If you want to see grownup cats, go to Tanzania.

Sure, kitten videos online may be cute, but Tanzania has the BIG CATS. 

Lions and leopards have long been part of the ‘Big Five’, a term that big-game hunters coined to describe Africa’s 5 most difficult animals to hunt on foot. Fortunately, the days of big-game hunting are almost over, and photos are the only trophies today’s safari-adventurers want to hang on their walls.

That paw can wreak havoc.

Getting a great photo of a big cat in action isn’t easy, though. Being nocturnal, they do most of their hunting at night, and since jeeps are not allowed in Tanzania’s national parks after dark, you’re more likely to get a shot of a lion lounging in the grass, or a well-fed leopard sleeping in a tree, than an action shot of either predator taking down an antelope.

Can you spot the leopard in the tree?

That being said, don’t underestimate how difficult even spotting a sleeping leopard is – have a look at the tree where this one was napping, and see if you can see his tail hanging down. Our guide saw it from hundreds of yards away, but it wasn’t until we were practically under the tree that we saw the leopard resting in its branches.

Even a zebra under this tree didn’t know the leopard slept above.

Just remember one thing as you’re temped to reach out and touch these sleepy felines from the safety of your jeep: these aren’t just really big kittens – once you see these muscular killers move, you quickly realize these cats aren’t for cuddling.

Jane Canapini

Jane is an award-winning travel writer and photographer and an accredited member of the Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC). In their annual awards competition, TMAC named GrownupTravels.com as the Best Self-Published Travel Blog in 2025 .
She is also a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association, and a freelance travel writer contributing to both print and online publications.