Best Five Places to See the African Wild Dog on Safari

This is one of the best parks in Africa for offering a range of activities and an authentic experience. Game viewing is exceptional, with an impressive concentration of elephant and buffalo during the dry season, as well as all of the big cats. Wild dog are regularly seen – and if guests are lucky, they can witness them on foot. The stand-out camps here, for witnessing wild dog, are Stretch Ferreira Safaris Camp and Vundu Camp.

Nyerere (formerly Selous) is one of Tanzania’s most beautiful parks, with activities focussed on the Rufiji River or the surrounding lakes. It is one of my favorite parks – and combining it with its neighbouring park, Ruaha, makes for an exceptional trip. It is reported that Nyerere boasts the highest African wild dog population numbers in Africa. My favorite value accommodation here is Lake Manze Tented Camp, a fantastic little camp. If you are looking for a classic camp then you cannot go wrong with Siwandu Camp, with Sand Rivers or Beho Beho being your premier options.

This is a huge private reserve, covering 2,300 sq. km and attracting big densities of game. It’s a classic dry reserve – game viewing peaks from June through to October, with frequent sightings of wild dog in their natural habitat as they often den in the area. There are two properties in this reserve, Lagoon Camp and Lebala Camp. These two premier camps offer an intimate experience and are among our favorite camps in Botswana.

It is not very common to see wild dog in Northern Tanzania, but there’s one camp worth talking about and that is Alex Walker’s, located in the far south of the Serengeti. From December through to the end of March, it’s an incredible camp away from the crowds – and our clients often see wild dog in the area. The camp is pretty special, offering something a little different from the norm. A stay here includes extremely good walking safaris, authentic Maasai experiences and the Great Migration with no people present!

Located in a similar area to the Kwando Linyanti, this reserve covers 1,250 sq. km and contains just three high-quality camps. These are Wilderness Savuti Camp, Wilderness DumaTau, and Wilderness King’s Pool, all premium camps and among some of the best in the country. A lot of people who know Africa will recommend this area as the best place to see wild dog!

• The African wild dogs are endangered animals in Africa. Many people design their trips to give them the best chance of seeing the endangered African wild dog species. In terms of population statistics, it has been reported that there are only around seven thousand wild dogs left in the wild.
• As for their characteristics, African wild dogs have developed such a fan base is due to their highly sociable nature. The pack size of African Wild Dogs is large, with separate dominance hierarchies for males and females. The bonds they develop in their pack are stronger than in other groups of carnivores.
• They are very active, whether they are play fighting, on the hunt or just relaxing.
• It’s also worth mentioning the wild dog hunting strategy in a little more detail. African wild dogs are often referred to as the African hunting dog. Many people want to see a leopard, cheetah, or lion hunt, but the wild dog hunting technique is the most impressive and gruesome. A lot of people regret watching! The dogs can clock up to 65kmph for 10 to 60 minutes whilst chasing their prey. However, the typical chase only goes as far as 2km, during which their prey is bitten on the legs, belly, and anus until it stops running. It is then shredded apart whilst still alive!