Best Places to See the Big 5 on Safari in Kenya

Kenya is one of the best places in Africa for wildlife viewing. It is a culturally rich country that is known as the ‘land of the original safari.’ Thus, if you are planning to visit this incredible destination, then here are some Kenya safari animals that you could see while on a safari trip.

Top Kenya Safari Animals

1. Big Five: The Big Five are considered the main safari attraction, and Kenya is one African safari destination wherein you could spot them all.
2. The Big Five includes Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Elephant, and African buffalo. Masai Mara, one of the popular game reserves in Kenya, is home to all of these safari animals.
3. You could also see rhinos, especially white rhinos near Lake Nakuru, Ol Pejeta Conservancy, and Lewa Wilderness Conservancy.

2. Zebra: The unique black and white stripe is what makes the zebras distinctive. They have great hearing & eyesight and are known to have a powerful kick that can even kill a lion.
3. They live in large herds and two out of the three species are found in Kenya namely; the Plains (Burchell’s) zebras found in Masai Mara. Whereas, the Grevy’s zebras – larger than the Plains zebra, but with thinner stripes – are found in northern Kenya.

2. Nile Crocodile: One of the largest among the African crocodiles, Nile crocodiles can grow up to 6cm making them one of the biggest reptiles on land.
3. This menacing creature usually feasts on fish, but can also hunt anyone that crosses its path including birds, small hippos, zebras, etc.
4. If you want to spot the Nile crocodiles, then head to the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.

2. Wildebeest:These large African antelopes live in herds and are herbivorous that mainly survive on grass and leaves. The best places to see them are Masai Mara and the Amboseli National Park.
3. Every year thousands of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles take part in the largest land mammal migration wherein they move from the Serengeti in Tanzania to Kenya’s Masai Mara.
4. While crossing the Mara River, many of these animals fall prey to big cats such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, as well as crocodiles.

2. Spotted Hyenas: Spotted hyenas are one of the largest members of the hyena family and easy to spot during a safari trip in Kenya.
3. While they mainly feast on other predators leftover, they are excellent hunters who hunt at least 50% of their own food. Spotted hyenas are led by the females in the group, with over 80 hyenas in a pack known as the clan.
4. Almost on the verge of extinction, spotted hyenas can still be found mostly in the Masai Mara region. 

To sum up;

For a wildlife enthusiast, Kenya is the topmost safari destination thanks to its animal diversity.

Mentioned above were just a few of the safari animals that you can see in Kenya. However, to know the complete list, take a look at this infographic now!