Where to do night game drives in Uganda; Night game drive is an interesting and extraordinary activity that gives tourists an opportunity to explore the savannah national parks at night in a comfortable safari vehicle with spotlight torches for clear viewing of nocturnal animals which become active at night. Night game drives in Uganda are done in three national parks namely Murchison falls national park, Queen Elizabeth national park and Lake Mburo national park.
Night game drives in Murchison falls national park
Murchison falls National Park is the largest national park located in the northwestern part of Uganda. Night game drives in Murchison falls national park are carried out in the open savannah plains at 7:00pm in a comfortable safari vehicle with spotlight torches and an armed park guide. During the night game drive which takes about 2 to 3 hours’ drive, you will be able to view nocturnal animals like lions, leopards, civet, genets, bush babies, night jar, porcupines, serval cats, jackals, view hippos feeding, enjoy the beautiful and silent landscape under the starts among others.
Night game drives in Queen Elizabeth national park
Queen Elizabeth national park is the second largest national park in Uganda after Murchison falls national park and one of the most visited safari destinations. The national park is located in western part of Uganda and offers the exciting night game drive which is only conducted in Mweya area because Kasenyi plains receive large numbers of visitors during the day. During the night game drive in Queen Elizabeth national park, you will be able to view nocturnal animals like leopards, civet, serval cats, bush babies, genet, lions, banded mongoose, elephants, view hippos grazing among others.
Night game drives in Lake Mburo national park
Lake Mburo national park is one of the smallest national park located in western region along Masaka- Mbarara highway. Lake Mburo national park is another national park in Uganda that offers an interesting night game drive where tourists will be able to explore the savannah plains at night with an armed park guide and spotlight torches for clear viewing of nocturnal animals. During the night game drive in Lake Mburo national park, you will be able to view animals like bush pigs, white tailed mongoose, porcupine, honey badger, black galago, side stripped jackal, aardvark, hippos among others.
Cost of night game drives in Uganda
Night game drives in Murchison falls national park, queen Elizabeth national park and Lake Mburo national park can either be done in a private tour company vehicle or in a Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) vehicle. Night game drives in a Uganda Wildlife Authority vehicle 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. Night game drives in a private vehicle costs 30 USD per person for foreign non residents, 30 USD per person for foreign residents and 30,000 UGX per person for East African citizens. When doing a night game drive in a private vehicle, only pre-registered vehicles will undertake the night game drives and use of UWA guides is mandatory.
Best time to do game drives in Uganda
Night game drives in Murchison falls national park, Queen Elizabeth national park and Lake Mburo national park can be done anytime throughout the year though the best time is during the dry season in the months of June to September and December to February. During the dry season there is less rainfall in the national parks therefore game drive tracks will be dry and passable compared to the dry season when the game tracks are muddy and slippery.
How to book night game drives in Uganda
Night game drives in Uganda can either be booked directly through Uganda Wildlife Authority by contacting the park offices or headquarters in Kampala by telephone or email. You can also book for a game drive through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris by contacting us through email or telephone. Booking through Achieve Global safaris is however the best option to use in that we will not only book for your night game drive but also plan for your entire safari which involves transportation to the national parks, accommodation, meals and advise on other activities you can engage in during the safari.
What to carry on your night game drive safari in Uganda
There are a number of items that you should carry when going for a night game drive in either Murchison falls national park, Queen Elizabeth national park and Lake Mburo national park for example spotlight torches for clear viewing of nocturnal animals, insect repellent to protect you from biting insects like mosquitos, sweater to keep you warm during the night game drive as it sometimes gets too cold, camera and extra batteries to take photos and record videos during the night game drives, wear clothes that blend well with the environment among others.
Night game drive is an exceptional activity in Uganda that can be combined with other activities like gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, day game drives, boat cruise, mountain climbing, bird watching, golden monkey trekking, cultural tours among others. For more information about where to do night game drives in Uganda, you can contact us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website for various safari packages.
