Wild dogs or African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) are one of the most interesting and unreachable animals in Africa. They are also very socially organized and cooperatively hunt and also known to be extremely enduring, which makes these highly endangered predators an attraction to both wildlife enthusiasts and safari-goers. Wild dogs are also known to be good hunters, but they are easier to see than their bigger counterparts, such as lions and leopards, because they like wild areas where they are not disturbed.
When you are interested in seeing these amazing animals in the wild place, you should know where to go. There are some of the Best Places To See Wild Dog on Safari that have a better opportunity of seeing these rare animals, either in remote African bush or more conveniently found reserves. These are best places to chase wild dogs whether in the expansive savannas of Botswana or the wilderness of Zimbabwe. Today, we are going to share the Best Places To See Wild Dog on Safari where you can follow them in their wild environment, as well as have the wild Africa to enjoy.
1. Okavango Delta, Botswana
Okavango Delta in Botswana is perhaps among the Best Pleaces to see Wild Dog in Safari. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, which has attracted a lot of biodiversity and wilderness due to its inland uniqueness as a delta. Okavango Delta offers a wide range of habitat, including wet rivers and grassland as well as forests thus making it a very good place where wild dog can flourish. The wild animals in Botswana are also very healthy and stable population of wild dogs that have given the safari-goers the opportunity to see them very often.
The Okavango Delta visitors get to go through various safari activities, such as conventional game drives, walking safari and even a mokoro (dugout canoe). These various ways of transportation enable you to visit different parts of the delta and have more opportunities of wild dogs. The dogs tend to be in 2 to 20 groups and are very sociable and this act is a lot of highlights to many visitors. The highest season to see wild dogs is during the dry months (May to October) when the game is concentrated at water points, and wild dogs are livelier when hunting.
2. Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe.
Another outstanding site that tourists who want to see the wild dogs should visit is Mana Pools National Park found along the river Zambezi in Zimbabwe. Mana pools is a world heritage site and nowadays, it is characterized by its amazing biodiversity and wilderness of the first order. The park has a number of fauna, which includes elephants, lions, and the ubiquitous wild dogs, among others.
The number of wild dogs in the Mana Pools area is quite static and the thick forests of the park coupled with the open flood plains presented a perfect habitat to the wild animals to hunt and rear their pups. Mana Pools is also known especially because of walking safari whereby visitors try to track the wild dogs walking around and have a close view of the type of interaction the wild animals undergo. The animals are commonly found in the southern regions of the park where impala, kudu and waterbuck are very common. Wild dogs are best suited to see during dry season, which is the period in a year that spans between June and October, and which makes the animals more concentrated around waterholes.
3. South Luangwa National Park, Zambia.
The South Luangwa National Park of Zambia is considered as the one of the Best Places To See Wild Dog on Safari, especially when someone wants to experience a less-trodden safari. South Luangwa- South Luangwa, which is situated in eastern section of the country is a remote and untouched wilderness, as well as having high number of predators. The wild dogs are in the right place in the park because it has diverse landscapes that consist of riverine forests, floodplains, and mopane woodlands.
South Luangwa boasts of one of the biggest and most prosperous populations of the wild dogs in Africa, whereby the packs of these animals can be seen frequently resting or hunting in the expansive savannas of the park. Another famous thing in this park is its walking safari where visitors get the rare chance to follow the wild dogs using their feet and get to know more about their hunting habits and social organization. South Luangwa is described as having a high density of wildlife in it meaning that it is a good destination to predator lovers. Wild dog sightings are best seen during the dry season during the period between May and October.
4. Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe.
Another great place to see the wild dogs in places of worship is Hwange National Park which is situated in western Zimbabwe. Hwange is the biggest national park in Zimbabwe that occupies more than 14,000 square kilometers of varied ecologies such as grasslands, forests, and savannahs. It is the park that has big packs of the elephants, still there exist well populated wild dogs that search far away corners of the park in pursuit of their prey.
The Hwange wildlife population consists of a steady population of the wild dogs and the size of the park gives the elusive predators ample space to live. The wild dogs can be observed in the southeastern part of the park more specifically towards the waterholes where the prey animals congregate during the dry season. One of the activities available to those who visit Hwange is the game drive, walking safari and even night drive where they have the chances of meeting wild dogs. Peak seasons for wild dog viewing are in the dry seasons between June and October when the wildlife gathers near the waterholes, and the predators would be more active.
5. Tanzania Selous Game Reserve.
One of the most isolated and least visited wildlife reserves in Africa is Selous Game Reserve (changed to the Nyerere National Park) in southern Tanzania. Selous is the largest game reserve in Africa and covers an area of over 50 000 square kilometers i.e. provides a wild game safarical experience. The park is carrying a variety of wildlife and there is a large population of African wild dogs in the park.
The wild dogs in Selous are rather balanced in number and are frequently seen in the open savannah and thick wood lands in the park. The various topographies of the park such as riverine and miombo woodlands form ideal hunting conditions of the wild dogs as they operate in groups. Tourists visiting Selous have an opportunity to go on a game drive, boat Safari, and walking safari so that they have high chances of encountering wild dogs. They are most likely to be encountered during the dry season which lasts between June and October where it is common to see animals congregating around water sources.
6. Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana.
The Moremi Game reserve is yet another of the Best places To See Wild Dog on Safari in the Okavango Delta. Moremi is a reserve in the eastern section of the delta and it is known to contain many predators such as wild dogs. The reserve has so many habitats including floodplains and lagoons, forests and dry savannahs which are the optimal areas where wild dogs hunt and rear their pups.
Wild dogs are commonly found in the north and central areas of Moremi especially during the dry season when the games are more compacted. Wildlife in the reserve is also dense and it is not unusual to see wild dogs hunting in the plain open country or lying in the shade of acacia trees. Tourists are offered game drives or mokoro safari to the reserve so that they can explore and boost their probability to see the elusive predators. The most appropriate months to visit to see wild dogs are May to October.
7. Kafue National Park, Zambia
Other places that can be seen with wild dog on safari in the Best Places to See Wild Dog are Kafue National Park which is found in western Zambia. Kafue being one of the biggest national parks in Africa with an area of 22,400 square kilometers, is a diverse habitat with wetlands, woodlands, and savannahs. Wild dogs have a stable population in the park and have been seen on an increasing basis because of its conservation efforts.
Kafue being a remote place implies that visitors will be able to have an exclusive and natural safari experience, with less crowds relative to other areas that are more popular. The density of the wildlife at the park is high and the wild dogs are frequently found in the more remote part of the park including the Busanga Plains in the north. Wild dogs are best seen in Kafue during the dry season which runs between May and October.
8. Chobe National Park, Botswana.
Another terrific choice of wild dog spots is Chobe National Park in northern Botswana. Chobe, a prime field of lions, leopards and wild dogs, is renowned with its big stocks of elephants and outstanding wildlife. Cultivated owing to the park, this diverse terrain bordering rivers, floodplain, woodlands offer perfect shelter to the wild dogs.
The Savuti Channel and the Linyanti Swamps are the ideal regions to see the wild dogs in Chobe, where impala, kudu, and springbok are found in large numbers. Game drives through these regions usually give a chance to observe wild dogs feeding or playing with their pack. Ideally, the wild dogs are best viewed between May and October which is the dry season and the animals tend to be more concentrated around the waterholes.
9. Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa.
Among the Best Places To See Wild Dog on Safari in Southern Africa, there is Addo Elephant National Park, which is situated in Egypt, the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Despite the fact that the park is better known due to its population of elephants, Addo is also inhabited by a small yet flourishing population of wild dogs and thus is a good place to visit to observe these elusive predators in their action.
The park has a variety of landscapes that include dense thickets, grasslands and woodlands and all the landscapes give the wild dogs good cover as they hunt within a pack. Addo wildlife favors wild dog sighting more during the dry months of the year, between May and September, when the animals will congregate around waterholes, and the predators will be more active. Tourists will have the opportunity to have self-drive safaris or guided tours in the park so that they stand a better chance of seeing wild dogs.
10. Ruinsori Mountains, Uganda
The Rwenzori Mountains of Uganda are more popular with the gorilla trekking but also offer a chance to view wild dogs and wild dogs are mostly found in the foothills and savannahs around the mountain range. The number of the wild dog here is comparatively low however the number of wild dogs has been increasing as a result of conservation efforts and increasing awareness on their plight.
Rwenzori area provides a special experience of following wild dogs in a beautiful secluded scenery. Safari in the region also offers the opportunity to see the other animals like elephants, buffalo and antelope. The dry season is the most effective in terms of seeing the wild dogs because the wildlife is more active at that time.
Conclusion
Visiting the wetlands of the Okavango Delta, wild dogs in the South Luangwa in Zambia, or into the remote Selous Game Reserve in Zimbabwe, all these are the best places to see wild dog on safari. Wild dogs are really magnificent animals that possess incredible hunting skills, pack nature and social characteristics. Visiting these areas does not only give an opportunity to have these amazing creatures in close sight, but helps in the continued efforts of preserving them and their ecosystem.
By visiting one of these wildest safari spots, you will be in better chances of finding wild dogs in the wild and you would have the excitement of seeing them in action as they hunt, socialize and communicate with their pack mates. These parks and reserves present memorable animal sightings and the feel of helping in the conservation of one of the most threatened predators in Africa whether you are the first time visitor to the Safari or an experienced traveller.
