Top 10 Best Places To Locate Cheetah on Safari
Patrick has been an Africa travel specialist, based in Australia, for over 10 years and prior to that was a safari operator in Mana Pools in Zimbabwe.
Most people list the leopard as the most elusive of the big cats to locate on safari. In truth, cheetah on safari can be even more difficult to spot because their population is less abundant. Regular sightings of cheetah on safari are usually sporadic and local, hence they are limited to only a few regions where the habitat and predator pressures are most favorable. If cheetahs are on your must-see list, below are SafariBookings' tips (in no particular order).
1. Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya
Cheetah sightings occur regularly at Masai Mara GR (and surrounding conservancies, such as Olare Orok, Mara North and Naboisho) and also at Serengeti NP, northern Tanzania. The grasslands of the Mara and Serengeti are the perfect cheetah habitat.
2. Okavango, Kwando, Selinda and Savuti, Northern Botswana
This vast region offers good opportunities for cheetah and, as a result, safari-goers enjoy regular sightings in the area’s more open savannah regions.
3. Etosha National Park, Namibia
With its arid open grasslands, Etosha supports a good population of cheetah and is consequently the largest repository of these speedsters in Namibia.
4. Private Reserves in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
In the South African province of the Eastern Cape, cheetah populations benefit from private ownership. There are consistent cheetah sightings at several of the reserves in the region.
5. Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan in Botswana
With ample prey species (especially springbok) and open grasslands, the Central Kalahari, Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan region in Botswana is a good place to seek out cheetah. Make sure to check out Deception and Passarge Valleys, Piper and Tau Pans.
6. Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is renowned for its excellent cheetah sightings and recently removed the fence barriers with its neighbor, Borana Ranch – extending this ideal cheetah habitat even further.
7. Ruaha National Park, southern Tanzania
Despite the dense predator numbers of lion, leopard and wild dog, Ruaha NP (in Tanzania) is still a good location to seek out cheetah on safari. It is important to note that you should go there in the Dry season, for better visibility.
8. Kafue National Park, Zambia
Cheetah are found throughout the park, however, they come into their own in the northern Busanga Plains region of Zambia.
9. Okonjima, Namibia
Okonjima is home to the Africat Foundation and is a significant rehabilitation center for cheetah. Although it is not a safari destination per se, it is a wonderful stopover for anyone traveling by road to Etosha.
10. Private Reserves in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
A number of private game reserves in this province of South Africa re-introduced the cheetah and populations are doing well.
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Patrick has been an Africa travel specialist, based in Australia, for over 10 years and prior to that was a safari operator in Mana Pools in Zimbabwe.
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