Tanzania Big Cat Diary — A Day in the Life

Lions are crepuscular — most active at dawn and dusk. But because they live in groups, there is always someone awake.

• 5:00 AM: The night shift returns. Females who hunted overnight bring cubs to the kill. Males may still be roaring to mark territory.
• 7:00 AM: The pride settles into shade. Lions sleep 18-20 hours a day. Cubs play while adults rest.
• 12:00 PM: Midday heat. The pride is barely visible — just a tangle of limbs under an acacia.
• 4:00 PM: Activity resumes. Females start considering the evening hunt. Males patrol boundaries.
• 7:00 PM: The hunt begins. Target: wildebeest, zebra, or buffalo. If successful, the pride feeds through the night.
• 10:00 PM: Hyenas arrive, hoping for scraps. Lions defend the kill. The night symphony begins.

Leopards are solitary and nocturnal. Seeing one in daylight is lucky. They are always there — you just do not see them.

• 4:00 AM: The leopard leaves her daytime tree and begins hunting. She moves silently, using drainage lines and thickets.
• 6:00 AM: A kill is made — often an impala or gazelle. She drags it 50+ feet up a tree before hyenas arrive.
• 8:00 AM: She feeds, then sleeps in the tree with her kill. This is when tourists spot her.
• 3:00 PM: She wakes, feeds again, and grooms.
• 6:00 PM: She descends and begins the evening patrol. Males roam farther, sometimes covering 20km in a night.
• 11:00 PM: If she has cubs, she returns to the den. If not, she hunts again.

Cheetahs are diurnal — they hunt during the day to avoid lions and hyenas. Their day is built around one or two explosive chases.

• 6:00 AM: The cheetah scans from a termite mound or low branch. She needs a clear path — no tall grass.
• 7:00 AM: Target spotted. She stalks to within 100 meters.
• 7:05 AM: The chase. 0-100 km/h in 3 seconds. If she fails, she rests for hours before trying again.
• 8:00 AM: Eating quickly before scavengers arrive. She cannot defend a kill against lions.
• 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM: Resting in shade. Cheetahs overheat fast.
• 5:00 PM: If morning hunt failed, she tries again. Success rate: roughly 50%.

Every big cat is a masterpiece of evolution, perfectly adapted to its niche. Watching them live their lives — not just pose for photos — is the deepest reward of a Tanzania safari.

Read our lion guide, leopard guide, or cheetah guide.