Leopard in San Francisco

I left San Francisco recently feeling inspired by how much Americans want to travel to my beloved continent. For most, a journey to Africa is an escape and an experience beyond that which is familiar. Africa is a place of incredible beauty, warm and friendly people, fascinating traditions, world-class food and wine and of course, vast wilderness areas filled with iconic African animals.

I’d travelled to San Francisco in March, where I hosted two events; one in the city and one in the East Bay area. It was a pleasure to meet with Leopard clients in their beautiful homes, speak with potential clients at our events and revel in this amazing city.

It was impossible to cover everything that Africa has to offer in a short 15-minute presentation, as it’s three times the size of the USA. I decided to highlight nine destinations grouped into three themes. The first theme was safari. I shared  the three top destinations to experience a safari: Kruger National Park, the Okavango Delta and the Serengeti/Masai Mara. The second theme was the ocean, where I spoke about the paradise islands of Seychelles, Zanzibar and the Bazaruto Archipelago. Lastly, I presented three hidden gems in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Rwanda. 

After a presentation on safaris in Africa a potential client said, “I feel so inspired to take this bucket list trip with my family, it’s one of my goals in the next two years!”

While some people were very enthusiastic, others hadn’t worked with a travel agent before and wanted to know how it would benefit them to use Leopard. 

People were surprised to know that it doesn’t cost extra to use a travel agent – we receive commission from the hotels we work with and so it will cost the same as booking yourself, but with the added benefit of access to our expertise and support. 

There is so much choice available when planning a trip to Africa, that it’s advantageous to have someone with intimate knowledge of the lodges, hotels and guides to help you select the best fit for you. We plan and curate each holiday meticulously and we’re there to remedy any issues you may encounter, even though this is rare.

I was able to share how Leopard’s personal and highly tailor-made service (which is very different from what you’ll experience dealing with a big travel company) is what really sets us apart.

Besides the wonderful people, two of my favourite experiences in San Francisco were driving over Golden Gate Bridge and having an ice-cream at Salt & Straw. 

Happy travelling,

Diana

P.S. Contact us on [email protected] to experience unique moments in Africa and feel free to share your favourite travel moments with us. We love hearing from you.

Sign up for more newsletters like this here: https://mailchi.mp/2e4afa50d15f/leopard

Unveiling the Wonders of Victoria Falls

Getting close to the Victoria Falls

Feel gentle clouds of water wafting over you as you approach Victoria Falls while the thunderous sound of rushing water fills your ears.  It’s an experience that any visitor to Africa, or local residents, should have at least once in a lifetime. 

Besides being within spitting distance of this wall of water, getting an aerial perspective from a helicopter is also highly recommended. This birds-eye view will allow you to witness the colossal Zambezi, the fourth longest river in Africa, as it spills over the lip of a chasm into the gorge below.

Appreciating the falls from a distance

Once you’ve had a chance to get close, the falls can also be appreciated from further afield. From various viewpoints, including some lodges and hotels, you’ll be able to watch plumes of spray billow in the distance, producing rainbows that rise above the surrounding forest and create a halo above the Victoria Falls Bridge.

Where is Victoria Falls located?

Victoria Falls is situated about midway along the course of the Zambezi River which forms the border between Zambia in the north and Zimbabwe in the south. The falls were named by explorer David Livingstone, after England’s queen at the time, however, a more apt moniker might be that given by local people, Mosi-oa-Tunya (The Smoke That Thunders).

Has Victoria Falls ever run dry?

In 2019 a drought subdued the flow of the Zambezi River more than usual over the dry season, however, it didn’t stop flowing and neither did the Victoria Falls. The curtain of water was not as wide as usual and was not easily visible from the Zambian side, during this time, which is the case during most dry seasons. 

What’s the best time of year to visit Victoria Falls?

There is no single best time to visit Victoria Falls, as it depends on what you want to experience. This massive body of water waxes and wanes in rhythm with the rainy and dry seasons, with the falls flowing at full volume between March and May. This period follows the rainy season between December and February. With the greater volume of water, more spray is generated, so you’re likely to get wet (if you don’t wear a raincoat) and the spray can limit visibility at certain viewpoints.

While the falls are not as voluminous during the dry season between August and December, you can see them more clearly without the mist and you have the option to visit Devil’s Pool (accessed from the Zambian side), which is not possible when the falls are flowing too strongly. This natural rock pool is situated on the edge of the falls where a rocky lip prevents brave visitors from being washed over.

What else is there to do at Victoria Falls?

It’s not surprising that Victoria Falls is one of the World’s Natural Wonders and a cornerstone destination on a Southern African visit.  However, it’s not just this major drawcard that makes it worth the visit, there are many worthwhile experiences to be had in the area.

There are several adventurous activities in Victoria Falls including white water rafting, a gorge swing in the Batoka Gorge (or a zipline across it) and traditional dinners held at The Boma, followed by interactive African drumming and dance. 

If you prefer a less frenetic pace, you could enjoy soaking in a tub overlooking the Zambezi River or discover elephants helping themselves to a drink from the private pool on your deck. There are also guided walks and safari drives in the Zambezi National Park or boat-based safaris on the river. All these offer a relaxing way to take in the surroundings and see some of the remarkable wildlife.

It’s also well worth enjoying a magical sunset cruise on the upper Zambezi, where you’ll have a good chance of spotting crocodile, hippos and elephant while sipping a G&T.  

A popular extension to a visit to Vic Falls, is to cross the nearby border into Botswana and to explore the Chobe National Park, which is known for its large elephant population. You could also choose to arrive (or leave) Victoria Falls in the vintage wood-panelled coaches of Rovos Rail’s luxury train carriages. From Victoria Falls it carries passengers through Hwange National Park (rich in wildlife) and Matobo National Park, with its dramatic granite hills on the three-night journey en route to Pretoria, South Africa.

Happy travelling,

The Leopard Team

P.S. We’d love to help you design a bespoke experience to Victoria Falls so that you can enjoy a seamless experience visiting one of the marvels of Africa. Reply to this email or contact us at [email protected] to ask us any questions about travelling to the falls, or elsewhere on the continent.

Sign up for more newsletters like this here: https://mailchi.mp/2e4afa50d15f/leopard

What makes an Okavango Delta safari unrivalled?

The Okavango Delta is an awe-inspiring destination for a first-time safari or for the safari veteran. The delta is an expensive destination to visit due to its remote location and voluminous nature. 

However, despite its size, the number of camps is limited by regulations, allowing fewer guests to enter this pristine wilderness area, for lower environmental impact. These restrictions make any visit to the delta an exclusive experience, where you can enjoy the sensational wilderness landscapes undisturbed.  

What makes the Okavango Delta experience different, and special to me, is the variety of activities on offer. 

The best way to explore the delta is by boat. You could take a speed boat deep into the watery heart of the wetland to witness the abundance of bird and animal life, supported by the floodwaters. Or, opt for a more leisurely cruise boat. From a lodge I was staying at, we headed out in one of these and enjoyed breakfast on board, surrounded by yawning hippos.

You could also choose a peaceful mokoro journey through the shallow waters. This traditional dugout canoe is expertly navigated by a guide, who stands at the back and propels it with a long pole. 

A spectacular way to experience the delta is from the air, in an open helicopter. Options range from 30 minutes to one hour and give you a unique perspective on the landscape and wildlife. I consider a helicopter safari an essential addition to any Okavango holiday!

Land-based activities include safari game drives to seek out the Big 5 and walking safaris. The wildlife in the delta is exceptional, but sadly, rhino are almost impossible to see, due to heavy poaching. This means that if you would like to see all of the Big 5, a Kruger safari is more appropriate for you. I had a truly excellent walking safari at one of the lodges I visited and highly recommend it to all my clients. 

The memories that I made here will last a lifetime and I sincerely hope that many of you reading this will have the opportunity to experience this wonder for yourselves.

Happy travelling,

Diana and the Leopard Team

P.S. If you’d like help in planning a seamless escape to the Okavango Delta, send us an email and we’ll be happy to help.

P.P.S Watch this short video for a glimpse of what you can experience in the delta.

The benefits of travelling to Africa during the shoulder season

Travelling in the shoulder season (the period between the high and the low season) can be blissful – with benefits such as lower rates, fewer crowds and more moderate weather. However, these advantages aren’t only experienced by you, the travelller, they have a ripple effect on local communities where the seasonal nature of travel affects the regional economy.

Avoid overcrowding
Recently a video showing a mass of safari vehicles converging on a cheetah kill in the Masai Mara Reserve in Kenya went viral for all the wrong reasons. Judy Kepher-Gona, the director of the Kenya-based Sustainable Travel and Tourism Agenda was quoted in the New York Times. “Sadly, what is seen in this video is the rule and not the exception in Masai Mara reserve.”

While this migration is a spectacle of nature and it’s understandable that travellers want to witness it in person, it’s worth considering the impact of over-tourism. Travelling outside of peak season, or supporting initiatives to limit visitor numbers in popular regions helps support sustainable travel, which has the benefit of protecting the treasures that we travel so far to see. 

Where to go during shoulder season
The most popular time to visit South Africa’s Kruger National Park (and other game parks in the country) is during the dry winter season. However, the shoulder season months of April and October are lovely in Kruger and not as cold at night. 

October can be excellent for game viewing, as animals gather at watering holes waiting for spring rains to bring new life. Birds also begin courtship rituals and although there is no fixed calving season in Kruger (it varies from species to species and many mammals give birth throughout the year), impala are among those that calve from the end of October to December. 

During the shoulder season, the summer humidity in sub-tropical KwaZulu-Natal eases and it can be an excellent time to explore the parks and coastline here. If you’d like to hike in the Drakensberg with its dramatically beautiful peaks, autumn (April and May) or spring (September and October) are best. You’ll avoid the daily thunderstorms and the summer heat.

The northern parts of Kwa-Zulu Natal have a warmer tropical climate and just like neighbouring Mozambique can be very humid in summer. The climate around the Bazaruto Archipelago is more moderate in October and it’s an ideal time to scuba dive here.

Cape Town has a Mediterranean climate with a hot, dry summer, which makes the shoulder season of March and April favourable to those wanting to avoid the heat. The city’s summer southeaster wind will have died down and the restaurants, surrounding beaches and other popular attractions are less crowded than over the busy summer. The Cape Winelands can get particularly hot from December to February. Autumn offers a respite, with cooler mornings and evenings, and vine leaves that morph from green to variegated shades of brown, orange and red.

The shoulder season months of September and October are the best in which to see southern right whales and other cetaceans. Hermanus, De Hoop Nature Reserve and the Overberg coastline offers among the world’s best land-based whale watching spots.

Save on costs
A final benefit of travelling during shoulder season is that you can get better value for your money. Some hotels and lodges offer shoulder season rates and even if they are not advertised, you’ll have greater opportunity to negotiate discounts outside of peak season. Flights also cost more during the holiday seasons, which means that you can save by travelling outside of these periods. 

With fewer crowds and perks like access to popular destinations, there’s a lot to love about the shoulder season.

Happy Travelling,

The Leopard Team

P.S. Join Diana on 17 March in San Francisco for a fun evening of cheese, wine and talk about travel! If you don’t live in San Francisco but know someone who does, and is interested in traveling to Africa, please pass the invitation on to them.

To join this exclusive event (space is limited), please RSVP at: https://pp.events/leopardtravelafrica

Sign up for more newsletters like this here: https://mailchi.mp/2e4afa50d15f/leopard

Summer in Cape Town – a family guide

Cape Town is a glorious destination for a holiday, especially during the summer and early autumn. With so many beautiful places to explore, you’ll have a hard time scratching the surface on any single visit. Once you’ve whet your appetite however, you’ll be sure to return time and again. Here are a few of our favourite spaces to spend time as a family on a holiday in the Mother City.

Kirstenbosch Gardens
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, which lies along the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, is the perfect setting to enjoy an afternoon of tranquillity, with restaurants, lawns and lots of space for children to explore. Make sure to look for Colonel Bird’s bath (often mistakenly referred to as Lady Anne Barnard’s bath) and the Boomslang canopy walkway, or enjoy a picnic under the boughs. Live summer concerts are held on Sunday evenings and the Galileo Open Air Theatre also stages movie nights under the stars. 

Beaches
While a visit to the southern cape to see penguins on Boulders Beach is well worth it, Cape Town has a lengthy coastline with lots of sandy seaside to choose from. Popular spots near the city include Camps Bay and Clifton, while Gordon’s Bay, Big Bay, Fish Hoek and Llandudno are among the many others worth visiting. (It’s always best to stay and swim within the demarcated areas manned by lifeguards).

Boat trips
From floating through the canals, harbour tours, pirate-themed jaunts on the Jolly Roger, eco-focused marine safaris, ferries to the historical Robben Island, as well as catamaran, yacht and speed boat trips, there are ample types of boat trips in and around the V&A Waterfront. You can also take a glass-bottomed, or other boat trip, to Duiker Island’s seal colony from Hout Bay harbour.

Wine Estates
The wine estates surrounding Cape Town provide serene spaces to enjoy fine wine and food and many of them are child friendly. Besides restaurants, picnics and interesting sculpture gardens, Spier offers offroad segway tours (children can participate from the age of 10) and the estate is also home to Eagle Encounters. Here you can learn about African raptors, see them up close and watch them soar overhead before returning to their handlers. 

Boschendal has a large tree house climbing gym and also offers guided nature experiences like scavenger hunts, obstacle courses, foraging and nature walks (these need to be booked 24 hours in advance). While Hazendal boasts a state-of-the-art edutainment centre known as Wonderdal, which is access-controlled and fully supervised, so parents can enjoy wine tasting, a meal at the Babushka Deli or a Russian tea ceremony.

Other things to try
Try something interactive like a cooking lesson in the Bo-Kaap, where you can learn to conjour up an authentic Cape Malay dish or join a chocolate-making workshop at the Lindt Chocolate Studio.

There are also numerous walks and hikes in and around Table Mountain National Park, or enjoy scooter ride on the Sea Point promenade. And no trip to Cape Town is complete without catching the cable car to the top of Table Mountain.

Happy travelling,
The Leopard Team

P.S. Join Diana on 17 March in San Francisco for a fun evening of cheese, wine and talk about travel! If you don’t live in San Francisco but know someone who does, and is interested in traveling to Africa, please pass the invitation on to them.

To join this exclusive event (space is limited), please RSVP at: https://pp.events/leopardtravelafrica

Sign up for more newsletters like this here: https://mailchi.mp/2e4afa50d15f/leopard

Is an African Safari Dangerous?

You may have seen videos of an angry hippo chasing a boat full of tourists or an elephant charging at a safari vehicle. Could you find yourself in danger on an African safari and what can you do to avoid this?

While around 30 million tourists visit Africa each year and a large portion of those go on safari, deaths and injuries due to wild animal encounters are very low. Most incidents are caused by the reckless or ignorant behaviour of the visitor, such as approaching a pride of lions on foot (as incredible as that sounds, this has happened). Essentially, safaris are safe and enjoyable as long as you follow the rules designed to protect you.

How to keep safe on safari:
Make sure to stay at a reputable lodge or park with well-trained guides and obey the park rules as they’re designed to keep you safe. At Leopard, we only recommend reserves that have certified game rangers and have safe and ethical policies to protect both people and wildlife.

Staying safe on a guided game drive
Your guide will explain the specific rules pertaining to that park, but these include things like:

• Stay seated in an open safari vehicle. 
• Don’t raise your voice.
• Keep your cell phone on silent.
• Only disembark when your guide gives you the go ahead. For example, when you stop for morning coffee, your guide will check the area first to make sure that it’s safe.

A reputable, well-trained ranger will be familiar with the area and its creatures and will understand when to retreat from an animal encounter before it becomes risky.

Staying safe on a walking safari
Walking safaris in a Big-Five game reserve are the most adventurous type of safari and allow you to immerse yourself in the bush, guided by an expert tracker.

Rules to keep you safe often include:

• Walk in a single file behind your armed tracker.
• Keep quiet so that the tracker can listen to the surrounding sounds (and so you don’t carelessly frighten away animals).
• Don’t make any sudden movements.

Thousands of people enjoy walking safaris each year without incident and come away with a sense of wonder and gratitude for having an experience of this kind in the wild.

Staying safe on a family safari
A few things to bear in mind when planning a family safari:

• Not all lodges allow children on game drives and some request you book a private vehicle at additional cost. 
• Others cater specifically for kids and allow children over a certain age to join in on open-vehicle safari drives.  
• If children are too young to go on a game drive, child-friendly lodges often provide fun and educational wildlife-related activities within the camp. 
• Children under 16 are not usually allowed on walking safaris. 

Staying safe on a self-drive safari

• Make sure to familiarise yourself with the reserve rules when using your own car or a hired vehicle. For example, staying inside your vehicle and not leaving the roads.
• It’s also important to note that South Africa’s National Parks are wilderness areas, rich in wildlife, and kept as natural as possible. You won’t find petrol (gas) stations between camps, so make sure you have enough fuel to complete your journey.
• Check the gate and rest camp closing times before leaving, these change with the seasons. Allow yourself sufficient time to return to the camp without having to speed. 
• If you are driving to Kruger National Park, avoid the Numbi entrance gate, which has been the scene of recent criminal activity.
• Don’t feed or try to touch any wild animal. Be wary of baboons and monkeys, especially around Cape Point and at picnic sites in the Kruger National Park. 

At Leopard we do our utmost to provide our clients with a seamless and carefree travel experience so that you can enjoy the best of Africa without concern for your safety or that of your family.

As resident South Africans who’ve travelled the continent extensively, we’ll help you make informed decisions when holidaying in Africa, whether it’s a romantic trip, a family holiday or a solo vacation.

Happy travelling,
The Leopard Team

P.S. Please let us know if there are any places you’d like us to cover in future newsletters, or questions you have about travelling in Africa.

Sign up for more newsletters like this here: https://mailchi.mp/2e4afa50d15f/leopard

Best African travel destinations for 2023

The ideal time to plan your next vacation is as soon as you return from your last one. While getting back to work and setting goals for the year is good and necessary, work life can bring with it a certain amount of stress which can be offset by the anticipation of something good. According to a study conducted in 2015, “anticipating a positive event is uniquely able to induce positive emotions.”

We’ve rounded up 12 sublime locations to holiday in Africa – so that you can start planning.

January and February
1. Cape Town, South Africa 
Voted both the best city in Africa and the best in the world, by readers of Travel + Leisure and The Telegraph respectively, we agree that Cape Town is certainly gorgeous. The city has an especially vibrant energy in summer, with its restaurants and brilliant white beaches buzzing with both locals and visitors. 

2. The Garden Route, South Africa
The Garden Route stretches from Mossel Bay along South Africa’s southern coast as far as the dramatically beautiful Storms River in the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park. The area’s forests, rivers and beaches can be explored by vehicle, on foot, by boat, by zipline or on a mountain bike. It’s an ideal destination for family travel and is home to landmark sites like the Map of Africa, the Knysna Heads, Featherbed and Robberg Nature Reserve as well as the Cango Caves.

March and April:
3. Seychelles 
One of the best times of year to visit Seychelles’ pristine palm-fringed beaches, framed by granite boulders, is between March and April when the trade winds don’t blow. The water is warm and clear and your days can be filled by doing as little or as much as you choose. Sailing, snorkelling, scuba diving, trips on glass bottom boats or massages by the poolside are all possibilities.

4. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
​​While it can be enjoyable to visit Victoria Falls in November and December when the flow of the Victoria Falls is at its lowest and you can visit Devil’s Pool, if you want to experience the falls at their peak, April is one of the best months to do so. The rainy season will just have ended and while the weather is still pleasantly warm (and even hot) it will have cooled somewhat after the summer. As April is not considered high season you can secure better deals with off-peak rates too.

May and June:
5. Bangweulu swamps, Zambia
Birders will enjoy a visit to Zambia in May during the dry season to search for the prehistoric-looking shoebills. These birds favour marshes and wetlands and are typically found in the Bangweulu swamps on the country’s northern plateau. You can also spot them in Kasanka National Park, to the southwest of the wetlands.

6. Gorilla Trekking, Rwanda
A gorilla trek in Rwanda is a bucket-list item no matter what time of year you go. However, the dry season between June and September makes hiking through the jungle to find these gentle apes a bit easier. 

July and August:
7. Serengeti, Tanzania
The great migration of wildebeest is a spectacle that fascinates visitors each season. After crossing the Grumeti River the herds of wildebeest continue north and begin crossing the Mara River in July and August. It’s not only the wildebeest that are attracted to this river crossing but also wildlife enthusiasts and photographers who marvel at the spectacle.

8. Kruger National Park, South Africa
While Kruger is a year-round destination, the vegetation is not as lush during the dry winter season, providing better game-viewing opportunities. Besides being an excellent place to see the Big Five on safari, the Greater Kruger also offers an array of luxury lodges with modern facilities, excellent service and outstanding cuisine.

September and October:
9. Sossusvlei, Namibia
Climb Dune 45 or take photos of these iconic crescent-shaped red dunes before visiting the nearby Deadvlei with its cracked clay pan and petrified trees, then visit the nearby Sesriem Canyon. An early morning balloon trip that gives you a birds-eye perspective over the Namib Desert, followed by a champagne breakfast, will be a memorable addition to any holiday here.

10. Vilanculos and Bazaruto, Mozambique
While the tropical destinations of Vilanculos and the Bazaruto Archipelago can be enjoyed all year round, the dry season from June to November is best, with September and October being ideal. Scuba divers will also find visibility is also better during the dry season.

November and December
11. Chobe, Botswana
The winter safari season is busier than others in Botswana, however, November allows visitors to Chobe to witness not only its voluminous elephant population (and the rest of the Big Five) but also the annual zebra migration. In November herds of zebra congregate to form a mass of about 20,000 animals. After spending the dry months in the vicinity of the Chobe River floodplain, they begin migrating southwards to the Nxai Pan area at the end of November and in early December.

12. Grand Gaube, Mauritius
The island nation of Mauritius is a short flight away from South Africa and offers a perfect tropical escape. Explore the sandy, palm-lined beaches of Grand Gaube where you can snorkel in warm, azure water or take a day trip to Coin de Mire – a small island off the coast. The warm, clear waters around this nature reserve provide the ideal location for snorkelling and scuba diving. You may spot sting rays, triggerfish, parrot fish and leaf fish, among others.

If you’d like help in planning a seamless holiday in any of these destinations or the others that we cover, drop us a line and we’ll be happy to help.

Here’s to a new year full of travel adventures.

The Leopard Team

Sign up for more newsletters like this here: https://mailchi.mp/2e4afa50d15f/leopard

The ebb and flow of travel in 2022

In our next newsletter we’ll be sharing Leopard’s selection of destinations to travel to in 2023. For now, however, we take a nostalgic look back on an extraordinary year as it draws to a close. 

The best part about 2022 was that people started travelling again. After a shaky start, travel reemerged with a vengeance. People don’t want to wait to do that long-desired family trip with elderly parents and siblings, or that bucket-list road trip with their children, or a safari adventure with their beloved. Rightly so, as nobody knows what the future holds. 

For Leopard, 2022 started off slowly. The Covid omicron variant caused the world to panic at the end of 2021, and led to flight bans to South Africa and subsequent holiday cancellations. This meant that  2022 didn’t take off in the way that the local travel industry had hoped.

However, the year improved considerably. Over two hundred valued clients travelled with us in 2022. We did hotel visits in South Africa, Zanzibar, Mozambique and the Okavango Delta. We also added four new African countries to the destinations we offer, bringing the total to sixteen! 

Helen, a longtime family friend, joined our team, taking on a big load of administration and finance work. She has made a huge difference in our operations already. I’m fortunate to work with six highly competent women who are incredibly motivated and good at what they do. They give their best every day for Leopard and our clients, something which I deeply appreciate.   

Most importantly, this year, our clients got to experience that exhilarating feeling of travelling again! They did road trips through Namibia, encountered incredible African wildlife and celebrated special family times in Mauritius, Zanzibar and Seychelles.  They also spotted migrating southern right whales, observed nesting turtles, saw the rare dugong in Mozambique, ate incredible local food, drank world-class wine, and enjoyed the warm hospitality of the African people. Without clients, we would not have work, so thank you to each and every one – your support means a lot! 

And finally, thank YOU for being part of the Leopard community and keeping in touch through our newsletter. We wish you a very happy New Year, and we look forward to welcoming you to Africa in 2023.

Best regards,

Diana and the Leopard Team

P.S. Take a look at our highlights from 2022, in this video:

Sign up for more newsletters like this here: https://mailchi.mp/2e4afa50d15f/leopard

Why spending money on experiences is good for you

Happiness can be tricky to quantify but a study conducted by McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin indicates that paying for experiences enhances your well-being more than buying possessions does. This applied to both in-the-moment happiness and to happiness measured at a later point.

It’s not surprising that experiences create rich, lasting memories and provide an opportunity to bond with those you share them with – whether that’s family, friends or a new travel buddy.

Here are some of our top recommendations for experiential happiness:

Spending time in the bush
Immersing yourself in nature is good for the soul, no matter whether you spend time in a popular game area like Kruger, Sabie or the Serengeti or you visit a lesser-known park in KwaZulu-Natal. Share special memories of early-morning game drives, where the bush is dewy and mist dissipates from river banks, as your party searches for the flick of a tail, the tip of a trunk or the flutter of wings. 

Enjoying exquisite food and wine
A tasty meal shared at home can be enjoyable but savouring an expertly-prepared gourmet dish at a top restaurant gives you the opportunity to experience new flavours, settings and company without having to lift a finger. Foodie destinations like Cape Town, its surrounding Winelands and Hermanus can lure you by your palate, however, you’re likely to find fine cuisine in all sorts of places if you know where to look (and if you don’t, we’re happy to help).

Mountain or lowland gorilla trekking
“Mountain Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is one of the most treasured wildlife experiences of my life,” says Leopard’s founder and director, Diana Granoux. This bucket-list adventure will leave you with precious memories and sharing these with a partner or friend will mean that there’s someone else who understands the wonder and awe of this encounter without you having to try and find words to explain.

Interacting with people of different cultures
Take time to meet the local people when you travel. Appreciating food, traditions and art from another culture will expand your understanding of the world and possibly help support a local entrepreneur. These interactions can also provide unique opportunities to share a smile and build memories among strangers who then become friends.

Turtle tracking
Due to active conservation efforts, the number of nesting turtles along the sandy shores of the Zululand coastline has increased substantially since the 1960s. Whether you watch a giant leatherback laying her eggs in a carefully excavated nest or turtle hatchlings emerge from the sand and scurry to the ocean, you’ll have witnessed a scene that has been repeated through the ages by these ancient ocean-dwelling reptiles. 

Hot air ballooning
Fly over endless waves of sand dunes and experience first light over the Namib Desert or opt for a trip over Serengeti where thousands of thundering hooves beat against the plains beneath you, during the annual wildebeest migration. Recounting your shared experience of being suspended in a basket above the world will quite likely deepen bonds, unite your tribe and bring a smile to your face long after the event.

Happy travelling,

The Leopard Team

P.S. Feel free to contact us at any time for expert advice on where to travel in Africa. It’ll be our delight to share our insider knowledge with you and help curate a tailored all-inclusive holiday. This will allow you to relax and enjoy every moment, knowing that all the details have been taken care of.

Sign up for more newsletters like this here: https://mailchi.mp/2e4afa50d15f/leopard

Winding down the year 2022

Perhaps your year, like mine, is speeding up before it slows down. The beginning of December in South Africa marks the start of the long summer school holidays and a period when most people take a break. 

If you’re one of those who’ll be putting your feet up in December and would like to relax with some good audio content that’s far more enjoyable than Santa Claus Is Coming To Town we have two suggestions.

Leopard has created an African playlist that will take you on a musical journey around our beautiful continent. Drink in the sounds of Oliver Mtukudzi from Zimbabwe, King Sunny Ade and Fela Kuti from Nigeria and the queens of homegrown African music, Angélique Kidjo, Miriam Makeba and Cesária Evora. 

If you’re one of Leopard’s 48 clients travelling to six countries in Africa over December and January, this playlist will be the perfect addition to your holiday.

Find our playlist on Spotify, or click here to access it.

If you enjoy podcasts, Leopard has a podcast that features interviews with eight incredible South Africans who are passionate about their area of expertise. You can learn about South African wine from one of the region’s top sommeliers, art from a local artist, photography from a world renowned wildlife photographer and much more. 

Listen to one, or all, episodes on our website: https://leopard.voyage/podcast/

Happy travelling,

Diana

P.S. Look out for our newsletters at the beginning of next year where we hope to inspire you for the holidays you may be planning in 2023.

Sign up for more newsletters like this here: https://mailchi.mp/2e4afa50d15f/leopard