Leopard

Tadoba national park is now well known as one of the BIG 3 of India’s tiger reserves and we can even say, that with the amazing expansion of tiger populations into the many buffer zones, this is the place to be for tiger lovers. Add to that, a wide diversity of habitats, several large lakes which attract the tigers during the hot summers, and a chance to see both wild dogs and a melanistic leopard, and there is something for everyone.

When we first visited Kanha Jungle Lodge way back in 1999 and stayed with Taron and his family we were blown away by his passion and the beauty of the park. One of my all time favourite memories is seeing a tigress shortly after having breakfast inside the park. A Kanha national park safari is not just about tigers. It is a full sensory immersion in the most beautiful park in central India and a chance to see multiple species of great scientific interest.

A Kenya wildlife safari to Amboseli takes you to some of the most beautiful scenery in the entire country and many of our clients love to combine the Masai Mara and Amboseli as part of a longer Kenya wildlife tour. World famous for the huge Tuskers which rumble across the landscape, Amboseli is also important to include as part of a big cat safari in Kenya, with good chances for lions and cheetahs in the diverse landscape.

When planning a Kenya wildlife safari it sometimes feels that the Masai Mara is the only wildlife reserve in Kenya, but that is far from the truth. There are many other national reserves and conservancies with abundant wildlife and far less visitors than the Mara, and here at Wildlife Trails we are keen to show them to you. So we bring you the best Kenya wildlife camps and guided private Samburu safaris. Come to Samburu national reserve and see the Big 5 of Grevy’s Zebra, Somali Ostrich, Beisa Oryx, Reticulated Giraffe and Gerenuk. Also enjoy magnificent views of Mount Kenya and visit the adjacent Buffalo Springs national reserve.

Join us on a Kenya wildlife holiday to remember in the beautiful Masai Mara during one of the peak months for river crossings and migration action. Wildlife Trails will be going BIG in Kenya this September, with back to back safaris running right through the month. First we start with a week at the beautiful Laikipia wilderness camp for the chance to photograph the legendary Black Panther, Giza. Allan will then fly to meet the group arriving into the Mara for 4 nights at the stunning Mara Legends Camp, which has a perfect location for our Big Cat safaris. Finally, he will head over to the Kicheche Mara North camp to finish off what will be an amazing combination of Kenya wildlife camps and wildlife experiences.

Wildlife Trails have been fortunate to visit Nagerhole wildlife sanctuary many times in the last decade, but it was not until our success in 2018 finding and photographing the Black Panther, Saya, in this beautiful park that we realised it was also an incredible location for Indian wild dogs, or Dhole as they are known locally. A few national parks in India, including Nagerhole, stay open during the Monsoon and so this immediately planted in our minds the possibility of putting together a small group tour to Nagerhole in July/August with the focus on Wild Dogs and maybe the chance to see their cubs as well. We have incredible connections in South India and our guides are very much the best in the business and regularly work with professional photographers and film makers.

A good friend of Wildlife Trails and superb photographer, Chris Brunskill returned from Laikipia wilderness camp last spring, and his amazing images of Giza have been published all around the world. There are many reasons why a beautiful cat like Giza becomes less shy and is seen more regularly by the safari vehicles and of course this can also change rapidly, due to terrotorial fights or other  factors which might lead to her moving away or keeping a lower profile.

Allan then went out with a group in September 2023 and enjoyed 4 stunning consecutive days with Giza, with everything from her at night in a tree on a kill, witnessing the start of a hunt as she ran flat out near the river, having her walk metres from our vehicle and two seperate river crossings right in front of us – it was hard to believe it was happening and we had to remind ourselves to breathe!

So now its time to do it all over again next year. Whose up for it?

How should the perfect Sri Lanka leopard safari be designed? Our wildlife safaris focus on longer stays in the national parks and with this one week Leopard safari at Yala national park, our approach is consistent with this ethical approach. We prefer to break up the long drive from Colombo to Yala with interesting stops en route. Not only will these stops give you a break from the car, they will also allow you to immerse yourself more fully in both the culture, food and scenic beauty of this amazing island.

Allan spent 2 months in Sri Lanka during 2022 and looked at all 3 access points to Yala national park. We now do not offer leopard safaris through the crazy busy Tissa gate to any of our wildlife clients; we only send them to Kataragama, or the spectacular Kumana national park. The drivers and guides we use in Sri Lanka are personal friends of ours and the feedback about them from oure regular clients is first class. A Sri Lanka wildlife holiday with Wildlife Trails represents incredible value for money and never disappoints.

Sri Lanka leopard safaris in Yala national park remain one of the best big cat experiences found in Asia. On an island where they are the top predator bar none, they are much more diurnal in behaviour than in India’s wildlife sanctuaries, which thus provides much better opportunities for our wildlife photography holidays to Sri Lanka.  We have been travelling to Yala since 2002 and the safari camp we have hand picked based on personal recce trips in 2022 is based away from the maddness of the Tissa gate and all the package hotels. Ten jeep safaris in Yala (with some of them full days with packed lunches) will allow us to experience key zones and focus on leopards, wild elephants and sloth bears.

Please note, that this tour can easily be extended on a private basis to visit other wildlife sanctuaries or cultural locations of personal interest.

Sri Lanka wildlife safari holidays nearly always include a Leopard Safari at Yala national park. Not only are these often short and rushed, they also enter from the Tissa gate, which sadly is one big mess of traffic chaos and poor behaviour towards wildlife. By taking you wild camping on this small group Sri Lanka wildlife holiday in Kumana National Park -sometimes referred to as Yala East – we avoid all this nonesence and give you a pure and natural wildlife experience very few can offer.

Always dreamed of a ‘real’ Botswana camping experience but worried it would be too basic. Believe me, having taken this exact safari in July 2022, this is as good as it gets for a quality Botswana safari, with the stunning private campsites, superb camping staff and excellent quality ensuite tents ensuring all you have to worry about is charging your camera and taking enough memory cards.

We focus on extended stays in Savuti, Moremi and Khwai with the genuine chance to see lions, leopards and African wild dogs. We were lucky enough to also see African wild cat and Serval in Khwai and expect to be surrounded by Elephants on the Chobe River, as we take you on a private boat safari just before sunset. Interested in our small group Botswana camping safari? Then contact Allan at Africa(at)wildlifetrails.co.uk

Sri Lanka wildlife holiday visiting Wilpattu, Sigirya, Hortons Plains, Gal Oya and Yala for a leopard safari. All these locations, as well as the time of year we are travelling, have been specifically designed by Allan Blanchard to give us a chance to see all 4 species of wild cats on this amazing island. These are Leopard, Jungle Cat, Rusty-Spotted Cat and Fishing Cat. Without a focus on buffer areas at night outside of the main national parks the chances to see the smaller wild cats is pretty much zero. To add to the excitment of this tour, we also look for the Grey Slender Lloris in Sigirya (chance for fishing cat here also!), Mountain Leopards in Hortons Plains and the chance to see Asian elephants swimming between islands in the stunning Gal Oya national park. We finish with a Leopard safari in Yala on the quieter Kataragama side of the park – where the largest Leopards in Asia can be found.

Very few people in the world attempt to see wild tigers and snow leopards in the same trip. This bespoke Wildlife Trails tiger and snow leopard safari takes Allan and a small group of adventurous souls back to Ladakh where he was lucky enough to see 7 snow leopards on his first visit in 2012. Since then he has returned to both Ladakh and visited Spiti Valley and always enjoyed excellent encounters. Some of our regular clients have asked for more comfortable accommodation than basic tents or homestays, so this small group Indian wildlife holiday specifically addresses that issue and takes your Christmas and New Year celebrations to another level!

This is a Botswana safari I have been thinking about designing for years and I am so excited that it has finally come to fruition. The annual Zebra migration through Botswana does not attract as much attention as the famous Wildebeest migration in East Africa, but in its own way it is equally special and also attracts the attention of many of Botswana’s apex predators.

Once the rains end and the salt pans at Makgadikgadi dry up (around April/May), tens of thousands of zebra migrate across the National Park to the banks of the Boteti River valley and remain there until the rains start again in late October/early November.

Our beautiful Botswana wildlife lodge, Leroo La Tau, is located on the banks of the Boteti River Valley so this significant and overwhelming migration arrives on their ‘doorstep’ during April/early May (depending on the years rain) and will remain in that area for the next 6 months or so.

As well as 4 nights at Leroo La Tau to witness the Zebra migration, we will also spend 3 nights at Camp Xakanaxa which is located on the boundary between the Okavango Delta and the world famous Moremi game reserve. It is one of the few camps which allows the perfect balance of water based activities and game drives at the same time. Moremi is one of the best places in Botswana to see lions, leopards and African wildlife dogs.

We will have large well-equipped game vehicles for a maximum group size of 6 people so each guest has a window seat and plenty of room for their camera equipment. This tour will be characterized by maximising time in the field to take advantage of all available wildlife viewing opportunities.

The Wildebeest Migration through the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem is one of the largest mass movements on earth. Thousands of wildebeests, zebras and Thompson’s gazelles migrate throughout the year always seeking for fresh grass and water. They follow an annual pattern through both Ecosystems, with broadly predictable timing, however their movement does depend on rain.

Tanzania has two rainy seasons – the ‘long rains’ between March and May and the ‘short rains’ between November and December. After the short rainfalls, the wildebeest migration is expected to arrive from the north in late November / early December on the short-grass plains of the south. These grass plains include southern Serengeti, located in Serengeti National Park; and Ndutu Area, located inside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Through January, February and March, the wildebeest migration is expected to stay on these southern plains as the grasses are very nutritious and most wildebeest calves will be born in a coordinated bound of calving during February and into early March. Many regular safari goers to Tanzania consider this the best time to visit Tanzania for wildlife.

Sri Lanka leopard safaris in Yala national park remain one of the best big cat experiences found in Asia. On an island where they are the top predator bar none, they are much more diurnal in behaviour than in India’s wildlife sanctuaries, which thus provides much better opportunities for our wildlife photography holidays to Sri Lanka.  We have been travelling to Yala since 2002 and the safari camp we have hand picked has been chosen because it allows us to access the park from other gates and not have to queue at the main entrance gate which serves the larger hotels. Although we are likely to experience a Yala national park from decades ago, when there were only 10 to 12 jeeps driving around the 5 different zones. Each traveller will have access to a window seat and plenty of space for their camera equipment in a vehicle adapted for wildlife photographers. Ten jeep safaris in Yala will allow us to experience the entire park and focus on leopards, wild elephants and sloth bears.

Yala National Park consists of dry-mixed evergreen forests and scrublands along with open grasslands, water holes, brackish water lagoons and riverine forests. This park’s diverse habitat supports large numbers of mammals, such as spotted, barking and mouse deer, sambar, wild boar, water buffalo and the endangered sloth bear. This is also one of the best places in the country to see wild elephant and the rare leopard. Large water holes and lagoons support the high density of endangered crocodiles. You can also see large flocks of migratory and resident birds—142 species of birds have been recorded in the park. Of particular note is the rare black-necked stork, the largest bird in the country.

Please note, that this tour can easily be extended on a private basis to visit other wildlife sanctuaries or cultural locations of personal interest.

Beginning with a night in Kalpitiya, and ending with stay in Tangalle can give you that perfect combination of a relaxed beach stay with marine wildlife tours that are not overly commerical and can often deliver amazing wildlife encounters. In between you have safaris at Wilpattu, which will always be the ‘path less travelled’, and here it is more about the quality of your wildlife encounter, rather than the number of sightings (versus the very popular (and prolific) Yala national park). The real pay-off is the escape from the crowds and that more intimate connection with nature and wildlife. En route there is time for cultural diversions, with the Dambulla cave temples and Sigirya Rock fortress, and further off the beaten track safaris by boat at Gal Oya hoping photograph to ‘snorkelling’ elephants, before the highlights that only Yala can bring.

Compared to the very popular Yala national park, Wilpattu will always be the ‘path less travelled’ and here it is more about the quality of your wildlife encounters, rather than the number. Accommodation near the park remains largely a choice of mobile tented camps on private land, but there is also now a slightly more traditionally built option (the Kulu bungalow is available as an upgrade). The real pay-off is the escape from the crowds and that more intimate connection with nature and wildlife. Kalpitiya became famous for Sperm Whale sightings, but between December and April it is also an incredible location for the resident spinner dolphins. You can have that perfect combination of a relaxed beach stay with marine wildlife tours that are not overly commerical and can often deliver amazing wildlife encounters.

The chance to see African wild dogs, or African painted dogs as they are sometimes referred to, is high on many wildlife lovers wish list. It is important to remember that this is one of the rarest canids in the world and sadly is on the endangered ‘Red List’ of IUCN. Loss of habitat and human conflict are the main reasons for their decline; so it is more important than ever to conserve and protect the few remaining strong holds of this charismatic species. Over the years, Wildlife Trails have enjoyed considerable success in photographing this species and with this knowledge we have created safari holidays which visit the best places to see wild dogs at the right time of year.

A walking safari in Zambia, particuarly in the South Luangwa valley, is one of the most exhilarating and immersive safari experiences in Africa. Walking with guides who have intimate knowledge of the land and its animals, dipping deeper into the bush from the fixed camps by camping out for a couple of nights, dinner and stories around the fire, simple but delicious food… When staying at Tena Tena and Nsefu you can walk between the two for two or three days, camping on the way. This is simple camping but with that extra touch of comfort. There are stand up tents, mattresses on the ground, sheets and blankets, wash basins, shared 60L bucket shower, bush loo, full bar and food service, fully serviced camp.

After a nice nights sleep in a quality hotel in Dar, it’s time to start the adventure with your private naturalist with a visit to the world-famous Selous game reserve – famous for big cats and the chance to see African wild dogs. From Selous, we visit Mikumi and it’s large lion prides, before ending up in a beautiful camp on the Great Ruaha River, where big game regularly walks through the camp to the excitement of all visitors.

Our first visit to Sri Lanka way back in 2002 included visit to Bundala, Uda Walawe and Yala national parks. While Yala is very much the jewel in the crown of Sri Lanka’s wildlife sanctuaries it is important to be transparent with visitors about excessive visitor numbers which have been caused by the building of a ferry/ cruise ship terminal just 1 hour away by road. Given we are writing this during the middle of the Corvid-19 pandemic, the future of the cruise industry is far from certain, but what is certain in that Wildlife Trails has its finger in the pulse of all wildlife sanctuaries in the country and has already designed this tour in such a way, as to avoid the busier areas of the park and provide our clients with the most natural and exciting wildlife safari experience possible. As well as including a short extension to Uda Walawe national park before arriving in Yala, we also take you right into the heart of the Central Highlands. Enjoy the clean mountain air, authentic bungalow accommodation and choose a walking tour which suits your abilities and interests. After your leopard safari in Yala and experiencing the beautiful eastern side of the park; with its mangrove forests and amazing bird life, you will drive west to Mirissa for your small boat whale watcing safaris looking for the largest animal in the world – Dondra Point is one of the best places to see the Blue Whale.

The design of all our wildlife safaris focus on longer stays in the national parks and with this one week Leopard safari at Yala national park, our approach is no different. We prefer to break up the long drive from Colombo to Yala with interesting stops en route. Not only will these stops give you a break from the car, they will also allow you to immerse yourself more fully in both the culture and scenic beauty of this amazing island. If you are travelling during the whale watching season from December to April, we definitely recommend you visit Mirissa to enjoy an ethical whale watching tour which does not chase or get to close to the animals. Otherwise, we also often choose to include a night at Galle, as there are some wonderful markets, restuarants and an early walk around town before the heat builds up is always interesting. We can also look at stops at wildlife sanctuaries like Udawalawe and Bundala.

This very special Ugandan gorilla holiday gives you the opportunity to see 3 of Uganda’s most iconic animal species. We start off with a short drive to the Mabamba wetlands on the outskirts of Kampala, where we enjoy a gentle private dugout boat safari looking for the beautifully bizarre Shoebill Stork. From here you wil drive to Queen Elizabeth national park and enjoy both private game drives and boat safaris on the scenic Kazinga channel. We may be lucky to catch a glimpse of a leopard or lion, before driving south to the Ishasha sector; home to the famous tree climbing lions. We then enjoy a long but spectacular journey to the remote community of Nkuringo on the Nteko ridge and if the weather is clear, we will have stunning views of up to 8 Volcanoes, which ‘straddle’ the Uganda, Rwanda and DRC borders. It’s time for you to experience that life changing 1 hour with a Gorilla family before driving to Lake Mburo national park and staying at the stunning Mihingo Lodge. Lake Mburo now enjoys regular leopard sightings during their unique night time drives and is home to many different antelope species within the park. You will enjoy a final breakfast overlooking the park before driving back to Entebbe.

Zambia safaris nearly always deliver a spectacular wildlife experience and it is particularly famous for its night time safaris and the incredibly high number of leopard encounters. Many of these safaris take place in the famous Luangwa valley and we feel the perfect budget Zambia safari combines an extended stay in comfortable chalet accommodation close to the beautiful Luangwa river, with a couple of exhilarating nights at a nearby bush camp. Listen to the roar of Lions and other nocutrnal wildlife as you experience an African safari in the truest sense.

June in Kenya is the last month of the shoulder season and a stunning time to visit on your Kenya wildlife holidays before the crowds of the high season arrive. By booking all accommodation through the famous Serena lodges we obtain an additional discount on your behalf, but we also retain our independance and privacy by booking an expert naturalist/driver, who will be your friendly, personal guide from the moment you touch down in Nairobi.

We have been visiting Ranthambhore since 1997 when the owner Allan Blanchard spent a month there looking at conservation projects in the buffer zone areas the park. His fascination and love for the area brought him back many more times, and along with local guides that are now close friends, he has developed many interesting side trips away from the park to help spread the income from tourism further afield. There is a great road from Ranthambhore which takes you to the village of Bhoori Phadi and the small but beautiful Banas River; which forms one of the boundaries of Ranthambhore National Park. There are activities here organised by local people, such as boat and camel safaris and the chance to camp wild for the more adventurous. In addition, you can take a wonderfully rural 4-wheel drive route from Ranthambhore to the imposing Ramathra Fort, and create a tiger safari with a twist. Don’t just go to Ranthambhore with a standard tour operator and stay locked behind your hotel walls when not on safari. Go with Wildlife Trails and see a side of this park and the surrounding country that few get to see.

The historic Ramathra Fort stands on the Daang plateau between Ranthambhore and the Chambal River Valley, with spectacular views of the villages and countryside below.  The surrounding landscape is characterised by a network of gorges, scrubland and small traditional farms, and on evening drives there is a chance to see Indian Fox, Jackal and Hyena. It is just 10 minutes away from a large lake which attracts a wide variety of bird species and on which a leisurely boat safari can be taken.

Wildlife Trails first visited Khajuraho and Panna tiger reserve way back in 2002 and during the last 17 years there have been more ‘downs’ than ‘ups’ in this beautiful reserve bordering the idyllic Ken River. Like Sariska, Panna lost all its tigers in the mid-2000’s and it is now one of the main recipients of translocated tigers from famous tiger reserves like Bandhavgarh and Kanha, as they attempt to recapture former glories. For us, Panna was never just about the tigers, as we enjoyed starting our trip with time wandering around the beautiful temples at Khajuraho, before the short drive to our wilderness lodge at Panna. Here we will not just enjoy morning and afternoon jeep safaris, but also boat safaris on the Ken River and two nights of nocturnal drives in the buffer area – not permitted in most national parks in India. From there we head to the world famous Bandhavgarh tiger reserve – on a much better road these days thankfully – before enjoying 7 jeep safaris in a park that is just exploding at the moment with tiger action.

Safari vehicles will have a maximum of 4 guests per jeep.  At Bandhvagarh we have handpicked a specialist local naturalist to accompany all safaris.

Although we have of course visited Sri Lanka multiple times before, it will be our first visit to Jaffna and the famous port of Trincomalee which is a whale watching hotspot in the ‘summer’ season. In August the sea conditions will be at their best on the north east coast and we can take advantage of this with both whale watching, snorkelling and diving opportunities. Jaffna will be an intoxicating mix of culture, food and history and we will also try to gain an understanding of how the north is rebuilding itself after the long conflict which causes so much devastation and suffering for the local Tamil population.

After filling up on culture, history, marine life and some coastal R&R, we focus on elephants, first with ‘the gathering’ at Minneriya where depending on recent activity we may in fact find the biggest herds at Kaudulla, Minneriya or Hurulu National Parks.  Then onward to Gal Oya with a wonderful diverse choice of activities, we will take a night time drive in the buffer forest, a morning guided walk and a boat safari hoping to catch sight of elephants as they ‘snorkel’ their way across the huge lake.  The route to our campsite at Yala for more elephants and of course the leopards, takes us via the hill country, with a train ride through tea country, treks to view the tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka, and to Ravana Falls, Little Adam’s Peak and/ or Ella Rock.

Back in the early 2000’s, rumours drifted across from rural southern Rajasthan, that there was a new big cat paradise in India and this was one where the Leopard – not the Tiger – ruled! It is important to remember that tiger sanctuaries are far from the best place to see leopards as they are out competed by their striped cousins. A visit to the Bera region of Rajasthan, is like stepping back in time two hundred years. The traditional Rabari trbes still make a living from their colourful goat herds and it is these goats that form a large part of the Leopards diet. Astonishing levels of tolerance by local villages to see beautiful spotted cats have created an unofficial sanctuary for leopards and it has become one of our very favourite wildlife locations in India – Yes, we are regular visitors!

This bespoke Zambia wildlife holiday focuses on quality long stays at two fabulous safari lodges in two very different and diverse parks. First you will fly from Lusaka to Livingstone and transfer to the Lower Zambezi . There is a lot of wildlife in this park, although the variety isn’t as diverse as in Kafue or South Luangwa. The lower Zambezi is know for its large elephant and buffalo herds and the birding is spectacular. The main apex predators seen here are leopard, spotted hyena and large prides of lion. From here you will fly to Mfuwe, which is the gateway to South Luangwa national park, rightly known as one of the best national parks to see big cats in the whole of Africa. You will be staying at Flatdogs Camp, whose naturalists have won international awards for their quality of guiding. Expect full on action during both the game drives and the night time safaris, as you are allowed to stay inside the park until 20:00.

For our return to Uganda and Rwanda to celebrate my 40th birthday I was keen to bring an adventerous element to the trip and as well as camping in many of the beautiful national parks, we also included a few more strenous activities on top of the Gorilla Trekking we did in Nkuringo. These included paddling across Lake Mutanda, walking with the Batwa tribals at Magahinga and the absolute highlight of a full day trek up the beautiful Mount Sabinyo, which stands at an impressive 3600M. Not only did this provide us with the elation of achieving our goals, but it also took us away from some of the more mainstream locations on the Uganda wildlife circuit and provided more village life and colour into our Uganda wildlife holiday.

Safari through the wilderness of Botswana. Experience the Okavango Delta by traditional dug-outs and the abundant wildlife of Moremi game reserve and Savuti. Explore Chobe NP by boat and enjoy wonderful views of Victoria Falls!

This exciting 12-day adventure takes in some of Northern Botswana’s most prolific parks, including Moremi, the private Khwai concession and Botswana’s jewel in the crown; Savute. Before finishing on the Chobe Riverfront in Chobe National Park.

All locations offer excellent photographic and wildlife viewing opportunities. Where the predators, including lion, leopard and wild dog are regularly seen. The areas are also a haven for other wildlife, such as elephant, hippo, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, lechwe, kudu and many other iconic African mammals and of course a vast array of bird species.

With a large well-equipped game vehicles for a maximum group size of 6 people there is plenty of room assured for each guest. This tour will be characterized by maximising time in the field to take advantage of all available wildlife viewing opportunities. Fully supported camping ensures long days in the parks enjoying wildlife and a warm and friendly welcome back at camp in the evening.

Best time to visit Botswana on safari?

One of the best times to visit Botswana for wildlife is the dry season which runs approximately from June to October. This is the best time to see the predators in Botswana; as they share the same depleting water resources as their prey and it is at the lagoons and still flowing rivers where the majority of the hunting action takes place. We can also witness large bull elephants in Chobe national park and take a peaceful Mokoro safari looking for Hippo’s, giant crocs and a wonderful diversity of birdlife in the Okavango Delta. Temperatures will climb steadily throughout this period and reach their peak in October, but the game viewing in Botswana will remain vibrant throughout. We will have the chance to see African Wild Dogs in Moremi or Khwai and some large prides of lions in Savuti.

Corbett National Park was the first park to be brought under the ‘Project Tiger’ umbrella due to its magnificent scenery and large unspoilt wilderness area, which in turn supported a healthy tiger population. The reality for many visitors over the years had been occasional sightings glimpsed on elephant back and a feeling that the park is a better location for birders than more general wildlife enthusiasts; based on our visits in April 2006, April 2010 and March 2011 and our clients trips, we can confirm this view point is now completely redundant.

Not only does this beautiful park afford the visitor an excellent chance to see tiger, it also provides spectacular elephant sightings in the hotter months, with groups as large as 30 animals making the daily crossing over the Ramganga river. It is possible to view both wild elephant and tigers in a jeep safari from Dhikala, and the real highlight, is the rare chance to stay inside a Tiger Sanctuary at one of the simple lodges and you have a wildlife experience that rivals anything else in India.

Zikomo Lodge is a real gem and is attracting a lot of interest from film companies like the BBC and Smithsonian channel; due to regular sightings of Wild Dogs, Lion and Leopard. From here we continue our journey through the most famous game reserve in Zambia, staying 4 nights at Flatdogs Camp where we can continue to observe game by both vehicle and high adrenaline walking safaris. The South Luangwa is one of the few parks in Africa to allow night drives, and the Flatdogs guides’ knowledge of animal behaviour really pays off after dark – get ready for action. After our stay at South Luangwa, we fly back to Lusaka and then drive south to Mukambi Lodge; gateway to the beautiful and less visitied Kafue national park. After a night in Mukambi, we can enjoy a morning game drive as we head towards the superbly located Busanga Plains Camp. Busanga Plains Camp is strategically located between the teeming floodplains frequented by several lion prides and the papyrus-edged Busanga Swamps, abundant with birdlife and home of the shy sitatunga. Famed for its tree-climbing lions, Busanga Plains is also known for its endless parade of wildlife and birds – huge herds of lechwe, puku and buffalo, which in turn sustain the top predators, including cheetah and wild dog.

Can you really wish for more than three dream wildlife destinations in the same safari? This amazing private big cat safari in Tanzania and Kenya, combines a 3 night stay in the northern Serengeti to coincide with the great wildebeest migration, with a full day drive into the world famous Ngorongoro crater, before heading back to Arusha via a quick visit to Tarangire national park. You then fly to Nairobim where you have a night to catch your breath, before driving to the Masai Mara for a 4 night stay at the dearly loved Mara Bush Camp – where you will stay in the private wing. All your safaris will be in a Covid-19 secure vehicle, with just yourself and the driver/naturalist heading out on the game drives.

The Masai Mara is one of those most special of wildlife places in the world which just keeps you wanting to come back for more and more. We know that from many regular clients who visit multiple times a year and it is one of those safari destinations which can deliver great wildlife encounters outside of the main high season, which runs from July to October. It is without doubt one of the best places in the world to see big cats and it is not unsual in the Mara to have regular sightings of the Big 3; Lion, Leopard and Cheetah. This June departure will see cheaper options available on international flights and less crowds in the park, so why not join us on this Big Cat safari at Mara Intrepids in June 2021.