Trust us to find you the rarest animals, the most spectacular wildlife events, the remotest landscapes and deeply meaningful cultural encounters!
This unforgettable 11-day journey through Southern Africa, led by expert guides, will take you to all the best spots to see endangered African wild dogs.
You'll experience Hwange National Park's rich wildlife, the Painted Dog Conservation Centre and visit the majestic Victoria Falls, the continent's adventure capital. Explore the Okavango Delta, on guided walks, game drives, and expect spectacular wildlife viewing. Finally, conclude your adventure in the predator-rich Kwando Game Reserve, where diverse wildlife and the thrill of searching for painted wolves create a truly immersive African safari experience.
The best wild dog areas in Africa - on guided bush walks, game drives, and mokoro
Highlights
Thrilling game drives in search of African wild dogs and other wildlife such as elephants, buffalo, lions and leopards
Seasonal mokoro excursions along various waterways
Day trips into Hwange National Park
Exclusive use of a private safari vehicle in Hwange
Visit Hwange's Painted Dog Conservation Centre
Access to underground hides and treetop platforms for unique wildlife encounters
The iconic Victoria Falls - 'the smoke that thunders'
Explore the largest Concession in Hwange - a 15,000-acre private concession with exclusive retreats, starbed sleepouts, off-roading, night drives, walking safaris, and meaningful conservation impact.
Locations
Hwange National Park is Zimbabwe’s oldest and largest reserve. It blends Kalahari scrub, teak forests, salt pans, and granite hills. Expect prolific wildlife—vast elephant herds, buffalo, lions, cheetahs, and wild dogs, alongside over 400 bird species. Guided walks, horse safaris, and rewarding night drives reveal rarities like aardvark and pangolin. Unique natural seeps, such as Nehimba, sustain wildlife year-round.
Victoria Falls is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s great wonders. It is both awe-inspiring and adventurous. Beyond the thundering curtain of water, enjoy rafting, gorge swings, flights of angels, sunset cruises, and vibrant township life. Crossing into Zambia brings thrilling views from the Knife-edge Bridge and even a daring swim in Devil’s Pool.
The Okavango Delta is one of the planet’s largest inland deltas. This World Heritage Site transforms with seasonal floods into a mosaic of channels, palm islands, and lush floodplains. Game viewing is exceptional, with leopard, lion, wild dog, and elephant encounters. Water safaris and island walks immerse you in this pristine wilderness.
Kwando is a vast, privately managed concession offers an exclusive safari experience. Wild and untamed, it is renowned for predator action - lions, leopards and painted wolves – plus large elephant and buffalo herds roaming across diverse habitats.
Lodges
3 nights at Sable Valley: An intimate lodge with 11 traditional thatched rondavels and a central area with panoramic vistas of the Dete Vlei.
1 night at Batonka Guest lodge: Just 2.1km (1.3 miles) from the Falls, Batonka is nestled within lush gardens, providing a serene retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the town yet conveniently close to all the main attractions.
3 nights at Okavango Origins: This camp offers 4 intimate tents on a secluded channel, guided by Bukakhwe Bushmen. A blend of comfort, cultural heritage, and vital community support.
3 nights at Lebala Camp: The camp is located in the Kwando Reserve’s 232,000 hectares of private unfenced wilderness sits on the floodplains of the Kwando River.
Timing
The dry season, from May to October, is ideal for wildlife viewing in Hwange National Park, the Okavango Delta, Kwando Reserve, and on the Zimbabwean side of Victoria Falls, as shrinking water sources concentrate elephants, lions, and wild dogs, making sightings more frequent. Hwange’s diverse landscapes, Okavango’s seasonal channels, and Kwando’s floodplains and woodlands offer exceptional game-viewing. At Victoria Falls, the dry months reveal the dramatic cliffs and rock formations behind the falls.
The wet season (November to April) transforms the Okavango and Kwando into lush, green landscapes with newborn wildlife and spectacular birdlife, while Victoria Falls swells to its full, thunderous majesty. Cooler temperatures, clear skies, and varying landscapes ensure that safaris in this region are rewarding year-round, offering unforgettable experiences whatever the season.
You can enjoy this safari at any time of year, with careful planning. Our safari experts will help you make the best timing decision.
Price per person sharing
10 nights (11 days) | ||
Low season | Dec to Mar 2026 | from US$ 10,500 |
High season | Jun to Oct 2026 | from US$ 14,385 |
Includes: Flights Johannesburg-Vic Falls- Kasane-Okavango Origins-Lebala-Kasane-Joburg and intercamp transfers, accommodations, meals, park fees and local beverages, Activities include game drives, walks, mokoro (seasonal), birding, and cultural tours. Sable Valley includes private vehicle, Hwange day trips, Painted Wolf Center visit and 24/7 support.
Excludes: International flights, airport departure taxes, visas, excess luggage or body weight fees (100kg+), travel and medical insurance, phone calls, meals and drinks in Victoria Falls (except as noted), optional activities or extensions, personal expenses, and tips
Thank you!
We donate a portion of the revenue from every safari sold to carefully selected conservation projects that make a significant difference at ground level.
“Add on Matopos”
Our destination expert, Nadia Lautenbach, says, “Consider arriving in Bulawayo and adding a Matopos extension. Explore San rock art, track white rhinos on foot, visit historic sites, and stay in a lodge nestled among dramatic granite boulders.”
“Off-the-charts encounters”
Our CEO, Simon Espley, says, "My wild dog encounters at Lebala and Okavango Origins have been off-the-charts! From adults moving tiny pups when lions threaten the den, to impala hunts and watching dogs mob a pangolin in broad daylight before moving on."
“Unique tracking experience”
Ross Exler, Botswana safari expert: "Okavango Origins uses local bushman trackers to find wildlife, so your encounters are often unique and private. Their deep knowledge offers guests intimate, off-the-beaten-path experiences rarely found elsewhere."
Safari planning
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Finding wild dogs + Victoria Falls safari
Tell us about your dream trip - our travel experts will craft a no-obligation itinerary just for you. We have crafted over 5,000 safaris since 1991. Your personal details are protected; we only use this information to contact you.
Why choose us to craft your safari?
Handcrafted experiential safaris since 1991.
Travel in Africa is about knowing when and where to go, and with whom. A few weeks too early/late or a few kilometres off course, and you could miss the greatest show on Earth. And wouldn’t that be a pity?
Trust & Safety
Guest payments go into a third-party TRUST ACCOUNT - protecting them in the unlikely event of a financial setback on our part. Also, we are members of SATSA who attest to our integrity, legal compliance and financial stability.
Make a difference
We donate a portion of the revenue from every safari sold to carefully selected conservation projects that make a significant difference at ground level.
YOUR safari choice does make a difference - thank you!