The "Big 5" refers to the Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Elephant and Buffalo.

The collection consists of the lion, the African elephant, the Cape Buffalo, the leopard and the rhinoceros, either the black rhinoceros or the white rhinoceros. The members of the big five were chosen for the difficulty in hunting them and not their size.

Sighting the Big 5 is usually high on the priority list for many a visitor to game reserves, as these animals have a special kind of majesty, and capture the imagination by their power, size and beauty. They also possess an allure that is only fully appreciated once you have seen them in their own habitat: sighting a leopard in a tree, coming across a pride of lion at a kill, or seeing a herd of elephant roaming across the plains: these experiences cannot be shared with or explained to someone who was not there.

The Big 5 were once widely distributed throughout Africa, but are now largely restricted to game reserves. They are usually found in the larger of the southern african game reserves, as these animals require large tracts of land in which to roam. All of these mammals are to be found in South Africa, making this country one of the most popular locations for safari style holidays.

The Sabi Sands Game Reserve in the Mpumalanga province, for example, is arguably the most exclusive game reserve in the country. With no fences existing between the Kruger Park and Sabi Sands, the wildlife roams free between the two reserves. Leopards are the main attraction here, and these awesome creatures are so accustomed to humans that you can even follow them while hunting, in an off-road vehicle. All of the Big Five can be viewed at Sabi Sands.

We can help you create the itinerary that will give you the best chance of spotting the Big Five, so please contact us via the form below or call on (02) 4984 9747