Top 10 Best African National Parks To See Lions On Your African Safari : For many tourists planning an African safari, seeing lions, one of the continent’s “big five,” is a dream come true. Many people who go on safari in Africa count seeing a lion among their once-in-a-lifetime experiences. In many African nations, including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, etc., lions are widely distributed.
Unfortunately, the harsh reality is that wild lion populations have decreased by more than half over the past 25 years. Only 20,000 wild lions are thought to remain on the African continent due to a complex combination of social, political, and environmental factors.
This is crucial knowledge to have when viewing wild lions in Africa on a safari. They are not as common as one might be led to believe, to put it simply. And knowing this will make it easier to appreciate what a great privilege it is to see these iconic and social cats.
Thank goodness, ecotourism is significantly contributing to the preservation and protection of the last remaining wild lion populations. Additionally, by taking an African safari, you can contribute to the future protection of wild lions and the habitats they call home. In many parks and reserves in southern and eastern Africa, you can still see lions, often quite easily, despite the challenges they face across the continent. Here are our top ten list of the best places to see lions in Africa:
- Masai Mara (Kenya)
There are many lions in the Masai Mara National reserve. Large prides of lions roam the Mara, from the Masai Mara National Reserve to the more exclusive Maasai-run conservancies that are located next to the reserve to the north and east. This is typical safari country. The savannah grasslands and light woodlands are ideal lion habitats and provide excellent lion visibility. If you’re looking to get away from the crowds, the conservancies are excellent.
Lions can be seen at their best during the dry season, which runs from June to October, in the Masai Mara. The great migration experience, which starts in the Mara in July or August and peaks in September and October, includes them very much.
- Serengeti National Park (Tanzania)
Lion sightings are made possible by the Serengeti’s vast plains. There are always a lot of lions nearby, regardless of whether the great wildebeest migration is passing through. Lions are most frequently spotted in the Seronera area of the Central Serengeti, but you can see them anywhere you go on a Tanzania Safari game drive in this incredible park. It feels very Serengeti to see a family of cubs playing on top of one of the kopjes (rocky outcrops) that are so commonplace here.
The best time to see lions in the Serengeti is from July to February or March, which is typically dry and offers favorable viewing conditions. The great migration starts in the park’s southernmost regions in January and February, moves north through the park, and finally enters Kenya’s Masai Mara sometime between July and September.
- Kruger National Park (South Africa)
Kruger National Park is the best place in Africa to see lions, according to experts. This is a fantastic location to see big cats in general, as there are hundreds of kilometers of easily accessible safari trails and top-notch accommodations. Additionally, visibility is excellent due to the abundance of prey species and open terrain that will draw lions into view.
There is no bad time to see lions in Kruger, but May to September are typically the months with the mildest and driest weather.
- Sabi Sands and Timbavati (South Africa)
The privately run Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Timbavati Nature Reserve, which are a part of the Greater Kruger ecosystem, are equally good as the national park itself (there are no fences between them), but without the crowds. These two reserves are renowned for being among the best places in Africa to see lions and for their big-cat sightings. One of the few places in Africa with a few white lions is Timbavati.
The best time to see lions in Timbavati and Sabi Sands: Sabi Sands and Timbavati are open all year, just like Kruger National Park, but May to September tend to be the driest months.
- Okavango Delta (Botswana)
The Okavango Delta is a popular location for wildlife documentaries featuring lions for a reason. While sightings are never guaranteed, the Delta does have one of the highest lion densities found anywhere in southern Africa. Lions prowl the islands and channels of this incredible place. This holds true for both the Moremi Game Reserve and the exclusive private concessions that make up a large portion of the Okavango.
The best months to look for lions in the Okavango Delta are July through October. The animals are unable to disperse into the surrounding area because most lodges are open during the dry season and water levels are high.
- Etosha National Park (Namibia)
The best location in Namibia to see lions is in the country’s top safari park. Though thought to number over 700, lions are frequently seen hunting, feeding, or simply unwinding by the numerous waterholes found throughout the park. Since there isn’t much vegetation in the park, you can see lions from a distance, which only heightens the excitement.
In Etosha, the best time to see lions is during the dry winter months from July to October to experience the park at its best and increase your chances of spotting lions.
- Central Kalahari Game Reserve (Botswana)
The Central Kalahari Game Reserve, which spans a sizable portion of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, is renowned for its golden grasslands, as the ancestral home of the San people, and as a location to see some of Africa’s largest lions. For instance, male Kalahari lions are distinguished by their rich, dark manes. They were featured prominently in the classic novel “Cry of the Kalahari,” published in 1984.
Visit the Central Kalahari at any time of the year, but May to September can be particularly chilly at night and in the early morning. This is the best time to see lions there. Generally speaking, December through March are the best months.
- Queen Elizabeth National Park (Uganda)
One of the few places in Africa where you can reliably see lions up in the trees is Queen Elizabeth National Park, easily one of Uganda’s best national parks for seeing lions. This occurs most frequently in the Ishasha area of the park. Nothing compares to looking up into the branches of an umbrella acacia or an African sycamore fig tree and seeing a whole pride of lions staring back at you.
The best months to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park are during the dry seasons, which last from January to February and June to July. During these months, you have the best chance of seeing lions and engaging in Mountain gorilla Trekking Tours and chimpanzee trekking.
- Hwange National Park (Zimbabwe)
Cecil, a magnificent male lion who was shot by a hunter just outside Hwange in 2015, will always be associated with Hwange National Park as his former home. Cecil’s death sparked an international outcry. One of the few places in Africa where lions are known to hunt elephants is this amazing park, where many other lions, including many of Cecil’s offspring, still roam. If you’re fortunate enough to witness it, it will be a titanic battle.
The middle and end of the dry season, from July to October, are the best times to view wildlife in Hwange, including lions. Around October, when water is scarce, lion and elephant fights tend to occur.
- South Luangwa National Park (Zambia)
South Luangwa National Park is a much underrated park, and Zambia receives far fewer safari tourists than it deserves. In addition to many other species, it is well known for its lions and leopards. Despite being one of the more well-known parks in the nation, South Luangwa is much more tranquil than many other African parks, and you typically won’t have to share each lion sighting with a lot of other vehicles.
In South Luangwa, the best time to see lions is from July to October, toward the middle and end of the dry season.
ABOUT THE AFRICAN LION: PANTHERA LEO
The lion of Africa rules both the savannah and the continent’s big cats. Of course, it belongs to the illustrious Big Five of safari animals. The rhino, leopard, elephant, and buffalo make up the remaining Big Five.
These big cats, which can grow up to 2 meters in length without a tail and weigh between 120 and 200 kilograms (265 and 420 lb), are the second-largest after the Asiatic tiger.
Because of their social behaviors and family structure, they stand out among felines. Lions are much more social than cats, which are typically solitary creatures. Up to forty lions of all ages can be found in a lion pride, which can be as small as three cats.
An average lion pride has 15 different cats in it. A core of related females and cubs of various ages are protected by two or three male lions, whether they are related or not. The pride’s extended family-style social structure necessitates cooperation among members as well as the division of labor. While female lions must hunt and bear young, male lions must drive away threats and defend their pride lands.
These cats from Africa are very loving. Even though they can sleep for up to 20 hours a day, they also engage in social interaction during these downtimes. Female lions who are related to one another often stick together, and cuddling sessions during rest periods strengthen these bonds. Male lions also have a tendency to stick together when they form coalitions with other males of the same age. African lions can roar, and it can be heard up to 8 kilometers away. Both male and female lions can do this.
The size of the territory, which in turn depends on the availability of food, is inversely correlated with the size of the lion pride. In the Kruger National Park, for instance, lion density is significantly lower in the north due to drier biomes and more dispersed animals. More games with denser vegetation are supported in the central and southern Kruger. Going south and central makes sense if you want to see lions in the Kruger National Park.
As carnivorous creatures, lions will hunt and consume anything, including mice, small deer, wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, hippo, giraffe, and elephant. However, hunting larger game like hippos, giraffes, and elephants is risky, and lions frequently only approach these large herbivores if they have no other choice. Being king of the jungle has its advantages, and lions enjoy stealing prey from smaller cats like leopards and cheetahs. They also don’t mind consuming carrion.
CONCLUSION:
Lions, a very adaptable species, were once widely dispersed throughout Africa, Europe, and Asia. The IUCN has now classified them as vulnerable due to a combination of hunting, poaching, and declining habitats. You must visit the vast areas, such as Kruger National Park, the Serengeti, and Botswana, to see lions in the wild.