Classic itineraries and hidden gems for those in search of Africa's big 5 - the leopard, lion, rhinoceros, elephant and buffalo
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The best places to see Africa's Big 5
Kruger National Park and Sabi Sands Game Reserve, Limpopo, South Africa
Kruger is the prime destination for seeing Africa’s Big Five, although finding them all on a self-drive package requires stamina. To “almost guarantee success,” Andre Van Kets (Discover Africa) recommends “staying three to six days at the adjacent Sabi Sands reserve”.
At this agglomeration of upmarket private reserves, white rhino is relatively common and leopards comparatively habituated. Jeeps are permitted to drive ‘off road’, while bush walks provide intimate encounters. In the northern Kruger, try Timbavati, where a group of ‘white’ lions have a genetic quirk of uniquely pale fur.
Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, Tanzania
In East Africa, black rhino can be hard to encounter, so strengthen your chances by visiting the Ngorongoro Crater, an immense volcanic caldera that hosts decent numbers of this armoured mammal. You’ll also find some of Africa’s biggest bull elephants here, and lion and buffalo populations are vibrant. Seeing migrating wildebeest, meanwhile, is a truly spectacular experience. Leopard can be tricky in Ngorongoro, so Andre Van Kets (Discover Africa) recommends an excursion into the northern Serengeti.
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya
Safari cognoscenti suggest Lewa might offer Kenya’s finest Big Five experience. Sited on the Laikipia Plateau with a backdrop of Mount Kenya, Lewa’s operations have long been strongly conservation-focused.
Unusually, the site harbours both black and white rhinos, but African elephants are only seasonal visitors. Former Kenya resident Aisha Gross (cazenove+loyd) prizes Lewa’s exclusivity, which makes for particularly tranquil wildlife watching: “No more than three vehicles are allowed at a sighting,” she explains. Nicola Shepherd (The Explorations Company) recommends staying at the “wonderful” family-run Lewa Wilderness Lodge, which “offers game-viewing by electric vehicle or camel, on foot and on horseback”.
Chobe National Park, Botswana
Botswana’s most likely site for viewing the Big Five, the varied landscapes of Chobe cover nearly 11,000 km2 of the northern Kalahari. Large herds of buffalo and African elephant follow seasonal migrations dictated by water availability. In the dry season, thousands come from as far away as Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park to congregate beside Chobe’s permanent rivers.
Lion is common but leopard less so, while black and white rhinos are being reintroduced to quieter areas after poaching wiped out populations. For better prospects of rhinos, try Moremi Game Reserve, where operators offer ‘mobile safaris’, establishing exclusive, temporary camps in remote areas
Madikwe Game Reserve, North West Province, South Africa
Formerly unproductive ranchland, Madikwe was rewilded and restocked in 1991, and now offers 30 high-end camps and lodges. Located along the Botswana border, Madikwe’s altitude renders it malaria-free. As well as the Big Five, Madikwe boasts “pretty much everything you’d expect in the Kruger,” says Mike Unwin, author of Bradt’s Southern African Wildlife, “plus species characteristic of more western areas such as red hartebeest and brown hyena, as well as successfully reintroduced African wild dogs”. There’s even more besides: night drives, for example, offer prospects of the bizarre, enigmatic aardwolf.
Majete Wildlife Reserve, Malawi
Forget hordes of tourists in safari jeeps crowding round a lion kill or a leopard family. Malawi’s sole location for the Big Five does things differently. Barely 20 years ago, almost all Majete’s mammals had been hunted out, and tourists never visited.
The non-profit organisation African Parks assumed management responsibility in 2003, and has since reintroduced thousands of mammals. With only two lodges, Majete offers an exclusive experience, but without breaking the bank. “Majete provides an affordable alternative to other parks,” says Crafted Africa’s Mike Varndell, “with a more intimate, secluded environment. It has become a symbol of wildlife recovery.”
South and North Luangwa National Parks, Zambia
The sister national parks of South Luangwa and North Luangwa are typically visited in tandem. And for those seeking the Big Five in Zambia, this is just as well. South Luangwa holds four of the quintet, boasts phenomenally high mammal densities and highly rated guides. What’s more, the park encourages night drives and is renowned for the comparative ease with which leopards can be seen. But only North Luangwa, where walking safaris are much vaunted, harbours black rhino. Despite ample accommodation options, the reserves’ combined area of 15,000km2 makes the Luangwas feel wilder and freer of people than almost any rival reserve.
