Despite being one of the most ubiquitous cats in Africa, leopards tend to be shy and elusive, and despite being widespread, they’re not always easy to find. While there’s a chance you could see leopards in nearly all of the best African parks and reserves there are a few locations that are undoubtedly the best places to see leopards in Africa.
Seeing Leopard in the Greater Kruger, South Africa
Situated along the Western border of the world-famous Kruger National Park is a series of private game reserves. These include well-known names such as the Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, and collectively are undoubtedly the best places to see leopards in Africa.
Over the last few decades, a highly sensitive approach to leopard viewing has resulted in a uniquely habituated leopard population. These leopards are by no means ‘tame’. Still, they have been habituated, almost from birth, to perceive a safari vehicle and it occupants as non-threatening and will, therefore, approach or be approached to within mere meters.
Not only is it possible to get ‘up close and personal’ with these big cats on safari, but unlike many of the national parks and reserves across Africa, these private reserves have strict viewing rules. Limiting the number of safari vehicles to a maximum of two or three cars at any one time makes a leopard sighting in the private reserves of the Greater Kruger, a most intimate experience.
Even though the leopards of the Greater Kruger are highly approachable, you first need to find one, and a select group of locals have elevated the ancient skill of finding wildlife by following tracks and signs to an art form. This art raises your chances of seeing an elusive leopard on safari from ‘iffy’ to pretty darn good!
Seeing Leopard in the Masai Mara, Kenya
The Masai Mara, with its wide-open grasslands, makes leopard spotting a lot easier than most other, more densely wooded, African safari locations and makes the Masai Mara one of the best places to see leopards in Africa.
Home to a healthy population of leopard, the Masai Mara is also home to a copious supply of prey species that not only provide food but which also make for useful ‘leopard detectors’. All prey species have a tendency to stare in the direction of predators and leopard are frequently located by following the mesmerised gaze of an impala or Thomson’s gazelle towards a nearby thicket.
Leopards protect their food from other predators and scavengers by hoisting fresh kills into trees. Keen-eyed guides (and safari-goers) will often find a leopard in the Masai Mara by spotting what at first appears to be a most unusual sight, an antelope in a tree.
Seeing Leopard in South Luangwa, Zambia
The conditions created by the dry winter months (June to October) and an abundant population of leopards make this one of the best places to see leopards in Africa.
Following the watery abundancy of the summer months, the dry winter offers increasingly limited water sources and both predators and prey alike are drawn to the few remaining water holes and of course the Luangwa River valley. This and the combination of thinning vegetation which makes it easier to find and spot Africa’s most elusive animals make for some of the best chances of spotting leopards on safari.
South Luangwa National Park is one of the remotest safari locations in Africa and finding a leopard on safari here extends safari-goers an opportunity for some of the most private safari experiences on offer.
