Black Leopard Photo Tour - September 2025 Highlights

Black Leopard Photo Tour, Laikipia Wilderness Camp, Kenya. Day 1: 14 September 2025 This afternoon we set off on our very first game drive in Laikipia. The drive began with a brief but impressive sighting of a large Male Elephant crossing the river.

As golden hour set in, we were treated to an incredible surprise—a Striped Hyena walking down the road towards us. The light was magical, and witnessing this elusive species in daylight made the moment even more special. Soon after, we heard another Hyena vocalizing and caught a quick glimpse of one moving through the bushes.

Our final sighting came just after nightfall, when we received a call about a Male Leopard (Kisiwa) in the area. We found him on the move, clearly alert and ready to hunt. With Impalas nearby, we switched off all lights and waited in silence. Unfortunately, the impalas spotted him first, and Kisiwa slipped away into the night.

Day 2: 15 September 2025 Our morning began with a striking sighting of a flock of Vulturine Guineafowl, offering some great photographic opportunities. Not long after, we received a call about a young Male Leopard (Kinyo), the son of the male we had seen the day before. When we arrived, he was resting on a beautiful rock. After a short while, he got up and began moving through the area, and we were able to follow him for quite some time, capturing a wonderful variety of images of this young Leopard.

Later, just after our coffee stop, we came across his father, (Kisiwa) — the same male we had seen the previous night. This time, it was daylight, and since his hunt had been unsuccessful the evening before, he was on the move again. As the day grew hotter, he eventually settled in the shade, and we left him to rest. Along the way, we also enjoyed sightings of Reticulated Giraffe, Dik-dik, and ended the drive with a mating pair of Black-backed Jackals.

In the afternoon we headed towards an area known to be home to a female Leopard with two cubs. The bush was dense, though, and despite scanning carefully, we found no sign of them. With the light still strong and the heat lingering, we shifted our focus to photographing Dik-dik and various birds.

As we slowly made our way back into Giza’s territory, we paused to listen for any predator activity—only for a young male Leopard (Kinyo) to suddenly appear right in front of us. He had his eyes on some nearby Impala, but just as quickly changed course, launching into a hunt and successfully catching a Dik-dik. What followed was complete chaos: within moments, several Spotted Hyenas arrived, along with his father (Kisiwa) all intent on stealing the kill. Kinyo managed to hoist it into a tree, but after some tense moments, Kisiwa climbed up himself. A fight broke out, and in the end the older male forced Kinyo to surrender his hard-won meal.

Just seconds after the hyenas and both Leopards disappeared, we received the call everyone dreams of—the elusive female Black Leopard (Giza) had been spotted. We rushed over and found her successfully take down two Dik-diks in quick succession. She settled on the ground to feed, and we observed her for a while before leaving her in peace, careful not to let the spotlight expose her to other predators.

Day 3: 16 September 2025 This morning we began our drive in the area where we had last left the female Black Leopard (Giza) hoping to relocate her. Unfortunately, she didn’t show herself, so we eventually moved on.

Not long after, we encountered a Male Leopard (Kisiwa) casually walking down the road towards us. We spent some time with him as he stalked a herd of Impala, but eventually lost sight of him when he slipped into thick vegetation.

The afternoon started off quietly, with lovely bird sightings, general game, and even a brief glimpse of a Spotted Hyena. As the sun began to set, we received news that Giza had been spotted moving back onto camp property. We waited along the cutline until she appeared, once again looking ready to hunt. After a few failed attempts, she quickly caught a Dik-dik and even made a move for a second one. We positioned ourselves near the spot where she had dropped her kill and were rewarded with a stunning view of her retrieving it before carrying it deeper into the bush. After following her for a short while, we left her in peace as she continued on her way toward the cubs.

Day 4: 17 September 2025 For this drive, our main goal was to try and find the African Wild Dogs that had been spotted across the river the previous evening. We followed the river for some time without any luck, so we turned our attention to the lions. Tracking them through the thick bush was challenging, but we managed to get a few good views.

Later, when we heard the dogs were moving closer to the river, we headed back in the hope they’d come down to drink as the day warmed up. Unfortunately, they stayed out of sight.

Our last sighting of the morning, however, made up for it—a herd of Elephants crossing the river, giving us the chance to capture some beautiful low-angle shots.

The afternoon drive began with fantastic news: the Middle Rock Female Leopard, who we had tried to track two days earlier, had been spotted. To our delight, she was there with her cubs, and even the father of the cubs was nearby. They were all on the move, and one of the cubs showed particular curiosity toward the vehicles, making for an unforgettable encounter.

During this sighting, a spotter reported that the Female Black Leopard (Giza) was once again moving toward the property. We decided to leave the family of leopards and take the chance to see her before the light faded. And luck was on our side—Giza appeared just in time, marking her territory as she moved through the bush. When she spotted some Dik-dik, she made several attempts before successfully catching one right in front of us. She then settled beside a tree to feed, and we left her in peace as night fell.

Day 5: 18 September Our final morning drive in Laikipia was a shortened one. Once more, we tried our luck with the Wild Dogs, hoping they might cross the river, but they chose to hunt on the far side and remained out of reach.

Instead, we enjoyed some lovely bird sightings, watched hippos out of the water, and captured a few photos of Olive Baboons lounging on the rocks—a fitting way to wrap up our time in Kenya. Want to join me here? Go to https://www.capturedbyanique.com/tours to see when I am hosting my next tour here.