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If you love leopards go to MalaMala. During a recent magazine assignment I was disappointed not to be able to spend more than 2 nights at MalaMala. I needn’t have worried though: we had 5 excellent leopard sightings in the course of 4 game drives…then saw another big male within 3km of the camp as we were driving out!
Boasting more frontage on the Sand River than any other property in the Sabi Sands area, these 133km² are widely considered to be the best leopard habitat on our planet. Since the rest of the Big Five are almost guaranteed in this area too (ace tracker-guide Michael Botes was able to show me them all on our first game drive), it’s not really surprising that MalaMala has been considered a benchmark in the safari industry since the 1960s. Emphasis at MalaMala is clearly on ticking off the Big Five, but this area also offers wonderful sightings of painted dogs and most of the iconic species you’d expect from the Greater Kruger. Travelling in summer brings
The layout of the camp can feel a little ‘tame’ with the mowed lawn out front (to protect guests from creeping cats), but once you get into the bush there’s no doubt that MalaMala surpasses all expectations.
Boasting more frontage on the Sand River than any other property in the Sabi Sands area, these 133km² are widely considered to be the best leopard habitat on our planet. Since the rest of the Big Five are almost guaranteed in this area too (ace tracker-guide Michael Botes was able to show me them all on our first game drive), it’s not really surprising that MalaMala has been considered a benchmark in the safari industry since the 1960s. Emphasis at MalaMala is clearly on ticking off the Big Five, but this area also offers wonderful sightings of painted dogs and most of the iconic species you’d expect from the Greater Kruger. Travelling in summer brings
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the added allure of fantastic migrant bird species.The layout of the camp can feel a little ‘tame’ with the mowed lawn out front (to protect guests from creeping cats), but once you get into the bush there’s no doubt that MalaMala surpasses all expectations.
Among the best safari offerings in Africa
I’m a professional wildlife photography guide, and when I get the option to take my guests to the superb MalaMala Game Reserve adjacent to the Kruger National Park, I know that absolutely everything is going to be fantastic. No one goes home disappointed – unless, of course, they are soulless husks who don’t appreciate spending quality time in the company of Africa’s most iconic species.
Firstly, leopard sightings are pretty much assured. They, like most animals in the reserve, are super chilled around safari vehicles and will go about their daily routines as if you weren’t right there watching them. You’ll get to see them sleeping, dozing, resting, and lying around as if they had nothing better to do. They are cats after all. But with patience and a little bit of luck, you’ll also see them hunting, shagging, fighting with hyenas, and hauling dead things up into trees.
Expect also to encounter plenty of elephants, lions, monkeys, buffalo, rhinos,
Firstly, leopard sightings are pretty much assured. They, like most animals in the reserve, are super chilled around safari vehicles and will go about their daily routines as if you weren’t right there watching them. You’ll get to see them sleeping, dozing, resting, and lying around as if they had nothing better to do. They are cats after all. But with patience and a little bit of luck, you’ll also see them hunting, shagging, fighting with hyenas, and hauling dead things up into trees.
Expect also to encounter plenty of elephants, lions, monkeys, buffalo, rhinos,
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and other African creatures of all shapes and sizes. On my last visit, I spent hours photographing an inquisitive clan of dwarf mongooses as they popped their heads in and out of a termite mound like whack-a-moles. MalaMala’s guides are superb, informative, attentive, and entertaining, whilst the game drives are managed in such a way that you’ll likely never see another vehicle; even at predator sightings. On top of that, the lodge itself is comfortable and unpretentious, the food is fantastic, and the level of service is excellent. This is, without doubt, one of the best-managed private safari offerings in all of Africa.MalaMala: The Legend of Leopards
Imagine Kruger without the crowds, with some of the best guides on the continent and almost guaranteed sightings of lions and leopards. MalaMala and the contiguous Sabi Sand reserves are rightly famed for their leopard sightings – the 2001 National Geographic documentary Stalking Leopards was filmed here – not least because the riverine woodland that snakes through the reserve is perfect leopard habitat. The guides here know their leopards, with which they are generally on first-name terms, and the lion prides, too, are well-known and routinely found. MalaMala’s fame means that its accommodation is both pricey and often booked out well in advance. But once here, the reward is one of Africa’s better wildlife-watching experiences.
Easily one of Africa’s best Big Five safari destinations
For top-notch wildlife-watching in beautiful, pristine surroundings, I think MalaMala, immediately west of Kruger National Park, is very hard to beat. The MalaMala team make the classic luxury safari experience seem effortless, with minimal fuss and absolutely no gimmicks. Don’t expect cutting-edge décor – the lodges here are reassuringly conservative – but do get ready for some astonishing encounters with leopards and other charismatic animals.
At 135 square kilometres, this is by far the largest private concession in the Sabi Sands Reserve, but visitor numbers are strictly limited – MalaMala’s vehicles have exclusive access. The Sand River, which slices through the western edge of the reserve, flows all year round; the unspoilt expanses east suppport a terrific variety of species. It’s a formula which draws well-off wildlife lovers from all over the world, including celebrities, photographers and film-makers. Together, they have made the place world famous, and
There are three places to stay, all in superb riverside locations. MalaMala Main Camp is really a lodge rather than a camp, and might feel too much like a hotel for some, but is relatively affordable; Sable Camp (again, a lodge) is a mini variation on the same theme, and Rattray’s, named after owner Michael Rattray, has the feel of an elegant homestead.
At 135 square kilometres, this is by far the largest private concession in the Sabi Sands Reserve, but visitor numbers are strictly limited – MalaMala’s vehicles have exclusive access. The Sand River, which slices through the western edge of the reserve, flows all year round; the unspoilt expanses east suppport a terrific variety of species. It’s a formula which draws well-off wildlife lovers from all over the world, including celebrities, photographers and film-makers. Together, they have made the place world famous, and
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in my opinion it really does live up to the hype.There are three places to stay, all in superb riverside locations. MalaMala Main Camp is really a lodge rather than a camp, and might feel too much like a hotel for some, but is relatively affordable; Sable Camp (again, a lodge) is a mini variation on the same theme, and Rattray’s, named after owner Michael Rattray, has the feel of an elegant homestead.
A Photographer’s Dream: Leopards at MalaMala
MalaMala is my favorite private reserve in South Africa. Nestled between Sabi Sand and Kruger National Park, and boasting more than 20 kilometers of river frontage, the reserve offers truly phenomenal wildlife viewing. Several factors set MalaMala apart from the surrounding Sabi Sand reserves and make it my top choice.
At 130 square kilometers, MalaMala is relatively large, yet it maintains a strong sense of exclusivity. Unlike some nearby reserves, it does not offer traversing rights to other properties, which means that game drive experiences are uninterrupted. Sightings can last as long as necessary without the need to make way for multiple vehicles. The guides are highly experienced, vehicles are never filled to capacity, and the focus is always on delivering a high-quality, immersive safari.
The reserve excels in Big Five sightings, and you would be very unlucky not to see all five within a two-day stay. Leopard encounters are particularly remarkable here;
Beyond the Big Five, MalaMala offers rich diversity, from elephant herds and lion prides to buffalo, rhino, and a variety of plains game. Birdlife is abundant, and the riverine areas add another dimension to the scenery, creating picturesque backdrops for both wildlife and photography.
At 130 square kilometers, MalaMala is relatively large, yet it maintains a strong sense of exclusivity. Unlike some nearby reserves, it does not offer traversing rights to other properties, which means that game drive experiences are uninterrupted. Sightings can last as long as necessary without the need to make way for multiple vehicles. The guides are highly experienced, vehicles are never filled to capacity, and the focus is always on delivering a high-quality, immersive safari.
The reserve excels in Big Five sightings, and you would be very unlucky not to see all five within a two-day stay. Leopard encounters are particularly remarkable here;
Read more
MalaMala has earned a worldwide reputation for providing some of the best leopard-viewing opportunities in Africa. I have taken some of my most memorable photographs of this famously elusive cat in the reserve, thanks to the patience of the guides and the animals’ habituation to safari vehicles.Beyond the Big Five, MalaMala offers rich diversity, from elephant herds and lion prides to buffalo, rhino, and a variety of plains game. Birdlife is abundant, and the riverine areas add another dimension to the scenery, creating picturesque backdrops for both wildlife and photography.
South Africa’s top private reserve
My favorite wildlife destination in South Africa, legendary MalaMala pioneered the modern private reserve experience when it opened its gates to paying clients in the 1960s. For many years it was the ultimate safari destination for the rich and famous. Superficially, the formula here is similar to other upmarket lodges in the neighboring Sabi Sand Game Reserve. However, MalaMala offers a far more exclusive and rewarding wildlife-viewing experience. This is because it is much larger in area than any of the component reserves that comprise Sabi Sand. It extends over a total of 130km2/50mi2, and no traversing rights are granted to other reserves. As a result, the vehicle density is very low compared to other most private reserves. Also, the 4x4s tend to be far less crammed (typically, around four people per vehicle as opposed to eight or more in most neighboring reserves). MalaMala is also distinguished by boasting more than 20km/12mi of frontage on both banks of the