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The Leopard, the Big 5 star of Kruger’s Sabi region

There’s many a regular bushveld traveller who hasn’t yet had the luck to cross paths with Panthera pardus, the Leopard.

With a weight range of 40 to 60 kilograms, it is by far the lightest of Africa’s famous Big 5 animals – the others being the mighty lion, and megafauna: the elephant, buffalo and rhino. However, a sighting of the elusive Leopard on a Kruger safari is the ultimate heavyweight Big 5 wildlife sighting. Here are some interesting facts about Leopards.

Searching for Leopard in Kruger National Park

Visitors to Kruger Gate Hotel, situated right near the Paul Kruger Gate are often lucky when it comes to Leopard sightings. This southern region of the Park, around the confluence of the Sabi and Sand Rivers is ideal Leopard domain and an excellent choice for a Big 5 safari. Several individuals in the area are unfussed at the presence of open-air safari vehicles, so it is not uncommon to get great views of Leopard lounging in trees or strolling through relatively open areas.

Unlike Lion, Leopards are solitary big cats and are only seen together on rare occasions as a couple during mating encounters or as mother caring for cubs under a year-old. Their quiet habits, silent and svelte grace and ingeniously camouflaged coats add to their mystique and make these cats particularly hard to spot in the dense Kruger wilds.

The Trials of Life for a Leopard

Protected from hunting and trapping, the Park has a healthy population of Leopards, but it is not an easy life. They face fierce territorial competition from Lion, Hyena and even, Cheetah. A male Leopard has large range often overlapping with the territories of up to three females. Leopards are non-seasonal breeders, so mating can occur at any time of year. The female Leopard is the sole caregiver and provider for her cubs. She will find a protected lair to give birth and typically has two to three cubs who stay closely with her for the first year of life so that she can protect them and teach them how to hunt for themselves. It has been observed that female Leopards remain on friendly terms with their offspring and will greet them lovingly if there’s are chance encounters long into their adult lives. Having a devoted Leopard mum is essential because Lions and Hyenas will not hesitate to kill and eat young Leopards! How long do leopards live? If they survive the intense trials of childhood and youth, an adult Leopard may live for 12 to 15 years in the wild.

Masters of the Flexitarian Diet

One of the reasons for the success of the Leopard as a species is their unmatched adaptability combined with hunting prowess. Research gathered on Leopard prey is astonishing, they will eat anything from termites to catfish, turtle doves to guinea fowl, monitor lizards to baboons, warthogs and genets, to the calves of giraffe and buffalo. In the Kruger National Park, with its high concentration of antelope, the Leopard’s most common prey includes impala, duiker, and steenbok. It is an extraordinary, raw power predator, capable of taking down an animal much bigger and heavier than it is. Leopards hunt through stealth, either lying in wait and ambushing or stalking and making an explosive, deadly charge. Small prey is often killed quickly with a lethal bite to the back of the neck and larger prey with a suffocating bite to the throat. To keep large prey safe from thieving Lion and Hyena, Leopards often hoist the carcass high up into the branches of trees. It’s an incredible feat of strength and agility, and no other African big cat can do this.

The Allure of Impossible Beauty

But it just may be the sheer beauty of the Leopard that makes it one of the most coveted Kruger National Park sightings. It’s rich, luxurious coat of gold is exquisitely patterned with black rosettes on the body and black spots on the head and legs. The body is lithe, well-muscled, and full of grace. Its golden eyes, lined with black, are thrilling, fierce and mesmerizing. After a special leopard sighting right near the Paul Kruger Gate, one of our guests said: “I had this moment where I could not believe its beauty with my own eyes. I was literally stunned, looking at this amazing creature lounging on a tree branch. To say a leopard is “magnificent” is an understatement. You cannot compare looking at a leopard on a screen or page with seeing a leopard in the wild. I will never forget looking at that big cat in the eye. I felt like I saw the whole world, and it was beyond beautiful.”

Guest Reviews

Wonderfull

Posted on 05/08/2025 by Google

Beautiful. Relaxing. Food and drinks was excellent.

Posted on 05/08/2025 by Google

Crafting Shelter and Building dreams

Posted on 03/08/2025 by Google

Great location, great service, and cost. The buffet it’s been one of the best I ever had for breakfast and dinner! You can reserve private and shared safari at the hotel.

Bonus tip: We used our credit card points for this stay!

Posted on 03/08/2025 by Google

We had an amazing 3-night stay at Kruger Gate Hotel. The property is clean and well-maintained. We enjoyed a relaxing spa day and had fun at the mini golf course! The breakfast selection was wide and varied. The buffet-style dinner by the fire pit, with local singing and dancing, made the evenings feel so welcoming. The food was great!

The pool and restaurant deck overlooking the field was the highlight for me—it’s their signature, in my opinion. It was really nice to see animals up close right from the hotel. We were very impressed by the hospitality and welcoming attitude of the staff, which made our stay even more enjoyable.

We’d especially like to thank Mishack for being so attentive and taking such great care of us—you truly made a difference!

We also booked our safari tour through the hotel. Our driver and guide, Enzo, was incredible! Thank you for helping us complete the Big Five—seeing the rhinos up close on our last day in Kruger National Park made it truly unforgettable.

I’d highly recommend staying here. Our room was clean, spacious, and very comfortable!

Posted on 02/08/2025 by Google

We booked our honeymoon through TourCompass and stayed at Kruger Gate Hotel. It is an amazing hotel with the friendliest staff. The staff go out of their way to make your day and are always so kind to you. Our particular thanks go to Zenda who was brilliant.
The food is lovely too, lots of different options and new food every night. Even the usual menu was great too and a good price.
We did the private dining overlooking the viewing deck and were blown away by the service, food and cost.
The location itself is amazing, it is a long drive from any town but it is right on the doorstep of Kruger Park. We did 3 full day safaris with the hotel guide (Colin) and he was brilliant: so knowledgeable, funny, knew exactly where to go and found us some incredible animals.
The hotel was clean and the rooms were constantly tidied. The whole hotel was beautiful, decorated well and the animals roaming around were a great addition.
Was a brilliant trip and I would definitely recommend staying at this hotel.

Posted on 05/08/2025 by TripAdvisor

Great location to excess the kruger gate and excellent dinner and breakfast with good service. It makes me happy to see my friends\'s smiling when we visited the Kruger gate hotel.

Posted on 04/08/2025 by TripAdvisor

I\'m a repeat guest at this hotel, and for good reason! The location is unbeatable, and the breakfast and dinner buffets are exceptional. The ambiance is lovely, and the view from the deck is simply stunning. I\'m already looking forward to my next stay

Posted on 01/08/2025 by TripAdvisor

Our stay at Kruger Gate Hotel has been absolutely incredible from start to finish. We booked through Tour Compass, who were fantastic in every way, from organising seamless transfers to arranging unforgettable safari experiences where we were lucky enough to see the Big Five and so much more. Their attention to detail and professionalism made everything feel effortless.

The hotel staff went above and beyond to ensure our stay was nothing less than perfect. Every interaction was warm, attentive, and genuine. A true highlight of our visit was the private dining experience, hosted by the wonderfully polite and professional Rhandzu, who guided us through each course with care and enthusiasm. The setting, overlooking the edge of the national park was breathtaking and we were even joined by a baby civet cat, which made the evening feel truly magical.

Tshepo was also incredibly friendly and accommodating during the meal, ensuring we were comfortable and had everything we needed. The food throughout our stay was outstanding. The buffet was full of variety and flavour, I even tried crocodile kebabs, and to my surprise, they were absolutely delicious!

Compliments to the chefs, both at the buffet and during our private meal. Every dish was expertly prepared and beautifully presented. This has been a stay to remember, and we cannot recommend Kruger Gate Hotel and Tour Compass highly enough.

Posted on 01/08/2025 by TripAdvisor

Thank you Tshepo, Nicol, Sipho and Excellenc for great service and so much care for elderly guests. It is heartwarming to see this compassion.

Posted on 02/08/2025 by TripAdvisor

This hotel was incredible - exceeded all expectations and the staff were so incredible. Specially, our game driver, Famous Amos, made our trip as special as it was. His knowledge, kindness, and spirit was spectacular. Highly recommend booking a game drive with him!

Posted on 04/08/2025 by TripAdvisor

Sauberkeit, gepflegte, Service, Essen, Ausblick, Anlage, Spa, kostenloses Wasser

Posted on 08/08/2025 by Booking.com

Frühstückbuffet war hervorragend
Zimmereinrichtung

Posted on 06/08/2025 by Booking.com

Excellent emplacement pour visiter Kruger National Park, Paul Kruger Gate est à 200 mètres de l’hôtel. On a réservé des sorties safari via SanPark, les guides sont venus nous chercher directement à l’hôtel. La terrasse panoramique à la piscine est fantastique. Le petit déjeuner et le dîner buffet sont copieux et variés. Le personnel très agréable. Le cadre de l’hôtel est très sympa, verdoyant et on peut voir des animaux dans le jardin.

Posted on 01/08/2025 by Booking.com

The hotel is great and just 1 min from the gate. From the pool bar you can see elephants, hippos and impalas. They have an area for kid with games and mini golf

Posted on 08/08/2025 by Booking.com

Esta foi a segunda vez que fiquei no Kruger Gate. Hotel lindíssimo, encantador, com uma vista para a reserva de tirar o ar, com direito a animais dos mais variados tipos se exibindo. Quartos espaçosos e confortáveis. Estrutura completa para família, casais e grupos de amigos. A equipe é maravilhosa, muito prestativa e sempre disposta a solucionar qualquer problema. A comida é ótima e muito variada, tanto nas refeições contratadas quanto nos restaurantes como o pool bar. Sou apaixonada por esse hotel! Destaco o atendimento do driver Siya, que foi um querido conosco.

Posted on 06/08/2025 by Booking.com

Great location right outside of Kruger entrance. Great bars and delicious dinner and breakfast buffets. Friendly staff.

Posted on 06/08/2025 by Booking.com

Excellent place to stay on the boder of Kruger. Good access and viewing, nice food and resturaunts. Helpful staff.

Posted on 06/08/2025 by Booking.com

Camera perfetta, servizi ottimi.
Cibo buonissimo
Staff super gentile

Posted on 04/08/2025 by Booking.com

Food was amazing and great place close to the Paul Kruger gate!

Posted on 03/08/2025 by Booking.com

Love the location, viewing deck and the vibe!

Posted on 01/08/2025 by Booking.com