Night Game Drive in the Serengeti — Overview
The Serengeti After Dark
The Serengeti that most visitors experience ends at sunset when park regulations require all vehicles to return to camp. Night game drives, available through certain properties with special concession rights or in private conservancies adjacent to the park, reveal an entirely different ecosystem — one dominated by nocturnal hunters, secretive small predators, and the sounds of an African night in full activity.
Nocturnal Predators and Hunters
Lions do much of their serious hunting after dark when prey visibility is reduced and temperature allows extended pursuit. Leopards, primarily crepuscular and nocturnal, are far more frequently encountered on night drives than during the day. Hyenas, one of the most successful predators in the ecosystem, are highly active at night as both hunters and scavengers. Serval cats hunt in long grass using their remarkable hearing to locate rodents beneath the surface.
Spotlight Technique and Wildlife Response
Night drives use a handheld spotlight operated by the guide or tracker from the vehicle roof. A red filter is often used to reduce disturbance to sensitive species. Animals are located by their eye-shine reflecting the light — different species produce different colored reflections. The guide identifies the animal before the spotlight is adjusted to reveal its full form.
Other Nocturnal Encounters
Beyond the large predators, night drives regularly encounter African wild cats, porcupines, spring hares, genets, civets, bush babies in the acacia trees, and occasionally the rare aardvark hunting termite mounds. Nightjars rest on the road surface and flush at the vehicle's approach. The diversity of species encountered in a single night drive often surprises guests who believe they have seen everything during daytime hours.
Safari Packages for This Experience
