Night Game Drives

Wildlife

Night Game Drives

Discover the Taita Hills Sanctuary after dark on a night game drive. The experience adds a nocturnal dimension to a safari, revealing a different rhythm from daytime wildlife viewing. Availability depends on the sanctuary and the arrangements for your itinerary.

Night Game Drives

Discover the Taita Hills Sanctuary after dark on a night game drive. The experience adds a nocturnal dimension to a safari, revealing a different rhythm from daytime wildlife viewing. Availability depends on the sanctuary and the arrangements for your itinerary.

Night Game Drives

The experience

A night drive turns up a completely different cast: aardvark, porcupine, genet, bushbaby, civet and, with luck, leopard or hyena actively hunting. Spotlights are used carefully and under guide control.

Crucially, night drives are not permitted in Kenya’s national parks and reserves. They run in private conservancies and on private land, which is one of the clearest practical reasons to include a conservancy in a route.

If a night drive matters to you, it needs to shape where you stay rather than being requested on arrival.

What to expect on a Night Game Drives

What to expect

Drives usually leave after dinner or run on from a sundowner. Expect cooler temperatures, so bring a layer. Sightings are unpredictable by nature.

Guides manage spotlight use to limit disturbance, which means some sightings are brief. Whether the drive is included in your rate or charged separately varies by property.

Who it suits

  • Returning safari guests looking for species they have not seen
  • Travellers staying in private conservancies rather than reserves

Where to experience it

The destinations in our catalogue where this runs. Open one for its landscapes, places to stay and the journeys that include it.

Places to stay nearby

Camps, lodges and hotels close enough to make this straightforward to arrange around your other plans.

Basecamp Samburu, Samburu National Reserve
  • Family Rooms
  • Free Parking
  • Kids-Friendly
  • Laundry Services
  • Restaurant
  • Swimming Pool
  • Wifi
  • Wildlife Viewing
Encounter Mara, Mara Naboisho Conservancy
  • 24Hr Front Desk
  • Air Conditioning
  • Bar / Lounge
  • Eco-Friendly
  • Family Rooms
  • Kids-Friendly
  • Restaurant
  • Wildlife Viewing
Maisha Sweetwaters Camp, Ol Pejeta Conservancy
  • Bar / Lounge
  • Conference Facilities
  • Eco-Friendly
  • Family Rooms
  • Fitness Center
  • Kids-Friendly
  • Swimming Pool
  • Wildlife Viewing

Timing and arrangements

Available year round at participating conservancies. Darker nights around a new moon generally improve nocturnal activity and spotlighting.

How long to allow: Evening drive, typically two to three hours

Check the activity, location, season and inclusions against your chosen itinerary. An experience described here is not automatically included in every safari.

Planning a Night Game Drives

Before you book

The details that help you decide whether this belongs in your itinerary.

Is this included in every safari?

No. Check your chosen itinerary and final proposal. Optional activities, separate excursions and local operator arrangements should be confirmed before you book.

Where can I arrange night game drives?

The linked destinations below show the places supported by JohnBow’s existing catalogue for this experience. Tell us which destination and dates you are considering so we can confirm the actual activity, operator and inclusions.

How long should I allow?

Evening drive, typically two to three hours. Check how the activity fits with your accommodation, other excursions and transfers when planning the day.

How do I add it to my itinerary?

Mention this experience in your enquiry, together with your dates, party size and chosen route. We will discuss the relevant programme and make its inclusions clear in the proposal.

Ready to start planning your Safari? Tell us your travel dates, who you are traveling with, and what matters most to you.