10 of the world's best big cat adventures

Leopards in Sri Lanka, cheetahs in Botswana and pumas in Patagonia: there are big cats to be found and admired all around the world. Here are some of the best places to see them.

1. Snow leopards in Ladakh

Notoriously elusive, snow leopards inhabit remote, mountainous parts of central Asia including northwest India. Wildlife specialist Wildwings offers an annual tour to Ladakh near the Tibetan border in February while the animals are roaming the lower, less snowy Himalayan foothills in search of food. Ten days of camping at 12,000ft means this isn’t a trip for the faint-hearted, but two nights in Leh, the regional capital, allows for acclimatisation.

In Search of Snow Leopards from £2,345 for 13 nights full-board, including transfers. Excludes flights. Departs Feb 25 2019 and Feb 24 2020. Wildwings (wildwings.co.uk).

2. Caracals in Namibia

Although its reddish coat lacks the striking markings of more glamorous felines, the caracal has distinctive pointed ears topped with elegant, black tufts. They are largely nocturnal, but a self-drive itinerary with Expert Africa includes four nights of game viewing in Etosha National Park, Namibia, where caracal numbers are high. Highlights include the Namib Desert, the rock engravings of Damaraland and the dramatic landscape of the Erongo Mountains in the Central Highlands.

Caracal Self-Drive Safari from £2,880 for 14 nights, including some meals, car hire and flights. Departs year round. Expert Africa (expertafrica.com).

3. Big cats in Borneo

Deramakot wildlife reserve in Sabah is home to the clouded leopard – so-called because of its blotchy, cloud-shaped markings – and the chestnut-coloured Borneo bay cat. Adventure Alternatives offers a tailor-made tour that includes this reserve (book early as the number of visitors permitted is limited, as is accommodation) and a chance to view orang-utans on the Kinabatangan River. Travel between March and September to avoid the rainy season.

Borneo Wildlife and Orang-utan Tour from £1,895 for nine nights, including most meals and transfers. Excludes flights. Departs year round. Adventure Alternative (adventurealternative.com).

4. Leopards in Sri Lanka

Yala National Park, nearly 400 sq miles of forest and grasslands in the southeastern corner of Sri Lanka, has the highest density of leopards anywhere in the world. Long-haul specialist Kuoni offers an escorted tour that includes two game drives to maximise the chances of spotting these elegant animals. The circular itinerary also takes in the lesser-known Wilpattu National Park and the elephant rehabilitation centre within the Udawalawe National Park.

Sri Lanka Wildlife Tour from £3,027 for 12 nights half-board, including flights and transfers. Departs from January to May, and October to December. Kuoni (kuoni.co.uk).

5. Tigers in India

Bandhavgarh National Park, in India’s large, centrally located state of Madhya Pradesh, has the country’s largest population of these magnificently charismatic big cats. A tailor-made itinerary with Abercrombie & Kent includes this remote region on an adventure that also takes in Pench National Park, another of the country’s foremost tiger ranges. With two more game drives included in the tiger reserve at Kanha National Park, the chances of spotting one run high.

In Search of Tiger, from £3,935 for 10 nights, including some meals, flights and transfers. Departs October to June. Abercrombie & Kent (abercrombiekent.co.uk).

6. Cheetahs in Botswana

It’s never too soon for children to learn about wildlife conservation, and taking them on a safari can be an inspiring way to get the message across. Natural World Safaris offers a tailor-made itinerary aimed at families, with expert guides to explain techniques to track the fastest animal on earth, the cheetah, which inhabits the wide spaces of the Selinda Concession in Botswana. There’s also a visit to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.

Victoria Falls and Okavango Delta Family Safari from £3,045 for seven nights, including most meals and transfers. Excludes flights. Departs May to November. Natural World Safaris (naturalworldsafaris.com).

7. Pumas in Patagonia

Also known as cougars or mountain lions, pumas are solitary hunters and the Torres del Paine National Park, in Patagonia, Chile, is one of the best places to view them. Wildlife Worldwide has a photography-focused itinerary departing in early spring, when females are nursing cubs. A maximum of four guests stay in a comfortable camp in the park, with daily activities dependent on animal sightings and weather conditions.

Puma-tracking in Southern Chile from £4,395 for seven nights, including most meals and transfers. Excludes flights. Departs March 3 and April 9. Wildlife Worldwide (wildlifeworldwide.com). 

8. Lions in Kenya

The location for the BBC’s Big Cat Diary television series following the lives of lion, cheetah and leopard families, the Maasai Mara in Kenya is a top region for big-cat lovers. It’s home to a good number of lion prides, and the best time to visit the region is between July and October to coincide with the wildebeest migration. Avoid April and May, when east Africa’s rainy season can make roads impassable.

Big Cat Maasai Mara and Samburu Safari from £3,725 for seven nights full-board, flights and transfers. Departs year round. Rainbow Tours (rainbowtours.co.uk).

9. Lynx in Andalucia

Spain’s mountainous Sierra Morena and the grassy wetlands of Coto Doñana National Park are home to some of the most endangered cat species. Around 400 Iberian lynxes live in these areas, and wildlife specialist Naturetrek visits both on a popular itinerary that is filling up for this year and 2020. Sightings of the animals, with their flecked coats and pointed ears, aren’t guaranteed, but early-morning starts increase the chances.

Spain – Realm of the Iberian Lynx from £1,195 for five nights full-board, including flights and transfers. Departing October to December 2020. Naturetrek (naturetrek.co.uk). 

10. Jaguars in Brazil

Native to the plains, mountains and rivers of South America, jaguars are classified as threatened – but conservation teams are working to save them. Steppes Travel offers an insight into their efforts with a group trip to the Pantanal wetlands in Brazil, in October (the dry season, with best chance of sightings). With two nights at Caiman Lodge, the group joins the Oncafari jaguar team over a couple of days with 4x4 trips into the southern Pantanal.

Jaguar Conservation Safari in the Pantanal from £4,395 for eight nights full-board, including transfers. Excludes flights. Departs Oct 5. Steppes Travel (steppestravel.com).