Night Drives

Many lodges in certain Parks and reserves in Africa - Zambia being the prime example of this - offer the ability to take game drives during and after the sun sets. This special time of day in the bush sees the emergence of numerous nocturnal species and is also prime hunting time for a lot of big cats such as leopard, who tend to spend the day resting in the shade to keep out of the sometimes fierce African sun. In addition, you may catch sightings of civet, genet, porcupine, scrub hare, bush-baby and various mongoose species, along with lions on the move and hunting for food.

A nice element of a night drive in Africa is the 'Sundowner' - an opportunity to stop mid-drive as the sun sets and sip a beer or a gin and tonic from the cool-box - all very civilised!  Night drives are an unmissable part of a African safari - you will never forget being seated in the middle of a group of female lions stalking a herd of buffalo or watching a leopard dragging its latest kill up a tree.