A guide to finding the animal you want on a safari

Most of us go on a safari to catch a glimpse of the Big Five. These include lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and buffalo and are generally the animals that you wont see anywhere else. You certainly wont be coming across them in your daily life, and its unlikely that many of your holidays will include such exhilarating sights. Sure, you could go see all of these animals in a zoo, but thats nothing compared to watching them in their natural environment, where both you and they can be completely comfortable without cages or bars limiting their range. You might also be on the lookout for the little five, which are the buffalo weaver, elephant shrew, leopard tortoise, ant lion, and rhino beetle, but none of those are going to quite equal the splendour of a lion stalking his prey or an elephant playing with her baby.

When you go looking for the Big Five, however, you should quickly realise that you will rarely catch them all together at all times of year. If youre prioritising a certain type of animal, make sure you head to that spot in order to catch the best views. Some of the best places for all five are the Kruger National Park in South Africa, Lake Nakuru in Kenya, and Maasai Mara, also in Kenya. There arent any guarantees, but these are generally the best places to find wildlife. Kruger National Park also has some amazing accommodation, right in the park, so youll be able to be up close and personal on your game drives right away.

If youre looking for specific animals, your destination may change based on your objectives. Rhinos, for example, are quite rare, and its often difficult to find them in the wild. Your best chance is generally in South Africa, though youll often find the black rhino in Namibia. If youre after monkeys, especially gorillas and chimpanzees, its best to head for the forested regions around Uganda and Tanzania. Theyre not part of the Big Five, but they are amazing to watch regardless. Elephants are also another favourite and theyre just incredible to watch, though you dont necessarily want them charging at you! Our recommended spot for these animals is Chobe National Park in Botswana.

Possibly the most exciting sight youll see on a safari is a big cat taking down its prey. Watching that lion or leopard stalking its prey and eventually defeating it is amazing. The best time to catch just this is during the annual Wildebeest Migration. Thats because the herd is immense, comprised of not just wildebeests but other animals following in their wake, so the big cats are always out looking for weaklings or those that lag behind. Youll catch the Migration going on from Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to Maasai Mara in Kenya. There is never a wrong time to watch the Migration, but its worth spending a little extra time looking into where precisely the animals will be to get the best show available.