Info on visiting the Painted Dog Conservation Centre, Hwange

Anyone going to (or via) Hwange National Park should include a visit to the Painted Dog Conservation Centre in their itinerary. It’s an easy stop, and you don’t need to go into the National Park itself – meaning you don’t need to pay Park Entry fees to visit.

The Painted Dog Conservation Centre is located just a few kilometres from the National Park, off the A8 road towards the Main Camp gate.

What are Painted Dogs?

They may not be as famous as lions or elephants, but Painted Dogs (also known as African wild dogs, hunting dogs, or Painted Wolves) are fascinating social animals. And yes, they are wild animals, not like domestic dogs. They hunt their prey in familial packs, like wolves.

They have large “Mickey-mouse”-like ears, and mottled markings on their fur, which is why they look as if the colour has been “painted” on them.

Painted dogs are native to Africa, and are not found in the wild anywhere else on the planet. Fewer than 7,000 painted dogs are left across the entire continent, living in small pockets across a handful of countries, including Zimbabwe.

There are roughly 700 painted dogs in Zimbabwe, and the conservation team works with local humans and wild dogs doing conservation work, education, and outreach programmes. This helps the painted wolves to survive, and hopefully thrive. The animals have historically been poorly understood, with disastrous consequences.

Inside the painted dog visitor & rehabilitation centre

The Painted Dog Conservation Centre, located near Hwange National Park in the teak woodlands, is a successful wildlife rehabilitation centre in Zimbabwe.

The centre focuses on helping both humans and painted dogs, offering high-quality courses that teach conservation, alongside a rehabilitation area for injured or orphaned painted dogs.

Employees are trained from local communities, spreading their knowledge amongst others living on the park’s borders.

During your visit, there are two main sections. The first section is a comprehensive display area, filled with key information about these endangered animals, their habitats, and their Zimbabwean context.

The second section is an in-person visit to the rehabilitation enclosures. Visitors walk along a sandy path to see some of the rescued painted dogs that are being prepared for release back into the wild.

Top tip: Closed shoes and a hat are recommended, as the paths are sandy and sun-drenched.

When we vistied, two of the painted dogs had been rescued after being attacked by lions. Although the animals are kept in fenced enclosures, remember that this is a rehabilitation centre, not a zoo. It offers a wonderful opportunity to see these rare animals up close.

Planning your visit

Location: Turn off the A8 road at Cross Mabale (signposted Main Camp). You will find the Painted Dog Conservation Centre opposite Hwange National Park Airport, in Dete, Zimbabwe. Google Maps location here.
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, 8:00 am–5:00 pm, except the last weekend of every month.
Entry fee: Free admission (visits are donation-based), but visitors are strongly encouraged to leave a cash donation or purchase souvenirs and merchandise to support their rescue, rehabilitation, and anti-poaching work.
Duration: It takes around 2 hours to see the sights at the visitor centre.
It is suitable for all ages.
Why go? It is rare to see painted dogs in the wild, so this is your best opportunity to see them up close.
See www.painteddog.org for more.

I would like to see more signage in the outdoor area, and a paved or boarded pathway to the enclosures in the future – so please encourage more people to visit and donate, to help make that happen!

This post is part of our 20-day Cape Town and Zimbabwe holiday, which we self-booked and self-drove in August 2024. You can read the in-depth article of how we planned the entire 20-day trip here.

You can also read about the time I saw painted wolves in Mana Pools National Park (as seen in a David Attenborough documentary).

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