Night Game Drive in the Serengeti

When the sun sets over the Serengeti, a completely different cast of characters takes the stage. Our night game drives offer a rare opportunity to explore the bush after dark and encounter the nocturnal species that are seldom seen during daylight hours. Departing camp shortly after dinner, you will spend approximately two hours driving through the surrounding bush with a handheld spotlight operated by your guide.

The spotlight reveals a hidden world. Aardvarks emerge from their burrows to raid termite mounds with their long, sticky tongues. African wild cats — the ancestor of the domestic cat — hunt mice in the short grass with a stealth and precision that is mesmerising to observe. Bat-eared foxes use their enormous ears to detect beetle larvae underground, and spring hares bounce through the beam of light like miniature kangaroos. The Serengeti's nocturnal predators include the elusive serval cat, the powerful African civet, and the white-tailed mongoose.

But the real stars of the night are the big predators. Lions are primarily nocturnal hunters, and encountering a pride on the move under the cover of darkness — eyes glowing in the spotlight, muscles tensed, every sense locked onto prey — is a profoundly thrilling experience. Spotted hyenas are at their most active and vocal at night, their whooping calls echoing across the plains as clans communicate over vast distances. Leopards, too, favour the darkness for hunting, and a night drive significantly increases your chances of a sighting. The experience concludes with a return to camp under a sky ablaze with stars — the Serengeti is one of the darkest places in East Africa, and the Milky Way is visible with a vividness that takes your breath away.