Top Lodges for Night Safaris in Africa

One of the most exciting elements of night drives is the chance of seeing cats at their most active. With the exception of cheetah, cats sleep during the day and only start to hunt before the sun comes up, or goes down. You can see a leopard stalking its prey, or the tactics a pride of lion implements to catch a buffalo. This can be tough to see – but often it’s the highlight of any trip.

Night drives also present the opportunity to see nocturnal animals, unique creatures such as genet, civet, bush baby, porcupine, elephant shrew, and the ferocious honey badger. This is just the start of the list – there are many more out there in the shadows, including Africa’s hardest-to-find animals like the aardvark.

And then there are the sounds! Africa by night is full of the calls and cries of animals, and your guide should be able to identify each one. A chorus that tells the story of what’s out there in the dark…

The lodges below have made it onto our Top 10 Night Drives list for a range of reasons, based on the Yellow Zebra team’s combined experience of night driving throughout Africa. Taken into account are the quality of the guiding (specifically at night), the landscapes that these nocturnal creatures inhabit, the equipment used by the camp, and the number of incredible sightings.

With regard to the best camps for night drives, we believe that the South Luangwa yields the best rewards and the stand-out properties are Tena Tena and Mchenja Bush Camp. You want a park that includes thick bush, as this provides protection for the smaller creature. Parks like the Serengeti, with its vast open plains, just can’t compete! Hwange (Zimbabwe) and parks of the Okavango Delta (Botswana) offer equally good experiences as the South Luangwa, with The Hide and Selinda Camp taking the crown, respectively. Check out the full list of top ten below:

1. Kigelia Ruaha, Tanzania

Kigelia Ruaha has recently been taken over by Nomad Tanzania and offers a true experience in one of Tanzania's best parks. Giving intrepid guests an insight into the very different world of the nocturnal creatures such as porcupine, genet, and civet, and of course the much-coveted and rare pangolin.

2. Sanctuary Swala Camp, Tanzania

Located in the south-west of Tarangire National Park, Swala enjoys a remote location away from the crowds. Swala is the most luxurious lodge inside the National Park boundary.

3. Kuro Tarangire, Tanzania

Kuro is a tented nomad camp in the center of Tarangire National Park. The camp provides a great vantage point to observe the local wildlife, as it passes through the park from the hills in the west to the swamps in the east.

4. Tena Tena Camp, Zambia

Tena Tena is located in the Nsefu sector of South Luangwa National Park. It is run by Robin Pope Safaris, one of the park’s most famous operators, and a truly wild camp where big game is regularly spotted on the sandbank in front of camp.

5. Mchenja Bush Camp, Zambia

Mchenja Bush Camp is located in the northern sectors of Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park. It is one of the most luxurious camps in the Valley.

6. Old Mondoro, Zambia

Old Mondoro is located within the Lower Zambezi National Park boundary. It is one of our top three camps in Africa and has won several awards. This little camp, with just four tents, is located in a wonderful area of the park.

7. The Hide Safari Camp, Zimbabwe

It is situated on the south-east border of Hwange National Park, inside a game-rich concession totaling 5 sq. km and two hours by road from Victoria Falls.

8. Wilderness Chitabe, Botswana

Wilderness Chitabe is widely regarded as one of Okavango’s finest game-viewing camps. You’ll set off after sundowners, with the guide’s spotlight illuminating species including civet, genet, porcupine, and the charming pangolin!

9. Selinda Camp, Botswana

Selinda is located within the 320,000-acre Selinda Reserve of the Linyanti region in northern Botswana. Selinda Camp was reopened in 2019 with just three suites and a two-bedroom villa.

10. Tswalu Motse, South Africa

Tswalu Motse sits at the foot of the Korannaberg mountains, looking out across the grasslands of the Kahalari. This is one of the most exclusive and luxurious lodges in South Africa.