The Big Five are Africa's most famous animals, and Kenya is one of the best places to see all of them on a single trip. Here's what each one is like, where to find it, how easy it is to spot, and which parks give you all five.
The name has a dark origin. "Big Five" was coined by hunters for the five animals most dangerous to hunt on foot. Today the term belongs to cameras and binoculars, and the money that once came from killing these animals now comes, many times over, from watching them. That's one of conservation's great success stories, and every safari is part of it.
Meet the Big Five
Africa's great social cat, living in prides of related females with one or more males. In the Maasai Mara you're very likely to see lions on any day. They rest most of the day, so the real action is at dawn and dusk. Where: Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo, Samburu, Serengeti. In Uganda's Ishasha, they climb trees.
The most elusive of the five: solitary, nocturnal and superbly camouflaged. Finding one draped over a branch is a highlight of any safari. Good guides read the signs: alarm calls, a twitching tail, a carcass up a tree. Where: the Maasai Mara's riverine forests, Samburu, Serengeti's Seronera Valley.
The world's largest land animal, intelligent, emotional and led by matriarchs. Kenya is home to roughly 36,000. Where: Amboseli for big-tusked bulls with Kilimanjaro behind, Tsavo for red-dusted herds, Samburu, Maasai Mara, and Tarangire in Tanzania.
They look like placid cattle, but a lone old bull (a 'dagga boy') is one of the most respected animals in Africa. Herds can number in the hundreds. Where: almost every park, especially the Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, the Aberdares and the Ngorongoro Crater.
Both black and white rhino live in Kenya, mostly in heavily protected sanctuaries. They're easier to see than many people expect, if you're in the right park. Where: Lake Nakuru, Ol Pejeta (also home to the last two northern white rhinos), Nairobi National Park, and Tanzania's Ngorongoro Crater.
The names have nothing to do with colour. The white rhino has a wide, square mouth for grazing; the black rhino has a pointed, hooked lip for browsing bushes. White rhinos are larger and more sociable; black rhinos are shyer and more solitary.
Which parks have all of the Big Five?
● = commonly seen · ◐ = present but less reliable · – = absent
| Park | Lion | Leopard | Elephant | Buffalo | Rhino |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maasai Mara (Kenya) | ● | ◐ | ● | ● | ◐ |
| Lake Nakuru (Kenya) | ◐ | ◐ | – | ● | ● |
| Ol Pejeta, Laikipia (Kenya) | ● | ◐ | ● | ● | ● |
| Amboseli (Kenya) | ● | ◐ | ● | ● | – |
| Tsavo West (Kenya) | ◐ | ◐ | ● | ● | ◐ |
| Nairobi National Park (Kenya) | ● | ◐ | – | ● | ● |
| Ngorongoro Crater (Tanzania) | ● | ◐ | ● | ● | ◐ |
| Akagera (Rwanda) | ◐ | ◐ | ● | ● | ◐ |
Beyond the Big Five
The Big Five are a wonderful start, but some of the best moments on safari involve animals that aren't on the list.
The world's fastest land animal hunts in daylight on open plains. The Maasai Mara is one of the best places in Africa to watch a hunt.
Africa's most endangered large carnivore, found in parts of Laikipia, Samburu and Tsavo. Seeing them is a true privilege.
The most beautifully patterned giraffe, found in Samburu and northern Kenya, with Grevy's zebra and the long-necked gerenuk.
Lake Naivasha's boat safaris and the Mara River's hippo pools are wonderful. Listen for them grunting all night.
From flamingos at Lake Bogoria and Nakuru to the lilac-breasted roller, Kenya is one of the world's great birding countries.
The elephant shrew, buffalo weaver, leopard tortoise, ant lion and rhino beetle. Ask your guide. Kids love the hunt.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Big Five animals?
The Big Five are the lion, leopard, African elephant, Cape buffalo and rhinoceros (black or white). The term was originally used by hunters for the five most dangerous animals to hunt on foot, and is now used for safari wildlife viewing.
Where can you see the Big Five in Kenya?
The Maasai Mara has all five, though rhino are rarely seen there. Most travellers combine the Mara with Lake Nakuru for rhino. Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia also has all five, and Nairobi National Park has four (all except elephants).
Which of the Big Five is hardest to see?
The leopard is the hardest to see, because it's solitary, mostly nocturnal and extremely well camouflaged. The Maasai Mara's riverine forests, Samburu and the Serengeti's Seronera Valley are among the best places to find one.
Can you see the Big Five in one day?
It's possible in a few places, most famously Tanzania's Ngorongoro Crater and Kenya's Ol Pejeta Conservancy, but never guaranteed. A trip of four days or more across two parks gives you a much better chance.
Are there rhinos in the Maasai Mara?
Yes, a small population of black rhinos lives in the Maasai Mara, but they're shy and rarely seen. For reliable rhino sightings, visit Lake Nakuru, Ol Pejeta or Nairobi National Park.
