WILD DOGS OF BOTSWANA JULY 2025
Kwando has some of the best wild dog viewing anywhere.
The Kwando Private Game Reserve in northern Botswana has developed a reputation as being one of the best, if not the best, places to observe wild dogs in southern Africa, perhaps the whole of Africa. The dogs have denned and produced pups within a few kilometres of our camp every year save one for the past 12 seasons and we have planned this safari to tie in with the probable emergence of the new pups from the den, one of the most exciting spectacles in wildlife viewing.
This safari is limited to four persons only and we spend 7 nights between Lagoon camp on the Kwando River, Lebala Camp 2 hours to the south, where the dogs located their den in 2014 & 2015 followed by Little Kwara Camp or Splash Camp, on the eastern edge of the waters of the Okavango Delta. Since 2012 a pack of wild dogs has denned about 45 minutes from Kwara camp! In 2014 we had one den with more than 20 pups, another with 16 puppies, while in 2015 we had a den with 17 dogs and 9 pups in one area and another den with 18 dogs in the other! Having this huge concession area at our disposal, and a choice of four luxurious camps, we are virtually guaranteed great wild dog sightings!
Kwando Lagoon Camp is a classic luxury tented safari camp built on raised wooden decks overlooking a tranquil lagoon off the Kwando River (which becomes the Linyanti River and subsequently the Chobe River on its journey to join the Zambezi near the Botswana border with Zimbabwe at Kasane). In recent years it has become one of my favourite camps in Botswana, both for its excellent game viewing as well as its traditional old safari style – though the camp was rebuilt in early 2011 and is now quite stunning in its new guise! The camp exists for the game viewing and there is none of the pressure of many other camps to return from outings to fit in with the camp kitchen timetable…
The Kwando concession is the most remote in Botswana, situated as it is in the far north-eastern corner of the country bordering on to Namibia’s Caprivi Strip, and Lagoon Camp (below) is undoubtedly one of the most remote and isolated camps in the country too. In the past two years we have revised our itinerary at the last moment to spend time at the nearby Lebala Camp in the same concession in order to be closer to the den site.
This safari is limited to four persons only and we spend 7 nights between Lagoon camp on the Kwando River, Lebala Camp 2 hours to the south, where the dogs located their den in 2014 & 2015 followed by Little Kwara Camp or Splash Camp, on the eastern edge of the waters of the Okavango Delta. Since 2012 a pack of wild dogs has denned about 45 minutes from Kwara camp! In 2014 we had one den with more than 20 pups, another with 16 puppies, while in 2015 we had a den with 17 dogs and 9 pups in one area and another den with 18 dogs in the other! Having this huge concession area at our disposal, and a choice of four luxurious camps, we are virtually guaranteed great wild dog sightings!
Kwando Lagoon Camp is a classic luxury tented safari camp built on raised wooden decks overlooking a tranquil lagoon off the Kwando River (which becomes the Linyanti River and subsequently the Chobe River on its journey to join the Zambezi near the Botswana border with Zimbabwe at Kasane). In recent years it has become one of my favourite camps in Botswana, both for its excellent game viewing as well as its traditional old safari style – though the camp was rebuilt in early 2011 and is now quite stunning in its new guise! The camp exists for the game viewing and there is none of the pressure of many other camps to return from outings to fit in with the camp kitchen timetable…
The Kwando concession is the most remote in Botswana, situated as it is in the far north-eastern corner of the country bordering on to Namibia’s Caprivi Strip, and Lagoon Camp (below) is undoubtedly one of the most remote and isolated camps in the country too. In the past two years we have revised our itinerary at the last moment to spend time at the nearby Lebala Camp in the same concession in order to be closer to the den site.
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 We are likely to see the new season pups.
Apart from its wild dogs – as already mentioned they have denned here every year apart from one over the past 18 years – the region is renowned for its lions and elephants and other big game. Sable and roan antelope also occur here, while Kwando makes a special effort with its night drives, often following predators hunting until late in the night.
From Kwando Lagoon or Lebala we move to the Little Kwara Camp or Splash Camp (Note: We maintain flexibility and may change our routing and duration of camp stays based on where the dogs are denning each year.) Beautifully located on high decking under spectacular jackalberry, sausage and knobthorn trees, this luxury tented camp is situated on the very edge of the permanent waterways of the Okavango Delta. I have chosen this camp to give a complete change from the activities of Kwando Lagoon and while game drives will certainly be an option (and wild dogs, lion, cheetah and leopard all occur here in numbers) we will also be able to undertake boat and mokoro (traditional dug-out canoe) outings. Kwara has easy boat access to the two largest expanses of open water in the Okavango Delta, Gadikwe and Gobega Lagoons, my old stamping grounds when running a safari camp in the Delta back in the 1980s. NOTE: In some years due to a new pack establishing itself in the Kwando Lebala Camp area we altered our itinerary to spend two nights at each of Lagoon and Lebala camps - we have planned to do the same again in future years utilising three camps for 3 nights each to increase our chances of having an active den site at our disposal. This safari is limited to four persons only (five or six if it is a group of family or friends) and will have the sole use of vehicles and boats for the duration of the safari. We have also booked an extra seat on all our internal charter flights to avoid the stress and hassles associated with flying in small aircraft, particularly insofar as excess baggage & camera equipment is concerned. Charter flights in Botswana usually limit passengers to 20 kilograms of baggage each, including camera gear, so we have eliminated this hassle by having an extra seat, thus allowing us an extra 15kg per person of excess baggage! |
Birding on this safari will be excellent too.
Interested guests will be able to enjoy lessons in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop during our rest periods while on safari, so bring your laptop if you want to take advantage of this opportunity.
The safari cost pre-Covid-19 was $12,890 per person sharing and we expect 2025 prices to be similar(to be confirmed) (based upon 4 guests travelling) and does not include the flight from Johannesburg, Cape Town or elsewhere to Botswana as well as all accommodation, meals and drinks at all camps; all activities including drives and boating excursions; medical evacuation insurance with MRI; daily laundry service at both camps; all park fees and government tourism levies and taxes; private charter flights between Maun and the camps and back to Maun. Single supplement is $2430 per single (TBC) and only two singles may be accommodated. Please let us know if you require any accommodation in Johannesburg en route. You should book your own flights to be in Maun by 1pm on the day your safari starts.
We can also assist with add-ons or other safari suggestions for those who wish to extend this safari for a longer time frame. We can recommend the Spots & Stripes safari (see this website) as a perfect complementary option for this trip, or even additional nights within the Okavango Delta or Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Enquire with us when booking for suggestions.
NOTE: The routing of the safari may change from this itinerary, with either Lagoon, Lebala, Splash or Little Kwara camps being the first stop.
The safari cost pre-Covid-19 was $12,890 per person sharing and we expect 2025 prices to be similar(to be confirmed) (based upon 4 guests travelling) and does not include the flight from Johannesburg, Cape Town or elsewhere to Botswana as well as all accommodation, meals and drinks at all camps; all activities including drives and boating excursions; medical evacuation insurance with MRI; daily laundry service at both camps; all park fees and government tourism levies and taxes; private charter flights between Maun and the camps and back to Maun. Single supplement is $2430 per single (TBC) and only two singles may be accommodated. Please let us know if you require any accommodation in Johannesburg en route. You should book your own flights to be in Maun by 1pm on the day your safari starts.
We can also assist with add-ons or other safari suggestions for those who wish to extend this safari for a longer time frame. We can recommend the Spots & Stripes safari (see this website) as a perfect complementary option for this trip, or even additional nights within the Okavango Delta or Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Enquire with us when booking for suggestions.
NOTE: The routing of the safari may change from this itinerary, with either Lagoon, Lebala, Splash or Little Kwara camps being the first stop.
A non-refundable deposit of 30% will be required to confirm your booking within 21 days of making your reservation. The safari starts in Maun, Botswana and you need to book your flights to be there by 1pm on the first day of the safari prior to the flight to the first camp, and ends back in Maun about 1.40pm on the afternoon of the last day of safari. Prices remain subject to increase if there are changes in Govt taxes and park fees, air charter costs and fuel surcharges.
Please Click Here now should you be interested in this safari.
Please Click Here now should you be interested in this safari.
