MAGICAL Night Game Drives in Uganda

Guide to night game drives in Uganda with Superfine Safaris Limited. A visit to Uganda for a vacation rewards visitors with experiences that extend beyond daytime wilderness adventures. Uganda is known for its diverse experiences, including night game drives. Night safaris in Uganda tour destinations introduce visitors to amazing habitats with abundant wildlife to be explored. The game behind the night safaris in Uganda is, you navigate through the wild late in the evening with a powerful spotlight. Here, you get a chance to witness the nocturnal species in their habitats with stunning stars above the skies.

Night game drives on Uganda safaris offer great exposure to nature enthusiasts. During the night game drive, expect to witness a variety of nocturnal species as they become active. They include hippos, leopards, hippos, spotted hyenas, bush babies, and many nightjars. The night safari drives begin as the sun sets, thus offering not only mesmerizing encounters in the wild but also spectacular sunsets.

Why choose Uganda for night game drives

Uganda is the leading destination in East Africa to consider for night safari drives. There are many places to visit to enjoy great sights of the nocturnal species, including the Big cats and many other species. The amazing bit is that you enjoy a close encounter of most predators while they hunt or when feeding. Uganda is ideal for visitors who desire exclusive game-viewing experiences.

When does a night game drive begin?

Night game drives in Uganda offer enriching game encounters in the wild. The ideal time to begin your night safari drive in Uganda is around 7:00 pm or 8:00 pm. The normal day-of-night game drive can run for 1-2 hours and involves exploring the savanna grassland.

Where to go for night game drives in Uganda

Uganda has multiple destinations worth exploring during the night game drives. The leading destinations that guarantee mesmerizing night game viewing experiences include Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, and Kidepo Valley National Park.

Murchison Falls National Park

Night game drive in Murchison Falls National Park presents you an amazing opportunity to explore Uganda’s largest park and its wonders. The 3840 sq. km Murchison Falls National Park is set in the Northwestern part of Uganda and offers the best night game drives. With an experienced guide, expect to set off on a search for diverse nocturnal animals including porcupines, lions, hyenas, leopards, civets, bush babies, hippos, and more.

Murchison Falls National Park is also most popular for unique wildlife species such as Uganda Kobs, buffaloes, elephants, Jackson’s Hartebeests, waterbucks, and birds. The nocturnal species of birds to expect to encounter include pennant-winged nightjar, and Pel’s fishing owls. White-bellied night herons, verreaux’s eagle, long-tailed and more.

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park is among the top places to visit for night game drives in Uganda. This is the second biggest park in Uganda and is set close to the Democratic Republic of Congo. A night game drive in Queen Elizabeth Park takes visitors on a search for nocturnal species such as spotted hyenas, jackals, hippos, leopards, jackals, and others.

 Lake Mburo National Park

Embark on a wildlife tour to explore Lake Mburo National Park and its wonders. Lying in the western part of Uganda, Lake Mburo National Park provides amazing night safari drives. The various nocturnal species to find in Lake Mburo National Park include white-tailed mongooses, spotted hyenas, bush babies, honey badgers, hippos, and many more.

Kidepo Valley National Park

Lying in the Northeastern part of Uganda, Kidepo offers amazing night game drive experiences. Kidepo is set close to the border with South Sudan. The 1442 sq. km Kidepo is home to diverse nocturnal species including spotted hyenas, long-tailed nightjars, African swallow-tailed kite, standard-winged nightjars, owls, jackals, cheetahs, African wild cats, wild dog, and many more.

How you should dress for a night game drive in Uganda

Night game drives require you to dress appropriately. Warm clothes are ideal for cold nights. Visitors are also advised to have sweaters and a rain jacket. Comfortable shoes are also ideal. Other items to consider packing for your night safari drive in Uganda include long-sleeved shirts, long pants, insect repellents, extra camera batteries, bottled drinking water, and snacks.

Safety measures or considerations to take during night game drive

While on a night game drive, observe your park ranger guide’s instructions. Embark on a night game drive with an experienced park ranger guide. Avoid making noise when on a night game drive in any of the destinations in Uganda.

When to visit Uganda for a night game drive

It is possible to plan and book a night game drive tour to Uganda at any time of the year but the dry season offers the best weather conditions. Visitors can opt for long dry season which occurs from June to September or short dry months begin from December to February.

Cost of night game drive

The rates for night game drives vary depending on the destination and also visitor category. Overall, a night game drive can be enjoyed at USD 30 for foreign nonresidents, USD 20 per person for foreign residents, and shs. 30,000 per person for all East African citizens. These rates apply to visitors with private safari cars who intend to have a night game drive. This option also requires you to have UWA guides to take you through the night game drive.

Using UWA vehicles, you can pay USD 40 per person applying to foreign nonresidents, USD 35 for foreign residents, and East African citizens UGX 40,000. Whether on a private night game drive or a UWA-led night safari session, observing the set guidelines is a must for everyone.

What else to do in Uganda

Wildlife tours in Uganda can be combined with other experiences within the night game drive destinations or other places. The ideal additions to your travel plan include boat cruises, bird watching, nature walks, gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, mountaineering, and cultural tours. You may also have an addition of mountain gorilla habituation, chimpanzee habituation, and golden monkey habituation experience.