When on Safari, you spend a lot of time out searching for game during the day time. The best times are usually early in the morning when the temperatures are still cool and the animals are active… searching for breakfast. As the weather warms up from late morning to early afternoon time the animals, and maybe you too can enjoy some good siesta time. If siesta is not for you, go out and you will still find animals grazing or ‘lazing around’ – still enjoyable to witness. Of course there are some animals who can not rest – never a dull moment. They will get active again late afternoon when the weather cools down.

With most national parks in Tanzania and Kenya, the parks close around 6:30 pm. It is for everyone’s safety. Conservation areas like Ngaroi and Alamana Wilderness Camp east of Serengeti National Park do not have those restrictions.

Some lodges located within a national park have special permission to offer night game drives. On my last Safari in Tanzania in November 2011, we stayed at beautiful Oliver’s Camp, truly one of my favorite camps in Northern Tanzania. From here on a pouring rainy evening, we embarked on a night game drive.

What a thrill! Covered in our rain coats, armed with a ranger and a brave wind-bearing spotter in our vehicle driven by Alex the camp manager, we drove out looking for animals. We had night vision goggles to aid in our viewing. We saw three male lion brothers who were later heard roaring around the camp, vultures feasting on an elephant carcass, jackals and more. If it was not pouring, we would have had a two-hour ride heading towards the Silale swamp. Ours was cut short because of the rains.

Would I go back? YES please. This is my second time. I had gone in 2007 from Kikoti Camp located outside Tarangire National Park borders.

Night game drives – thrilling!