Big Five Safaris

The savannah, just before dawn. The air is cool and still, the stars fading; the silence is suddenly punctuated by the ‘good lord deliver us’ cry of the fiery-necked nightjar. This is Africa, and it’s time to wake before the first golden light hits the grass. Your first Big Five safari promises a connection to something ancient and wild.

A Big Five safari experience allows you the opportunity to see the lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo, originally named by hunters as the most dangerous animals to track on foot. Today, we track them with cameras and a deep sense of wonder.

Whether it’s watching a pride of lions hunt in the Masai Mara, Kenya, or spying a leopard draped over a leadwood branch in the Sabi Sand, South Africa, these are the stories you’ll tell for decades.

Family Memories

For family travellers, the best safari is about more than the wildlife; it’s about the ease of the journey, allowing for more time to make memories. If you’re travelling with little ones, a top tip is opting for all-inclusive Big Five safari tours in malaria-free regions.

In South Africa’s Madikwe Game Reserve, luxury meets absolute peace of mind. Lodges like Jaci’s Tree Lodge or Madikwe Hills offer exclusive-use private villas where your family has its own dedicated ranger, chef, and game vehicle.

While you’re enjoying a quiet moment by your private plunge pool, the children can join kids’ programmes to learn about tracking animals and protecting the bush.

Top Destinations for a Big Five Safari

Choosing where to start can feel overwhelming, but arguably the best spot for your first Africa Big Five safari is South Africa. It has a high density of accessible luxury lodges and almost guaranteed sightings.

Greater Kruger, South Africa

Including Sabi Sand, Thornybush, and Timbavati, this is the heart of luxury Big Five safari itineraries, with some of the best Big Five sightings in Africa, especially of leopards and rhinos.

In the Greater Kruger private reserves, guides can take tracks which aren’t open to Kruger National Park general visitors. Guides can drive off-road to follow certain animals into the thickets.

Private reserves are also less congested and more exclusive, featuring less safari traffic at sightings. It’s not uncommon to see all Big Five species over just a couple of days.

Kruger is a malaria area which requires extra precautions.

Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa

Madikwe is malaria-free and it has excellent Big Five viewings, as well as wild dogs. It’s considered to be less crowded than Kruger.

For families, it probably doesn’t get any better. Many lodges have purpose-built family suites with pools and junior ranger programmes, children’s dining and bush activities, as well as flexible game drive options for younger children.

Madikwe is a special stop on your safari and is widely regarded as one of Africa’s most reliable family safari destinations.

Masai Mara, Kenya

For luxury travellers seeking that Out of Africa feeling, the Mara, as it’s affectionately known, is unbeatable. Stay in a premium tented camp like Sanctuary Olonana, where floor-to-ceiling glass doors keep you connected to the Mara River.

It’s this river that the wildebeest and zebras cross during the Great Migration. There are high predator densities, such as the lion, cheetah, and leopard, in the Mara.

Lodges often run child-focused safari activities, and some properties are specifically designed around family experiences and varied activities.

Of the Big Five, elephants, lions, and buffaloes are seen often. Leopards, being the elusive creatures they are, can be difficult  to spot. White rhinos aren’t found in the Masai Mara, and black rhinos are elusive and restricted to specific sectors.

Masai Mara is also a malaria area which requires extra precautions.

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

This ancient caldera is a marvel of nature, offering the most concentrated Big Five in Africa viewing. It’s one of the few places where you’re almost guaranteed to see the endangered black rhino. But it can get very busy with safari traffic.

Tanzania is ideal if you’re looking for a blend of wildlife and culture. Here, you can meet and interact with local Maasai villagers and can visit coffee farms.

Expert tip: Staying on the crater rim gives you early access to the crater.

Okavango Delta and Linyanti, Botswana

Botswana has a low-volume tourism policy, which translates into exclusive luxury with low safari traffic.

The Okavango Delta, along with the Linyanti region, is arguably the most pristine safari ecosystem in Africa. It’s not quite Big Five territory; rhinos are extremely rare and not generally seen, but the huge number of elephants is a sight to behold.

And you can do water safaris here; there is little to beat watching elephants from the vantage of a mokoro or motorboat. Some camps offer private-use villas with full staff, but many camps have age restrictions for children.

A Day on Safari

Days on a Big Five African safari have a particular rhythm. You wake to the smell of fresh coffee, the sound of the bush waking up around you, and the crested francolin chattering animatedly until you’re up.

Your morning drive usually sets off before the sun is up, after a quick coffee and rusk. It’s all about the thrill of the journey, tracking animal prints in the dust. By midday, you’re back at the lodge for lunch and a siesta.

Tea time before it’s back out for a sunset drive, usually ending with sundowners. This is a time-honoured safari tradition and always involves stopping for a drink, often a classic gin and tonic and a snack as the sky turns purple and orange. African sunsets are always magnificent.

And then it’s back to camp for dinner and stories around the campfire. This is where the real magic happens; it’s a time for reflection and connection with the people you love most. And then to bed, to listen for the laugh of a hyena or the distant roar of a lion in the night.

Plan Your Dream Journey

We’ve spent decades walking these paths, but we believe every journey should feel like the first. Whether you want a malaria-free haven or an ultra-exclusive villa for a multi-generational celebration, let us design your family-friendly Big Five safari, crafted with heart, right here on the continent.

Inspired by the wild? Let’s start designing your journey. Speak to a Discover Africa expert today.