Where to find the Big Five in Kenya

T he Big Five – the lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and African buffalo – got this name from being extremely dangerous and hard to hunt. In fact, hunting these huge mammals was considered to be a courageous feat worthy of praise. However, today, the expression Big Five is referring to the five majestic creatures that everyone wishes to see and take a photo during a wildlife safari! All of these species are unique and a delight to see. Leopards, for example, are great tree climbers and take their kills there, preventing other predators to steal their food. Rhinos, clearly the clumsiest of them all, have poor vision and end up striking trees and rocks! Buffalos, despite being the lion’s prey will always defend and rescue one of the herd. The king of the jungle, the lion, shows his age by the colour of his mane. As he gets older, his mane becomes darker. Surprisingly, the elephant’s size doesn’t mean they can’t whisper. They communicate at such a low frequency that we can’t hear them! If you want to see the big five, the best options available are the Kruger National Park (4 days/3 nights from £607), Botswana (3-day safari from £745). Longer stays include the Selous Game Reserve (6 days from £2,071), the Tanzania Classic SkySafari (8 days from £5,201) and the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve (8 days from £3,298).