01Lion
Masai Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater
Wildlife
East Africa Wildlife Guide
From the Big Five to wild dogs, gorillas and more than 1,400 bird species: what you can see, and where you'll see it best.
The Big Five
Lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino
Each guide covers behaviour, the best parks, the best months and itineraries built around that animal.
Beyond the Big Five
More wildlife to look for
Cheetah
Open plains of the Mara and Serengeti
Giraffe
Masai giraffe in the south, reticulated in Samburu
Wild dog
Ruaha and Nyerere in southern Tanzania
Hippo
Mara River, Lake Naivasha, Kazinga Channel
Mountain gorilla
Bwindi and Volcanoes
Chimpanzee
Kibale, Nyungwe
Shoebill
Uganda's papyrus swamps
Flamingo
Rift Valley soda lakes
Spotting tips
How guides find the animals
- Scan tree forks and shady branches for a leopard's spotted shape or a hanging tail.
- Watch the sky and the edges: circling vultures and waiting hyenas often mark a recent kill.
- Listen for alarm calls from impala, baboons and birds; they usually mean a predator is close.
- Read the ground. Fresh tracks and dung on a dusty road show who passed and when.
- Stay quiet and patient. Ten still minutes at a good spot often beat an hour of driving.
Journal
Species guides
112 unique wildlife and 45 bird articles after merging duplicates.
Start planning
Ready when you are
Tell us your dates, who's travelling and the animals you most want to see. A planner who knows these parks will reply, usually within a few hours.