See the Big Five in Africa

Introducing the Big 5

Lion

Few sounds are as evocative and exhilarating as a lion roaring his challenge into the African night, triggering in us all a primordial reaction of fear and awe. Lions are essential players in Africa's wild spaces, playing a crucial role as apex predators, helping maintain biodiversity and ecosystems, which change fundamentally when lions are removed from them.

Leopard

Breathtakingly beautiful, charismatic, powerful, and mysterious, leopards are the picture of perfection. Their self-contained grace and nimble frames belie an extraordinary explosive strength and speed when needed. Those who have spent time with leopards will tell you that every leopard sighting is unique – defined by the personality of the leopard itself. The only truly predictable aspect of leopard behaviour is its unpredictability.

Elephant

The African elephant is the largest land mammal in the world and one of nature’s great ecosystem engineers, contributing to maintaining the balance between wooded and grass ecosystems. Their beneficial impact on biodiversity is significant, and many other species depend on elephants for their survival, making them a key species in Africa. Elephants are fascinating and endearing - time spent with them nurtures your spiritual health and well-being.

Buffalo

The African (Cape) buffalo has earned itself a reputation, particularly for the cantankerous old bulls, otherwise known as dagga boys or kakuli, that spend their time wallowing in pans or hanging around in dense reedbeds along Africa’s rivers. Immense and powerful, the buffalo should not be underestimated - as many lions have discovered. Don’t be fooled if your only experience of them is from the safety of a game drive vehicle, which perspective makes them look like wild cows.

Rhino

These magnificent creatures are as crucial for African biodiversity as elephants and lions, and each encounter with them is special and to be cherished. White and black rhinos have very distinct behavioural reputations. The larger white rhinos are more placid, while black rhinos are often described as solitary, unpredictable, and even cantankerous.

Depending on the place and time of year, black rhinos are usually the most difficult of the Big Five to find - they are very rare and known to hang around in dense vegetation. Leopards are next in line for being elusive, followed by buffaloes (which travel big distances in pursuit of reliable grazing and water), lions (which often follow the buffaloes), white rhinos (usually easy to find if they occur in that area) and finally elephants (the easiest of the Big 5 to find).

Our best Big 5 safaris in Africa typically include accommodation, all meals, game drives and other described activities, park fees, experienced guides, airport transfers and 24/7 support from our team. Specific inclusions vary by package – contact us for detailed itineraries.

Yes, we only use lodges and guides that enforce the necessary safeguards while you are on safari.

Most of the time, your encounters with the Big Five and other dangerous species, such as hippos and crocodiles, will be while on a game drive. Wild animals tend to ignore game drive vehicles if the guides drive responsibly. Even if you get close to large animals, the guides will ensure that their driving does not provoke an aggressive reaction from wild animals. 

While on a walking safari, your guides will be highly vigilant about established safety procedures. The chance of encountering dangerous animals (which will be given a wide berth) is far less than during a game drive. 

While walking around the immediate vicinity of your lodge (which may be unfenced), it is very important to obey the safety instructions explained to you by the lodge manager. These include not walking far from the lodge during the day and not walking around at night without an escort. 

Safaris to Big Five areas usually cost from US$5,000 per person, depending on duration, accommodation comfort level, and activities. Our packages offer excellent value with transparent pricing.

We have been handcrafting experiential safaris since 1991. Travel in Africa is about knowing when and where to go, and with whom. A few weeks too early/late or a few kilometres off course, and you could miss the greatest show on Earth. And wouldn’t that be a pity?

Booking through a respected tour operator with many years of experience means that all you need to focus on is helping us design your safari and then having a superb vacation. The rest – all the nitty-gritty detail and admin – is done while you relax. Our 24/7 concierges take care of problems such as flight changes and missed flights, last-minute road-transfer and lodge changes due to unexpected events, and itinerary changes requested by you.

Remember that you will not save money by attempting to book and manage your own safari, but you will inherit mistakes and problems that arise.

You only make your first payment when you book your Big Five safari holiday. Your second (last) payment is about 90 days before you travel.

Yes, your money is safe. Your payments go into a third-party TRUST ACCOUNT – protecting them in the unlikely event of a financial setback on our part. Also, we are members of SATSA who attest to our integrity, legal compliance and financial stability. See what travellers say about us.

By booking your safari with Africa Geographic, you make a significant difference because:

• We donate a portion of every safari sold to selected conservation efforts at ground level

• Your safari supports our conservation publishing efforts, which educate the world about Africa's incredible biodiversity and the local people who protect it

• Our chosen lodges support local community initiatives, ensuring that tourism benefits the nearby villages directly. They also adhere to strict environmental practices, such as limited vehicle numbers and sustainable camp operations, which help protect the ecosystem

YOUR safari choice does make a difference – thank you!