Where to go

Chance of seeing in

Month by month at Ngorongoro Conservation Area

~60%
Jan
~70%
Feb
~40%
Mar
~60%
Apr
~50%
May
~30%
Jun
~40%
Jul
~40%
Aug
~40%
Sep
~60%
Oct
~50%
Nov
~40%
Dec

Time of day

midnight6amnoon6pmmidnight

Parks

#ParkCountryAnimalsAll 5 in 3 days
1 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5 of 5
~60%
2 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
5 of 5
~60%
3 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5 of 5
~50%
4 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5 of 5
~50%
5 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5 of 5
~30%
6 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
5 of 5
~30%
7 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5 of 5
~30%
8 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5 of 5
~30%
9 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
5 of 5
~30%
10 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
5 of 5
~20%
11 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
5 of 5
~20%
12 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
5 of 5
~20%
13 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
5 of 5
~20%
14 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
5 of 5
~10%
15 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5 of 5
~10%
16 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
4 of 5
Missing: Wildebeest
17 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
4 of 5
Missing: Wildebeest
18 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
4 of 5
Missing: Wildebeest
19 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
4 of 5
Missing: Wildebeest
20 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
4 of 5
Missing: Marabou stork
21 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
4 of 5
Missing: Marabou stork
22 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
4 of 5
Missing: Wildebeest
23 uMkhuze Game Reserve 🇿🇦 South Africa
4 of 5
Missing: Marabou stork
24 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
4 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena
25 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
4 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena
26 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
4 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena
27 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
4 of 5
Missing: Wildebeest
28 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
3 of 5
Missing: Vulture, Wildebeest
29 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
3 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Wildebeest
30 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
3 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Wildebeest
31 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
3 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Wildebeest
32 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
3 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Wildebeest
33 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
3 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Vulture
34 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
3 of 5
Missing: Vulture, Marabou stork
35 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
3 of 5
Missing: Vulture, Marabou stork
36 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
3 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Marabou stork
37 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
2 of 5
Missing: Vulture, Marabou stork, Wildebeest
38 Bale Mountains National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
2 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Marabou stork, Wildebeest
39 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
2 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Marabou stork, Wildebeest
40 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
2 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Wildebeest, Warthog
41 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
2 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Wildebeest, Warthog
42 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
2 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Wildebeest, Warthog
43 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
2 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Wildebeest, Warthog
44 Niokolo-Koba National Park 🇸🇳 Senegal
1 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Vulture, Marabou stork, Wildebeest
45 Golden Gate Highlands National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
1 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Marabou stork, Wildebeest, Warthog
46 Odzala-Kokoua National Park 🇨🇬 Republic of the Congo
1 of 5
Missing: Vulture, Marabou stork, Wildebeest, Warthog
47 De Hoop Nature Reserve 🇿🇦 South Africa
1 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Marabou stork, Wildebeest, Warthog
48 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
1 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Marabou stork, Wildebeest, Warthog
49 West Coast National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
1 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Vulture, Marabou stork, Warthog
50 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
1 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Marabou stork, Wildebeest, Warthog

Cities

#CityCountryAnimalsAll 5 in 3 days
1 Addis Ababa 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
2 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Wildebeest, Warthog
2 Kampala 🇺🇬 Uganda
2 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Wildebeest, Warthog
3 Serrekunda 🇬🇲 Gambia
1 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Marabou stork, Wildebeest, Warthog
4 Ouagadougou 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso
1 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Marabou stork, Wildebeest, Warthog
5 Freetown 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone
1 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Marabou stork, Wildebeest, Warthog
6 Nairobi 🇰🇪 Kenya
1 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Vulture, Wildebeest, Warthog
7 Dakar 🇸🇳 Senegal
1 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Marabou stork, Wildebeest, Warthog
8 N'Djamena 🇹🇩 Chad
1 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Vulture, Wildebeest, Warthog
9 Accra 🇬🇭 Ghana
1 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Marabou stork, Wildebeest, Warthog
10 Kumasi 🇬🇭 Ghana
1 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Marabou stork, Wildebeest, Warthog
11 Kigali 🇷🇼 Rwanda
1 of 5
Missing: Spotted hyena, Marabou stork, Wildebeest, Warthog

Zoos & centres

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 Pairi Daiza 🇧🇪 Belgium 5 of 5 in captivity
2 Disney's Animal Kingdom 🇺🇸 United States 4 of 5 in captivity
3 ZooParc de Beauval 🇫🇷 France 4 of 5 in captivity
4 Badoca Safari Park 🇵🇹 Portugal 4 of 5 in captivity
5 Reserva Zoológica Oasys MiniHollywood 🇪🇸 Spain 4 of 5 in captivity
6 Safaripark Beekse Bergen 🇳🇱 Netherlands 4 of 5 in captivity
7 San Diego Zoo Safari Park 🇺🇸 United States 4 of 5 in captivity
8 Toronto Zoo 🇨🇦 Canada 4 of 5 in captivity
9 Valencia Bioparc 🇪🇸 Spain 4 of 5 in captivity
10 Busch Gardens Tampa 🇺🇸 United States 3 of 5 in captivity
11 San Diego Zoo 🇺🇸 United States 3 of 5 in captivity
12 Barcelona Zoo 🇪🇸 Spain 3 of 5 in captivity
13 Réserve africaine de Sigean 🇫🇷 France 3 of 5 in captivity
14 Abilene Zoological Gardens 🇺🇸 United States 3 of 5 in captivity
15 ABQ BioPark Zoo 🇺🇸 United States 3 of 5 in captivity
16 Aquarama Barcelona 🇪🇸 Spain 3 of 5 in captivity
17 Aquarium Berlin 🇩🇪 Germany 3 of 5 in captivity
18 Audu Bako Zoo 🇳🇬 Nigeria 3 of 5 in captivity
19 Beijing Wildlife Park 🇨🇳 China 3 of 5 in captivity
20 Berlin Zoological Garden 🇩🇪 Germany 3 of 5 in captivity

Before you go

Where is the best place to see the Ugly Five?

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

In Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania, the chance of seeing all 5 (spotted hyena, vulture, marabou stork, wildebeest and warthog) on the same day is under 5%, the highest of the 15 parks where all of them live, and over a three-day visit it rises to about 60%. Next come Masai Mara National Reserve (under 5% a day), Serengeti National Park (under 5% a day) and Nairobi 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 Ugly Five is hardest to see?

Vulture

In Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the best park for the Ugly Five, about about 40% of wildlife watchers report the vulture on a given day, against about 70% for the wildebeest. The hardest one decides how many days you need.

How do you complete the Ugly 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 Ugly Five three ways: anywhere in the world, all in one park, and all in a single trip.

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