Cheetahs in East Africa: Where to See Them, Facts and Best Time

Written by the Paramount Gorilla Expeditions guiding team · Last updated 31 October 2026

Cheetahs in East Africa are the fastest land animal and one of the most photogenic sightings on a safari, and they are far easier to see than leopards because they hunt by day on open plains. A cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is a slim, long-legged cat with solid black spots and black "tear lines" on the face, built for a short, explosive chase rather than for strength. This guide explains how a cheetah lives and hunts, how fast it really runs, how many remain and what threatens them, and where and when to see cheetahs in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. People also search for the same topic as cheetah safari, where to see cheetahs in Africa, cheetah facts, cheetah speed, cheetah vs leopard and best place to see cheetahs in Kenya.

Quick answer

Where is the best place to see cheetahs in East Africa? The open grasslands of the Maasai Mara in Kenya and the central and southern plains of the Serengeti in Tanzania are the best, followed by Amboseli, Samburu and Laikipia in Kenya, and Kidepo Valley in northern Uganda. Cheetahs hunt by day, so the best hours are the early morning and late afternoon, and the dry season gives the clearest views. The IUCN lists the cheetah as Vulnerable, with a global population of about 6,500 mature individuals in 2021, and East Africa holds one of its stronghold populations.

Cheetahs in East Africa at a glance

Chapter 01 — What is a cheetah?

The cheetah is the only living member of its genus and is not a close relative of the leopard or the lion. It has a small head, a deep chest, a flexible spine, long legs and a long tail that works as a rudder. Unlike other big cats it cannot fully retract its claws, which act like running spikes. Adults weigh about 21 to 65 kg, and females are smaller on average.

The cheetah is the most open-country cat. It does not roar, but it purrs, chirps and makes a high-pitched bird-like call, and cubs chirp to their mother. The cheetah is not part of the Big Five, but it is on the Big Nine, and our Big Five vs Big Nine guide explains how the lists differ. It also complements our guides to where to see the Big Five and the leopard.

Chapter 02 — Cheetah vs leopard vs lion: how to tell them apart

The shortcut is the face: tear lines mean cheetah. The role of the tear lines is not well understood, and the usual explanation, that they cut sun glare, is a guess rather than a proven fact.

Chapter 03 — How fast is a cheetah?

A cheetah is the fastest land animal, but the popular figures need care. The highest reliably recorded top speed is about 104 km/h, and about 100 km/h has also been reliably recorded. A figure of 114 km/h that appears widely was discredited because of a faulty measurement method. In the wild, GPS-collared cheetahs averaged about 54 km/h during hunts, with a top hunt speed of about 93 km/h. Published figures for acceleration put it at 0 to 97 km/h in under three seconds, but that figure is old and is better treated as an estimate.

The chase is short, usually under a minute and a few hundred metres, because sprinting uses so much energy that the animal must rest afterwards. Speed is the cheetah's weapon, and it also makes the cat vulnerable, because a cheetah that has just made a kill is exhausted and can lose it to lions, hyenas or vultures.

Chapter 04 — How a cheetah hunts

A cheetah hunts by sight, from a high point such as a termite mound, a fallen tree or, in some parks, the bonnet or roof of a safari vehicle. It stalks to within about 50 to 100 m, then sprints, trips its prey with a front paw and takes it by the throat. Most hunting is by day, with peaks at dawn and dusk, which lets the cheetah avoid lions and hyenas that hunt at night. In very hot places, including parts of the Mara, cheetahs may hunt after sunset.

Typical prey is Thomson's gazelle, impala and other small to medium antelope, young wildebeest and hares. Cheetahs rarely scavenge and rarely fight for a kill, so they lose much of their food to larger predators. Cheetahs eat quickly and watch for a rival.

Chapter 05 — Built for speed: how the cheetah's body works

Everything about a cheetah's body trades strength for speed. The spine is very flexible, so the stride can stretch far in each bound, and the long legs and light frame keep the weight low. The chest is deep, which leaves room for large lungs and a large heart, and the nostrils are large for fast breathing. The claws are semi-retractable and give grip like running spikes, and the long tail works as a rudder at speed. A cheetah that has just run is hot and exhausted and often needs 20 to 30 minutes to recover, which is why it is so exposed to thieves at that moment. The price of speed is a light build: a cheetah cannot fight a lion or a hyena and usually gives up a kill rather than risk injury.

Chapter 06 — A day in the life of a cheetah

A typical day starts at dawn. A female or coalition leaves the shade where it rested and walks a ridge or termite mound to scan for prey. Hunting happens in the cool hours and, if it fails, the cheetah rests and tries again at dusk. Between hunts the cat lies in shade, often on a mound where it can see approaching lions or hyenas. Mothers with cubs add another layer: the cubs follow, play and practise stalking, and the mother leaves them hidden when she hunts. If a lion or hyena appears, she must lead the cubs away. If you want to see this daily rhythm, spend a full morning with a single animal rather than moving from sighting to sighting.

Chapter 07 — Social life: solitary females and brother coalitions

Female cheetahs live alone, except when raising cubs, and their ranges are large. Males often form coalitions of two or three, usually brothers, which defend a territory and help to hunt larger prey. A coalition is a classic safari sight: two or three males sitting on a termite mound, surveying the plain.

Chapter 08 — Cubs and survival

A litter is usually three or four cubs, though larger litters occur. Cubs are born in a hidden den and carry a silver-grey mantle of long hair on the back for the first months, which may help camouflage them. The mother moves them between dens, leaves them to hunt and teaches them to stalk. Cub mortality is high, and predators such as lions and hyenas cause most cub deaths in the Serengeti, where studies have been done. A wild female may live to about 14 or 15 years, but reproduction ends sooner.

Chapter 09 — Status, numbers and threats

The cheetah is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Published global figures conflict: about 7,100 mature individuals in 2016 and 6,517 mature individuals in 2021 are both quoted, and a conservation briefing in 2023 gave about 6,500 adults. The 2021 figure is the most recent. The cheetah survives in only about 9 per cent of its historical African range, and about three-quarters of its range lies outside protected areas.

East Africa is one of the strongholds. A 2023 conservation briefing counted about 1,360 adults and adolescents in the Serengeti, Mara, Tsavo, Laikipia and Samburu region of Kenya and Tanzania, with the trend decreasing. Kenya's own cheetah population is often given as 800 to 1,200 adults. These are estimates, and cheetahs are hard to count.

The main threats are habitat loss and fragmentation, conflict with livestock keepers, loss of prey, road deaths, poorly regulated tourism and illegal trade. Cheetahs also have low genetic variation, which makes them vulnerable to disease. Read more in our Kenya wildlife and biodiversity guide.

Chapter 10 — Where to see cheetahs in East Africa

The Mara and Serengeti are the best bets, and our Kenya photographic big-cat safari is built around them. For the Serengeti and Ngorongoro, see our classic Serengeti and Ngorongoro safari. The odds are our summary of how often guests tend to see cheetahs, not a guarantee.

Chapter 11 — Cheetah areas in detail

Maasai Mara, Kenya. The Mara's open grassland, scattered bushes and Great Migration herds make it the most famous cheetah area in Africa. The best months are generally July to October, when the herds are present, but cheetahs live here all year. The conservancies around the reserve cap vehicle numbers, which gives the cats more space. See our Maasai Mara guide, the Mara conservancies guide and the Great Migration in Kenya guide.

Serengeti, Tanzania. The central Seronera plains and the southern plains around Ndutu are the best areas, especially during the calving season when young wildebeest and gazelle are plentiful. See our Serengeti guide and southern and central Serengeti migration guide.

Amboseli, Kenya. Amboseli's open plains and Kilimanjaro backdrop give excellent views of cheetahs on mounds. See our Amboseli guide.

Samburu and Laikipia, Kenya. Both have open dry-country plains, and cheetahs are often seen by day. See our Samburu guide and Laikipia guide.

Nairobi National Park, Kenya. A small park with open plains next to a capital city, where a cheetah may be seen with the skyline behind. See our Nairobi National Park guide.

Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire, Tanzania. Cheetahs are present in both. The crater floor is compact and a sighting is possible, and Tarangire's dry-season plains hold a few. See our Ngorongoro guide and Tarangire guide.

Kidepo Valley, Uganda. Kidepo is Uganda's remote north-eastern park, with open valleys where cheetahs live. It is quiet and wild, and sightings are not guaranteed. See our Kidepo Valley guide.

Chapter 12 — The best time of year and day

Cheetahs can be seen all year. Dry-season grass is short, so they are easier to spot, and the Mara's July to October period and the Serengeti plains in the calving season are good for cheetah hunts because there is plenty of young prey: see our Serengeti calving season and Great Migration by month guides. The best hours are early morning and late afternoon. At midday cheetahs rest in shade, and many visitors miss them by returning to camp too early.

Chapter 13 — Cheetahs and the Great Migration

The Great Migration does not carry cheetahs with it, but it changes their lives. When the herds arrive in the Mara or the southern Serengeti, there are more young animals and more prey, and cheetahs often hunt wildebeest calves and Thomson's gazelle. Lions and hyenas also gather, which makes life harder for the cheetah. In the Serengeti, the calving season from about late January to March is one of the best times to watch cheetahs hunt, and in the Mara the herds usually arrive from around July. Read how the cycle works in our how the Great Migration works guide, and see our Great Migration safari cost guide for the planning side.

Chapter 14 — How guides find cheetahs

• Termite mounds and fallen trees: a cheetah uses them as lookouts, so guides scan them with binoculars.
• Other vehicles: a group of vehicles often means a cheetah, but follow your guide's advice on distance.
• Alarm calls: gazelles that stand and stare, or snort, often mark a cheetah.
• Radio contact: guides share sightings, which helps in a big park.
• Knowing the cats: many Mara and Serengeti cheetahs are known by name, and a guide who knows them finds them fast.

Chapter 15 — Viewing cheetahs responsibly

Cheetahs are easily disturbed, and crowds of vehicles can interrupt a hunt or keep cubs from their mother. A cheetah that climbs onto a vehicle is a thrill but should not be encouraged. To protect the animal:

• Keep to the park's vehicle limit and distance rules and be patient.
• Switch off the engine and keep voices low.
• Never block the cat's path.
• Leave if the animal shows signs of stress.
• Choose operators who follow the rules.

Our responsible and sustainable safari travel guide explains how to judge an operator.

Chapter 16 — Photographing cheetahs

• Use a long lens (300 mm or longer) and a fast shutter speed of 1/2000 or faster for a running cat.
• Focus on the eye and use continuous autofocus for a chase.
• Use the morning and evening light for soft colour.
• Wait on a termite mound for the pose of a cat surveying the plain.
• Keep both eyes open for the chase, which is over in seconds.

See our packing list for lenses and bean bags.

Chapter 17 — How to plan a cheetah safari, step by step

1. Choose open country: the Mara, Serengeti plains, Amboseli, Samburu or Laikipia.
2. Allow at least three nights in the same area.
3. Travel in the dry season for short grass and clear views.
4. Ask for a guide who knows the cheetahs of the area.
5. Go out early and late, and rest at midday.
6. Combine with other cats: the same areas have lions, and leopards in cover.
7. Bring a long lens and a bean bag.
8. Follow viewing rules to protect the animal.
9. Add a migration season if you can: see our how the Great Migration works guide.
10. Ask us to plan it: see our first-time safari planning guide.

Chapter 18 — Cheetah myths and mistakes

• "A cheetah can run at 120 km/h." The highest reliable figure is about 104 km/h, and only in a short burst.
• "Cheetahs are a type of leopard." They are a separate genus, with different spots, build and habits.
• "Cheetahs can roar." They purr and chirp, and they cannot roar.
• "Cheetahs are safe because they are fast." They lose cubs and kills to larger predators.
• "They hunt at night." They hunt mainly by day.
• "You will always see one in the Mara." Plan several days.

Chapter 19 — Cheetahs for kids

A game for families: spot the termite mounds with a cheetah on top. Our best age for a family safari guide explains what suits which age.

Our verdict

Cheetahs are the easiest of the spotted cats to see and one of the most rewarding, because you can watch them hunt, rest and raise cubs in open country in daylight. The Mara, the Serengeti plains, Amboseli, Samburu and Laikipia are the best places in East Africa, and a patient morning on a termite mound is worth more than a fast drive. Other predators to add to your list are the leopard, the African wild dog and the animals in our Ugly Five guide. If cheetahs are a priority, tell us your dates and we will build the route around them.