Travel adviser: Leopards

Where to stay

Kruger has a range of camps with different accommodation options. Campsites cost from R135 a night (up to six people) to R665 for a bungalow (sleeps three; some have communal kitchens). A number of camps, including Skukuza, Satara and Shingwedzi, have more luxurious guesthouses from R2 305 a night (up to 10 people). If you don’t have a Wild Card, there’s a daily conservation fee of R40 for locals, R80 for SADC residents and R160 for everyone else. Check for pensioners’ discounts. Bookings for all Sanparks camps can be done on www.sanparks.org.

Okonjima in Namibia is home to the Africat Foundation which protects leopards and cheetahs. It has rooms starting from R2 021 a person a night, including all meals and game viewing activities. To book, tel +2646-768-7032, e-mail info@okonjima.com, web www.okonjima.com.

The tented camp at Mashatu in Botswana costs R1 963 (US$255) a person a day and Main Camp suites are R2 964 (US$385). At MalaMala the rates are R4 427 (US$575) a person a night in Main Camp and R5 967 (US$775) in Sable Camp. In both destinations, rates include nature walks and game drives, all meals and laundry. Extras include cycle and horse safaris and cultural excursions. Cable car crossing of the Limpopo costs about R35 a person. To book, tel +27-11-442-2267, e-mail reservations@malamala.com, web www.mashatu.com or www.malamala.com.

Further reading

• Living with Leopards by Nils Kure (Sunbird, 2003).
• Big Cats of MalaMala by Roger and Pat de la Harpe and Heather Dugmore (Sunbird, 2001).
• Time with MalaMala’s Leopards by Dale Hancock (Crowood Press, 2000).
• Cats of Africa by Paul Bosman and Anthony Hall-Martin (Fernwood Press, 1997).
• The African Leopard by Ted Bailey (Blackburn Press, 1993).
• Leopard by Gerald Hinde (Harper Collins, 1992).