The Big Five are a popular shared safari mythology, and these photographs are our encounter with that idea (we saw them all). Not trophies or checkmarks, but moments of recognition. Each animal met on its own terms, each creating an indelible memory.
African Elephants (Photo by Lisa Drake)
African Elephants (Photo by Jeff Drake)
African Elephant (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Kopje Lions (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Kopje Lion (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Kopje Lion (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Cape Buffalo (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Cape Buffalo (Photo by Lisa Drake)
African Elephants (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Lions at Kopje (Photo by Jeff Drake)
Lobo Lion (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Lobo Lions (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Lobo Lion (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Lobo Lion (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Lobo Lion Pride (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Lobo Lion (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Lobo Lion (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Lobo Lion (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Lobo Lion (Photo by Jeff Drake)
Lobo Lion (Photo by Jeff Drake)
Lobo Lion (Photo by Jeff Drake)
Lobo Lion (Photo by Jeff Drake)
African Elephant (Photo by Jeff Drake)
African Elephant and Wildebeests (Photo by Lisa Drake)
African Elephant (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Cape Buffaloes (Photo by Lisa Drake)
African Elephants (Photo by Jeff Drake)
Cape Buffalo (Photo by Jeff Drake)
Cape Buffaloes (Photo by Jeff Drake)
African Elephants (Photo by Jeff Drake)
Old Ngorongoro Lion (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Old Ngorongoro Lion (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Old Ngorongoro Lion (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Ngorongoro Crater Elephant in Larai Forest (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Leopard in Tree (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Leopard in Tree (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Leopard in Tree (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Leopard in Tree (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Leopard in Tree (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Leopard in Tree (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Leopard in Tree (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Leopard in Tree (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Leopard in Tree (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Leopard in Tree (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Leopard in Tree (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Leopard in Tree (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Leopard (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Black Rhinos (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Black Rhinos (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Black Rhinos (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Black Rhinos (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Black Rhino (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Black Rhino (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Black Rhino (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Black Rhino (Photo by Lisa Drake)
Ngorongoro Larai Forest Elephant (Photo by Jeff Drake)
Ngorongoro Larai Forest Elephant (Photo by Jeff Drake)
Ngorongoro Crater Larai Forest Elephant (Photo by Jeff Drake)
Ngorongoro Elephants (Photo by Jeff Drake)
Ngorongoro Crater Old Male Lion (Photo by Jeff Drake)
Ngorongoro Crater Old Male Lion (Photo by Jeff Drake)
Leopard in Tree (Photo by Jeff Drake)
Leopard in Tree (Photo by Jeff Drake)
Leopard in Tree (Photo by Jeff Drake)
Leopard in Tree (Photo by Jeff Drake)