The Big Five, and beyond
Lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino — plus cheetah, wild dog and the full plains-game cast that makes the predator drama possible.
Golden light, thundering herds, and predator-prey dramas across vast open plains.
African bush elephant / Amboseli National Park
The place
Africa offers a rhythm unlike anywhere else. Whether it's lions in the Maasai Mara, elephants in Amboseli, or leopards in South Africa — we'll take you there.
It is also the easiest safari to take first. Sightings come in open country rather than closed forest, the vehicles are open-sided, and a single morning drive can produce more species than a week in a tiger reserve. Guests who have never held a long lens tend to come home with pictures.
The essentials
Highlights
Lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino — plus cheetah, wild dog and the full plains-game cast that makes the predator drama possible.
Amboseli is the one place on earth where you photograph elephant herds against a snow-capped mountain. It is worth building a trip around.
Leopards that are relaxed around vehicles, photographed from open vehicles permitted to go off-road.
From mobile tented camps that move with the herds to lodges with a plunge pool and a butler. Both are legitimate; they are different holidays.
From the archive
Frames from Kenya and southern Africa. Three are sold as prints and Lion Cuddle Puddle as a postcard; the titles are his.



