Best Places to see Cheetah in Africa

Best Places to See Cheetah in Africa

Kenya: With so few remaining cheetahs in the wild, seeing one is a truly remarkable experience. Famous for its big cat sightings in general, the Masai Mara's open plains is the perfect habitat for these lithe felines. The Mara is also home to a great number of hyenas and big cats which means that if a cheetah does catch its prey, they are often bullied off their kill.

Tanzania: Moving South and you will find the famous Serengeti in Tanzania and Namiri Plains is possibly the best place to almost guarantee cheetah sightings. With no other camp for miles around, Asilia's Namiri has access to the old conservation plains in the East of the Serengeti where cheetahs have thrived. Over the years, numbers have grown rapidly and it probably has one of the highest densities of cheetah in Africa.

South Africa: Although the open grassy plains are not as prevalant in Southern Africa as they are in the East, the Greater Kruger is one of the best places for cheetah sightings. The Kruger National Park is home to about thirty-three percent of Africa's cheetah population within its boundaries and a stay at Singita's Lebombo or Sweni Lodge certainly gives you a chance to see one.

Phinda Game Reserve in South Africa is also known for its thriving cheetah population. With fantastic conservation efforts, the reintroduction of cheetahs in 1992 on Phinda has proved a huge success with over seventy litters being born.

Cheetah Facts

Cheetahs are generally diurnal. Unlike other large predators that becomes active during the night, cheetahs prefer to hunt and stay active throughout the day. Their catching technique of the cheetah relies on a burst of speed where they can reach up to one-hundred and twenty kilometres per hour instead of the stalking and ambushing technique.

Cheetahs are easily identified through their markings. Their bodies are dotted with black spots whilst their face has characteristic black tear-drops that stretch from their eyes to their jaw. The black pigment absorbs sunlight whilst the cheetah runs meaning they are not dazzled from the sun's glare when hunting their prey.

Cheetah cubs are some of the most sought after sights on a safari, and for good reason. Their white fluffy mantle sticks up like a mohwak and resembles the ferocious honey badger. Their chirps and chirrups are extremely pleasant to the ear and even in adulthood, cheetahs are unable to roar. Instead, their calls resemble that of a bird and they purring bears a resemblance to your average house cat.