The Leopard Voyage Podcast: Exploring Africa's Best Destinations

South African cuisine is a unique fusion of many different external cultural influences, from Dutch and French to Indian and Malaysian flavours and techniques.

Marnus Scholly, executive chef at Tswalu joins us to share his insights into traditional South Africa food, his favourite local ingredients and the opening of Klein Jan at Tswalu.

When you first look out over an expanse of fynbos in the Cape Floristic Region, it looks like a uniform expanse of green-grey scrub. You must take a closer look to see the diversity in plant, bird and insect life.

You need to touch, smell and taste the fynbos to truly experience it. Sean Privett, the director for conservation at Grootbos, joins us to explain more about the ecology of the fynbos.

From the abundant marine life found in the cold Atlantic ocean, to the incredible diversity found in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, South Africa’s coastline is unique in many ways.

In this episode, passionate marine biologist, Pavs Pillay, shares stories about the animals that inhabit our ocean, from spectacular whales and sharks to charming penguins and turtles.

Emerging artist, DuduBloom More shares her journey as a young, black, female artist in South Africa. She is known for creating beautiful intricate works using textiles, and other mediums. A recurring theme in her abstract art is mental health.

Dudu’s first international exhibition with Berman Contemporary at 1 fifty-four in London was met with critical acclaim and we look forward to hearing much more about her in years to come.

Les Carlisle, Group Conservation Manager for &Beyond has spent more than four decades working in conservation in Africa. &Beyond’s innovative approach to conservation, with a strong focus on community participation, is often regarded as a blueprint for international ecotourism.

We speak about the plight of Africa’s iconic animals such as the lion, elephant and rhino and what we can do to ensure their survival for future generations.

Jo Buitendach is one of Johannesburg’s best guides. She was recognised as one of “10 of the World’s Top Tour Guides” in The Guardian newspaper in the UK, and also won an award from Vanity Fair Magazine in London for changing people’s mindsets with regards to travel in Johannesburg.

In this episode, she shares her passion for the city and its inhabitants, past and present including our most famous resident, Nelson Mandela.

Scott Ramsay is well known for his beautiful wildlife photography and his passion for Africa’s wild places. In this episode, Scott speaks about some of the remote locations he has travelled to in search of the perfect picture, and the patience you need to have when photographing African wildlife. He also gives us some practical tips for wildlife and landscape photography.

The founder of Singita, Luke Bailes, has said “Excellence is in Africa”. This is certainly true of our wines. In this episode, Ngoni Mtizwa, a sommelier at Singita, joins us to explain why renowned wine critic Neal Martin has said South Africa is producing some of the best wine outside of France. We also explore the exceptional Singita wine experience.

South Africa’s diversity is unlike anywhere else in the world. It is present in our multitude of histories, the sprawling cities and boundless rural villages, and the wide range of ecosystems that have shaped the distinct plants and animals that we find here.

It is home to the Big Five and the equally alluring Little Five. In a single day, you can travel from the arid Namaqualand with its natural flower show to the icy waters of Cape Town with its colonies of penguins, packs of seals and pods of whales. Or great white sharks, for the brave. You can scale the peaks of the snow-capped Drakensberg and soak in the tropically warm waters of Durban within a few hours.

But, in between all these spectacles, one encounters our true heterogeneity, our people. You’ll receive as much warmth filling up at the local petrol station as you will at the nearby international hotel.

Our cultures mix and mesh to offer internationally awarded wines alongside traditional Umqombothi and world-ranked restaurants situated down the road from corner shops famed for their bunny chow.

In this podcast, Diana Granoux, captures the multitude of unique opportunities for the informed visitor. Season 1 features 8 South Africans from a mix of backgrounds and professions.

We’ll gather insights from experts on photography to the oceans, from food and wine to botany and art. These passionate people will share what they love most about South Africa and provide you with a unique perspective on what this destination has to offer.