THE BIG FIVE

Do you know why it’s called the Big Five? The Big Five of Africa – lion, elephant, leopard, rhinoceros, and African buffalo – got their name from hunters, because they were the five most dangerous animals to hunt on foot. Today, they are considered symbols of the African wilderness. Almost everyone going on a game drive hopes to see them. By the way, our guide said that searching for them is called “game” – because nature is playing with us, and we never know what we’ll actually spot. 😊

We had already seen the Big Five back in 2016, when we traveled to Tanzania with the family. I remember we searched the longest for a rhino, but once we saw it, the joy was indescribable! This time, we went to Akagera National Park, which is right next to the Tanzanian border (we could even see houses!). I also visited another school near the park, but I already wrote about schools in my newsletter. If you want to read it, I invite you to subscribe.

Akagera National Park is a different side of Rwanda than the mountain gorillas in Virunga Volcano National Park or chimpanzees in the Nyungwe rainforest. The locals themselves say it’s classic African savannah: wide open spaces, acacia trees, lakes, and long horizons. I’m not sure how “classic” it is, but for me, the nature here was MUCH more beautiful than Ngorongoro or Serengeti. Honestly, just the scenery alone could fill half a day of game driving!

Akagera is in eastern Rwanda, right at the Tanzanian border (so close you can clearly see houses in Tanzania!) and is the only savannah national park in Rwanda, established after the 1994 genocide. Our guide explained that before an electric fence was installed, animals would come near villages and attack livestock, and people, in turn, wiped out lions… literally poisoned them. They also wiped out rhinos. Now, both lions and rhinos live in Rwanda again, thanks to the government reintroducing animals from other African countries.

Because Akagera has plenty of water, it’s said to be a paradise for birdwatchers. I’m not a big birdwatcher myself, but we definitely saw plenty of birds! And thanks to all that water, there’s also no shortage of hippos (we saw them!) and crocodiles.

We arrived in Akagera at sunset, which is said to be one of the most beautiful in Rwanda. And it really was! Straight out of an African movie: the sun painted the sky red over the valley, the tree silhouettes stood tall, and it was incredibly peaceful – a perfect moment to just be here and now. I’m so glad we chose to stay overnight in the park (rather than just doing a game drive), because those evening views were stunning – especially since it was our second-to-last night in Africa AND New Year’s Eve.

New Year’s was quiet – imagine celebrating it in the middle of nowhere! 😊 We had dinner at the lodge restaurant with live music, and after finishing, the evening program was basically over. Walking back to our rooms, it was already dark, and we saw insects – HUGE insects – about the size of a finger, crawling everywhere. I was glad to get back to the room.

With the family, some talked, some watched movies, others played games (this is what happens when a family is large and everyone is an adult – board games for all don’t really work anymore 😄), but we didn’t make it to midnight – we went to bed early, as we had an early morning game drive and wanted to be rested.

Before falling asleep, I told myself that the first animal I would see would be my symbol for 2026. I thought probably a giraffe, zebra, or antelope. I couldn’t believe it – just after leaving the lodge gates, we saw a group of… baboons! In ancient Egypt, baboons were associated with the god Thoth – the god of writing, knowledge, and time – symbolizing wisdom. They were also depicted greeting the sun, symbolizing the order and rhythm of the world. In Africa, they also represent collective strength and wise adaptability. And just like that, I knew what my 2026 would look like!

A bit about the Big Five:

• Lions are the only truly social big cats, living in prides of up to 30 individuals. Lionesses do most of the hunting, while males mainly defend territory – resting up to 22 hours a day! Once, lions roamed Africa, Europe, and Asia, but today, due to humans, they occupy less than 10% of their historical range.
• African elephants are the largest land animals on Earth – males can weigh over 6,000 kg! I recently learned that elephants have names – can you imagine? They also have remarkable memories and can recognize individuals even years later. An elephant’s trunk has about 40,000 muscles and is used for breathing, drinking, touching, smelling, and communicating. Elephant herds are led by matriarchs, who pass down knowledge of water sources, migration routes, and more. Elephants are also ecosystem engineers, creating paths and waterholes used by other animals.
• Leopards are the most adaptable big cats, living in forests, deserts, mountains, and even near cities. They often drag prey up trees, sometimes heavier than themselves. Leopards are mostly solitary and nocturnal, so they are difficult to spot – our guide even said, “I can almost always guarantee the BIG FOUR, not the BIG FIVE, because leopards are never guaranteed!” Each leopard’s spotted coat is unique, like a fingerprint. Leopards can survive almost without water, getting moisture from their prey. Do you know what black leopards are called? Panthers – melanistic leopards (Africa, Asia) or jaguars (Americas). If you look closely, you can still see the spots on a black panther – they’re just hidden!
• Rhinoceroses: There are five species in the world; in Africa, black and white rhinos live. Despite their size, rhinos can run up to 50 km/h in short bursts. Their horns are made of keratin – the same as human nails and hair. They have poor eyesight but excellent hearing and smell. Poaching drove many rhino species to the brink of extinction. In Rwanda, they were completely wiped out but have since been reintroduced from other countries.
• African buffaloes are considered the most dangerous of the Big Five due to their unpredictability. Buffalos are known to attack and even kill predators, including lions. They live in large herds – sometimes hundreds or even thousands. When threatened, they form a protective circle around their young. Unlike many herbivores, they remember threats and can even “take revenge.”

The Big Five are crucial because they are keystone species, shaping entire ecosystems – protecting them helps preserve thousands of other species. Of course, their survival depends on conservation, anti-poaching efforts, and responsible tourism.

So, the sequence of sightings went like this: baboons first, then zebras, hippos, antelopes, again baboons, again hippos, again antelopes, and then we were thrilled to see three giraffes calmly grazing, elephants, more elephants, rhinos (we stopped for a toilet/snack/drink – I had a spiced “African tea,” which is basically milk with spices!), then topi antelopes, and finally three beautiful lions lounging after a meal. Last was the buffalo (fun fact: in America they’re called bison, in Africa buffalo) – we saw the entire herd, though from a distance. By the time we’d seen the BIG FOUR, it didn’t matter what else we might see – animals were repeating, and that repetition itself was a joy. For example, we stopped to just watch a group of zebras, a family of impalas, a few rhinos – another day full of strong emotions.

In the morning, the whole valley was covered in clouds – I had never seen it quite like that. No clouds around, the sun rose illuminating the trees and waking the birds, while beneath us stretched an endless sea of clouds. You normally see this from a plane, but I experienced it from the ground – an incredibly beautiful first morning of 2026.

In Kigali, we showered, and it felt impossible to wash off the red African dust completely. I even tried cleaning my suitcase and backpack, but realized it’s enough to return to snowy, rainy Europe – there it will wash off effortlessly.

I kept thinking I’ve fallen in love with Africa, because it feels so good to return. It still has a kind of primitive (in the best sense) wildness, and nature is extremely close. In Africa, life feels simple: fetch water in the morning, herd animals, cook, work in the garden, collect firewood – all while children help at home, carrying water, sticks, or watching younger siblings. Life happens, and everyone contributes as much as they can. School is a gift – even if mandatory today – a source of pride and joy, where you follow rules and respect teachers. Would I want to live this way permanently? Probably not. But experiencing it for 9–10 days is like a ritual reflection – incredibly nourishing for the soul.