The lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros make up the “big five.” The term “Big Five” originally described how challenging it was to hunt lions, leopards, rhinoceroses, elephants, and African buffalo. The capture of any one of these five ferocious, large African mammal species was regarded by trophy hunters as an accomplishment.
These formidable and famous animals are one of the continent’s biggest tourism magnets. Seriously, the title to this post isn't clickbait - we've uncovered some truly astounding details about these animals that we really do think are pretty mind-blowing! If you would like to find out more about the Big Five, schedule a call to find out more.
So please read on to learn why they're called the Big Five, where the best places to see them are, and also some great titbits.
The Big Five animals are the standouts of any Africa safari, the wildlife that for many define what a journey to the savannah is all about. We’re talking about the iconic wild animals - the lion, leopard, African buffalo, elephant, and rhinoceros - which you can see on the best safaris in East Africa.
The term “Big Five” goes back to the colonial days of game hunters and the difficulty of pursuing on foot and ultimately killing these beautiful animals.
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Why are they called the Big Five?
The term Big Five was coined in the late nineteenth century by colonists in Africa to indicate the wild animals they considered the hardest and most dangerous to hunt on foot. These animals are considered so dangerous because of how ferocious they become when injured or cornered.
This means the Big Five aren't the biggest or heaviest of Africa's game; giraffes, crocodiles and hippos would have to be in contention if it were just about size and weight.
What are the Big Five?
The Big Five animals are:
- African lion
- African bush elephant
- Black rhino
- African leopard
- Cape buffalo
Did you know that the Big Five aren’t actually the five biggest or heaviest African animals? Hippos are three times heavier than Cape buffaloes, for instance.
Where are the Big Five found?
The Big Five live in Africa. The regions that have all of the Big Five game are Southern and Eastern Africa. This is where you can go on safari and see all of the Big Five game in the wild.
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But we get that what you actually want to know is which countries you can visit to see the Big Five, right? Well, here's the list, in alphabetical order: Angola, Botswana, DRC, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Not all of these countries, however, are ideal for a safari. The reasons vary from safety and security to the numbers of each of the Big Five species. So let's discuss the best countries for an epic Big Five game safari ...
Africa’s Big Five Animals: What Are They? | National Geographic
The best Big Five safari destinations
While there are several countries where you can go see the Big Five and have a great safari, we've put together an exclusive list of only the very best countries for this. These are countries where it's pretty safe for tourists, there are fantastic national parks to visit, and the Big Five can be found in abundance. We've also included a few odd details about each that we think you'll find helpful or interesting.
- Botswana: This is one of the very best countries for a Big Five safari! Chobe National Park is one of the world's best game parks.
- Kenya: A great African safari destination, and home to the famous Masai Mara National Reserve, where you can see the Great Wildlife Migration at certain times of the year.
- Namibia: Etosha National Wildlife Park is a real bucket-list must. Its massive salt pan gets flooded every year, attracting countless game and birds. It doesn't, however, have buffaloes - for these, you must head to the Caprivi Strip.
- South Africa: There are so many wonderful game parks in South Africa, the most famous being Kruger National Park.
- Tanzania: One of the very best countries for an African safari, if not the best! It's home to the famous Serengeti National Park, where you can see the Great Wildebeest Migration. There's also the incomparable Ngorongoro Crater.
- Uganda: Uganda is excellent for uncrowded safaris. You can't see rhinos in the wild, but you can visit them up close at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. These are the rarer black rhinos, too, which is exciting. It also has gorilla treks.
- Zambia: Kafue National Park is a real gem, and you can see pangolins here too. A bonus of a Big Five safari in Zambia is the opportunity to see the mighty Victoria Falls too!
Where to See the Big Fives
Africa is home to several populations of the Big 5 animals. If you want to have the best chance of seeing them all in one safari, or occasionally, if you’re really lucky, in one game drive or in one day, go to the following locations:
- The Ngorongoro Crater is a Tanzanian crater that is home to over 30,000 animals. Because they are unable to climb the crater’s sheer walls, these animals are able to thrive in its diverse ecology. It can be paired with the Tarangire and Serengeti with ease.
- The Madikwe Private Game Reserve in South Africa, which was formerly farmland but is now being methodically restored, features all five of the Big 5, in addition to luxurious lodges and cooperation between several guides. The largest resort in Africa, Sun City, is paired with it.
- Whether you’re a first-time visitor to Africa or a seasoned traveler, the Kruger National Park is a must-see on any African safari.
Other best places to see big fives in Africa:
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- The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania
- Amboseli National Park in Kenya
- Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya
- Tarangire National Park in Tanzania
- Akagera National Park Rwanda
- Chobe National Park in Botswana
- Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe
- Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa
- Etosha National Park in Namibia
- Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda
- Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda
- Kidepo National Park in Uganda
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO SEE THE BIG 5?
In Africa, the best time to go on safari is from roughly July to October. The chilly, dry winter that the continent experiences at this time.
There are various explanations for why it’s simpler to locate them during these times:
- Compared to the long, dense grass and rich foliage of summer, the vegetation dries down and thins out due to the lack of rain, making it easier to observe a rhino or buffalo. This is especially true for leopards, who spend a lot of time in trees; during the winter, they will have fewer leaves, making these slender cats easier to identify.
- A lack of rain also causes smaller waterways like ponds, streams, puddles, and waterways to dry up, driving wildlife to gather around the few remaining major lakes and rivers. The majority of animals need to drink often in order to stay close to the scant remaining water supply. This is especially true of buffalo and elephant herds, which frequently move to rivers that provide lilies, such as the Chobe at the boundary of Namibia and Botswana or Tarangire River in Tarangire National Park, Tanzania.
Let’s look at the Big Five
We find that many people know which animals constitute the Big Five, but they’re surprised to learn how little they actually know about them. For instance, there are two kinds of African elephants, and only one is in the Big Five. And rhinos have very poor vision, relying on smell and sound to know what animals are around them.
1. Lions
Ever heard the lion referred to as the king of the jungle? It’s a funny name, since lions don’t live in jungles - they live in grassland, savannah, scrubland and hill country. It might also be surprising to learn that lions are the laziest of the big cats. They sleep and rest for 16 to 20 hours a day!
5 facts you didn't know about the lion
- Lions are happy to scavenge for food, often stealing what's been killed by hyenas, wild dogs, cheetahs or leopards.
- They can survive for four or five days without water by absorbing the moisture in the stomachs of prey.
- Lionesses hunt in a semicircle, with the weaker ones on the flanks bringing the prey into the centre for the stronger ones to take down.
- The mane of the male lion helps to protect its neck during fights.
- A lion's roar can be heard from up to 8 km away. They roar to locate other members of the pride.
Does the lion have any predators?
The lion's biggest enemy, after humans, is the hyena. (Did you know that hyenas have stronger jaws than any other mammal??) Cape buffaloes have also been known to kill lions on occasion, usually if they feel threatened. It's mostly lion cubs who are in danger, as they're targeted by hyenas, leopards, jackals and even non-related male lions taking over leadership of their pride. In fact, lion cubs have a mortality rate of 60 to 70%.
Do all lions climb trees?
No, very few lion populations climb or sleep in trees. Only a handful of populations in Uganda and Tanzania can be found to climb trees. Researchers aren't sure why exactly this is the case - so far, they only have theories.
If you want to see climbing lions, we recommend heading to Lake Manyara National Park or Tarangire National Park in Tanzania, or Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda.
Where is the best place to see lions?
You can see lions throughout Southern and East Africa. Tanzania has the largest population of lions of any country, with an estimated 14,000 to 15,000 individuals. Of all its reserves, Serengeti National Park has the most lions, and you're pretty much guaranteed to see prides of lions on a safari there.
2. Elephants
Did you know there are actually two kinds of African elephant? The bush elephant and the forest elephant. When you go on safari to see big game, you’re going to see bush elephants, also known as savannah elephants. (Forest elephants, which are smaller, live in the forests of West Africa and the Congo basin.) Elephants are believed to be as smart as chimps and dolphins.
Fun facts about African bush elephants
- The African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the largest and heaviest land animal. You probably already knew that. It's larger than both the forest and Asian elephants.
- Their tusks start growing when they’re one to three years old, and never stop.
- They can live for 60 to 70 years in the wild.
- Adults eat about 230 kg (500 lb) of vegetation a day. Elephants are herbivores through and through.
- Adults other than the parents also help to look after calves. The herds are often led by matriarchs, who have wickedly good memories, which helps them to know who’s a friend and who’s an enemy.
Where is the best place to see elephants?
African elephants live throughout sub-Saharan Africa, from South Africa as far north as Ethiopia. Botswana is believed to have more elephants than any other country, which makes it a great destination for viewing elephants in the wild. Some of the other countries that are popular among safari-goers and have large elephant populations are South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, Namibia and Uganda.
Did you know?
Elephants don't have sweat or sebum glands, so they cover themselves in water or mud to keep cool. The cracks in their skin help them to retain moisture.
3. Rhino
The rhino - does anybody ever put in the effort to say rhinoceros anymore? It's a favourite animal to see on an African safari. It's crazy that height alone makes it fascinating. Then there are those clunky feet, tiny eyes, and narrow, hair-tipped ears! And don't get us started on the calves - a baby rhino is just too cute!
Interesting rhino facts
- Rhinos have pretty poor eyesight, but their hearing and sense of smell are excellent.
- Their horns are made of thousands of compressed strands of keratin (similar to human fingernails). It's very hardy, but can be split during fights.
- Rhinos literally scream if they're scared.
- White rhinos have wide mouths with 'square' lips to help them graze
White rhinos vs black rhinos
There are two kinds of African rhino: the black rhino (Diceros bicornis) and the white rhino (Ceratotherium simum). The easiest way to tell if it's a black or white rhino is to look at the shape of its mouth. Black rhinos have a pointed upper lip, used to pick leaves and fruit off trees and shrubs. White rhinos, on the other hand, have wider, square-lipped mouths used for grazing grass.
White rhinos actually earned their name because English settlers to South Africa misinterpreted the Afrikaans word wyd, which means ‘wide’, to mean ‘white’. Did you know that the black and white rhino are actually the same colour of grey??
Here are two other interesting differences between white and black rhinos:
- White rhinos are the bigger animal by far: adult males weigh 1,800 to 2,500 kg, while adult male black rhinos only weigh up to 1,350 kg.
- Black rhinos have two long horns, while white rhinos have a long horn and a shorter one.
Black rhinos are more dangerous
Technically speaking, it's the black rhino alone that's part of the Big Five, not the white rhino. This is because the animals dubbed the Big Five were the ones that were considered most dangerous to hunt on foot. Even though white rhinos can be twice the size of black rhinos, the latter is more aggressive.
If, however, a white rhino and black rhino were to clash, the white rhino's superior size and strength would likely give it the victory. Fun fact: baby black rhinos always run behind their mothers, while baby white rhinos run in front of their mothers!
Is the rhino endangered?
Unfortunately, there aren't nearly as many rhinos as there once were, thanks to humans. Widespread hunting and poaching have led to the black rhino becoming critically endangered. There are only about 5,500 left.
As to the white rhino, there are actually two kinds: the northern white rhino and the southern white rhino. The northern white rhino is extinct in the wild, and just two individuals live on a reserve in Kenya.
The southern white rhino is the subspecies you can see on safari. Its numbers are around 18,000, and its status is "near threatened".
Visiting the parks and reserves that are home to rhinos is one way to help protect the future of these magnificent animals. There are also many fantastic international and local organisations that you could support. Examples include Save the Rhino, Helping Rhinos and The Rhino Orphanage.
Where are the best places to see rhinos?
Rhinos aren't as populous as the other Big Five game, given that they're endangered (the black rhino) and threatened (the white rhino). It's because of the rhino alone that some African countries boasting great wildlife can't market themselves as having the Big Five.
Countries where you can see black and white rhinos
Here are the countries in Africa where you can see rhinos.
| Black AND white rhinos | Black rhinos | White rhinos |
|---|---|---|
| Botswana | Malawi | Uganda |
| Kenya | Tanzania | |
| Namibia | ||
| South Africa | ||
| Swaziland | ||
| Zambia | ||
| Zimbabwe |
4. Leopard
Leopards are notoriously hard to spot on safari. They're by far the hardest of the Big Five to find. Not only do they like to hang out in trees, but the spots and rosettes on their fur help them blend in with the leaves. Further, they're mostly solitary creatures, so you're looking for just one lone creature. If you do manage to spot a leopard on safari, you're one of the lucky ones! (Travelling with a really good safari guide - like our Kazi - improves your chances of seeing them, by the way. 😉 )
5 things you didn't know about the leopard
The African leopard (Panthera pardus pardus) is a fascinating creature. Here are some facts you probably didn't know:
- Leopards can see seven times better at night than humans. 👀 Nighttime is when they go hunting.
- A group of leopards is called a leap of leopards. So poetic!
- The tail of a leopard is almost as long as its body.
- They can carry up to three times their weight.
- The reason they drag their prey up into trees is to keep hyenas and lions from trying to steal it.
It's incredibly rare, but every now and then a black African leopard is born. The spots are still there, but excessive melanin makes the fur black. Like all cats, leopards have tiny hooks on their tongues that help them clean themselves
Where are the best places to see leopards in the wild?
Leopards are very adaptable and live throughout Africa, though they're rare in North and West Africa. Most people wanting to go on a Big Five safari head to one of the countries in Southern or East Africa, and you can find leopards there.
5. Cape buffalo
Buffalo is the known as the most dangerous animal species among the big five animal species on the planet, buffalos are mostly known found in their small groups and mostly the most fearful animal species when they are threatened and immediately they can charge with the astonishing speed, the buffalos like spending most of their time while grazing in the savannah and the floodplains, when the buffalos reach their dominant stage they tend to be aggressive and while adult buffalos do gather around the calves to protect them, the buffaloes are the great swimmers and they are known to kill the lions.
The lion is the main threat to buffalo. Buffalo will make an effort to free a captured member.
Because of their close ties, the female buffaloes will kill lions and other predators to protect one another if they are attacked.
This fierce animal is the only one of the “Big Five” that isn’t endangered or considered vulnerable.
Although lions and leopards are the predators of the Big Five, neither is as deadly as the cape buffalo, which is considered the most dangerous of the Big Five by far, due to its nervous and unpredictable nature. Large (up to six feet tall and 700 pounds) and equipped with sizeable horns, they are one of the only bovine species that man has been unable to domesticate.
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