Leopards here, there and everywhere are a magnetic attraction to this aptly named lodge set in the western sector of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, bordering South Africa's beloved Kruger National Park. Expect rewarding game drives (the rest of the Big Five are also regularly sighted), excellent guiding, five-star accommodation, great cuisine and panoramic views across the bush and the active waterhole on the plains below.
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The ochre-walled main area is a good place to gather after a visually rewarding game drive. Kick back in the lounge, send 'you should be here' messages to your friends and family, chat to the other guests over dinner (it's fine cuisine and there's lots of it), enjoy a drink at the bar or on the veranda and dip in the pool. In the library are plentiful reference and other books, and African journals, to browse through.
Strung along the Mabrak River, Leopard Hills has just eight stone-and-thatch stilted suites with glass frontages that allow you to gaze at the bush. Each is beautifully furnished in relaxing colours and has a king-sized bed, air conditioning, inside and outside showers, a comfortable lounge, reading material, a wooden veranda and personal pool. Anything you could ever need has been taken into account, including underfloor heating for chilly winter visits. A safari experience at its best!
Leopard Hills is perched on a rocky hilltop overlooking its own 10,000-hectare private reserve, so there's always something to train your binoculars on. Take a morning or evening game drive or a game walk with the highly informative rangers, visit a local Shangaan village or board a helicopter to see the nearby Blyde River Canyon from above (excursions beyond the property can be arranged with management). There's a gym for fitness fans and a shop for some retail therapy.
This has to be one of the best areas on the continent to see leopard, hands down. There are at least 12 different leopard close to the lodge and the game viewing is out of this world!
If you've forgotten your binos, don't panic. There are a pair in every room, so go ahead and while away the midday hours watching the animals trot down to the waterhole.
Watch out for the herds of elephants that wander through camp. We had to be escorted to and from our rooms each time due to the abundance of wildlife around the lodge! Does it get any better?!
Leopard Hills can be booked with Timbuktu as part of a tailor-made South Africa trip, rather than as a standalone room reservation. Start online, customising one of our recommended South Africa trips featuring Leopard Hills or get advice and suggestions from one of our South Africa specialists who will design the trip around your dates, check availability and handle every booking for you.
Stays at Leopard Hills start from around $1.6K, or US$1.6K, per person per night as part of a tailor-made trip. The exact price depends on your travel dates, room type and the shape of the rest of your itinerary. A Timbuktu travel specialist can give you an accurate quote for your dates.
A safari that surpasses every expectation awaits in this vast wilderness just west of the Kruger National Park.
