We love big cats, especially leopards and we have chosen parks that are renowned for this.   

We also love remote wilderness and not seeing many other safari vehicles. We have visited in the dry and wet seasons as each have their charms.  With that said, the dry winter season is the best time to see predators in action.

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Our number one destination is the Okavango Delta, Botswana.  Described as the last wilderness on Earth, it is beautiful and a very special place.

The delta or ‘swamps’ is created by water flooding the Kalahari desert making lush islands that animals inhabit and often get trapped on.  Our most remote and intrepid safaris have been in the Okavango flying in on a small plane to a bush airstrip, enjoying long game drives, helicopter, mokoro (a dugout canoe) and boat rides.  

The spectacular wildlife and photography opportunities are the reason we have returned many times.   

The luxury camps, delicious food, spectacular sunsets and the warmest hospitality are a bonus!

There is a great variety of game with plenty of big cats. It is also a bird watchers paradise. 

Botswana does have the biggest population of elephant so you should see plenty, especially in the northern areas in and around Chobe National Park.

While it is glamping, the camps are solar powered and mostly not ‘connected’, so be prepared to relax and fall off the grid.

The Linyanti area, north of the Okavango also offers amazing game viewing including the endangered African wild dog.  

South Luangwa, Zambia

Our three visits to South Luangwa National Park in Zambia have given us some of the most spectacular lion and leopard sightings and photos. (The terrain is not suitable for cheetah.)

The ‘Valley’ is nestled around the Luangwa River and rich in wildlife.  There are plenty of elephant too but most of the big tuskers have unfortunately been poached out in the 70’s.

It is also remote however, we have noticed many more camps and safari vehicles during the past 10 years.

The bush camp we stayed at really was wild with animals all around.

The adrenalin of seeing game on a guided walking safari is something we will never forget.   The night drives were fascinating offering a combination of predator action and small nocturnal sightings like elephant shrew.

The lion prides are huge in the South Luangwa and we have been lucky to see dramatic lion kills.  On our second visit we saw four different leopards on the first day.

Our most memorable and exciting close encounters have been in ‘the valley’.

Our favourite African guides are in the South Luangwa, where we experienced the thrill of actually tracking animals (in lieu of racing off after a phone call). Listening to the warning alarm calls of Francolins, baboons and field game often led to finding a leopard nearby.  This is well beyond Vultures circling, although we did use that signal too to find kills.

Sabi Sands, South Africa

Sabi Sands, South Africa is a collection of the private concessions that will give you great Lion and Leopard action!    

You can have a Big 5 safari here as well.

We have visited one camp in this area and it had outstanding game viewing and hospitality.

Camps have everything a modern resort can offer plus lions at your doorstep.

Samburu, Kenya

Samburu National Park has spectacular scenery and some different animal species. The area is a rich combination of river systems, mountains and desert. 

It was extremely interesting to see the Samburu Five and other unique species; Grevy’s Zebra, Somali Ostrich, Beisa Oryx, Gerenuk, and Reticulated Giraffe, Vulturine Guinea fowl and desert warthog.

The Kenyan parks and camps are busy and guiding is more about communicating where the game is.