As safari specialists, one question we are often asked is, ‘Will I see all of the Big Five?’ (For those not in the know, the Big Five are lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino.) The answer, I’m afraid, is not clear cut. Firstly, as many a safari goer will know all too well, nothing is ever guaranteed in the bush. Secondly and more importantly, it depends on where you want to go. Not all parks and reserves, or indeed countries, are home to all of the much-sought-after Big Five species.
Until recently, Botswana, a nation that is famed for the sheer beauty and diversity of its natural environment, was one such country. It has elephant aplenty, a healthy lion and leopard population, and great buffalo numbers too, but sadly there are no rhino, so visitors have had to settle for a possible four out of five. However, on my recent trip to Botswana, I was privileged to witness first hand that spotting five out of five is now a very real, not to mention very welcome, possibility!