Kenya’s Big Five: Where to See Them and What Makes Each One Special

Seeing all of the Big Five is a dream for many first-time safari travellers. Kenya is one of the best places in Africa to make it happen, with parks that between them shelter healthy populations of all five.

Key takeaways

• The Big Five are the lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino.

• The term comes from old hunting days, but today these animals are protected and celebrated.

• The Maasai Mara is one of the best places to see most of the Big Five in one visit.

• Rhinos are rarer, so parks with rhino sanctuaries, such as Lake Nakuru and Nairobi National Park, give the best chance.

Where the name comes from

“Big Five” was originally a hunters’ term for the five animals considered most difficult and dangerous to hunt on foot. Today the phrase lives on for a much better reason: these are some of Africa’s most charismatic animals, and photographing them is the goal of countless safaris.

The Big Five

Lion

Africa’s great social cat lives in prides of related females, their cubs and a coalition of males. Lions spend much of the day resting, so the best sightings often come early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when they are most active.

Leopard

Solitary, secretive and superbly camouflaged, the leopard is often the hardest of the five to find. Scan the branches of large trees, where leopards rest and store their prey, and along rocky outcrops and riverbanks.

Elephant

The world’s largest land animal lives in close family groups led by an older female, the matriarch. Kenya is one of the best countries in Africa to watch elephants, especially in Amboseli and Tsavo.

Buffalo

Cape buffalo may look like cattle, but they are powerful and unpredictable. Large herds graze the open plains, while older males, known as “dagga boys”, often wallow in mud near water.

Rhino

Kenya protects both black and white rhinos, largely within fenced sanctuaries and conservancies. White rhinos graze in the open, while the more solitary black rhinos browse in thicker bush.

Patience is the secret to the Big Five: the longer you sit quietly, the more the bush reveals.

Where to see them in Kenya

Animal	Some of the best places
Lion	Maasai Mara, Nairobi National Park, Tsavo
Leopard	Maasai Mara, Samburu, Lake Nakuru
Elephant	Amboseli, Tsavo East and West, Maasai Mara
Buffalo	Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Nairobi National Park
Rhino	Lake Nakuru, Nairobi National Park, Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Tips for spotting the Big Five

• Go out early and stay out late, when animals are most active

• Tell your guide which animals you most want to see

• Bring good binoculars, one pair per person

• Look for clues: alarm calls, circling vultures and gathered vehicles

• Allow enough days: three or more improves your chances considerably

Beyond the Big Five

Some of the most memorable sightings are not on the list at all: a cheetah on the hunt, giraffes at sunset, a hippo pod in the river or a flock of flamingos. Keep an open mind and the bush will surprise you.

Plan your Big Five safari

For elephants beneath Kilimanjaro, try the 2 Days Amboseli Safari. For rhinos, the 1 Day Lake Nakuru National Park Safari and the 1 Day Nairobi National Park Safari offer excellent chances. Explore all safari tours on Safirify to build your Big Five adventure.