Big 5
 

Where is it best to see the big 5 in November or December. Also how is the weather then.

Mala mala....check out their website details

You can see the big 5 in a zoo. There is a finer aspect to encountering them in the wilds. These animals are part of a far greater picture which is made up of so many more interesting components. The habitat and other animals and more importantly the whole experience.

There is this wonderful advert in South Africa, where a safari guide races through a park with a vehicle full of Japanese tourists. He quickly points out one animal to the next, as his clients check their lists. In record time he makes it back to watch his super sport channel.

I suggest working through a good local tour operator who has the experience of the different types of safaris available. Another advantage to use an operator is that you get help with all your transfers and they offer discount rates on the safari camps.

Please let me know if you need any personal recommendations, I have been traveling in Africa for the past 15 years.

Ruf

Most all of the private reserves in Sabi Sabi, including Mala Mala, you can see the big 5. My favorite reserve is Lion Sands and I have been lucky enough to see all 5 in one day.

Mike

www.pbase.com/mytmoss

Sorry Mike
I think you mean the Sabi Sands reserve. Sabi Sabi is in Sabi Sands.

Bob

We are going on one of the OAT tours.

Which one of the OAT tours? They have a couple. When we know which tour we can tell you what you are likely to see in which parks. You can also get a better weather forecast when we know what countries.

The Ultimate Africa is the one we are thinking of doing.

Sorry Bob, you are right, I meant Sabi Sands reserve

some places in the SSGR will give you a certificate that says,"i saw the big five"

Really? I can't believe it...

well put, lifetime!

Sea4burkes,

With the specifics, here is some info.

This chart shows the best wildlife viewing times in different parks in different months.
http://www.africa-adventure.com/dsp_besttime.html

Here is weather:
Zimbabwe
http://www.africaguide.com/country/zimbab/info.htm

Botswana
http://www.uyaphi.com/botswana/weather.htm

Zambia
http://www.uyaphi.com/zambia/weather.htm

Looking at the itinerary, the Big 5 is dicey. Lion, ele, buffalo should be no problem as you are going to good places for those.

Leopard is always elusive. I’ve seen one at night in Hwange, one of your stops. You could see or not see a leopard in most of the parks you’re visiting.

There are rhino present in Hwange, but I did not see any and would not count on it.

There is a place you could have a good shot at rhino and that’s when you are at Ilala Lodge in Zimbabwe. There is a small park just over the border in Zambia that is fenced but it has rhino. The park is Mosi-Oa-Tunya (Smoke that Thunders—name for the falls). I noticed the optional activities did not include a visit here, but if you arranged it before leaving, you could probably go there during your time near Vic Falls. I’m not sure if you have to undergo the whole Zambia visa process for this trip. Another thing to check.

As others stated, if Big 5 is your goal, the Sabi Sands, which are the private reserves near Kruger Park in South Africa is your best bet.

Here is a link to other discussions on your trip, with even more links.
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34982202

Good luck in your planning.

SSGR has plentiful game, at Mala Mala you would be extremely unlucky not to see the Big 5 and a whole host of other animals and birds small and large.

Also for the more experienced here, remember most first timers often have a specific target animal that they are not really until they see it. Roght or wrong its human nature.

If someone has dreamed of seeing a Leopard all their life, a lot of other things will pale into insignificance until they see the Leopard. That's 15 years of guiding experience distilled into a sentence, but it comes from my friend Leon and so I take it as very reliable.

Weather can be wet and will likely be pretty warm.

We went to South Africa and Botswana in December. We saw the big five at Sabi Sands as well as wild dog. We actually saw so many animals and it was exciteing to see them all. Weather was fine. We would opt to go again in December. We like the warm weather and didn't find much rain.