Dusk is falling, we drive with the game drive vehicle through a Private Concession of one of the lodges where we stayed during our journey through Botswana. Our knowledgeable guide is alert, as this is the time of day when there is the greatest chance of action. Suddenly the guide says dogs, dogs…The great thing about a Private Concession is that we can go off-road. Off the beaten track, across the grassy plains of the Okavango Delta, we follow the dog that leads us to the rest of the pack, WOW how many there are. They play and roll through the grass and bushes, camouflaging their scent before they go hunting.
Suddenly the guide says dogs, dogs, dogs!
Let the chase begin
The adrenaline is pumping through our veins, this is what makes travelling in Botswana so special, this is what we came for. The chase can begin, the dogs are on fire. They smell impala in the distance and they go for it. We drive at breakneck speed through the savannah, still following the pack that has started the chase. The wild dogs are too fast for us; as soon as we see them again, a dog runs away with an impala leg in its mouth; the rest of the animal has already been eaten.
We are still driving rapidly through the savannah behind the pack that has started hunting'.
Endangered species
Not much later, some of the dogs make strange high-pitched noises. “Begging” or begging. The dogs that have eaten now regurgitate the impala and divide it among the pack, so the group stays strong. Wild dogs are the most successful hunters, with an 85% chance of success.
Nevertheless, the dogs are a highly endangered species, and it is estimated that there are only about 4000 of them. This is due to their habitat getting smaller because of the ever-increasing demand for agriculture and land consolidation. The dogs also need a lot of prey to stay alive. In the meantime, our adrenaline has subsided and it is almost dark. The dogs have gone into the Mopani forest to scout out their next prey; a pack of 10 needs an average of 4 prey animals a day.
Still, the dogs are a highly endangered species, it is estimated that there are only 4000 left!
Toasting with a sundowner
We drive on a little further and then stop at a breathtakingly beautiful spot, we get out, and our guide turns the bonnet into a nice bar, it’s time to toast with a sundowner, a favourable moment of the day during your safari trip. Meanwhile, we talk with the other guests and the guide about the adventure we just experienced and enjoy an amazing African sunset. We have the time because we are in a Private Concession and don’t have to be back at the lodge before dark. We quietly drink our Gin Tonic and enjoy a snack while a herd of elephants walks by in the distance. This feeling, this adventure is almost indescribable and is exactly what makes travelling in Botswana so special. Cheers!
Do you want to experience such an adventure? Let’s make an informal appointment.
