They are everywhere, and in abundance. First sighting on first safari ever: Impala. Often the last sighting of the day: Impala. Only sighting on a night safari in South Africa: large groups of sleeping impalas. And by the way, they are even cuter at night when large groups of them are lying in the grass and their eyes reflect the headlights from a car or your flashlight.

Our guide tells us that they are called the McDonald’s of the savannah. As the most abundant antelope species, they serve as a reliable fast-food-style meal for predators in many areas. Additionally, if you look at them from behind, it is not hard to see why someone at some point drew a parallel to the fast-food chain characterized by the big M.

I can see why the lions and the hyenas like these antelopes for dinner, the prey is just so plentiful. Though I have no idea what a predator thinks of the actual taste. Or for that matter, if predators are into culinary experiences at all. But I can confirm, impala tastes really good. 

In South Africa, you can get game meat legally served for dinner and it's quite common in safari lodges, as regulated culling on private game farms makes these meats highly accessible while helping make wildlife-based land use economically viable.

And it does enhance the safari experience. After a long day of game drives, you’re resting and catching up on sleep, and then you wake up to the sound of African drums. The signal that dinner is ready, and you know that the menu tonight will be just as exotic as the previous ones - is it impala, or kudu, or maybe ostrich?

Among the antelope steaks the impala tasted quite good but the kudu scored a few points more. Warthog stew was okay but nothing more, a little like chewy pork. Ostrich on the other hand turned out to be exquisite, incredibly tender and delicate.

The nickname perfectly captures the impala’s role in the food chain, sustaining lions, leopards, cheetahs, and wild dogs. Despite being constantly hunted, they survive by living in massive, organized herds and using impressive defense mechanisms, like jumping up to three meters high to confuse predators mid-chase.

These beautiful antelopes with stunning agility and speed can offer not just a rich variety of adventurous game drives, but also some high-quality culinary experiences. And for the latter, and in the impala’s defense, an impala steak is of a quality far above what their fast-food nickname would suggest.