The Big Five

The Big Five — lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros, and buffalo — are South Africa's safari superstars. The name does not derive from their size, but from big game hunting: they were the five animals that were the most difficult and dangerous to hunt on foot.

Animal	Best Place	Sighting Tips
Lion	Kruger (Satara), Sabi Sands, Kgalagadi	Morning and late afternoon. Often lying on/near the road. Follow the impala herds!
Leopard	Sabi Sands (best sightings worldwide!), Southern Kruger	Most difficult to find. Look in trees! Leopards rest on thick branches. Early morning and evening.
Elephant	Kruger (everywhere), Addo Elephant Park, Hluhluwe	Easiest to find. Herds of 20–50 animals. Mornings at waterholes. Keep distance, never block their path!
Rhinoceros	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, Southern Kruger, Pilanesberg	White rhino (grazing) vs. black rhino (bushes, rarer). Early morning in open grassland.
Buffalo	Kruger (everywhere), Hluhluwe, Addo	In large herds (100–500). At waterholes. Considered the most dangerous of the Big Five!