African leopard safaris

The best time to see leopards is early morning and late afternoon or on a night drive in remote concessions where this is allowed. Leopards are most active during these cooler periods, often returning from hunts or preparing to move as light levels drop.

Leopards can be seen year-round, but sightings improve in the dry season between May and October. During this time, reduced vegetation makes leopards more visible while prey tends to concentrate around water sources, making behaviour more predictable.

Leopard sightings can never be guaranteed. Low densities, large territories, and nocturnal behaviour mean encounters depend on timing, habitat, and conditions. That said, our Wilderness camps are located in some of the most renowned areas for seeing leopards, with excellent guides who understand local leopard populations.

Vehicles can typically approach within 5 to 20 meters of leopards and while leopards often habituate to vehicles meaning they may come closer under their own accord, we always follow strict guiding protocols, giving wildlife the respect and space they deserve.

Leopards are difficult to spot due to camouflage and behaviour. They are mostly nocturnal but during the day, their rosette coats provide excellent camouflage in vegetation and dappled light.

Leopards primarily hunt at night or during low-light periods. Activity peaks at dusk and pre-dawn, when prey visibility is reduced and darkness can be used as cover. This is why game drives are conducted in the early mornings and late afternoons.

Tourism contributes to the protection of leopards by helping protect vital habitats. From certain Wilderness camps such as Chitabe and Qorokwe in the Okavango Delta and Wilderness Mara in the Masai Mara we further support leopard protection through projects involved with monitoring, research, anti-poaching and community education.

Leopard territories vary widely, from 10–30 km² in resource-rich areas to over 100 km² or even 1,000 km² in areas where prey is few and far between. Territory size depends on prey density, habitat quality, and competition.

Leopards kill their prey using an ambush style of hunting, relying on their camouflage and explosive power. They often drag carcasses into trees, hauling their kill off the ground to avoid scavengers like hyenas.

Leopards communicate using rasping calls, scent marking, and scrape marks. While they don’t roar like lions, their territorial call, which sounds almost like a cough or sawing sound can carry almost 3 km (2 miles). Urine spraying, faeces, and tree scratching also signal presence and territorial boundaries.