Species guide · Rarity
Where to see brown hyena in Africa
Shaggy, secretive and mostly nocturnal, the brown hyena is one of southern Africa's most sought-after sightings. It lives only in the drier west and south of the region, so many classic safari areas will never show you one.
Best regionMakgadikgadi Pans
Best timeApril to October
Suggested stayThree nights or more
The best places to look
Botswana
Makgadikgadi Pans
Vast salt pans and grasslands, with night drives and research-led sightings. Pairs well with habituated meerkats and, in the rains, the zebra migration.
South Africa
Southern Kalahari
Red dunes and wide horizons, with a rare chance of pangolin and aardvark on the same trip.
South Africa
Madikwe
A malaria-free Big Five reserve within reach of Johannesburg, good for families, with wild dog as a bonus.
Namibia
The Namib coast
Brown hyenas forage along the shoreline here, including around seal colonies. A wild and dramatic setting.
Tips from the field
- Choose camps that offer night drives or walks with researchers.
- Stay at least three nights. Brown hyenas are seen far more often over several evenings.
- Combine with other dry-country specialists, such as meerkat, aardvark and black-maned lion.
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