Virtual Safaris

As the impact of Covid-19 is felt around the globe, travel plans have been cancelled and safaris to South Africa’s wonderful wildlife areas put on hold. If you’re particularly feeling the pinch of missing out on holiday plans, or simply tired of being stuck indoors – the virtual safari brings the outdoors to you right from the comfort of your couch.

Take a look below at some of our favourite live streamed safaris and nature documentaries to spice up life in lockdown and bring the beauty of bush to you.

Luxury travel company andBeyond and wildlife broadcaster WildEarth have teamed up to share two live-streamed safaris per day. Viewers can follow the action as it unfolds from the comfort of their home – totally free of charge.

On their YouTube Channel and social media platforms, WildEarth live streams two, three-hour long game drives from renowned South African game reserves in the Greater Kruger Area. The drives are hosted by qualified guides and switch between three or four vehicles to bring you the best sightings of the day.

You can view the WildEarth safaris between:
06:00am – 09:00am CAT (sunrise dependent)
15:00pm – 18:30pm CAT (sunset dependent)

Viewers can interact with the guides by asking questions on YouTube or using #wildearth on Twitter.

Adult questions (morning and afternoon drives):
Twitter: Post your question followed by the hashtag #wildearth
Youtube: Ask your question in the chat box on the right-hand side

Children’s questions:
• Afternoon kiddies drive (first 45min of afternoon safaris) – send your questions via email to kidsquestions@wildearth.tv

If a daily live stream might be a bit too much to navigate, a nature documentary might be more your speed and a great way to enjoy the beauty of nature during lockdown. Checkout some of our favourite wildlife and nature documentaries below:

Night on Earth | Netflix

Night on Earth is a mind-bending nature series using the very latest technology to lift the veil of darkness to reveal the hidden lives of the world’s creatures.

Using cameras with extra sensitivity to moonlight as well as a few variations on ones that can track heat – Night on Earth reveals a world previously unseen in most other nature docuseries.

Our Planet & Our Planet – Behind the Scenes | Netflix

Sir David Attenborough narrates this 2019 Netflix hit. Our Planet takes viewers to some of the most beautiful parts of the world and introduces them to the extraordinary wildlife who live there.

If you couldn’t get enough of Our Planet, the behind-the-scenes sequel is an interesting look for viewers interested in seeing inside the life of a wildlife filmmaker.

Seven Worlds, One Planet | BBC Earth

Another David Attenborough classic – Seven Worlds, One Planet is a seven episode series exploring one continent per episode.

Viewers won’t be disappointed by the beautiful visuals or the call to action to protect our wildlife areas that have come to be associated with Attenborough’s work.

Planet Earth II

Planet Earth II is arguably the most awe-inspiring nature documentary ever made. If you haven’t already seen it (it came out in 2017), we’d recommend putting it at the top of your list.

David Attenborough’s commentary only adds to the spell-binding visual imagery. It’s so beautifully made it will undoubtedly move you and it’s arguably better than most of the action movies you’re going to see this year.

If you’d like to enquire about visiting the Sabi Sand Game Reserve in the future, please don’t hesitate to contact our friendly and efficient reservations team via email at book@leopardhills.com or filling in our online enquiry form.

We look forward to helping you plan your safari to the one and only Leopard Hills once the crisis is over.