Some people chase sunsets. I chase aardvarks. Don’t get me wrong – lions, leopards, and the rest of the celebrity safari crew are always a thrill to track down. But after years in the travel trenches, I’ve learnt that finding the most famous and iconic African animals isn’t about luck. It’s about knowing where to go, when to be there, and who to trust behind the wheel that makes for something special.
The meerkat is one of the classic iconic African animals I love seeing on safari
Because “We Saw Tracks” Doesn’t Make a Great Story
This isn’t a fluffy listicle or a wildlife bingo card. It’s a curated guide to the best safari destinations for Africa’s most sought-after species – from cheetahs slicing across the Serengeti to meerkats mugging for the camera in the Makgadikgadi.
I’ll share where to find them, when your odds are highest and what makes each place stand out. I mean, if you’re going to fly halfway around the world, you want the odds in your favour.
Almost seeing one of the iconic African animals doesn’t really count, so let’s make sure you do, Image Credit: Rhino Walking Safaris
Lions
The Greater Kruger, South Africa
If you want a lion sighting that doesn’t involve squinting at a distant dot (is it a rock?), go to the Greater Kruger National Park. I’ve seen lions here so close I could count their fleas. This safari mecca is famed for up-close Big 5 encounters, and lions are the stars of the show.
With more lions than anywhere else in South Africa, you’ll see prides sometimes with a dozen or more members: cubs tumbling over each other, lionesses keeping order, and males turning up when things get noisy or romantic (usually both).
- Why it’s the Best: One of the healthiest populations of lions in South Africa, and they’re utterly unfazed by 4x4s
- Best Time to Go: May–September (dry season), as the bush is sparse, which makes for easier tracking
- How to Get There: Skukuza or Hoedspruit Airport, then a short drive to your lodge
- Insider Tip: Go to a private reserve like Lion Sands or Thornybush because off-road driving equals better angles and stories
When the whole cast shows up on cue
Leopards
Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve, South Africa
Leopards might be elusive elsewhere, but the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve is leopard HQ. I’ve had morning drives here with multiple sightings of these African animals – on the ground, in trees, even mating (which is, frankly, a bit awkward to witness before coffee).
The leopards here are relaxed around vehicles, which means longer sightings, closer angles, and actual time to watch them do more than vanish. None of that blink-and-it’s-over business. You get the full leopard routine: stalking, scent-marking, napping, occasionally falling out of trees with their dignity slightly less intact.
- Why it’s the Best: The highest density of habituated leopards in Africa – full stop
- Best Time to Go: May–September, when foliage is thin and game drives go full National Geographic
- How to Get There: Fly into Skukuza or Hoedspruit, then take a short transfer into the reserve
- Insider Tip: Go with lodges like Londolozi or Silvan Safari, as the guides here know every cat’s backstory
See iconic African animals like the leopard, here caught mid-catnap in full photographic form
Cheetahs
Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
If you’ve never seen a cheetah accelerate from nought to “gazelle down” in seconds, the Serengeti is where to change that. This landscape was practically built for speed. Open horizons and short grass make it one of the best places to watch these iconic African animals do what they do best – stalk, chase, and launch into that final explosive burst.
Watching a cheetah go from statuesque stillness to full-speed sprint in a matter of seconds is the kind of thing that makes you question the laws of physics. Sometimes they miss, sometimes they don’t. Either way, it’s hard to look away – even when it’s over in under 30 seconds.
- Why it’s the Best: Flat, open plains equal cheetah heaven, and the Eastern Serengeti is particularly good
- Best Time to Go: June–October, as visibility is excellent, and prey is abundant
- How to Get There: Fly into Kilimanjaro or Arusha, then hop to Seronera or Kusini airstrip
- Insider Tip: Pair this with the Great Migration – big drama, big predators
Poised for pursuit in predator’s paradise
Elephants
Chobe National Park, Botswana
Let me put it this way: you’ll hear Chobe’s elephants before seeing them. Trumpeting herds, hundreds strong, gathering at the river’s edge – it’s glorious, loud, and slightly chaotic (in the best way).
Elephants are water-lovers, and in the dry season, the Chobe River becomes their gathering ground – splashing calves, mud-slicked teenagers, and matriarchs leading the charge like they own the place. These African animals aren’t shy. They come in bulk. And whether you’re in a vehicle or drifting by on a boat, you’re right in the thick of it.
- Why it’s the Best: Chobe has one of the largest elephant concentrations in Africa – think mega-herds
- Best Time to Go: May–October, as the dry season equals river gatherings
- How to Get There: Fly into Kasane Airport, which is practically inside the national park
- Insider Tip: Do a river cruise, as there’s nothing quite like watching elephants cross the water trunk-to-tail
When rush hour means trunks and splashes of these iconic African animals, Image Credit: Chobe Game Lodge
Rhinos
Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya
When it comes to rhinos, Ol Pejeta isn’t messing around. This place is home to the last two northern white rhinos on Earth. Not “in Kenya”. Not “in the wild”. On. The. Planet. Both are female, under round-the-clock armed guard, and a living reminder of what happens when humans get it wrong.
But it’s not all gloom – the work the conservancy does is really inspiring. They also have the largest population of black rhinos in East Africa. Sightings are a regular part of the itinerary. Plus, if you want to step things up, you can even join the conservancy’s rhino monitoring team and help ID individuals based on things like ear notches and horn shapes. It’s hands-on, meaningful, and – let’s face it – it beats another infinity pool.
- Why it’s the Best: See the last two remaining northern white rhinos, over 165 black rhinos, and experience conservation initiatives
- Best Time to Go: June–October and January–February, which are the dry seasons, making it easier to spot wildlife
- How to Get There: Fly into Nanyuki Airstrip from Nairobi, then take a short drive to the conservancy
- Insider Tip:
Book a behind-the-scenes conservation experience, as it’s one thing to see African animals in the wild but another thing to understand what it takes to keep them there
The last of their kind, quietly grazing, Image Credit: Ol Pejeta Conservancy
African Wild Dogs
Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe
If iconic African animals had a cult following, these wild dogs would be at the centre of it. Fierce, fast, and surprisingly social, they’re one of the continent’s most endangered predators – and also one of the most thrilling to track. In Mana Pools, you’ll have the opportunity to see them interact, hunt, play, raise pups, and occasionally collapse in a heap like overcaffeinated toddlers.
Mana Pools National Park is one of their last strongholds, and the open floodplains make it easier to follow the action. The packs here are well monitored, often active during daylight, and often seen on foot safaris – which takes the whole experience up several notches.
- Why it’s the Best: The open terrain means fewer wild dog vanishing acts, and a rare chance to track them on foot
- Best Time to Go: June–October, as the dry season delivers better visibility and waterhole stakeouts
- How to Get There: Fly into Harare, then connect via light aircraft to Mana Pools airstrip
- Insider Tip: Do a walking safari – standing in stillness while a pack moves through is truly special
Not your average dog walk in the park, Image Credit: Wilderness Ruckomechi
Meerkats
Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana
No African animal makes eye contact with a camera quite like a meerkat. In the Makgadikgadi Pans, they’re not only easy to find – they’re borderline cooperative. Thanks to years of research and habituation, some local mobs are so relaxed around humans that they’ll climb onto your head to get a better view. (Yes, really!)
These salt pans may seem stark at first glance, but that’s the magic – open space, golden light, and a front-row seat to the daily business of one of Africa’s most charismatic small predators. It’s less about adrenaline, more about slow observation – and it’s brilliant.
- Why it’s the Best: Habituated meerkat colonies, flat open terrain, and unbeatable photographic opportunities
- Best Time to Go: May–October, as the dry season means clear skies and better visibility
- How to Get There:
Fly into Maun, then connect to a camp near the pans via light aircraft or 4×4 transfer - Insider Tip: Go out early – meerkats rise with the sun, and you’ll want to be there when they do
These little locals are definitely stealing the show, Image Credit: Jack’s Camp
Aardvarks
Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa
If you’re chasing rare African animals, the aardvark is top-tier. Nocturnal, solitary, and comically awkward-looking, they’re usually a safari pipe dream. But at Tswalu, they actually show up – sometimes in broad daylight. It’s one of the few places where aardvark sightings are pleasantly frequent.
The Kalahari’s semi-arid landscape is ideal for these termite-loving diggers. And because Tswalu is private and highly exclusive, you’ll have the freedom (and time) to go looking for the stranger stuff without pressure. Think less checklist, more curiosity-driven tracking.
- Why it’s the Best: One of the only places in Africa where aardvarks are regularly seen
- Best Time to Go:
June–August, with cooler temperatures and more daylight activity - How to Get There: Fly direct to Tswalu’s private airstrip from Johannesburg or Cape Town
- Insider Tip: Keep an eye out for pangolins and brown hyenas, too – Tswalu’s a hotspot for the weird and wonderful
Proof that patience pays off at Tswalu, Image Credit: Tswalu Motse Lodge
Wildebeest
The Maasai Mara and the Serengeti, Kenya and Tanzania
Let’s be honest – wildebeest are the “meh” emoji of African animals. They’ve got the build of a budget buffalo and the personality of something perpetually bewildered. To most predators, they’re basically lunch on legs – the food group fuelling all the star attractions.
However, when wildebeest migrate on masse, thundering across the plains in their hundreds of thousands, they become the spectacle everyone’s chasing.
The Great Wildebeest Migration is one of the most spectacular wildlife phenomena on Earth. It’s a constant loop of movement between Tanzania’s Serengeti and Kenya’s Maasai Mara – driven by rain, grass, and survival instinct. They travel with zebras, gazelles, and a full entourage of opportunists: lions, hyenas, vultures, the works. It’s messy, unpredictable, and oh-so completely absorbing.
- Why it’s the Best: The largest land-based migration on the planet – no other wildlife event compares
- Best Time to Go: Serengeti (calving season): Jan–March, Western Corridor crossings: May–June, Mara River crossings: July–September
- How to Get There:
For Serengeti: Fly into Kilimanjaro or Arusha, then connect to a nearby airstrip, or for Maasai Mara: Fly from Nairobi into Mara North or Ol Kiombo - Insider Tip: Time your trip around the river crossings – especially the Mara, as it’s chaotic, dramatic, and the reason people come back more than once
The moment chaos becomes pure safari spectacle
Pangolins
Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa
Yes, we’re back at Tswalu. And no, they’re not paying me to write this. It’s just that when it comes to the strange and spectacular African animals most people never see, this place delivers. Case in point: pangolins. I still haven’t seen one (they remain my personal white whale), but Tswalu gives you a genuine shot, not just from a vehicle, but alongside researchers who are tracking them as part of a long-term conservation project.
They look like walking pinecones, move with waddly determination, and are weirdly endearing. And because they’re also the most trafficked mammal in the world, seeing one isn’t just rare – it’s meaningful. This is safari gold.
- Why it’s the Best: The most reliable spot in Africa to try your luck with a pangolin, and you can join researchers in the field and get properly nerdy about it
- Best Time to Go: June–August, with cold Kalahari nights, meaning pangolins are out early
- How to Get There: Fly directly to Tswalu’s private airstrip from Johannesburg or Cape Town
- Insider Tip: Night drives are your golden ticket, and if you’re still riding the “weird and wonderful” wave, ask your guide to go full cryptid and look for aardvarks and brown hyenas, too
Pinecone meets prehistoric in the Kalahari, Image Credit: Tswalu Motse Lodge
Right Place. Right Time. Right Animal.
Whether you’re chasing speed with cheetahs, silence with leopards, or sheer scale with elephants, knowing where (and when) to go makes all the difference. So ditch the wildlife wishful thinking and start planning with purpose. We’ll help you get the odds in your favour – and the stories to match.
