The Big 5

When you start planning and researching a safari, you may come across something called “the big 5”. This is a very common term in the safari business! The term was coined by Big Game Hunters, referring to the 5 most dangerous animals in the African savannah to be hunted: Lion, Leopard, Rhino, African Buffalo & African elephants. Since considered to be the most dangerous to hunt, they were thought to be the trophy kills. Now, as hunting reserves are becoming less common as animal activists & animal rescue groups are o the rise to help protect the African wildlife, the safari business has now inherited the term “game drives” and “the big 5”. When you are out on game drive (safari), it is the goal to witness the Big Five!

 

The African Lion. Probably one of the most feared animals of the big 5 and definitely one of the most exciting to witness! If your goal is to witness a lot of lions on your African Safari; Tanzania should be at the top of your list of picks for a destination! Tanzania has the HIGHEST number of lions in all of Africa! Groups of lions are known as prides, and can range in size drastically. They are known to be very territorial predators, the male lions defend their territories while the females do the hunting. Since Lions are very territorial, it is easy for guides to know the lions & refer to them by name. Very strategic hunters, you will witness just how smart these big cats are as they work together while on a hunt. They have soft pads which give them a more stealth approach to their prey, which they tend to stalk more than chase. Lions have a small heart, which only allows them to run in short sprints. Lions are by far one of the most impressive of the big 5 to witness, especially if you  are lucky enough to witness them to attempt a kill. (Most of their kills are unsuccessful)

The Rhinoceros. The most endangered of the Big 5 and the most rare to witness. Witnessing a rhino on safari is more by chance of luck than skill. Rhino poaching hit an all-time high in 2009. The horns of the rhino is highly sought after by the Asian community, thought to have healing properties for medicine. The higher chance of seeing a rhino would be visiting the Ngorongoro crater or visiting the Serengeti in the rainy season. The rainy season (March-May), the park is less crowded which gives the rhinos more roaming and freedom. They are fairly shy of the large safari vehicles plus the drivers do not want to get too close to them, as rhinos are very aggressive when they decide to charge!

The African Buffalo. Thought to be the most peaceful of the Big 5, but definitely the most dangerous when they decide to charge. Generally you will witness large herds of buffalos, but the most dangerous buffalos to be careful of are the isolated bulls. They may have been aged out of the herd or perhaps just left on its own, but they are basically annoyed by everything and are very defensive. African buffalos are known to protect their group as a whole with babies in the middle for protection and will have no problem charging after predators such as lions who may be trying to hunt one. Be very mindful, especially at camps of keeping your distance from these bulls, they do not send warning signals like most animals do when they are annoyed with your presence!

The African Elephant. Elephants can be seen in groups of 2 to 40 in the Serengeti and are common to witness while on game drive! Elephants are very protective of their young, keeping their babies tucked close to the center of their groups. Elephants will send warning signals when they are annoyed, shaking their head, trumpeting or even a few quick pounding steps towards their annoyance, letting them  know to back off. Due to their size, elephants can do significant damage, but are not well heard when approaching. You’ll notice elephants footsteps are almost silent; making them very stealth! Fun fact: elephants can communicate with one another through their feet! They will pound the ground when there is danger in the area, sending a warning signal to other herds of elephants in a 20 mile radius. They can pick up on the low-frequency rumblings or stomping of the ground. Similar to the African Buffalo, the bull elephants tend to be very aggressive.

 

The African elephant is known to be the pride of Africa, however poaching has taken a significant toll on the population. Animal rescue groups from all over the world have put in much effort to try to help these animals from endangerment & to help end illegal poaching for their ivory. These groups tend to hep track the herds and even educate the communities about the importance and significance of elephants to the National Parks, which in turn helps their economy. Fun fact: Lots of the National Park guards who help protect the wildlife in it, were once poachers!

         

*Can you spot the leopards kill camouflaged in the sausage tree?*

The Leopard. This big cat is even more rare to witness on game drive than the rhino, these big cats are very shy and prefer to spend most of their days lounging in the thick, large sausage trees. The guides are always on the hunt to find the leopards in the Serengeti and do help one another on locations when spotted so all guests have an equal chance to witness this big cat. Leopards are typically solitary and very very powerful. They are most known for their beautiful coats and their strength. They are known to safeguard their prey up into the sausage trees, away from other predators who are known to steal meals. Although this is the smallest of the big cats in the world, the leopard is pound for pound the strongest, being able to carry 225 lbs! (100 kg) (The average leopards weighs about 60 lbs (27 kg))

 

While animal rescue and protection groups are on the rise, we hope to see these beautiful animals rise in numbers & steer from the direction of the endangered species list. Although the national park fees are high, these funds go towards preservation of the National parks and to help protect its wildlife. Shoot wildlife with your cameras, no guns.

The Great Migration: When to Go

When planning an African Safari, it can be overwhelming/intimidating. Africa is a rather large continent with so many countries to choose from, sometimes people get very overwhelmed which country is best. Within your research, I’m sure you will come across the Serengeti National Park, located in Tanzania, East Africa. The Serengeti ranks as Africa’s top safari destinations. With the majority of us being familiar with the world famous national park, and being the home to The Great Migration, it really is no wonder why it continues to rank as Africa’s leading Safari National Park!

The Great Migration is a constant, ever-moving circular migration made up of millions of wildebeests, zebras, antelope & other herbivores in search for fresh food & water across the Serengeti-Maasai Mara ecosystem. It is one of the most sought-after experiences in the world for wildlife & nature enthusiasts. Travelers, photographers travel from all over the globe to witness one of the most fascinating, exhilarating wildlife events.

When does the Great Migration happen? 

The great migration is a continual movement, however we like to break it into 2 peaks to make it easy to understand when to plan your trip!

 

January-March is calving season. The herds of the migration are in in the southern plains of the Serengeti where you actually enter the National Park. The herds of wildebeests & zebras are giving birth in the these plains; The beginning of the circle of life! Nearly 80% of the wildebeests give birth in these southern plains due to the vast, open plains of short grasses giving them better visibility to see if a predator is in the area. Nearly 8,000 wildebeests & zebras are born a day. (Yes, you read this correctly!)Nearly 500,000 are born during this season. The calves are quick to their feet, walking/running with the herds within minutes of entering the world (now how cool is that?! Survival of the fittest!)

You may be able to witness one of the antelope, zebra or wildebeest giving birth or you may see a plethora of babies in the plains; But please bare in mind the predators in the surrounding territories know this is the birthing place. Babies = easy targets.

During the calving season, the grasslands are extremely green & vibrant, everything is in bloom. The landscapes alone are incredibly breathtaking this time of year. You may have a quick, very quick passing shower, but it tends to cool off the lands & the animals tend to become active after a passing shower. So if there is a passing shower in the Serengeti, don’t pack it up and head back to camp just yet! Stick it out, I’m sure you’ll witness some big cats emerge from their hiding spots to enjoy the coolness the shower provided!

Not only will you enjoy plethora of baby antelope, wildebeests, zebras but also plenty of baby predators too! Predators such a lions, cheetah, hyena, leopards, jackals have coincided their mating/birthing times to that of their prey. They understand that their cubs have the highest chance of survival when there is an abundance of food available. It also gives them an excellent chance to learn hunting skills from their elders and to practice themselves on the calves so one day, they can fend for themselves.

Safaris happening during the calving season can really see quite a bit in just a 4-5 day safari. The reason being is that the herds are very far south, so the safari-goers do not have to travel deep into the Serengeti to find the action. This time of year we recommend staying in Ndutu or central Serengeti. you will have the most selections of camps/lodges to choose from, meeting all budgets. From mobile camps, to luxury permanent camps to lodges; you will have no issue finding a place to best fit your needs! We are always watching the paths of the migration and make our best suggestions for our clients where to stay based on the experts predictions.

June/July-October is the Mara River Crossing season, considered to be the main Peak season of the Great Migration. This is when the herds have reached the northern part of the Serengeti on the Kenya border. The herds have to brave the strong currents of the crocodile infested waters of the Mara river, to reach the other side in search for fresh grass; only to be faced with the predators of the Maasai Mara who have long been waiting their arrival. (Lions, leopards, cheetah, hyena, etc). The Mara river crossings are considered to be the highlight of the Great Migration and extremely incredible/special to witness. July-October will be your best chances of witnessing a crossing, however timing it to catch a glimpse of a crossing can be tricky, as they are not guaranteed. There are slight changes every year to the course of the migration based on the rainfall, which does impact the timing of the infamous Mara river crossings. It is crucially important to have a knowledgable guide of the Mara river points and how to navigate the terrain. This part of the Serengeti is far less traveled, in fact, some of the crocodiles in the Mara only eat this one time of year. The paths/terrain are very difficult compared to central Serengeti where you will find resident wildlife all year long.

Due to this section of the Serengeti being less-trafficked/very seasonal, there are very limited camps to choose from. You will find your selection will be from mobile camps (camps that move location from the southern plains to the north) and permanent camps. The permanent camps here tend to be be super luxury.

For most safari tours that include a Mara river crossing; the tour’s last few evenings will be in the Northern plains so some guests will choose to splurge and stay at one of the really luxurious camps for their last 2 nights of safari. Most of our safari tours that include a Mara river crossing, we strongly recommend a 6+ day safari. While you can see plenty in central Serengeti during these months, if a guest wants to try to get a glimpse of a Mara river crossing, we tend to recommend a 2 nights’ stay in the northern plains to increase your chances of witnessing a crossing.

Some company’s may dangle a carrot out in front of you, giving you hope you could go see the Mara one afternoon, however this is not very feasible. The crossings tend to happen very early morning hours before the African sun becomes to hot to bare for the herds. To reach the northern part of the Serengeti where the Mara is located, it is nearly a 3+ hour drive from central Serengeti that entails exiting/entering different gates with strict operational hours. It is best for the safari goer to have accommodations in the north to have the best chance of seeing a crossing and exploring this section of the Serengeti.

June-October are the peak months to experience the Serengeti, not only for the Mara river crossings, but also for the visibility of the animals. Being the dry season, the grass is gone & not many spots for the animals to hide, the visibility is excellent. The herds of the great migration have moved on, although there are still plenty of residential animals. The predators (lions, hyenas, cheetah, leopards) are very territorial and do not follow the herds. They begin to become more desperate for a food source, so it is very common to witness them hunting during the daylight hours. If someone was only interested in seeing predators, these months would be ideal for them.  Some guests may choose not to go to the Mara, but to just stay in central Serengeti and there still will be plenty of action.