Who we are

At Leopard, we create personalised holidays to Africa. We are a small, boutique company dedicated to designing immersive journeys that are as individual as our clients. 

We recognise that everyone has a different definition of luxury. Whether it’s being in a remote, wild place, truly disconnected from the outside world; enjoying sophisticated world-class dining while on safari; or meeting locals and being welcomed into their home for a meal, your specific requirements are at the heart of our planning. Every lodge, every room, and every experience is carefully selected with you in mind.

We immerse ourselves in African travel and believe in its power to suspend reality, allowing you to explore, dream, and discover both the world and yourself. Nothing brings us greater joy than hearing how a particular experience moved our clients, how a wildlife encounter in the bush changed their perspective, or how much their children learned from travelling through Africa.

Traveller reviews

"Diana and her team truly go above and beyond to carefully curate the most perfect holidays. I wish we could use Leopard for all of our global travel because their level of excellence is unsurpassed. They took every bit of feedback on what we were looking for and put together the perfect itinerary. I look forward to our next Leopard adventure!"

Veronica M

"We had a great experience working with Daphnée and enjoyed a lot our trip : Daphnée was very available and professional, the trip she arranged for us met exactly our expectations! All was planned sharply (hotel bookings, planes, cars, transfers, etc.) and the travel book we received when we arrived was both precise and convenient. The hotels chosen were wonderful, very kids friendly. Thank you again for all!"

Julien C

"Diana booked us our dream honeymoon & everything went perfectly smooth due to her incredible attention to detail! While we were in South Africa she was readily available to answer questions via What’s App. Diana curated the most perfect balance between Cape Town, safari & Botswana/Zimbabwe to really experience as much as we could in under 2 weeks! I cannot recommend this travel agency enough & will be booking again when we are ready to come back!"

Karlee S

"I have been to over 40 countries and my two week South Africa trip, planned and organized by Diana at Leopard Voyage was one of the BEST trips I’ve ever taken; it was flawless in every way! Every driver and guide was knowledgeable, gracious, helpful. Every accommodation perfect - charming, comfortable, great locations. Can’t imagine a safari lodge and experience being better. Absolutely recommend Leopard Voyage!!!"

Madelyn Y

"We had a truly wonderful holiday. Everything was tailor-made to match what we enjoy, and since this was our second trip organized by Daphné, she already knew what would make it special for us. She designed a personalized itinerary with exactly what we love: exclusive safaris and lodges, experiences that were perfectly adapted for children, and the warm hospitality of each place we stayed. We didn’t have to think about anything – from airport transfers, to guides, to flights – everything was seamlessly arranged. It was the definition of a real holiday. That’s exactly why we love working with Léopard."

Rana E

Read the latest reviews from our valued clients on Trustpilot.

7 reasons to use Leopard

Leopard is a member of SATSA. This means that SATSA has checked that Leopard is legitimate and properly registered, financially stable, legally compliant, fully insured and bonded (guaranteeing your pre-tour deposits).

The Story of our name

We decided on the name Leopard for its linguistic harmony. It is a rare find: an African animal name that retains its spelling and elegance in both English and French. It turns out there were many good reasons to use Leopard as our name, as it reflects our ethos. Like our fingerprints, each leopard has a unique pattern of spots on its coat. In the same way, every Leopard itinerary is individually crafted for you. Also, the mother leopard uses her tail as a discreet guiding flag for her cubs, much as we help guide our clients in creating the trip of their dreams.

This name embodies some of the attributes that make our company unique. “I hope you get to see one of these elusive animals, it will be one of life’s most memorable moments. My first sighting of this beautiful animal certainly was!” says Leopard’s founder and director, Diana Granoux.

Working towards a more sustainable future

Our passion and purpose is to share spectacular parts of Africa with our clients, giving them lifelong memories to treasure. However, we do not wish to create holidays at any cost. We specialise in curating itineraries that apply sustainable travel principles. We want our clients’ holidays to have a positive impact both on them, and the lives of the people and wildlife they encounter. This way, we may together contribute towards a more sustainable future. 

We recommend longer stays in each destination; supporting local small businesses; and visiting off the beaten track attractions. It is important to us that our clients respect the local environment, culture and local residents. 

To deliver a seamless holiday to our clients, Leopard works with other companies that share our values. We support small (especially female-owned) businesses, such as accounting, media, and design companies. We send our clients to lodges and guesthouses that contribute positively to conservation of biodiversity, or local communities. We use local guides, transfer providers and charter companies. Our intention is for these businesses to grow and thrive as we grow and thrive. 

Leopard has committed to distributing 1% of after tax profit to non profit organisations in South Africa. We support https://www.lva.org.za/, https://greenpop.org/ and https://wildlifecollege.org.za/k9-unit/.

Personalised luxury travel to Africa. We help you design your perfect holiday using local expertise.
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Independent

We are totally independent and not affiliated to any group of lodges, so you know that you’re getting the best itinerary and choice of accommodation on offer.

Convenient

Crafting your ideal holiday can be a time consuming exercise, especially if you don’t know the region well, or you’re travelling in a group (like a multi-generation family holiday, or for a special celebration). We take your requirements and then distill and simplify all the travel info into a perfect itinerary for you. You’re welcome to be involved in the planning process as much, or as little, as you like.

Human-sized

Leopard is a small “human-sized” business offering personal touches. We want you to feel like you’re dealing with a real person who gives you the attention you deserve.

Responsible

We specialise in curating itineraries that apply sustainable travel principles. One of our core company values is to support the conservation of biodiversity through travel. We recommend longer stays in each destination, supporting local small businesses and visiting off the beaten track attractions.

Seamless

Our meticulous planning ensures our clients have a completely seamless experience, but in those instances where something goes wrong, we are available 24/7 to solve any problems. 

Specialists

We are true Africa experts. “My team and I visit almost every hotel and update our ‘little black books’ with hidden gems, so I can recommend the perfect stay for every client,” says Diana Granoux, Leopard’s founder and director.

Tailor-made

We curate each journey for you. Every itinerary is handcrafted to ensure that it matches perfectly with your wishes. We tailor each itinerary so every detail feels perfect. From breathtaking beaches to adventurous safaris, spectacular views, hotels and knowledgeable guides.

Jessica Maitland-Stuart
Brand Identity Designer
Jessica is an accomplished strategic brand designer known for her typography and concept-led design approach. She used these finely-honed skills to develop Leopard’s branding and continues to design each of our personalised client itineraries.

Jessica’s design philosophy focuses on collaborating with clients and building successful working relationships with small start-ups that share her drive to make an impact through the work she produces. That means her design doesn’t end with the artwork; extending into production to find ways of reducing both cost and environmental impact in symmetry with the design.

Jessica is an avid runner, winning multiple marathons and ultras, a wife and mother of two, and she holds a BA degree in Brand Communication. She was recognised by the International Society of Typographic Designers and founded her own studio in 2007. Her company, Garage East (inspired by the ‘garagistes’ of France), is driven by the pursuit of meticulous craftsmanship.
Hailey-Rose Kirsten
Social Media
Hailey-Rose lives in Cape Town and loves the city she grew up in. When she’s not working, she loves trying restaurants in beautiful locations (she has a ‘no eating in a shopping mall’ policy – if she can help it). She loves walking in nature and swimming in the ocean. (You may even find her occasionally taking a dip in the middle of winter).

Hailey-Rose helps Leopard execute its social media strategy. She gathers relevant images and video content and publishes Leopard’s posts along with catchy audio. She keeps on top of Instagram trends and works with Elise to bring Leopard’s social media to life, keeping it in alignment with the Leopard brand.
Elise Kirsten
Digital Strategist
Elise is passionate about travel and storytelling, like the rest of the Leopard team. She was the former online editor of Getaway magazine, South Africa’s oldest travel publication, and since 2020 has worked as a freelance travel journalist, helping brands and organisations in the travel sector to communicate with clarity and purpose.

At Leopard, Elise helps to shape the company’s digital strategy and brings her writing expertise to life by alternating with Diana to pen newsletters, social content and website features.

Married to her straight‑out‑of‑high‑school sweetheart and a proud mother of two adult daughters, Elise loves wide open spaces. When she’s not behind her desk, you’ll find her travelling, hiking, mountain biking or exploring the ocean — always chasing the next remarkable story.
Caitlin Sidebottom
Journey Support Specialist
Growing up in Johannesburg, fondly known as the “City of Gold”, Caitlin was privileged to explore diverse destinations across South Africa, from game reserves to the warm shores of KwaZulu-Natal. She also treasures memories of visiting family in Vumba, Zimbabwe, where she loved being immersed in nature and the sense of freedom it brought. “I was awestruck when I visited both Victoria Falls and the Great Zimbabwe Ruins,” she recalls.

Married with two small children, Caitlin enjoys spending time in nature, with friends, running, swimming and scuba diving. She describes her career as “meandering and colourful”. With a background in psychology and social development, she has worked as both a researcher and a counsellor. While moving into tourism seemed like a big shift, she soon discovered a clear continuity. "Travel can help people encounter life-giving experiences that reveal what it means to truly thrive and have the potential to influence how you live after returning home," says Caitlin.

At Leopard, Caitlin supports the sales team to ensure every client enjoys a seamless experience. She also supports travellers while on the road, helps refine systems and processes, plans events, works closely with Leopard’s suppliers and conducts site inspections. Caitlin is passionate about tailoring each experience to fit you perfectly, so you can focus on the stories and memories you’ll take home.
Pilar Peña
Travel Designer | Spanish
Pilar grew up in Marbella, in the south of Spain, known, much like Africa, for its sunshine. She moved to Johannesburg in 2013, and after more than a decade of living in Africa, she says that she feels her heart is half South African.

When she arrived in South Africa, Pilar worked as a journalist and covered many big news stories for a newspaper and radio station in Spain. She considers it an amazing period of her life in Africa, but she wanted to embrace something different.

Between working and being dedicated to raising her family, she travelled through southern Africa. During this time, her love for Africa, its sunsets, people, culture and landscapes continued to grow. Pilar wanted to share ‘the preciousness of this country and continent with everyone’. Now, as part of Leopard, she can do that.

As a Spanish speaker, she works with the Spanish and Latin American markets and feels she is a true ambassador for South Africa. At Leopard, she works with clients to create a bespoke, tailor-made itinerary, where each day in Africa forms part of a perfectly dreamy trip. Pilar says that everyone should get to experience the magic of Africa.
Helen du Toit
Finance Manager
Until the age of three, Helen lived in a little stone cottage in the Kyle Game Reserve, in Zimbabwe until she and her family relocated to the Kariba Dam on the great Zambezi River. Here, Helen’s father managed a Fisheries Research Institute and she grew up immersed in a culture of tourism. She also spent many Sunday afternoons in the bush observing wildlife with her family.

Helen moved to South Africa in the early ’80s and after leaving school, she entered the travel industry. She travelled to many countries for business research and later became a specialist in travel to South America, which she visited numerous times.

Her husband’s work required the family to settle in the little town of Mtunzini, a beautiful spot on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal, where she took a job in the finance department at the local school. This began a chapter in Helen’s life that prepared her for corporate finance. Later, Helen worked as an imports and exports administrator and then as treasurer for a large multinational company in Johannesburg while undertaking post-graduate studies in Corporate Governance and Administration.

When she and her family moved back to Durban, Helen worked as a bursar of a large private school. She was delighted to be living near the ocean again and couldn’t resist getting her open-water diving certificate, as her son was a scuba diving instructor. Helen’s love of adventure and creation has been a constant theme throughout her life.

She was delighted to return to the travel industry and joined Leopard in September 2022 as a finance manager.
Daphnée Filliette
Senior Travel Designer | French and English
Daphnée was born in Lille, in the Hauts-de-France region of France. A passionate traveller, she has lived and worked in several countries around the world.

She first worked in the United States, where she has family, then moved to England to complete a Master’s in International Marketing, and later to Oceania, where she tried “WWOOFing” — working on a farm in exchange for room and board. Along the way, she met a great love in Paris, who would later become her husband, and this brought her back to France to find work and start a family.

Daphnée began her career in fashion marketing and, in 2012, created her own fashion brand, managing all aspects of building a business.

In 2016, Daphnée and her family had the wonderful opportunity to live in South Africa. “The question didn’t even arise — let’s go, that was obvious!” she recalls. Since then, they have welcomed three children and are enjoying life in Johannesburg.

Daphnée has worked in the tourism industry for 10 years, specialising in Africa. Her favourite countries include Kenya and Namibia, though she also fell in love with Madagascar and Botswana. Her next adventure will be to Zambia.
Diana Granoux
Founder | Senior Travel Designer
Diana was born in Zimbabwe and started her life on the banks of the great Lake Kariba. She moved to South Africa when she was a toddler and grew up in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Diana has vivid memories of long winter holidays spent camping in Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa with her family. Her parents loved the bush and her father started his own tour operating company in 1992. He was an early pioneering specialist in bird watching safaris in South Africa.

As she grew up, Diana became aware of the big, wide world outside of the African countries she knew so well, and she took her first solo overseas trip at age 14 to London to visit her father’s family. From that moment she became fascinated with experiencing the world beyond what she knew. Diana has since travelled extensively through Africa, Europe, America and Asia.

Diana is married to a Frenchman and has two young kids, who are simultaneously developing a love for biltong & braai’s, and baguettes & brie. After 16 years gaining valuable experience working for big corporates in South Africa, Diana decided to follow her passion for travel and start Leopard. Diana has had the privilege of planning holidays for American celebrities, European royalty and high-net-worth individuals as well as regular folks who want to do a trip of a lifetime to Africa.

She wants to create, with Leopard, a company that gives customers something unique: a curated experience of Africa, made especially for them. She says, “From the moment they arrive in Africa, to the moment they depart, I want them to have a seamless experience. I want them to enjoy the best the continent has to offer, leaving with memories that last a lifetime.”