Where to do night game drives in Uganda

Where to do night game drives in Uganda, Night game drives in Uganda offer a unique opportunity for travelers to experience savannah national parks after dark, accompanied by an armed park guide for safety and equipped with spotlight lights for optimal visibility of nocturnal wildlife. Uganda is a highly frequented destination in Africa due to its diverse animal species and engaging safari activities.

Uganda has approximately 10 protected areas, and of the 10 national parks, nocturnal wildlife drives are frequently conducted in three: Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park.

Night Game Drive in Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls National Park is the largest protected area in Uganda, situated in the northwestern region of the country. The national park is partitioned into two areas by the River Nile: the northern sector and the southern sector. The nocturnal game drive at Murchison Falls National Park predominantly occurs in the northern sector, as it hosts the greatest diversity of wildlife species. The nocturnal wildlife drive in the park is conducted in specialized safari vehicles equipped with spotlight torches, commencing at approximately 20:00 hours following dinner, accompanied by armed park guards. On the nocturnal game drive, you will encounter impressive sightings of nocturnal fauna such as leopards, hyenas, lions, porcupines, civets, genets, bush babies, and nightjars, as well as observe hippos foraging. Experience the moonlit vistas along the Albertine Nile and observe additional wildlife, including elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, and Jackson’s hartebeest at rest, among others.

Night game drive in Queen Elizabeth national park

Queen Elizabeth National Park is the second largest protected area situated in the western region of Uganda, encompassing the districts of Kasese, Rukungiri, Rubirizi, and Kamwenge. Queen Elizabeth National Park is among the most frequented national parks in Uganda, renowned for its tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector, as well as a diverse array of wildlife including buffaloes, elephants, leopards, waterbucks, bushbucks, Uganda kobs, topi, warthogs, and over 600 bird species. The nocturnal wildlife drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park is exclusively conducted in the Mweya Peninsula, as the Kasenyi Plains attract a significant volume of people during daylight hours. The nocturnal game drive commences at 20:00 hours, utilizing spotlight torches and accompanied by an armed park ranger. The duration of the drive is approximately 2 to 3 hours in a comfortable tour operator vehicle or a Uganda Wildlife Authority vehicle. On the nighttime game drive at Queen Elizabeth National Park, you will get the opportunity to observe nocturnal fauna such as leopards, lions, and hyenas engaged in hunting, as well as civets, bush babies, banded mongooses, serval cats, and Genets. Additionally, you may witness hippos feeding and other animals at rest.

Night game drive in Lake Mburo national park

Lake Mburo National Park is one of the smallest protected areas situated in the western region of Uganda. The national park provides an exhilarating night game drive, allowing you to observe nocturnal animals that are more active at night using spotlight torches. The nocturnal game drive in Lake Mburo National Park commences at approximately 20:00 hours, accompanied by an armed park ranger who will assist in locating nocturnal fauna such as bush pigs, hyenas, black galago, genet cats, aardvarks, porcupines, honey badgers, side-striped jackals, hares, and white-tailed mongooses, among others.

Expense of a nighttime game drive in Uganda

A nocturnal game drive in Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park costs 30 USD per person for foreign non-residents, 30 USD per person for foreign residents, and 30,000 UGX per person when utilizing a private tour company vehicle. Conversely, when employing the Uganda Wildlife Authority, a night game drive in Uganda costs 40 USD per person for foreign non-residents, 40 USD per person for foreign residents, and 40,000 UGX per person for East African citizens. The use of Uganda Wildlife Authority guides is compulsory for night game drives, and only pre-registered cars are permitted to participate in these engaging excursions.

Tourists may reserve nocturnal game drives in Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park directly via the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) or through a reputable tour operator such as Gorilla Trekking in Africa. Utilizing a tour company for booking is the optimal choice, as it encompasses not only the arrangement of your nocturnal game drive but also the comprehensive organization of your entire safari, which includes transportation to and from Queen Elizabeth National Park, accommodation within the park, all meals, and additional activities available during the safari.

What to carry on a night game drive in Uganda

Tourists should bring several goods for an adventurous night game drive, including

Insulated seat cushion to provide warmth during nocturnal game drives, as temperatures tend to be low at night.

Insect repellent to safeguard your skin from biting insects, including mosquitoes.

Camera and supplementary batteries to capture images and record videos of nocturnal creatures foraging or engaging in nighttime hunting.

Tourists are encouraged to wear muted colors during the midnight game drive, as bright colors can disturb the nocturnal animals.

In addition to nocturnal game drives, Uganda provides a variety of engaging activities, including gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park, golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, daytime wildlife viewing, mountain climbing, boat cruises, bird watching, guided nature walks, and sport fishing, among others.

For additional information regarding night game drives in Uganda, please contact Gorilla Trekking in Africa or visit our website for a range of packages.