 during your safari vacation:

1. Lion male lion sneezing namiri plains tanzania Adventure in the Wild Safaris

The lion, our first member of the great Five, is probably the most famous of the great cats and surely the top predator on the continent. Most typically, lions are seen in territorial prides made up of either one dominant male or a coalition—usually two brothers—and a multitude of females with their cubs. A pride typically has 13 members, but it can expand to as much as 40 people! When young males reach 2–3 years old, the dominant male or coalition drives them out of the pride and they roam as nomads until they are large and strong enough to contest a reigning male.

Encountering lions during a game drive across the Maasai Mara and Serengeti eco-system is something we really enjoy. Seeing a pride of lion wandering amid the tall grasses on an afternoon safari is unbeatable. The hitherto lethargic lions begin to wake up and become agitated at sunset. They play, they shout, and finally they get ready for the night to come, which can call for a great hunt!

Namiri Plains is our suggested lion viewing location. Though the camp emphasizes providing an outstanding game-viewing experience, including exciting big cat sightings and wildebeest Great Migration interactions, it also features a swimming pool and spa.

Visit our full safari guide on the “Best locations to see lions in Africa”.

2. Elephant Hwange Zimbabwe best sites to view elephants in Africa Ngorongoro Crater Tanzania Adventure in the Wild Safaris

The largest land-dwelling mammal is the African elephant, and it most surely is our favourite among Africa’s Big Five. One ‘ele’ can weigh as much as eight tonnes, or roughly seven Mini Coopers! Though formerly in the hundreds of thousands, elephant populations have been under great strain during the last four decades because to poaching. On the South-East Asian market, their ivory tusks are regarded as a prized item, hence these magnificent creatures are at the front of an ongoing and extensive conservation effort.

Being a tour operator, we attempt to save these creatures any way we can. For instance, we assist and sponsor “the our herd,” a group of more than 200 orphaned or rescued elephants now under care at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi, Kenya, together with our customers. our customers may even be part of a chosen group to tour the wildlife trust; please inform us if this appeals to you since it would be a wonderful beginning to a first-time safari. If you are a more experienced traveler, why not spend a few nights in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park and discover the land of elephants? Our best property in Hwange is Somalisa Camp since it features an elephant pool at the end of the main area often visited by a continuous flow of elephant families.

Since elephants are nearly everyone’s favourite African animal, we have included the top places to view the gentle giants from Kenya’s large tuskers to Botswana’s large herds. Look at the whole safari guide here: Best African elephant viewing sites.

3. Cape Buffalo

The Cape buffalo is commonly recognized to be the most hazardous member of the Big Five. Buffalos are territorial and protective, using great power behind those long, pointed horns. They also happen to be the most common and plentiful of the Big Five. Usually found in large herds of up to a thousand people, including bulls, cows, and calves, the Cape buffalo typically looks for protection in numbers, even maintaining the herd closely together in the case of an attack by its main predatory threat, lions.

Older bulls, nevertheless, are usually alone or in pairs and threes as they are no longer strong or aggressive enough to fight with the younger bulls in the herd over breeding rights. Generally irritable and grumpy, these aged bulls are called ‘Daga Boys’. You may not get why this cattle-like animal is so respected and feared when you first encounter buffalo, but watch a lone buffalo confront a pride of lion and you will quickly give the buffalo every inch of credit it merits. Our recommended property has to be Nomad’s Chada, a classic expeditionary camp in a million acres of wildlife; Katavi National area, an exceedingly remote and infrequently visited safari area in Tanzania’s western tip, is great for observing lion-buffalo interactions.

Visit our full safari guide on the “Best locations to see buffalo in Africa”.

4. Leopard Leopard Cub Zambia Leopard

A leopard sighting is the highlight of any safari vacation since the leopard is the most elusive and enigmatic of the Big Five. Except for when they mate, both male and female leopards remain solitary. A female comes into heat every three months at most; once the union is finished, the male goes back to his territory and solitude. Leopards hunt by means of near-stalking their prey. Unlike the hunting approach of lions, who depend on a burst of energy and speed, this strategy usually results in an ambush. Leopards also tend to pull a kill up into a tree when they are alone. Undisturbed by bothersome hyenas and even other predators, including lions, they can consume it and leave it for several days.

Many people inquire about the ideal location to see leopards, a topic not simple to address. Given the context of some of the best Big Five safaris from estates providing unmatched degrees of luxury, the Sabi Sands may appear the clear answer as this safari reserve promotes itself as providing very regular leopard sightings. Our encounter, though, of seeing leopards in South Luangwa, Zambia has not yet been surpassed. This national park contains the highest density of leopard in the world, and no lack of beautiful camps, such as the new Puku Ridge and Robin Pope Safaris’ Nkwali.

Visit our full safari guide on the “Best locations to see leopard in Africa”.

5. Black Rhino Adventure in the Wild Safaris

The black rhino was originally a widespread animal, occupying broad territories from Southern Africa to East Africa. Sadly, like the situation of the African elephant, poaching has been a major factor in the extinction of whole populations spread across large wildlife reserves. The black rhino stays under continual threat, though, given the demand for rhino horn in South-East Asia as strong as ever.

Many safari sites in Africa have four of the Big Five but lack the resources and personnel to safeguard rhinos from poachers, thereby lacking Big Five classification. The wild rhinos you do encounter are always watched and have a vast protective network around them. Much of the praise goes to South Africa, which for fifth year running has seen a drop in rhino poaching. Our all-time fave area to see the large herbivores, as well as the Big Five while on safari, is SA’s Sabi Sands Game Reserve—just take a look at Londolozi’s uber-luxurious Founders and Varty estates!

Rhinos are the most difficult of the Big Five to view on safari because of their unstable and declining population, hence we have compiled a list of locations where you may find rhinos in the wild. See our whole instructions here: Best spots to observe rhinos during an African Safari Holiday.

Should you like a safari vacation emphasizing Africa’s Big Five animals and want additional details, please contact us here. On the other hand, see our guides below for further motivation: