Leopards of MalaMala Game Reserve, with Penny Robartes
When I hear the name MalaMala, I instantly feel my senses become heightened. My hearts beats harder, my body is poised and ready.
MalaMala Private Game Reserve in the Sabi Sands truly is a place where the words “magic,” “leopards,” “the Big 5,” “beautiful scenery,” “amazing wildlife photography and experiences” all fight for first place. I cannot get enough of this destination and its wildlife. Time and experience does not lessen the impact and experience I know that awaits my guests and I.
Last year I led a repeat guest to MalaMala for her first time. She is an extremely passionate person about wildlife, travel, and honing in on her vision of the wildlife that calls to her heart. As a lover of Leopards, I knew she just had to come experience the magic of MalaMala for herself, and I couldn’t have been more rewarded to be the professional photographic tour leader to introduce her to this destination.
Her goal then was to create fine art imagery of the Leopards of MalaMala, and we achieved that and more. Of course not every sighting leads itself to fine art, so we worked on the best way to capture these scenes that still hold the emotion and essence of the subject and scene. My blog post from this tour is called Looking Deeper at Leopards, and you can read it here
There’s something truly mesmerizing about witnessing leopards in their natural habitat. From March 3-11, I had the privilege of leading a private photography tour to the renowned MalaMala Game Reserve, guiding a repeat guest whose passion for leopards matches my own profound admiration for these magnificent creatures.
A Photographer’s Paradise
As a professional wildlife photographer, my approach extends beyond simply seeking to create and capture emotive, striking images. Each safari is an opportunity to help guests develop their unique creative vision, encouraging them to see wildlife scenes with fresh eyes and deeper perspective. The true reward comes in facilitating transformative experiences that forge lasting connections with nature.
At MalaMala, every dawn brings new possibilities. Each day unfolded with extraordinary encounters that left us retuning to our accommodations feeling elated and in-tune with our surroundings. We were incredibly fortunate to spend quality time almost daily with several remarkable leopards, including:
- The Piccadilly female and her two cubs under two months old
- The Stonedrift female with her cub just over two months old
- The handsome Flatrock male
- The powerful Maxims male
- Several other equally captivating leopards
Piccadilly Female
Over our 9-day stay, we saw the beautiful Piccadilly female and her two cubs on numerous occasions. As is with Nature, not every sighting was a photographic one, but as deep lovers of nature and its wildlife, we were happy to be viewers to the behaviours and interactions between the mother ands her cubs. We were more than entertained by their comic antics, and deeply touched by the love and quietness of grooming sessions and when the cubs settled to suckle and then sleep.
Her den site was quite a visually beautiful one, and of course, one that had lots of cracks and crevices in rocks and behind branches for hiding away in. We photographed the mother and cubs on the dry sand river bed, on the rocks, in the grass… a wonderful array of opportunities.
Stonedrift Female
The Stonedrift female too, had a cub. A few weeks older than the Piccadilly’s cubs, this little one was still small, but at the age where it was starting to eat meat.For a while, this female seemed to evade us. She was a very busy female! We would often find her tracks, her alarm calls from prey species, but for days, we just did not find her. We knew where she had left her cub as we had found it in a tree, but we could not stay with it as it is still at a very young age and with its mother not around, we had to be sensitive to the situation.
One morning, we decided to go past the tree with the cub to see if the Stonedrift female had returned to her cub, and we could not see either of the cats by the tree. There were tracks of the female though. So, off we wen’t tracking the Stonedrift female. At a point where there seemed to be a general feeling in the vehicle that we weren’t going to find this female, it seemed as if she just appeared not to far next to us!
She was on the hunt.
Keeping with her as we knew that there was an Impala herd that she was making her way towards still a distance away, we were able to capture some lovely photos of this beautiful female. She is so relaxed around vehicles, we could spend some lovely time with her. When she got closer to the Impala herd, we left her and drove around to the waterhole where the Impala were gathered. Less than a minute later, we heard Impala alarm calls blaring off, with individuals running in all different areas. She had made a kill.
We followed her as she dragged her Impala kill back towards the beautiful forest where we had previously seen her cub. Looking up and different trees, she chose the one she preferred and up she went with her kill. Once hoisted up, she came down to the V of the tree and called her cub.
From a nearby thicket, a little roar was heard and she went down to meet her cub. It’s instinct was incredible, it knew that a meal was waiting and after looking up at the tree to find the meal, it looked for the easiest way to climb the tree and reach its meal.
Flatrock Male
This big male is one that I love seeing. I’ve had many a wonderful photographic time with this male with various guests over the years of my leading private photo safaris to MalaMala Game Reserve. This morning was no different. He was on patrol early one morning and was covering ground along the Sand river frontage. Surrounded by lush green grasses and reeds, it can be tricky at times to capture images where his face is not too hidden, or the vegetation too thick, but it is seriously rewarding when you get gaps with him in the foliage, or with the river’s waters behind him.
Hearing Impala alarm calling on the escarpment further on from the river bank, he stopped in his tracks and lay down, listening. After a while, he changed his position and climbed onto a big bounder by the river, giving him a much better view of what he had hoped to see, and of course, giving us an incredible photographic opportunity to explore striking animal-in-environment photographs.
Maxims Male
One of the beasts of MalaMala, the Maxims Male is always a treat to see, specifically for me because he is the least relaxed and even when he is relaxed in our presence, I always feel like he is rather tolerating us being in his presence. He was born in the Greater Kruger National Park, and came into the reserve as a younger male more aggressive and shy. As he has grown over the years, he definitely has become more calm in vehicle presence, but I feel like this male is a wild-card, and I love that he will always feel like that for me.
And more
One late morning on our way back to camp, Tlebe Rocks female was lounging in a tree. She was quite aware and her eyes seemed aglow. Another late afternoon in blue hour, we found Three River Female with her subadult cub. They were feeding in the thick of a marsh in long grass so we couldn’t get a view bar quick visuals here and there. We ended up spending the late afternoon into the evening with these two beautiful cats, and while it did not end up yielding photographic visuals as we had hoped, what a wonderful way to spend an early evening; in the company of Leopards.
Moments That Take Your Breath Away
During the duration of our photo safari, we witnessed and documented an astonishing range of behaviors and scenarios: playful cubs nursing and exploring, leopards gracefully navigating rocky outcrops and trees, elegant felines resting on sandstone boulders, and alert predators surveying their domain from lofty perches. Each scene offered a unique glimpse into the lives of these elusive cats that so deeply stir our souls.
Beyond our leopard encounters, we were treated to two remarkable sightings of African Wild Dogs—an endangered species whose vibrant patterning and pack dynamics make them a sought-after wildlife species when they are in the area.
The Call to Return
While this particular journey has concluded, our time with MalaMala is far from over. When a wildlife species and destination touches you so profoundly, the only appropriate response is to return with open arms and an open heart. There is no doubt we’ll be back together, drawn by the magnetic pull of this extraordinary place and its leopard inhabitants.
Some places call to you. MalaMala, with its leopard-dotted landscape, calls with a voice impossible to ignore.
Get to know Penny
I am, and have been a specialist & professional wildlife and ethnic cultures photographer and Tour Leader for 12 years. I have had the thrill and privilege of taking ORYX guests across the globe to photograph an amalgamation of wildlife species and local traditional cultures in various destinations. My passion, expertise and demeanour has led to a reputation that precedes me not only with repeat and new guests and followers of my work, but also within the industry and with my peers.
My mission? To help fellow photographers and enthusiasts capture the raw beauty and connect with the spirit of our natural world, as well as with the rich tapestry of indigenous cultures.
What Sets Me Apart:
- Seasoned photo tour leader with intimate knowledge of prime photography locations worldwide;
- Expertise in both wildlife and cultural photography , offering a unique dual perspective;
- Female leader in a predominately male field, bringing fresh insights and approaches;
- Committed to ethical photography and safari practices that respect wildlife and indigenous communities;
- Strive to create deeper connections with my guests to the subjects and scenes they are photographing.
My Approach:
I don’t just lead tours; I cultivate transformative experiences. My groups are small and personalised, ensuring each guest receives hands-on guidance to elevate their craft. From the snowscapes of Antarctica , to the jungles in Brazil , I help photographers and enthusiasts tell compelling visual stories that matter.
Let’s Connect:
Whether you are an aspiring to professional photographer looking to join a tour, or a wildlife lover looking to delve into the world of photography, I’d love to hear from you.
Let’s explore how we can work together to capture the Earth’s wild beauty, one frame at a time.
Join Penny on a personally curated private photo tour to MalaMala Game Reserve, email ORYX Private Departures [email protected]
Join Penny on her Sabi Sands – The Big 5 Photo Tour, a scheduled small-group photo tour, email ORYX Scheduled Departures [email protected]
Flaviana Olemeshallu
Outstanding Experience