Why Tanzania Is the Best Country to Spot the Big Five?

By Africa Exotic Holidays

June 13, 2025

In Africa’s vast wilderness, few phrases hold as much significance as “The Big Five”. Visitors, photographers, and naturalists have been interested in these creatures for years as they aim to witness Africa’s most famous species up close. Going on Tanzania Big Five Safaris is perhaps the best way to observe these famous animals – lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and buffalo in the wild.

You’ll witness lions rule over golden grasslands, elephants walk through old baobab forests, and leopards hide in the shade of acacia trees.

But what distinguishes Safari Tours in Tanzania from safaris in the rest of the African countries? Let’s get inside to get all the details.

The Big Five – Icons of the African Wild

Long before the age of conservation, big-game hunters coined the phrase “Big Five” to describe the animals they considered the most dangerous and difficult to hunt on foot.

Thankfully, times have changed. Today, the phrase Big Five is used to denote five animals representing the pinnacle of African wildlife experiences. Each member of the Big Five brings their sense of awe:

• The Lion is dominant, powerful, and gregarious. Frequently found relaxing in the shade or chasing prey on the plains.
• The Leopard is lonely, elusive, and expertly camouflaged, often found draped over tree branches.
• Elephants are both fearful and fascinating due to their size and intellect.
• African Buffaloes are both peaceful and unpredictable, with enormous herds dominating vast landscapes.
• The Black Rhino is uncommon, old, and critically endangered, serving as a symbol of ongoing conservation efforts.

Unlike many other African countries, Tanzania Safari Packages consistently provide opportunities to see all five in a single trip. It happens not by chance, but because of the country’s thriving ecosystems and commitment to conservation.

The Places Where the Big Five Live in Tanzania

Tanzania is magical not only because of “the Big Five” that live there, but also because of the amazing range of sites where you can locate them. Every Tanzania National Park has its own attitude, experience, and way of looking at these amazing animals.

The Living Stage of the Wild- Serengeti National Park

Just the term “Serengeti” makes one think of huge grasslands with acacia trees, herds of wildebeest thundering across them, and golden sunsets. Beyond the migration, the national park is also home to one of the largest groups of Big Five animals in Africa.

• Lions own these plains. More than 3,000 lions are living in the park’s wide-open spaces, so it’s easy to see them. You could see a pride sleeping under an umbrella thorn tree or watch a frantic hunt start at daybreak.
• Leopards are solitary animals. In the dense woodlands of Seronera Valley, the eyes of tourists can spot one lounging on a high branch, its golden coat blending with dappled light.
• Elephants like to roam across open plains and riverbanks, usually in smaller family groups than in Tarangire. They are still amazing to see.
• Buffalo herds graze steadily, their bulky frames creating moving walls across the plains.
• Black rhinos are still the rarest prize, kept safe in designated areas, but now and again, lucky tourists may see these ancient beasts.

As a traveller, all these sightings might seem like situations that look like they came straight out of a nature documentary—raw, unedited, and unforgettable.

Ngorongoro Crater-The Big Five in a Natural Theatre

Imagine going down 600 meters into a green bowl encircled by steep crater walls that confine an entire ecology inside. This is what Ngorongoro Crater looks like.

On a Safari in Ngorongoro, you can expect to see all five of the Big Five animals on a single game drive.

• Lions walk around the bottom of the crater, where they may often be seen against the low grasses as they keep an eye on their area.
• Huge bull elephants walk around near the Lerai Forest. Their huge tusks are a sign of age and wisdom.
• Buffalo moves in big groups, sometimes forming tight walls of muscle and horns.
• The shy black rhino shows up for short periods, usually in the early morning, before hiding in thicker cover.
• Leopards like the forested crater rim the best, which makes them the hardest to spot, but not impossible.

The crater’s natural walls keep animals close by, making it one of the best Tourist Attractions in Tanzania to watch the Big Five.

Tarangire and Lake Manyara- The Hidden Chapters

Serengeti and Ngorongoro get a lot of attention, but Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara National Park are calmer places to watch animals up close. Any seeker on a Tanzania Big Five Safari should not miss these.

Tarangire National Park

During the dry season, Tarangire National Park becomes a paradise for elephants. Herds of hundreds of animals converge along the Tarangire River, which gives life, making for beautiful pictures of family groups interacting.

• Elephants are the main attraction here, and there are some of the biggest groups in East Africa.
• Lions hunt along the banks of the river, where the heavy foliage gives them cover.
• Buffalo are always around, eating grass with zebras and wildebeests.
• You can see leopards from time to time, but they usually hide in the park’s thick plants.
• There aren’t many rhinos, but Tarangire makes up for it with its amazing elephant gatherings.

Lake Manyara National Park

The tree-climbing lions present at Lake Manyara are what make it famous. This is a behaviour that isn’t seen very often in the wild.

• Lions sleep high up in fig and acacia trees, which makes for some great photo opportunities.
• Elephants eat in the groundwater woods, where they can get up close and personal with tall mahogany and fig trees.
• Buffalo wander the vast floodplains, and giraffes and hippos regularly join them.
• Leopards stay ghostlike, only showing up for a short time. • Rhinos don’t live here, but the park’s lush habitat makes it a great addition to drier areas.

These parks make any Tanzanian Wildlife Safari more interesting by presenting different scenery and animal behaviour than the bigger parks.

Why Tanzania Is the Best Place for Big Five Safaris

A lot of African countries offer to show you the Big Five. So, what makes Tanzania so good at delivering the Best Safari for the Big Five in Tanzania?

• Unmatched Population Density

Tanzania has more of the Big Five animals than most other countries, especially lions and elephants.

• Great programs for conservation

Strong rules against poaching and community-based conservation activities help safeguard endangered species, especially black rhinos.

• Year-Round Safari Seasons

Tanzania’s safaris are fun in both the dry and green seasons, unlike safaris in other places. This gives travellers more options.

• Luxury Meets Wilderness

Tanzania has something for every kind of safari dreamer, from mobile tented camps that follow the migration to high-end resorts with views of waterholes. So, anyone who wants to see the Big Five in Tanzania, along with enjoying five-star treatment, can join us here.

When you put all of this together, Tanzania isn’t simply a place to see the Big Five; it’s also a place with many layers and stories where every game drive is full of surprises and delight.

Your Safari Story Awaits!

The next time any of your friends or colleagues ask you Where to See the Big Five, you’ll know what to say — send them straight to Tanzania. Not because it sounds good on paper, but because nowhere else brings you face-to-face with these iconic creatures in such raw, natural beauty.

Here, lions don’t just exist — they rule golden plains. Elephants don’t pass by — they march through ancient forests like living history. Leopards, rhinos, and buffalo? They all play their part in this wild masterpiece that’s been unfolding long before any of us arrived.

If you’re ready to stop reading about Tanzania Big Five Safaris and finally experience one, Africa Exotic Holidays is here to make that happen.

With hand-crafted Tanzania Safari Packages, local expertise, and a deep passion for the land, we turn safari dreams into reality — one game drive, one encounter, one memory at a time.