A Different World After Dark
When the sun sets on the African bush, a completely different cast of characters emerges. Nocturnal predators begin their hunts, tiny creatures venture from hiding places, and the sounds of the savanna shift from birdsong to a symphony of insects, frogs, and distant predator calls. Night game drives reveal a side of the bush that day-only visitors never see.
Where Are Night Drives Allowed?
Tanzania's national parks (including the Serengeti and Ngorongoro) do not allow night game drives — all vehicles must exit by 6:30 PM. However, night drives are available in:
- Lake Manyara National Park: One of the few Tanzanian national parks offering night drives, conducted with a park ranger and spotlight. Available by special arrangement.
- Private conservancies and concessions: Areas bordering national parks that operate under different rules. Some luxury lodges near the Serengeti, Tarangire, and other parks offer night drives on their private land.
- Game reserves: Nyerere (Selous) and some other game reserves permit night activities.
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area: Night drives are not available within the crater but some lodges on the outer boundaries offer spotlighting activities.
What You'll See at Night
- Leopard: Predominantly nocturnal, leopards are far more active after dark. Night drives offer your best chance of seeing a leopard on the hunt.
- Aardvark: This bizarre, termite-eating mammal is almost exclusively nocturnal and virtually impossible to see during the day. A night-drive highlight.
- Bush babies (galagos): Tiny, wide-eyed primates with enormous ears. Their haunting calls are a soundtrack of the African night.
- Honey badger: Famously fearless and aggressive, honey badgers forage at night. Spotting one is always a thrill.
- Civet and genet: Cat-like nocturnal predators that hunt small mammals, insects, and fruits.
- Hyenas: While visible during the day, hyenas are most active at night. Their clan interactions, territorial calls, and hunting behavior are fascinating after dark.
- Lions hunting: Lions do most of their serious hunting at night. Witnessing a nocturnal lion hunt is one of the rarest and most exciting safari experiences.
- Owls: Spotted eagle-owls, Verreaux's eagle-owls, and the tiny pearl-spotted owlet are regularly found by their eye-shine in the spotlight.
- Springhare: Kangaroo-like rodents that bounce through the spotlight beam.
The Night Drive Experience
- Duration: Usually 1.5–2 hours, departing around 7:00 PM after dinner or before.
- Equipment: A powerful handheld spotlight (provided) with a red filter that doesn't disturb nocturnal animals. Some vehicles have fixed spotlights.
- Atmosphere: Completely different from day drives. The darkness, the spotlight picking up eye-shine, the unfamiliar sounds — it's exciting and slightly eerie.
- Temperatures: Night temperatures drop significantly. Bring a warm fleece and windproof layer. See our safari clothing guide.
How to Include Night Drives
If night drives are important to you, tell us when requesting your safari quote. We'll select accommodations in areas where night drives are available and build them into your itinerary. Night drives work as an exciting addition to your standard game-drive schedule — offering that extra dimension of the bush that most visitors miss.
