The Big Five
Where to see lions in Kenya
We list a place here only when one of our checked sources says lions live there — the sentence and its source are shown under each place. Wild animals move freely, so no park can promise a sighting on a given day.
Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · original
,_parque_nacional_del_lago_Nakuru,_Kenia,_2024-05-18,_DD_63.jpg){kind=link}
Resized to 1,920 px wide and metadata removed; displayed cropped to fit. All photo credits
Lion profile
Each line is checked against the source shown. Metric figures are converted from the source's own units, which are given too.
- Species
African lion (Panthera leo), a carnivore.
Information status: VerifiedSource: National Geographic (opens in a new tab) · checked 18 Oct 2026
- Size
Adults weigh about 120–190 kg (the source gives 265–420 lb), with a head and body of about 1.4–2 m (4.5–6.5 ft).
Information status: VerifiedSource: National Geographic (opens in a new tab) · checked 18 Oct 2026
- Behaviour
Lions are the only cats that live in groups, called prides, of two to 40 lions. Females are the pride's main hunters, often working together.
Information status: VerifiedSource: National Geographic (opens in a new tab) · checked 18 Oct 2026
- What to look for
A lion's roar can be heard from about 8 km (five miles) away.
Information status: VerifiedSource: National Geographic (opens in a new tab) · checked 18 Oct 2026
- Status
Listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Information status: VerifiedSource: National Geographic (opens in a new tab) · checked 18 Oct 2026
- In Kenya
Kenya's first National Wildlife Census, run from April to July 2021 by the Tourism ministry, the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Wildlife Research and Training Institute, counted 2,589 lions.
Information status: VerifiedSource: The Star (Kenya) (opens in a new tab) · checked 18 Oct 2026
6 places with lions on record
Nairobi
Nairobi City County
Its wildlife includes the endangered black rhino, lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffaloes and giraffes, and over 400 bird species have been recorded there.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Kenya Biodiversity — National Clearing House Mechanism (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
Maasai Mara
Narok County
It is known for the Great Migration of wildebeest and zebras, and is home to the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhinoceros.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Kenya Biodiversity — National Clearing House Mechanism (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
Amboseli
Kajiado County
Other wildlife includes lions, cheetahs, giraffes and buffalo, and more than 400 bird species.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Magical Kenya (Kenya Tourism Board) (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
Lake Nakuru
Nakuru County
Other wildlife includes lions, a small number of cheetahs and giraffes, and about 450 bird species have been recorded.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
From a factsheet last assessed in 2011; wildlife numbers change.
Tsavo West National Park
Taita-Taveta County
The Kenya Wildlife Service lists the Big Five — lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino — and the critically endangered hirola among the park's wildlife, with over 600 bird species recorded.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Kenya Wildlife Service (opens in a new tab) · checked 24 Oct 2026
Meru National Park
Eastern Kenya, east of Meru town
Wildlife includes elephants, lions, leopards and cheetahs.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Kenya Biodiversity — National Clearing House Mechanism (opens in a new tab) · checked 24 Oct 2026
Also on record at these places
Other wildlife our checked sources record at the same parks and reserves as lions — handy if you want to see more on the same trip. Open one to see the sentence and its source.
Cheetah4 placesNairobi, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Meru National ParkShow sources
- Nairobi
Its wildlife includes the endangered black rhino, lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffaloes and giraffes, and over 400 bird species have been recorded there.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Kenya Biodiversity — National Clearing House Mechanism (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
- Amboseli
Other wildlife includes lions, cheetahs, giraffes and buffalo, and more than 400 bird species.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Magical Kenya (Kenya Tourism Board) (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
- Lake Nakuru
Other wildlife includes lions, a small number of cheetahs and giraffes, and about 450 bird species have been recorded.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
From a factsheet last assessed in 2011; wildlife numbers change.
- Meru National Park
Wildlife includes elephants, lions, leopards and cheetahs.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Kenya Biodiversity — National Clearing House Mechanism (opens in a new tab) · checked 24 Oct 2026
- Nairobi
Birdlife4 placesNairobi, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Tsavo West National ParkShow sources
- Nairobi
Its wildlife includes the endangered black rhino, lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffaloes and giraffes, and over 400 bird species have been recorded there.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Kenya Biodiversity — National Clearing House Mechanism (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
- Amboseli
Other wildlife includes lions, cheetahs, giraffes and buffalo, and more than 400 bird species.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Magical Kenya (Kenya Tourism Board) (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
- Lake Nakuru
Other wildlife includes lions, a small number of cheetahs and giraffes, and about 450 bird species have been recorded.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
From a factsheet last assessed in 2011; wildlife numbers change.
- Tsavo West National Park
The Kenya Wildlife Service lists the Big Five — lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino — and the critically endangered hirola among the park's wildlife, with over 600 bird species recorded.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Kenya Wildlife Service (opens in a new tab) · checked 24 Oct 2026
- Nairobi
Giraffe3 placesNairobi, Amboseli, Lake NakuruShow sources
- Nairobi
Its wildlife includes the endangered black rhino, lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffaloes and giraffes, and over 400 bird species have been recorded there.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Kenya Biodiversity — National Clearing House Mechanism (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
- Amboseli
Other wildlife includes lions, cheetahs, giraffes and buffalo, and more than 400 bird species.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Magical Kenya (Kenya Tourism Board) (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
- Lake Nakuru
Other wildlife includes lions, a small number of cheetahs and giraffes, and about 450 bird species have been recorded.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
From a factsheet last assessed in 2011; wildlife numbers change.
- Nairobi
Zebra1 placeMaasai MaraShow sources
- Maasai Mara
It is known for the Great Migration of wildebeest and zebras, and is home to the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhinoceros.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Kenya Biodiversity — National Clearing House Mechanism (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
Wildebeest and zebras usually cross the Mara River into the Maasai Mara between July and October — the most dramatic part of the migration.
Information status: VerifiedSources: Magical Kenya (Kenya Tourism Board) (opens in a new tab); Kenya News Agency (kenyanews.go.ke) (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
- Maasai Mara
Wildebeest1 placeMaasai MaraShow sources
- Maasai Mara
It is known for the Great Migration of wildebeest and zebras, and is home to the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhinoceros.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Kenya Biodiversity — National Clearing House Mechanism (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
Wildebeest and zebras usually cross the Mara River into the Maasai Mara between July and October — the most dramatic part of the migration.
Information status: VerifiedSources: Magical Kenya (Kenya Tourism Board) (opens in a new tab); Kenya News Agency (kenyanews.go.ke) (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
- Maasai Mara
Flamingo1 placeLake NakuruShow sources
- Lake Nakuru
The lake is very shallow and strongly alkaline. It is famous for flamingos, but their numbers rise and fall sharply and unpredictably.
Information status: VerifiedSource: Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
- Lake Nakuru