The Last Lions and Disney’s African Cats, have both brought heightened awareness about The Big Cats in Africa. In the light of these films, more travelers than ever are clamoring to find out where to see these majestic animals. The experienced safari consultants at African Travel, the premier “custom safari” specialist, have suggested the top areas you can go in Africa to view these Big Cats, including lions, leopards and cheetahs.
- Cape Town’s Cheetah Outreach (Cheetahs)
- Kafue National Park in the Busanga Plains, Zambia (Lions)
- Londolozi, South Africa (Leopards)
- Linyanti, Botswana (Lions)
- Luangwa, Zambia (Leopards)
- Manyara, Tanzania (Tree Climbing Lions)
- Manyara, Tanzania (Leopards)
- Masai Mara, Kenya (Cheetahs)
- Masai Mara, Kenya (Lions)
- Namibia, (Cheetahs)
There are many choices and safaris that include all of the above top picks for Big Cat viewing. One standout is Kafue National Park and the Busanga Plains. “Big cat sightings are a sure bet in Zambia,” says Jim Holden, President of African Travel, Inc. “The interior parks in Zambia such as Kafue are often referred to as the ‘gems of Africa’ and are teeming with wildlife, especially big cats,” says Holden. Kafue is a huge and historically under-utilized park in western Zambia. The park has an interesting range of eco-systems including forests, rivers, plans and an increasingly impressive game population. The prime area, Busanga Plains is often flooded and requires the use of helicopters to get around. Here you will find large herds of buffalo and attendant prides of lion, especially July to October.
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