Lions, leopards and cheetahs, Africa's three major big cats, all thrive in healthy numbers in the Serengeti, which goes a long way toward explaining its reputation as one of the continent's finest big-cat destinations. Once you are on the ground, you start to notice that each species makes use of the terrain in its own way.
Open grassland suits lions best, because their pride-based hunting and territorial behavior play out over broad, visible ground. Leopards behave in the opposite way, staying near riverine trees and thick cover, where they can sleep unseen through the day and rely on stealth, not open chases, to hunt. Cheetahs want yet another setting: flat plains with long sightlines, as their hunting depends on speed over distance and not on ambush.
For all three, going out early in the morning tends to bring the best odds, before the heat builds and the cats shift from hunting to resting.
Take a look at our species-specific guides (lions, leopards, and cheetahs), or browse our photographic safaris.
