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The experience of seeing Africa’s wildlife icons in their natural habitat cannot be beaten. Each and every one of the continent’s national parks has something special to boast about. However, few safari-goers can resist the allure of catching sight of a big cat (lion, leopard, or cheetah) on the prowl. These then are the best places to see big cats in Africa.
Where to head to see big cats in Africa
There’s no doubting there’s a whole lot of luck involved in catching sight of any of the three species of big cat which call Africa home.
But choosing the right safari destination in the first place can help shift the balance of probability in your favour when it comes to chances of witnessing some big cat action.
This could be a stalking pride of lions. Or leopard fiercely guarding their catch by dragging in into a tree. Or perhaps the high-speed antics of cheetah, the world’s fastest land mammal.
Picking a destination that takes its responsiblity to the natural world seriously is more important than ever. With everyone keen to catch the killer shot, animals can end up surrounded by up to twenty vehicles at any one time.
Rules are in place to stop this, although the desire to keep tourists happy does mean they can be ignored.
This isn’t good for your experience on the plains, or the animal’s health. No one wants their view ruined by the arrival of another vehicle. At the same time, studies are showing such vehicle gatherings are stressing animals out and stopping them from hunting successfully.
When considering potential destinations, look out for those who have stated commitments to protect the environment. Also look out for conservancies. Generally positioned on the edges of national parks and with the same animal populations, they are owned and run by local people.
The money you spend therefore stays in the communities that in many cases have sacrificed ancestral grazing land for the safari industry.
1. Nairobi National Park, Kenya
I’ve included Nairobi National Park for a very specific reason. And that’s to prove you don’t need thousands of pounds and six weeks in the bush to see big cats.
One of Africa’s more unusual protected areas, Nairobi National Park sits at the southern reaches of the Kenyan capital. This means it’s only a short distance from the capital’s top hotel picks. In fact, it’s so close that it borders the rapidly-improving Kibera district (once the world’s largest slum).
An easy bus or taxi ride from the centre of town, it also gives the park the city’s skyscrapers as a backdrop. Light aircraft often drift overhead from Wilson Airport at the same time.
For less than £60 ($100) I was able to enjoy a very special Sunday afternoon in an open-top 4×4. During this time I saw a family of young lions, as well as giraffe, hippo, and a black rhino.
Cheetah and leopard also inhabit the park, making it a great big cat option if you’re short of time, money, or both.
2. Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, South Africa
At the other end of the safari spectrum, you’ll find Timbavati Private Nature Reserve in South Africa. It sits on the unfenced western fringes of the glory that is Kruger National Park.
Timbavati is one of a string of private reserves and conservancies that help to double Kruger’s overall area. But as a private reserve it has a much lower footfall compared to publicly-accessible areas of the park. Typical densities of one safari vehicle in several thousand acres aren’t unlikely.
Yet that’s not the only reason to consider Timbavati for a big cat adventure. It also has one very special addition to the normal list of safari species – the white lion.
A genetic variant causes this rare pale coat colour (different to albinism). What’s more, this reserve is the only place they are known to occur naturally, making Timbavati unique in the world.
A number of luxurious camps lie on the edges of the reserve. The closest is probably KwaMbili Game Lodge, with the significantly cheaper Nsele Safari Lodge one of several additional options that are also within reach.
3. Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Botswana
Anyone who thinks deserts are dead spaces on the Earth’s surface think again. Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana can be positively verdant at the right times of year.
Bigger than the Netherlands, the park occupies almost 10% of Botswana’s land mass. And even then it can still only claim to be the second largest protected area in Africa.
The ancestral home of the San bushmen, it is a treasure-trove of diamond finds. But Central Kalahari reserve doesn’t disappoint when it comes to big cats either.
Its varied landscapes support leopard, cheetah, and lion. The well-built Kalahari black-maned lion is a particularly special inhabitant.
The Kalahari’s landscapes also provide a home for caracal, which don’t quite make it into the big cat category because of their size. There are also canine predators including Cape fox (or asse), and hyena.
Lodges within the reserve, like Jack’s Camp, are of the high-end variety. You’ll need to get back to the main road for cheaper accommodation. But if you do, a night at Rakops River Lodge will cost as little as £20 ($30).
An all-inclusive three-day tour covering accommodation, guide, and national park fees can be arranged both from Maun or before arrival. The latter is best if you’re planning to travel during the prime safari period, May to October.
4. Tsavo East National Park, Kenya
With size comes variation. Kenya’s Tsavo East is another of Africa’s largest protected spaces, nine times larger than the Maasai Mara.
The park’s lions are famous (or perhaps infamous) for their man-eating tendencies. During the construction of the railway in the 1890s several workers were attacked and killed.
Today Tsavo East is more famous for males that lack manes. It gives them a rather scrawny appearance when compared to the giants of Central Kalahari.
Altogether, the park is able to boast close to 700 individual lions. There’s also a decent – if sparsely located – cheetah population. Away from big cats, elephants dusted with red earth add to a species list that runs to several hundred words.
One of Kenya’s most popular national parks, it tends to be incorporated into any multi-destination safari tour.
5. South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
Another national park so large it’s been split into two is Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park. It straddles the banks of the Luangwa River from which it took its name.
The river is an important water source for the region’s wildlife. It is therefore also an excellent place to witness the continent’s big cats. Lion and leopard encounters are some of the most frequent of any African national park.
One of the main attractions has to be the possibility to step out from a cumbersome safari vehicle and explore the park on foot. Nothing beats stepping into plains interrupted by mopane and miombo woodland home to elephant herds hundreds of animals strong.
6. Kidepo Valley National Park, Uganda
Slowly making its name for its safaris is Uganda’s Kidepo Valley National Park. Although the country is better known as a destination for sightings of mountain gorillas, it’s east African location means it has plenty of savannah too.
A potential downside to Kipedo Valley National Park is where you’ll find it – in Uganda’s far northeast. This makes it roughly 400 km from Kampala, taking up much of a day by road, or a short hop by flight from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi airstrip to Kidepo.
However, you can also see this as an upside. Very few tourists make the trip to Kidepo Valley National Park. Not only do you get a better safari experience all round, but animals behave much more naturally too.
And to my mind, it’s worth taking the trip by road at least one way, since other top Uganda attractions, including Murchison Falls National Park and Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary can be visited on the way.
Once there, you’ll be in prime of place to see some of Africa’s largest buffalo herds. And where buffaloes go, lions are never that far behind. Maybe, just maybe, Kidepo Valley National Park is where you’ll finally witness that elusive hunt.
The best places to see big cats in Africa
If you’ve had an awesome big cat encounter elsewhere in Africa, drop them into the comments box below! I’d be keen to know of more of the best places to see big cats in Africa.
