Fraud Blocker Viewing Cheetah on Safari

Cheetah

Cheetah

Cheetahs are a rare species. Uniquely built for speed and agility, the fastest land animal is a sight to behold at full sprint.  However, they have it rough, balancing precariously between encroaching human population and the challenge of being at the bottom of the predator chain. In many of the protected wildlife areas—typically locations for safari—, lions and spotted hyena thrive. These natural competitors frequently take kills away from cheetah as well as destroy cheetah cubs when the opportunity arises.

Fortunately, there are some safari areas that still deliver excellent cheetah viewing.

Cheetah Itineraries

Into the Botswana Wild with Victoria Falls

Experience the best of Northern Botswana in the Okavango Delta, Kwando Concession and Chobe River, plus the majestic "smoke that thunders" in Victoria Falls.

Epic Mara: Big Cats in Focus

This safari is designed with serious photographers and/or wildlife aficionados in mind. We combine all the essential elements for remarkable wildlife viewing and photographic opportunities. The location is the renowned Masai Mara, unsurpassed for prolific wildlife viewing. The guiding is on the legendary level, utilizing one of our 3 Kenyan guide team who are recognized among the most accomplished in Africa.

Intrepid Zimbabwe Explorer: Victoria Falls, Hwange and Canoeing Mana Pools (Origins Collection)

Step back in time to the era of exploration with our Intrepid Zimbabwe Explorers itinerary, customized for remote adventure in some of the most pristine wilderness on Earth.

Big Five of Southern Africa

Southern Africa is an incredibly diverse region with varying weather, landscapes, cultures, and wildlife. This itinerary covers three major highlights of Southern Africa: The Greater Kruger National Park, Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta.

Essential Diversity: River and Desert

This safari is designed for the safari connoisseur seeking rarity, exclusivity and luxury along with the full diversity of wildlife. The itinerary includes private guiding and vehicle at both safari camps, offering the ultimate in flexibility and maximizing the opportunities to see wildlife you want to see, while maintaining supreme comfort and luxury.

Malawi Expedition: Trekking Mt. Mulanje and Liwonde Safari with optional Lake Malawi Finale (Origins Collection)

Our Malawi Expedition combines an incredible hut-to-hut alpine trekking experience, outstanding scenery, wildlife viewing in a premiere national park, and the optional finale of swimming, snorkeling and kayaking off your private island camp in Lake Malawi.

Wonders of the Crater and Trek to Lake Natron with optional Serengeti Biologist Finale (Origins Collection)

Our Tanzania Trekking and Wonders of the Ngorongoro adventure is the very epitome of getting off the beaten track. This adventure takes you on foot through the volcanic landscapes of northern Tanzania, traveling through areas that are impossible to reach by road.

South African Splendor: Cape Town and Sabi Sands Safari

Southern Africa is an incredibly diverse region with varying weather, landscapes, cultures, and wildlife.

Classic Zimbabwe: Hwange and Mana Pools with Victoria Falls

This adventure-level safari features classic bush camps, thrilling walking safaris, and an excellent value.

Quintessential Tanzania: River Crossing Season

With the Great Migration of nearly 2 million animals in the area, the Northern Serengeti is the stage for one of nature's most famed events - the dramatic migration crossings of the Mara River.

Botswana Desert and Delta Safari: Outstanding Value, Top Wildlife and Diverse Landscapes

This safari is customized to take advantage of the best opportunities for the green season in Botswana to observe diverse wildlife.

Kenya Luxury Safari

This safari includes some of our favorite unique Kenyan accommodations and a huge variety of activities during one of the best kept secret seasons.

Wildebeest Calving and Cheetah Conservation Safari

True to our biologist background, on this safari you will have an active role in cheetah conservation as you help record data with an interactive tablet app and share your findings with local wildlife biologists.

Ultimate East Africa: Exceptional Guiding in Northern Tanzania and the Masai Mara

This incredible itinerary features East Africa's top guides on a private safari through Tanzania and Kenya.

Wild Origins Safari: Botswana and Zambia

From $14,850 per person Explore the highlights of Botswana's world class Okavango Delta and the wilds of Zambia's South Luangwa.

Kenya Family “Lion King” Safari

Kenya is the original safari country and still delivers the classic game viewing experience. This family safari is inspired by Disney's 2019 remake of its classic animated film, "The Lion King."

Wild Kenya: Big Cats and Biodiversity in the Mara

Kenya is the original safari country and still delivers the classic game viewing experience. Featuring the Masai Mara Reserve, which is quite likely the most productive wildlife viewing area in all of Africa, this is a superb location for serious game viewing and photography.

Ultimate Predators of Botswana

This safari includes our favorite private concession areas which have proven to provide exceptional opportunities to view Botswana's iconic predator species including lion, leopard, cheetah, and wild dog.

Cheetah Videos

Best Places to See Cheetah on Safari

Cheetah siblings in the Serengeti
Cheetahs on the Serengeti Plains.
The expansive grasslands of the greater Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem are the preferred habitat for cheetahs where they have the advantage of seeing great distances and can disappear into the sea of grass. The Great Migration calving season from December through March offers a unique opportunity to observe these magnificent animals in action as the wildebeest graze in the fertile grasslands surrounding Ndutu in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and into the Southern Serengeti. This is a time of year when cheetah cubs can often be seen and busy mothers hunt wildebeest calves regularly.
In June of 2014, the remote eastern region of the Central Serengeti opened up to tourism after being reserved as a cheetah research center for years. Cheetah are still found in this area with only a few camps to choose from including Namiri Plains Camp, Lemala Nanyukie, Sametu Camp, and Nyumbani Camp.
Kenya’s Masai Mara and neighboring Conservancies are also outstanding for cheetah viewing, just a notch below the Ndutu area. The Mara is fantastic year round as opposed to being dependent on the migration. For wildlife diversity and excellent big cats, the Mara can easily be combined with time in the Serengeti.

Other Areas of Note

Phinda Game Reserve
One goal in the creation of Phinda Game Reserve in South Africa was to manage it for the benefit of cheetah. Sightings are fairly reliable in this large, fenced reserve area that houses seven different habitat zones.
Northern Botswana
Northern Botswana has some areas that feature excellent cheetah viewing. However, the cheetah density is low, and the resident cheetah often utilize large home ranges making sightings difficult to predict. The best option for optimizing for cheetah viewing, therefore, is to include at least two regions that are historically strong for cheetah sightings.
Namibia
Namibia has the largest population of cheetah yet they mostly live on private lands where tourists will not see them.

Something Extra

A stay at Namibia’s Okonjima Lodge’s camps directly supports the Africat Foundation. The foundation rescues and relocates cheetah and leopard to new locations in the wild. Africat Foundation averages about an 80% rate of successfully relocating cats that have come into conflict with farmers.
Visitors have the opportunity to go on foot and by vehicle to observe cheetah that are not suitable for release but living in large enclosed areas.

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