Challenge

The Big Five

Q: Where is the best place to see the Big Five?

Akagera National Park. In Akagera National Park, Rwanda, the chance of seeing all 5 (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino) on the same day is about 10%, the highest of the 10 parks where all of them live, and over a three-day visit it rises to about 70%. Next come Ngorongoro Conservation Area (under 5% a day), Kruger National Park (under 5% a day) and Tsavo West National Park (under 5% a day). It multiplies each animal's daily chance, as if they were independent, so read it as a rough guide.

Q: Which of the Big Five is hardest to see?

Leopard. In Akagera National Park, the best park for the Big Five, about about 40% of wildlife watchers report the leopard on a given day, against about 80% for the elephant. The hardest one decides how many days you need.

Q: How do you complete the Big Five on Wallace's Line?

Mark them as seen. Tick ✓ Seen on each animal's card, add your trips, or link your iNaturalist account. Your passport counts the Big Five three ways: anywhere in the world, all in one park, and all in a single trip.

AfricaMedium

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The checklist: 5 animals

Loxodonta africana

Daily sighting probability ~90% · Very likely

Panthera leo

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Panthera pardus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Syncerus caffer

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Diceros bicornis

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Where to go

Chance of seeing in

Month by month at Akagera National Park

~60%

Jan

~60%

Feb

~50%

Mar

~90%

Apr

~20%

May

~10%

Jun

~90%

Jul

~60%

Aug

<5%

Sep

~20%

Oct

~20%

Nov

~60%

Dec

Time of day

Where they are recorded most Parks with some of them

Parks

#	Park	Country	Animals	All 5 in 3 days
1	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	5 of 5	~70%
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			~90%
	Leopard			~80%
	African Buffalo			>90%
	White Rhinoceros			~90%
2	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	5 of 5	~50%
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			~90%
	Leopard			~80%
	African Buffalo			~90%
	White Rhinoceros			~70%
3	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	5 of 5	~50%
	African Bush Elephant			~90%
	Lion			>90%
	Leopard			~60%
	African Buffalo			>90%
	Black Rhinoceros			~90%
4	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	5 of 5	~40%
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			~80%
	Leopard			~90%
	African Buffalo			>90%
	Black Rhinoceros			~60%
5	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	5 of 5	~40%
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			>90%
	Leopard			~90%
	African Buffalo			~90%
	Black Rhinoceros			~60%
6	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	5 of 5	~40%
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			>90%
	Leopard			>90%
	African Buffalo			~90%
	Black Rhinoceros			~50%
7	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	5 of 5	~20%
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			~80%
	Leopard			~70%
	African Buffalo			~50%
	White Rhinoceros			~90%
8	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	5 of 5	~20%
	African Bush Elephant			~90%
	Lion			~80%
	Leopard			~30%
	African Buffalo			>90%
	White Rhinoceros			~90%
9	uMkhuze Game Reserve	🇿🇦 South Africa	5 of 5	~10%
	African Bush Elephant			~80%
	Lion			~80%
	Leopard			~40%
	African Buffalo			~60%
	White Rhinoceros			~80%
10	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	5 of 5	<5%
	African Bush Elephant			~50%
	Lion			~30%
	Leopard			~40%
	African Buffalo			~80%
	White Rhinoceros			~40%
11	Lower Zambezi National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	4 of 5	Missing: Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			~90%
	Leopard			~70%
	African Buffalo			>90%
12	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	4 of 5	Missing: Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			~90%
	Leopard			~80%
	African Buffalo			~90%
13	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	4 of 5	Missing: Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			~90%
	Leopard			~80%
	African Buffalo			>90%
14	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	4 of 5	Missing: Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			~90%
	Leopard			~80%
	African Buffalo			>90%
15	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	4 of 5	Missing: Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			>90%
	Leopard			~80%
	African Buffalo			~70%
16	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	4 of 5	Missing: Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			>90%
	Leopard			>90%
	African Buffalo			~90%
17	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	4 of 5	Missing: Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			~90%
	Leopard			~80%
	African Buffalo			~90%
18	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	4 of 5	Missing: Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			>90%
	Leopard			~50%
	African Buffalo			~90%
19	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	4 of 5	Missing: Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			~90%
	Leopard			~60%
	African Buffalo			~80%
20	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	4 of 5	Missing: Leopard
	African Bush Elephant			~90%
	Lion			~70%
	African Buffalo			~90%
	White Rhinoceros			~30%
21	Etosha National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	4 of 5	Missing: Buffalo
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			>90%
	Leopard			~70%
	Black Rhinoceros			>90%
22	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	4 of 5	Missing: Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			>90%
	Leopard			~80%
	African Buffalo			~90%
23	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	4 of 5	Missing: Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			>90%
	Leopard			~90%
	African Buffalo			~80%
24	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	4 of 5	Missing: Leopard
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			~90%
	African Buffalo			~90%
	Black Rhinoceros			~60%
25	Meru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	4 of 5	Missing: Leopard
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			~90%
	African Buffalo			~90%
	White Rhinoceros			~90%
26	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	4 of 5	Missing: Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			~90%
	Leopard			~80%
	African Buffalo			~60%
27	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	4 of 5	Missing: Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			>90%
	Leopard			~40%
	African Buffalo			~90%
28	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	4 of 5	Missing: Elephant
	Lion			~90%
	Leopard			~30%
	African Buffalo			~70%
	White Rhinoceros			~90%
29	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	4 of 5	Missing: Elephant
	Lion			~80%
	Leopard			~60%
	African Buffalo			>90%
	White Rhinoceros			>90%
30	Gorongosa National Park	🇲🇿 Mozambique	3 of 5	Missing: Leopard, Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			~80%
	Lion			~90%
	African Buffalo			~60%
31	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	3 of 5	Missing: Leopard, Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			~90%
	African Buffalo			~80%
32	Samburu National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	3 of 5	Missing: Buffalo, Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			~80%
	Leopard			~80%
33	Aberdare National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	3 of 5	Missing: Lion, Leopard
	African Bush Elephant			~80%
	African Buffalo			>90%
	White Rhinoceros			~80%
34	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	3 of 5	Missing: Leopard, Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			>90%
	Lion			~70%
	African Buffalo			~80%
35	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	3 of 5	Missing: Lion, Leopard
	African Bush Elephant			~70%
	African Buffalo			~80%
	Black Rhinoceros			~70%
36	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	3 of 5	Missing: Leopard, Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			~90%
	Lion			~50%
	African Buffalo			~60%
37	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	3 of 5	Missing: Leopard, Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			~20%
	Lion			~70%
	African Buffalo			~30%
38	Kidepo Valley National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	2 of 5	Missing: Lion, Leopard, Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			~90%
	African Buffalo			>90%
39	Selous Game Reserve	🇹🇿 Tanzania	2 of 5	Missing: Lion, Leopard, Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			~90%
	African Buffalo			~90%
40	Gir National Park	🇮🇳 India	2 of 5	Missing: Elephant, Buffalo, Rhino
	Lion			>90%
	Leopard			~80%
41	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	2 of 5	Missing: Lion, Leopard, Rhino
	African Bush Elephant			~50%
	African Buffalo			~90%
42	Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	2 of 5	Missing: Elephant, Buffalo, Rhino
	Lion			~90%
	Leopard			~50%
43	Waterberg Plateau Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	2 of 5	Missing: Elephant, Lion, Buffalo
	Leopard			~60%
	White Rhinoceros			~80%
44	Odzala-Kokoua National Park	🇨🇬 Republic of the Congo	2 of 5	Missing: Elephant, Lion, Rhino
	Leopard			~60%
	African Buffalo			~90%
45	Wilpattu National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	1 of 5	Missing: Elephant, Lion, Buffalo, Rhino
	Leopard			>90%
46	Yala National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	1 of 5	Missing: Elephant, Lion, Buffalo, Rhino
	Leopard			>90%
47	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	1 of 5	Missing: Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Rhino
	African Buffalo			~90%
48	Nagarhole National Park	🇮🇳 India	1 of 5	Missing: Elephant, Lion, Buffalo, Rhino
	Leopard			~90%
49	Ranthambore National Park	🇮🇳 India	1 of 5	Missing: Elephant, Lion, Buffalo, Rhino
	Leopard			~80%
50	Niokolo-Koba National Park	🇸🇳 Senegal	1 of 5	Missing: Elephant, Leopard, Buffalo, Rhino
	Lion			~70%
51	Kanha National Park	🇮🇳 India	1 of 5	Missing: Elephant, Lion, Buffalo, Rhino
	Leopard			~70%
52	Royal Bardia National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	1 of 5	Missing: Elephant, Lion, Buffalo, Rhino
	Leopard			~60%
53	Bandipur National Park	🇮🇳 India	1 of 5	Missing: Elephant, Lion, Buffalo, Rhino
	Leopard			~50%
54	Kaeng Krachan National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	1 of 5	Missing: Elephant, Lion, Buffalo, Rhino
	Leopard			~50%
55	Udawalawe National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	1 of 5	Missing: Elephant, Lion, Buffalo, Rhino
	Leopard			~40%
56	West Coast National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	1 of 5	Missing: Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Rhino
	African Buffalo			~30%
57	Namib-Naukluft National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	1 of 5	Missing: Elephant, Lion, Buffalo, Rhino
	Leopard			~20%
58	Garden Route National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	1 of 5	Missing: Elephant, Lion, Buffalo, Rhino
	Leopard			~20%

Zoos & centres

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	Pairi Daiza	🇧🇪 Belgium	5 of 5 in captivity
2	Lisbon Oceanarium	🇵🇹 Portugal	5 of 5 in captivity
3	Aquarium Barcelona	🇪🇸 Spain	5 of 5 in captivity
4	Centro de Recuperação de Animais Silvestres	🇵🇹 Portugal	5 of 5 in captivity
5	Kung Fu Corals	🇺🇸 United States	5 of 5 in captivity
6	Lisbon Zoo	🇵🇹 Portugal	5 of 5 in captivity
7	Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo	🇹🇭 Thailand	5 of 5 in captivity
8	National Zoological Garden of South Africa	🇿🇦 South Africa	5 of 5 in captivity
9	Safaripark Beekse Bergen	🇳🇱 Netherlands	5 of 5 in captivity
10	Valencia Bioparc	🇪🇸 Spain	5 of 5 in captivity
11	Wamerú zoo	🇲🇽 Mexico	5 of 5 in captivity
12	Zoológico de San Juan de Aragón	🇲🇽 Mexico	5 of 5 in captivity
13	San Diego Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	4 of 5 in captivity
14	ZooParc de Beauval	🇫🇷 France	4 of 5 in captivity
15	Copenhagen Zoo	🇩🇰 Denmark	4 of 5 in captivity
16	Cabarceno Natural Park	🇪🇸 Spain	4 of 5 in captivity
17	Ostrava Zoo	🇨🇿 Czechia	4 of 5 in captivity
18	Réserve africaine de Sigean	🇫🇷 France	4 of 5 in captivity
19	Adventure Aquarium	🇺🇸 United States	4 of 5 in captivity
20	Africam Safari	🇲🇽 Mexico	4 of 5 in captivity

Show all 20 Show fewer

Before you go

Where is the best place to see the Big Five?

Akagera National Park

In Akagera National Park, Rwanda, the chance of seeing all 5 (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino) on the same day is about 10%, the highest of the 10 parks where all of them live, and over a three-day visit it rises to about 70%. Next come Ngorongoro Conservation Area (under 5% a day), Kruger National Park (under 5% a day) and Tsavo West National Park (under 5% a day). It multiplies each animal's daily chance, as if they were independent, so read it as a rough guide.

Which of the Big Five is hardest to see?

Leopard

In Akagera National Park, the best park for the Big Five, about about 40% of wildlife watchers report the leopard on a given day, against about 80% for the elephant. The hardest one decides how many days you need.

How do you complete the Big Five on Wallace's Line?

Mark them as seen

Tick ✓ Seen on each animal's card, add your trips, or link your iNaturalist account. Your passport counts the Big Five three ways: anywhere in the world, all in one park, and all in a single trip.

← All challenges

The Big Five

The checklist: 5 animals

African Bush Elephant

Lion

Leopard

African Buffalo

Black Rhinoceros

Where to go

Month by month at Akagera National Park

Month by month at Akagera National Park

Month by month at Akagera National Park

Month by month at Akagera National Park

Month by month at Akagera National Park

Month by month at Akagera National Park

Time of day

Parks

Zoos & centres

Before you go

Where is the best place to see the Big Five?

Which of the Big Five is hardest to see?

How do you complete the Big Five on Wallace's Line?