My Top 3 Animals on Safari – A Guide's Personal Favourites

Asking a safari guide to choose a favourite animal is a bit like asking a chef to choose their favourite ingredient. It usually depends on the day, where you are, and what you've just seen. The answer can sometimes be, the last one I've seen! But it's a question I get asked regularly, so I thought I'd narrow it down to a top three.

Coming in at number three is the chimpanzee. I was fortunate enough to visit Mahale Mountains National Park and Greystoke Mahale in western Tanzania and spend time watching the chimpanzees there. Seeing wild chimps had always been a dream of mine, and it lived up to every expectation I had. There is something deeply moving about being among them. Having a chimp sitting in a tree above you, or watching a mother and baby move quietly through the forest, is a profound experience you can never forget.

At number two is the kudu, particularly the greater kudu that I associate so strongly with Ruaha National Park and southern Tanzania. They're one of Africa's most elegant antelope species – tall, graceful and seemingly always unhurried. The males, with their impressive spiral horns and distinctive markings, are among the most beautiful animals in the bush. They seem perfectly suited to the dry landscapes they inhabit.

And number one has to be the elephant.

For me, elephants are the bush. No safari feels complete without them. They shape the landscape, influence ecosystems and constantly keep you learning. Every encounter feels different. Their family relationships, personalities and behaviour are endlessly fascinating. Some of my favourite moments on safari involve simply parking quietly and allowing elephants to come and feed and drink and interact amongst us, on their own terms.

Sometimes the best wildlife experiences aren't the dramatic ones – they're simply about being present and sharing space with these remarkable animals. Ask me again next week and I'll tell you a different story!

(All images by Paul Tickner).