Is the new perspective of exploring the world of Africa’s nocturnal predators on night game drive. Night game drive is an adventurous activity in Tanzania that is carried out at night in an open safari vehicle with a canvas canopy, spotlight torches for clear viewing, driven by a professional guide, and with the help of an armed park ranger to protect you from any danger.
Tanzania has a number of national parks but night game drives are permitted in selected protected areas such as Lake Manyara national park, Tarangire national park, Mikumi national park, and Ruaha national park. night game drive is one of the exciting activities to engage in on a safari in Tanzania,
Night game drives give the best chance to see the wild animals while in top-notch condition, There is an abundance of elusive animals that are rarely seen during the day, but that are incredibly active at night.
Keep your eyes open, and hopefully, you will be lucky enough to spot shy genets, lithe civet cats and prickly porcupines, aardvarks, mongoose, bush babies, big cats like lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, and others that tend to hide in the bushes and shrubs during the day and hippos which spend their day in the water and get out at night to graze.
Where to go for a night game drive safari
Tarangire Night game drive
Tarangire National Park is located in the northern part of Tanzania just a few hours’ drive from Arusha town. The national park is one of the most visited protected areas in the country due to its abundant wildlife and is one of the national parks that offer the exciting night game drives which are carried out at around 22:00 hours after dinner at the lodge and it’s done in an open safari vehicle with spotlight torches and with the company of an armed park ranger to protect you from any danger.
During the Night Game Drives in Tanzania, you will get an opportunity to enjoy the park’s nightlife with great views of nocturnal animals which become active at night such as honey badgers, wild dogs, serval cats, white-tailed mongoose, lions, leopards, jackal, hyenas, genet cats, bush babies, bat-eared fox, aardvark, caracal, hippos grazing, views of the stars, view other animals like elephants, buffaloes among others resting under the iconic baobab trees. Night game drives in Tarangire national park can be arranged by Tarangire safari lodge and visitors pays $ 80 per person, $59 park entrance fee, and $23.60 ranger fee per group.
Ruaha night game drive
Ruaha national park is the second largest national park located in the center of Tanzania and among the few protected areas offering the night game drive which is carried out at around 22:00 hours after dinner with the company of an armed park ranger who will protect you from any danger and also help you to spot nocturnal animals like leopards, genets, porcupines, civet, giant eagle owl among others.
Night game drive in Ruaha national park costs $50 per adult, $25 per child, and park entrance fees. The national park also offers other activities apart from night game drives such as bird watching, guided nature walks, and game viewing among others.
Lake Manyara night game drive
Lake Manyara is the ideal location for a night game drive because of its many ecosystems. It is said to have 11 different systems; the area is a melting pot for all types of animals and plants – with the lake, the rift valley cliffs, ground water forest, Ngorongoro highlands, and the dry Tarangire system all close by.
Lake Manyara wildlife
Manyara National Park has good reliable water year round and animals here are in prime condition making wildlife viewing even better. The less seen animals are generally active at night and Lake Manyara National Park is full of them! Porcupines, genets, and civet cats are frequent visitors to the forest.
Hippos are nocturnal animals (active by night) and it is highly likely to see many of these beasts grazing on the side of the road. Lake Manyara is well known for a large number of Leopards and although it is not a common occurrence these elusive cats are spotted on a regular basis. Lion sightings are more common and where lions are mostly sleeping in day time at night they are almost always Active
Your drive starts around 20:00 from where you head into the thick ground-water forest of Lake Manyara. From the forest, you head down towards the lake following the Simba River to the hippo pools. You will return back to the forest and finally be back at the park gate around 22:30. We can either leave you at the gate to be collected by your safari driver or we can take you to the Serena Manyara Lodge for collection.
This night safari will give you an entirely different perspective of the park and wildlife. Contact us to incorporate a night drive into your safari or another activity like canoeing, walking, or mountain biking.
Mikumi National park Night game drive
The national park is the fourth largest national park located between the Uluguru Mountains and Lumango range bordered by Selous game reserve in the south. Mikumi national park offers a night game drive activity that is carried out by an armed park ranger and it starts at around 20:00 hours after dinner and up to 23:00 hours.
During the night game drive, you will get an opportunity to view nocturnal animals like lions, leopards, and hyenas among others. Night game drive in Mikumi national park costs $50 per adult, $25 per child, $20 ranger fee, and park entrance fees. Apart from the night game drive, there are other activities that the park offers including a day game drive where you will view various
animals like giraffes, buffaloes, and elephants, guided nature walks, birding where you will view different bird species, and camping among others.
What are the packing lists for the night game drive safari?
Night game drive is an exciting activity in Tanzania that is carried out in a few national parks that as Lake Manyara national park, Tarangire national park, Mikumi national park, and Ruaha National Park.
The night game drive starts at around 20:00 after dinner and takes about two to three hours drive. During the game drive, there are items that visitors should carry including insect repellent to prevent you from biting insects that will be attracted by the spotlight torches, anti-malarial medications like cameras to capture the incredible moments and take great photos, a pair of binoculars to capture far animals, wear cold clothes to protect you from night coldness, neutral clothes among others.
What are the rules and regulations for night game drives?
During the night game drive in Tanzania, there are various rules and regulations to follow such as
- Keeping a low tone while in the park so as not to chase away the animals,
- Not driving too close to the animals because the spotlights can confuse or blind the animals,
- Not littering rubbish in the park, not driving off track, not smoking while in the park
because it may cause some fire.
Night game drive is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that shouldn’t be missed on your Africa safari in Tanzania. You can also engage in other activities such as game viewing, guided nature walk, bird watching, camping among others and for more information you can
Contact Blessing Safaris
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