Africa has a plethora of wildlife and non-wildlife related attractions, but most travelers visit the “dark continent” to catch the Big Five in their natural habitats. The Big Five phrase was coined by early game hunters who found it dangerous and challenging to hunt namely the Cape Buffalos, Leopards, Rhinoceros (Black and White), Lions, and African Elephant. But which are the best places in Africa for Big 5 safaris? In this article, experts from AjKenyaSafaris.com and masaimarasafari.in, Nairobi-based tour operators, discuss the 5 best places in Africa for a big 5 safari adventure.
Caption: Members of the Big Five
- Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
Masai Mara is found in south-west Kenya and is among the continent’s most enormous wildlife reserves. It forms one of the most incredible, spectacular, and diverse ecosystems continuous with the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.
The park has over 2490 elephants, 9460 buffalos, 900 lions, and 50 black rhinos. There are dozens of leopards also, although they are the most elusive cats you can ever track. A day game drive in the park can allow you to see all the Big Five, but some people prefer to look for the leopards during the night.
Distance from Nairobi: Masai Mara is about 270 km from Kenya’s capital city Nairobi, and it takes 40-45 minutes by flight or 6-7 hours by road to get there. The road is tarmacked for the better part of the safari, bar a section in Narok Town to Masai Mara that is a dirt section.
Best Time to Visit: The right time to visit Masai Mara for a Big Five safari is December and February after the Great Migration. It might be impossible to see these animals from June to October when over 1.8 million wildebeest, antelopes, and zebras visit the reserve.
Recommended Safari Package: A three to four days safari package in Masai Mara is enough to let you spot all the Big Five and other wildlife and birds.
Accolades Won: Africa’s Leading National Park 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Visit masaimarasafari.in to start planning your Masai Mara safari trip.
- Kruger National Park, South Africa
Kruger provides almost two million hectares of land with diverse wildlife and archaeological and historical sites. The park ranks among the top five best Africa wildlife safari destinations and gives visitors an authentic taste of the continent.
It hosts over 13,000 elephants, 1600 lions, 9,000 rhinos, 2,500 buffalos, and 1,000 leopards. You can find all these animals in Kruger and the neighboring private conservations.
The best thing about Kruger National Park is you do not struggle when looking for leopards even during the day.
Distance from Johannesburg: Kruger is about 340 km from South Africa’s capital city and is only 90 minutes away by flight or 6 hours by the road. The road is well-maintained and offers multiple fueling stations to give you a smooth ride.
Best Time to Visit: You should consider visiting this park during the dry months of April and September. The temperatures are favorable for allowing wildlife sighting.
Recommended Safari Package: You can easily spot all the Big Five within a day, but it is recommended you stay for four to five days to experience the best safari.
Accolades Won: Africa’s Leading National Park 2019 nominee.
Caption: It is Hard to Spot the Leopard During the Day
- The Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
Visiting Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania is like stepping in a fantasy movie: an extensive, forested volcano with flamingos, cheetahs, and lions. You have to descend the crater to experience this World Heritage Site and a Natural Wonders of Africa.
The area is among the best sites in Africa for spotting all the Big Five at proximity. Ngorongoro Crater has about 70 lions, 26 rhinos, 30 elephants, 4,000 buffalos, and dozens of leopards in the crater’s rim.
Distance from Dodoma: The distance between Dodoma and Ngorongoro Crater is 461 km, and it can take up to 9-hours traveling by road. You can decide to fly from Dar es Salaam to lake Manyara and then connect by road for about 2-hour.
Best Time to Visit: Big Five viewing is best from June to September, but the low season is April and May. June sees a lot of visitors who come to experience the Great Migration.
Recommended Safari Package: You can spot every member of the Big Five within hours at this crater. The best thing is to combine a Ngorongoro safari with the Serengeti one.
Accolades Won: Africa’s Leading Tourist Attraction in 2017 nominee.
- Etosha National Park, Namibia
Etosha is Namibia’s flagship game reserve that lets you sight four of the Big Five with ease, lacking the buffalos. However, you can catch these animals at the neighboring Waterberg Plateau and Caprivi Strip.
The park is heaven to hundreds of lions and elephants and sees the leopards make kills at the various waterholes. You can also spot black rhinos heading for the drink in these precious holes.
Distance from Windhoek: Etosha is about 414 km from Windhoek, and you can get there by road. It takes approximately 4-hour thanks to the well-maintained road network.
Best Time to Visit: The right time to visit Etosha is between July and October when the temperatures are above 20-degree. It is the peak season for wildlife viewing.
Recommended Safari Package: A two days safari package is enough to allow you to see all the Big Five in Namibia.
Accolades Won: Nominee for Africa’s Leading National Park in 2017
Caption: Cape Buffalos are Dangerous Animals
- Botswana’s National Parks
A Botswana safari is an excellent experience for a first-time traveler looking to catch lots of wildlife, including the Big Five. Most of the parks in this country offer four or the five Big Five, but here is what you should do:
- Head over to Chobe National Park to sight elephants
- Visit Savuti Region to see lions
- Tour Northern Okavango to spot cape buffalos
- Visit Moremi Game Reserve to see rhinos
- Head over to Mashatu Game Reserve to spot leopards
Best Time to Visit Botswana: The right time to visit this country is between May and October when the weather is dry.
Recommended Safari Package: A six to seven days safari package is sufficient to allow you to visit the above national parks to view the Big five.
Accolades Won: Tourism for Tomorrow Destination Award in 2017.
Final Words
Ngorongoro National Park Crater in Tanzania is a great place for sighting the Big Five without traveling long distances. You can also sight these animals during a safari to Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve and Lake Nakuru National Park, and South Africa’s Kruger National Park. Other places you can find these animals with relative ease in Africa are Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. Visit Masaimarasafari.in to start planning your African Adventure.
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