Tracking Wild Dogs on Foot in Mana Pools

^{Photo: Bence Máté}

A walking safari in Mana Pools is hands down one of the coolest ways to experience Africa’s wildlife, especially if you’re hoping to see African wild dogs.

Nowhere else in the world is it possible to spend time at eye level with one of the planet’s most endangered carnivores.

Unlike a typical game drive, where you’re safely seated in a safari jeep, here you’re out in the open, fully immersed in the sights, sounds, and even the smells of the bush.

Mana Pools, with its wide-open floodplains, shady forests, and the Zambezi River glistening in the background, is the perfect setting for this kind of adventure.

Wild dogs—also called painted wolves—are one of the park’s biggest highlights. These incredibly smart and social animals are always on the move, hunting in packs with military-like precision.

Tracking them on foot is an adrenaline rush. One minute, you’re following fresh paw prints in the sand; the next, you might hear their high-pitched chatter as they communicate.

If you’re lucky, you’ll catch them mid-hunt or just goofing around, playing with their pups.

Unlike lions and leopards, which are often snoozing during the day, wild dogs are super active, so there’s a good chance you’ll get to see them in action.

Explore more:

• Walking with Wild Dogs in Mana Pools (video)

• Tracking wild dogs in Mana Pools, Zimbabwe (blog)