Us also. Four nights at Mala Mala last September saw no cheetah. We're told they are sometimes around, about 50/50 chance of seeing them. I think Mala (and Sabi Sand area?) a bit to woodsy hilly for their liking. Well, maybe next time, this year at Mala.
Regards - Tom
ps - we saw rhino only once in Mala, good because then we saw all big five at Mala. Of course saw four of the five the first game drive.

Just one Rhino? Surprised, we saw lots of them.......i mean lots.....every single drive.......

Hi

2 trips to Kando Lagoon/Lebala and Kwara have given me 12 sightings of
11 different cheetahs.

Michael

Hi, the Mara is actually very good for cats and in particular cheetah sightings., thus attarcting the BBC Big Cat Diary filming every year!

But you are right, being one of the most popular parks in Africa, you do sometimes share viewing animals with many other tour vehicles!

The cheetahs in the Mara also have a tendancy of jumping onto the vehicle bonnet or roof tops for a better viewing of plains game. Now this would be a wonderous experience for someone like you to come in close contact!

Hello,

The Sabi Sands area is probably a bit to wooded for cheetah, who prefer wide-open spaces for their hunting. That being said, I've seen cheetah on every visit to Londolozi. Elsewhere in South Africa, you can get good cheetah sightings at Phinda in South Africa.

If you want an up-close experience with cheetah, you should visit the Hoedspruit Cheetah Centre (outside Kruger) or the DeWildt Research Centre (outside Joburg), where you'll be able to meet one of the ambassador cheetahs who do educational encounters. I got to meet some ambassador cubs at the DeWildt outpost at Speer in Stellenbosch, which was certainly exciting!

Cheers,
Julian

Would agree that the Mara is a great bet for Cheetah viewing - there is a strong population so you'll likely see lots of different individuals though not necessarily spend long at each sighting.

Also had good sightings at Mombo and Savuti in Botswana - less individuals but often possible to stay with them for hours at a time.

vumbura plains has had good cheetah activity over teh last few years. also chitabe too. Mombo unfortunately lost one of the 2 steroid boys recently so viewing cheetahs there is getting less and less likely. if close encounters with cheetah were your priority in a less crowded region, i would go kwando, savuti, vumbura and chitabe in botswana.

Thanks everybody.......yes, everytime i go on safari....cheetahs are a big priority. I usually go to areas that are diverse in terms of the action.

Yes, i have had great luck with cheetah both in Kwando and in the savuti channel. I did see the savuti bros, when they were still three of them. At the moment, at Kwando they hv been enjoying plenty of good sightings when it comes to a female cheetah and her 2 sub adult boys.

I saw several in Etosha (Namibia), but I understand from others that I was lucky, because they had not seen cheetah on their visits. That being said, I believe Namibia has the largest cheetah population in Africa, but many are on farmland.

Funnily enough I have had great luck with Cheetah at Mala Mala. Last february we saw one female on two occasions, then spent a lot of time with a female and her three two year old male cubs, we watched them chase each other around the airstrip, then came back in the afternoon as they finished a kill.

They are definitely a bit hit and miss in SSGR, but we have had a lot of luck.

Cheetah--Mara has been best for me. Way up north where there are few or 0 other vehicles.

JASHER
Can you elaborate on the Cheetah Centre outside Kruger and just where it is? Also on your experience at DeWildt? Thank you.

Lynn

the Hoedspruit Cheetah center has the following website
http://www.wildlifecentre.co.za/

I have been twice 98 + 2002
you get a one hour guided tour that will also include Wild Dogs, Lions etc
98 had several Cheetahs but the tour in 2002 they hardly showed us any Cheetahs (a few cubs) but had more emphasis on the Dogs.

Michael