Classic Africa

Night Drive Safaris

Night drive safaris are essentially game drives that operate after dark, with the assistance of a very powerful spotlight. The typical procedure is that the afternoon game drive is interrupted for "sundowners" - cocktails to celebrate the spectacular African sunset - after which guests continue on a night drive, arriving back at camp in time for dinner.

As a rule, only camps and lodges that are on private land outside National Parks are able to offer night drives. The primary advantage of night drives is that they provide access to nocturnal species that are rarely seen during the day, such as civets, genets, and aardvarks. In some areas, the large cats (particularly lion and leopard) are more active after dark, and there is a greater probability of seeing them hunt.