The Best Places To See Cheetahs In Africa

The Best Places To See Cheetahs In Africa

Cheetahs are the fastest land animal in the world and can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in only three seconds. Built for speed, cheetahs are slender, with long thin legs and long muscular tails which have a flat shape that is used for balance and steering whilst at high speeds.

They are found mostly in the dry open grasslands of Sub-Saharan Africa, with the majority inhabiting natural reserves or parks. Here are the best areas where you can see these graceful cats in the wild.

1. Serengeti, Tanzania

There are five subspecies of cheetahs in the world, and of these, the East African Cheetah is the oldest and largest subspecies. The Serengeti’s landscape of wide open grasslands, savannahs and steppes makes the perfect habitat for Cheetah.

Where To Stay:

Namiri Plains is located in an area of the Serengeti that was closed for twenty years to create a safe haven for cheetah. The area reopened in 2014 and now offers the best cheetah viewing opportunities in East Africa.

2. Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya

Lewa Downs is renowned for its excellent cheetah sightings and recently, with the removal of fence barriers with its neighbour, Borana Ranch this has extended this ideal cheetah habitat even further.

Where To Stay:

Lewa House offers luxury cottages and earth pods to those looking for an off the beaten track safari experience.

3. Kafue National Park, Zambia

Kafue National Park offers the best opportunity to see cheetah in Zambia. This national park covers an area of 22,400 km2. Large areas of the park remain unexplored and hold a rich diversity of wildlife due to its variety of habitat. Its attraction is its exclusivity and excellent game viewing.

Where To Stay:

Situated in the northern section of Kafue on the Busanga Plains, Shumba Camp is a spacious, luxury tented camp that offers spectacular views over the open plains

4. South Africa

South Africa has a healthy population of cheetah and they can be seen widely, but the Kruger National Park is South Africa’s best for seeing cheetahs. Other areas include Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (shared with Botswana), and the private reserves of Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

Where To Stay:

Spanning 67,000 acres of malaria-free wilderness in the Great Karoo, Samara Private Game Reserve offers guests the opportunity to track wild cheetah on foot which is a truly exhilarating experience.

5. Botswana

Botswana has one of the largest population of cheetah which can be seen throughout its wilderness - even in the arid reaches of the Kalahari. You're most likely to spot them at Chitabe in the Okavango Delta or Linyanti (in particular Kwando).

Where To Stay:

Chitabe Camp is located in the Chitabe Concession which covers over 22000 hectares in the iconic Okavango Delta. It's home to a large diversity of species including large predators such as Cheetahs.