MalaMala Private Game Reserve

MalaMala: The Legend of Leopards

Imagine Kruger without the crowds, with some of the best guides on the continent and almost guaranteed sightings of lions and leopards. MalaMala and the contiguous Sabi Sand reserves are rightly famed for their leopard sightings – the 2001 National Geographic documentary Stalking Leopards was filmed here – not least because the riverine woodland that snakes through the reserve is perfect leopard habitat. The guides here know their leopards, with which they are generally on first-name terms, and the lion prides, too, are well-known and routinely found. MalaMala’s fame means that its accommodation is both pricey and often booked out well in advance. But once here, the reward is one of Africa’s better wildlife-watching experiences.