Everyone knows Africa’s famous Big Five: lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino, and elephant. Spotting all of them on one safari is a challenge — and that’s exactly what makes them special.
After months of traveling across South America, we thought: why not make our own version? Our South American Big Five is a personal list — based on animals we were most excited (and struggled!) to see in the wild. This wasn’t about ticking off mammals or checking boxes at a zoo. As one traveller suggested we best go see jaguars in the Manaus’ Zoo, we laughed. That’s not why we’re here.
We’re here for our South American safari. And what an adventure it turned out to be.
Here’s our list:
Jaguar, Tapir, Spectacled Bear, Anaconda, Orinoco Crocodile… and one surprise guest you’ll never guess.
1. Jaguar
The king of the South American jungle. The jaguar is the largest cat on the continent and has the most powerful bite in relation to its body size of any big cat. It crushes caiman skulls like we snap twigs. We even found caiman skulls with bite holes on the riverbanks — eerie proof.
But seeing one? Not easy.
In the south of the Pantanal, Brazil — the best place in the world to spot jaguars — we searched high and low. No luck. Same in the north, even on dedicated tours. We were about to leave when we stopped by a river for a break… and there she was. A young female jaguar, watching us from across the water. Frozen, curious. A moment we’ll never forget.
We turned around, drove back the 147 kilometres of the Transpantaneira, and gave it another shot. That decision paid off: we saw seven jaguars on our second safari. Bororo, a big male, even let us follow him downriver for three hours. Unforgettable.
2. Tapir
The largest native herbivore in South America (after cows, if you count those!). Tapirs play a key role in seed dispersal — they’re the gardeners of the rainforest.
Like jaguars, they’re notoriously hard to spot. But remember that lucky river spot? It came through again: two tapirs in a few days. One surprised us during a jungle hike — blink and you’d miss it. The other was more relaxed, grazing and bathing by the roadside at dusk. Calm, majestic, and completely unbothered by our presence.
3. Spectacled Bear
The Andean or spectacled bear is the only bear species native to South America. Elusive and shy, it roams the Andes.
We searched from Bolivia to Ecuador. Our second last try in Maquipucuna Reserve was mistimed — the bears only show up in autumn to feast on wild avocados. But we had one last hope: a village near the Colombian border, where bears visit year-round (thanks to, you guessed it — avocado plantations).
And finally, there they were. Early morning black dots moving on the opposite slope, and again in the afternoon, foraging. They were distant, but awe-inspiring nonetheless.
4. Anaconda
The heaviest snake in the world. Legendary. Mysterious. Hard to find.
We searched in Brazil, Bolivia, and Ecuador — nothing. We were ready to give up when Michael, staring out the window on a muddy road in Colombia, suddenly shouted, “Stop!”.
There it was. A beautiful, nearly 3-meter-long anaconda sunbathing just off the roadside. The rainy season had started, which usually drives them into hiding, but luck was on our side. What a stunning creature.
5. Orinoco Crocodile
Want to spot an animal of which only about 250 remain in the wild? Now that’s a challenge.
For my 30th birthday, we did something special. We headed to Colombia’s Llanos, near the Orinoco basin. The reason? Our last chance to see anacondas. But we kept joking that it would be great to find an Orinoco crocodile — South America’s only true crocodile species (the others are caimans).
What we didn’t know: the reserve was involved in a rewilding project and had recently released 50 young crocs. Survival is tough — many fall prey or get hunted, people are afraid and see them as a delicacy. But some endure.
At a small lagoon, after turtles rushed toward our safari car, we saw something bigger move… a large, 8-year-old male Orinoco crocodile, approaching us. Likely used to being fed to keep him within the reserve — a bittersweet reality, but perhaps a necessary compromise for survival.
The Surprise: The Hippopotamus
No, you didn’t misread that. Hippos. In South America.
Thanks to Pablo Escobar’s private zoo near the Magdalena River, a few escaped decades ago. Now, there’s a growing wild population of about 200 individuals — controversial, but real.
We were curious and wanted to see them — not in the zoo, but free. We didn’t enter the Hacienda Napoles, the easy thing to do. On our first day, we sat for hours in a boat on the Magdalena River in the blazing heat. No hippos. On day two, at a small lagoon, the local landowner let us in for the price of a Coke. And there they were: hippos lounging with a calf, peacefully across the water. We were a bit anxious, and had already chosen on what tree to climb in case of an attack. Though our guide told us, that there hadn’t been any dead from a hippo in South America so far — unlike in Africa.
Later that afternoon, we returned to the river island and finally had a closer encounter. Two adult hippos swam nearby, letting us know just how close was too close. Amazing.
Later that afternoon, we returned to the river island and finally had a closer encounter. Two adult hippos swam nearby, letting us know just how close was too close. Amazing.
Why It Matters?
What made these sightings special wasn’t just the species — it was the surprise. Apart from the spectacled bear and the hippos, every encounter was unplanned, often unguided. Just us, the wilderness, and a moment of pure magic.
We haven’t finished our list yet — it keeps growing. Puma, ocelot, American crocodile… maybe even a moose one day. And obviously all the bears waiting for us in the north.
What would be on your South American Big Five? Any animals you’re dreaming of seeing? Let us know in the comments!