Mountain Gorilla
There are around 880 Mountain Gorillas left in the world and they are listed as critically endangered. Gorillas can only be found in central Africa, mainly Rwanda and Uganda. If you really love primates you can combine gorilla trekking in Bwindi with Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park, both of which are in Uganda.
Cheetah
The most slender of Africa’s big cats, the cheetah is an exceptionally beautiful species and known as the “World’s fastest animal”. The Maasai Mara provides an ideal habitat for cheetah. Alternatively, track rehabilitated cheetah on foot at Okonjima Game Reserve in Namibia.
Hippopotamus
Hippos are the third-largest land mammal but that does not stop them from spending a lot of time in the water. Hippos are a common sight in the rivers, swamps, and lakes of southern and eastern Africa. Zambia’s Luangwa Valley is home to the world’s largest concentration of hippos. The Okavango Delta in Botswana is also full of them.
Giraffe
Giraffes, known as Africa’s tallest mammal, are very social animals and usually move around in small herds. Spot large herds of Masai giraffe in the Serengeti, or head to Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda to see the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe.
Zebra
There are three species of zebra in Africa which are the Plains zebra most commonly seen throughout eastern and southern Africa, the rare Grevy’s Zebra has now become restricted to parts of northern Kenya, and the Mountain Zebras can be found in most Southern African countries.
For sheer numbers, you can’t beat the Serengeti or the Maasai Mara during the annual Great migration season. To see the endangered Grévy’s zebra, head to Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in northern Kenya.
Wildebeest
Wildebeest travel in huge herds and can be seen in almost every wildlife sanctuary that has wide open plains and grasslands. Millions of wildebeest together with thousands of zebra and antelope annually move northwards across the Serengeti towards the Maasai Mara in search of fresh pasture between July and September. The largest concentration of wildebeest is to be found in the Serengeti and Maasai Mara eco-systems in Tanzania and Kenya where one of the world’s greatest wildlife migrations takes place every year.
Flamingos
Flamingos can be found all over the world, including around Africa. It’s possible to see greater and lesser flamingos while on safari. They are most common around bodies of water. The best places to see flamingos are Lake Natron in Tanzania, Walvis Bay in Namibia, and Lake Bogoria National Park in Kenya. The Ngorongoro crater also serves as home to Pink flamingos.
