10 Best Places To See Wild Dog on Safari

By Patrick Brakspear

It’s not easy to see wild dogs on safari. The African wild dog (or painted dog) needs extensive areas in which to roam. This, combined with its susceptibility to a range of diseases, including canine distemper and rabies (transmitted by domestic dogs), means it is found only in a limited number of safari destinations.

It is only during the denning season (May to September in southern Africa but earlier in East Africa) that wild dogs are forced to remain in one area for any length of time. We must emphasize that in none of the locations listed below, are wild dogs a guaranteed sighting. These are very unpredictable predators that can move vast distances at a moment’s notice (and for no apparent reason). As a result, wild dog sightings are rather special occurrences. Below are the top ten places where you will likely spot one (or more).

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1. Nyerere (Selous) NP & Ruaha NP (Tanzania)

Alert wild dog in Ruaha National Park, Tanzania

Both Nyerere and Ruaha National Parks have for many years been excellent venues for die-hard wild dog fans and offer excellent sightings on a regular basis.

193 Nyerere (Selous) Safaris 63 Ruaha Safaris

2. Northern Botswana Concessions & Okavango Delta

Wild dogs on the water's edge in Savuti, Botswana

This extensive region of northern Botswana, which includes the Okavango Delta, Savuti and Linyanti, Kwando and Selinda concessions, has one of the most significant populations of wild dog on the continent and offers excellent sightings. The concessions of Chitabe and Qorokwe are also gaining a reputation for wild dog sightings.

244 Northern Botswana Safaris

3. Hwange NP (Zimbabwe)

African wild dogs near Hwange National Park

Hwange National Park is Zimbabwe’s largest national park and ideal habitat for wild dogs. It’s a great park to see wild dog on safari. This is also the home of the long-running Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) project, which aims to protect, rehabilitate and reintroduce wild dog packs into the wild. Its Interpretive Hall and Walkway not far outside the gate near Main Camp is interesting and well worth a visit.

82 Hwange Safaris

4. Luangwa Valley (Zambia)

Three wild dogs at South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

This has long been a reliable region for wild dogs, with regular sightings in South Luangwa National Park. The wild dog population in North Luangwa National Park is also recovering after years of persecution and disease.

65 Luangwa Valley Safaris

5. Madikwe GR (South Africa)

Wild dog at Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa

The land where Madikwe Game Reserve now stands was used for farming. The poor soil meant that farming was mostly unsuccessful and the South African government then decided that it would best be used as a national park to help economically uplift this disadvantaged area.

Madikwe is malaria-free, home to the Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino) and caters well for families. Wild dogs were introduced into the park in 1994 and have subsequently thrived, despite many challenges. Since Madikwe is a fenced reserve, the wild dog packs are not able to leave it, and sightings are regular.

44 Madikwe Safaris

6. Mana Pools NP (Zimbabwe) & Lower Zambezi NP (Zambia)

A pack of wild dogs playing in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe

These two parks lie on opposite sides of the Zambezi downriver of Kariba Dam. Every year wild dogs den in and around Mana Pools National Park and provide visitors with regular and exciting sightings through the safari season (May through November). After several years’ absence, wild dogs are also now regularly seen in Lower Zambezi National Park, which lies within the range of several large packs.

22 Mana Pools Safaris 38 Lower Zambezi Safaris

7. Laikipia (Kenya)

African wild dog, Laikipia, Kenya

This is the only region in Kenya where wild dogs have been seen regularly in recent times, and where packs have denned consistently.

181 Laikipia Safaris

8. Greater Kruger (South Africa)

Wild dogs playing in Kruger National Park, South Africa

Although never a regular sighting within the Kruger National Park itself, or in any one of the private game reserves surrounding the park, wild dogs are nevertheless widespread in the region.

603 Kruger Safaris

9. Liuwa Plain NP (Zambia)

Wild dogs at Liuwa Plain National Park, Zambia

In far western Zambia, Liuwa Plain National Park offers vast open grassland and a good supply of prey species for wild dog, which were reintroduced here in 2021.

Liuwa Plain Safaris

10. Hluhluwe-iMfolozi GR (South Africa)

Wild dog in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve, South Africa

A small reintroduced population of wild dogs can be found in KwaZulu-Natal’s Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve, one of the lesser known of South Africa’s parks. It's a real gem of a location that is worth adding to any planned safari trip to this region.

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Safaris

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By Patrick Brakspear

Patrick has been an Africa travel specialist, based in Australia, for over 10 years and prior to that was a safari operator in Mana Pools in Zimbabwe.