Safety in Numbers
The Cape buffalo moves in herds that can number in the hundreds, grazing long grass and drinking at dawn and dusk before retreating to shade through the heat of the day. Herd life offers real protection: buffalo will collectively defend a member under attack, and there are documented cases of a herd mobbing and driving off a pride of lions. It is this cooperative defence — rather than size alone — that makes the buffalo one of the more formidable animals on the Big Five list.
Older males that have left the herd, known as dagga boys, live alone or in small bachelor groups and have a reputation for unpredictable, defensive behaviour, which is why guides keep a respectful distance from solitary bulls. Because buffalo herds are a reliable food source for lions, the edges of a large herd are also a good place to watch for predator activity.
Where to See Buffalo
The Masai Mara, the Serengeti and Lake Nakuru all hold large, easy-to-find buffalo herds year-round, and the Ngorongoro Crater concentrates them alongside the rest of the Big Five on a single caldera floor.
Best Time to Go
Buffalo are visible in every season, but the dry months draw the largest herds to permanent water, making for bigger and more dramatic sightings.
Plan Your Buffalo Safari
Buffalo herds are one of the more dependable Big Five sightings on any itinerary — we build them naturally into every route through the Mara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro.