Seeing a leopard on safari is like winning a prize! 

We LOVE leopards, who doesn’t?  Here’s what we have learned in our travels.

To give yourself the best chance to see a leopard in Africa go to the South Luangwa National Park, Zambia or Sabi Sands private conservancies, South Africa. 

Otherwise, go to Sri Lanka which has the highest density of Asian leopard in the world.

Most game parks will have leopards.  Here are some tips to keep in mind before booking your trip:

Leopards are hard to see because they are mostly solitary and therefore need to shy away from other predators and competitors.

  • Choose an area and camp that have a good track record of leopard sightings.

  • Night drives will increase your chances of seeing leopards (and lions) in action.

  • A full moon is not the best time to see predators in action

  • Winter months increase your chances of seeing a leopard during the day as they will find a cool place to hide in the heat

  • Large prides of lions may decrease your chance of seeing a leopard in the same area. That is, if you see a lot of lions, the leopard will definitely be hiding.

  • Listen to the bush telegraph.  For example, a squirrel or Francolin will loudly announce a leopard, as will prey.