Safari special: Big cats

Cheetah: Sabi Sand

Want to see cheetahs in the wild? We know just the place. Cheetah Plains in South Africa is located inside Sabi Sand Nature Reserve. Its three luxurious villas are carbon-negative and deliver an exceptional high-end safari experience, pioneering the ‘silent safari’ by using only renewable energy in the wild.

Each exclusive villa sleeps eight people, so you'll receive VIP service from the villa's host, butler, culinary team and spa therapist. An expert field guide and tracker team will also dedicate themselves to helping you spot the reserve's cheetah population.  

Tiger: Ranthambore

Tigers are elusive – but we know India's Ranthambore National Park is one of the best places to see them in the wild. While you wait for one to appear from the forest and wade through the long grass, there is so much more to see in the former hunting grounds of Jaipur's Maharaja. Look out for leopards, water buffalo, wild boar and striped hyenas as you bump along tracks in an open-top 4x4.

A crumbling fort forms the nucleus of the park, and you might see temples and havelis (mansions), too. These ruins often provide a sheltered hangout for the big cats. Newcomers Bookmark Resort, Jogi Mahal and Taj Sawai opened this year, joining the legendary ranks of The Oberoi Vanyavilas Wildlife Resort and Aman-i-Khas (look out for our forthcoming review of some of Oberoi’s other India properties, we’re heading out again soon…) 

Leopard: The Delta

Sat in a mokoro canoe, still and silent, you watch a leopard stalking through the watery grassland. In one quick swipe, it dives its head into the water and resurfaces with a fish in its jaws. Botswana's Okavango Delta – Africa’s only freshwater inland delta and a World Heritage Site - is an excellent choice if you're looking for a unique safari landscape. A new safari camp that's grabbed our attention is Atzaró Okavango in Moremi Game Reserve.

Each luxurious suite has a plunge pool and open-air 'star bed', or upgrade to a Villa and you’ll have your own vehicle and safari ranger. The lodge also has its own helicopter so you can see the true beauty of the Delta from above.

Black Leopard: Laikipia

If you've been on safari before or have a penchant for unusual wildlife, take a look at the Laikipia region in Kenya, which is increasingly challenging the Maasai Mara for the best Kenyan safari experience. It's here that you might encounter the elusive black (melanistic) leopard. Also known as a 'black panther', black leopards are rare and Laikipa is the best place to see one in the wild.

Book now for Suyian Lodge, &Beyond’s latest escape set to open next July, with 14 design-led, tranquil suites overlooking a dramatic landscape of granite kopjes, the Ewaso Narok River, and Mount Kenya. Head out on day or night safaris in search of black leopards, see the area's ancient rock art, and fill your days with village visits, outdoor yoga, and riverside picnics.

Lion: the KNP

Kruger National Park is one of the world's oldest and largest national parks. It spans 4.8 million acres and Singita has a 33,000-acre slice, with two lodges built with the utmost environmental sensitivity. Singita Lebombo is one of these luxurious lodges, located in an area dubbed the 'Land of the Lions', and recently awarded one of the 'World's Top 50 Hotels' by over 600 leading industry experts.

Search for the Mountain or Shish Prides with expert rangers and learn how Singita protects and conserves this area for future generations.

Some more welcome news - a new flight between Singita's South Africa and Zimbabwe lodges makes it even easier to pair Kruger with the untouched Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve.  

Suggested itinerary

Singita's environmentally-conscious luxury lodges are dedicated to sustainable conservation and the empowerment of local communities.

These all-inclusive stays include two game drives and walking safaris at each camp, benefitting from incredible wildlife viewing as both guest and vehicle numbers are limited. Each elegant lodge offers a calming space and the chance to slow down and connect to your loved ones, the landscape, and the local people who work hard to protect it. 

Travel style

This is a private safari, although you’ll travel between South Africa and Zimbabwe on a new shared flight which allows you the chance to maximise your wildlife-watching time.

From Johannesburg, you’ll fly to Satara Airstrip to access your camp in Kruger National Park. Fly from Skukuza Airport to Kruger Mpumalanga, then onwards to Buffalo Range to access Singita Pamushana Lodge in Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve.