Kruger National Park
Limpopo · Best Apr to Sep
17 places
Wildlife
Leopard
Panthera pardusVulnerable
The leopard (Panthera pardus) is one of the five species in the genus Panthera, a member of the Felidae.
Species insights
When to visit
Recorded year-round
Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.
Best monthsAny month
Recorded in Mpumalanga~1,860 records
Curve from 3,721 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property and not from this province. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Where you'll find it
Mpumalanga and beyond
Provinces where Leopard is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
3,720 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Leopard
Stays that give back
Across Mpumalanga
The Orpen Kruger
Kruger National Park
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
From R 9,024 a night
Rhino Sands Safari Camp
Hazyview
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
Gives back to Zululand Conservation Trust and 1 other
From R 22,680 a night
Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge
Kruger National Park
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
From R 17,400 a night
Mdluli Safari Lodge
Kruger National Park
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
From R 10,670 a night
Dulini Moya
Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Leadwood · Leopard
Gives back to DAKTARI Bush School
From R 28,990 a night
Ubuntu Lodge at Elephant Point
Kruger National Park
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
Gives back to DAKTARI Bush School
Price on request
Ziziphus River Lodge
Mjejane Game Reserve, Hectorspruit
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Hippopotamus · African elephant
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
From R 14,000 a night
Kruger Untamed - Satara Plains Camp
Kruger National Park
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Impala · Spotted hyena
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
From R 11,980 a night
Lion Sands Ivory Lodge
Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
Price on request
Kruger Untamed - Tshokwane River Camp
Kruger National Park
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
From R 17,500 a night
Crocodile Bridge Rest Camp
Kruger National Park
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Cheetah · Delagoa thorn
From R 390 a night
Lion Sands Tinga Lodge
Kruger National Park
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
Price on request
Berg-en-Dal Rest Camp
Kruger National Park
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Giraffe · Knobthorn
From R 390 a night
Malelane Satellite Camp
Kruger National Park
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Giraffe · Impala
From R 390 a night
Lion Sands Narina Lodge
Kruger National Park
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
Price on request
Biyamiti Bushveld Camp
Kruger National Park
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Cheetah · Delagoa thorn
From R 2,219 a night
Skukuza Rest Camp
Kruger National Park
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · African elephant · Cape buffalo
From R 390 a night
Hinkwenu Villa, Lion Sands
Kruger National Park
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
Price on request
Dulini River
Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Sausage tree · Leopard
Gives back to DAKTARI Bush School
From R 28,990 a night
Dulini Leadwood
Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Leadwood · Jackalberry
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
From R 28,990 a night
Lion Sands River Lodge
Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
Price on request
Fish Eagle Villa, Lion Sands
Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
Price on request
Singita Ebony Lodge
Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Lion · Leopard
Price on request
Singita Boulders Lodge
Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Leopard recorded here · Savanna biome · Lion · Leopard
Price on request
The Elephant Coast
Next stop
iSimangaliso wetlands, sand forest, and Sodwana reefs
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Leopard
Hosts have recorded the Leopard at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Timbavati Private Nature Reserve.
When to go, park by park
Here all yearEasiest viewing
| Park | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kruger | Here | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here | Here | Here |
| Sabi Sand | Here | Here | Here | Here | Easiest viewing |
Darker months are each park's own best season, when thinner bush or scarce water makes viewing easier. A sighting is never guaranteed.
Best hours of the day
- After dark and around dawn. The Leopard is mostly active at night, so a night drive gives the best chance.
- Daytime, resting. Usually out of sight in cover, a burrow or water.
Where to base yourself
Limpopo
Kruger · Timbavati
LimpopoBig FiveSelf-driveGuided drivesStays in LimpopoMpumalanga
Sabi Sand
MpumalangaBig FiveGuided drivesStays in Mpumalanga
Ways to look
IUCN Red List
Vulnerable
Species
Panthera pardus
Records
3,720
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Leopard on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Leopard in Mpumalanga?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Leopard at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Leopard in South Africa?
The Leopard is most recorded in Mpumalanga (50% of records), Limpopo (20% of records), Western Cape (16% of records), based on 3,720 iNaturalist observations. 30 places to stay on Spekboom in Mpumalanga have recorded the Leopard on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Leopard?
The Leopard is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep; Sabi Sand Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep optimal; Timbavati Private Nature Reserve: May-Sep, dry season. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the conservation status of the Leopard?
The Leopard (Panthera pardus) is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Leopard?
The leopard (Panthera pardus) is one of the five species in the genus Panthera, a member of the Felidae. The leopard occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia and is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because leopard populations are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, and are declining in large parts of the global range.