Where to do night game drives in Uganda.
Where to go on night game drives in Uganda: Night game drives are an exciting way for visitors to see nocturnal creatures, which come out to life at night, as they explore the savannah plains with spotlight torches. Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Semuliki National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Kibale Forest National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Rwenzori National Park, and Mount Elgon National Park are among the ten national parks in Uganda. Only three of Uganda’s ten national parks—Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park—offer night wildlife drives.
Where in Uganda may I go on nighttime wildlife drives?
Murchison Falls National Park
The largest national park in the northwest of Uganda is called Murchison Falls National Park. The big four mammals—lions, leopards, elephants, and buffaloes—as well as other creatures like giraffes, waterbucks, Jackson’s hartebeest, oribi, and warthogs, primates like chimpanzees, olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, and black and white colobus monkeys, and more than 450 known bird species, including the elusive shoebill stork, are among the many wildlife species found in the national park.
Murchison Falls National Park’s night game drive begins at approximately 6:30 p.m. and is primarily conducted in the park’s northern region. An armed UWA ranger guide will accompany you on the night game drive and help you spot nocturnal species such as lions, leopards, hyenas, civets, genets, night jars, bush infants, and view hippos eating, among others. You will also be carrying spotlight torches. Sport fishing, day game drives, boat cruises to the bottom of the falls and the Nile delta, chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest, bird watching, and guided nature walks are some of the other fascinating activities that visitors can combine with night game drives at Murchison Falls National Park.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
The second-largest national park in Uganda is Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is situated in the western districts of Kasese, Kamwege, Rubirizi, and Rukungiri. Another Ugandan national park that allows visitors to experience the thrilling night wildlife drive is Queen Elizabeth National Park, which allows visitors to explore the savannah plains at night.
Only the Mweya Peninsula is used for night game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park because Kasenyi Plains receives a lot of visitors during the day. The drives begin at 6:30 p.m. and are accompanied by an armed ranger guide and spotlight torches to provide clear views of nocturnal animals such as lions, leopards, serval cats, bush babies, Genal, civet, hyenas, and banded mongoose, among others. Along with other creatures including buffaloes, elephants, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, and warthogs, you can also see hippos feeding during the game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park. In addition to night game drives, Queen Elizabeth National Park provides chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge, bird watching, guided nature walks, lion tracking, boat cruises on Kazinga Channel, and more.
Lake Mburo National Park
The western section of Kiruhura district is home to Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda’s smallest savannah national park. Buffaloes, waterbucks, impalas, zebras, oribi, topi, elands, giraffes, bush bucks, warthogs, and more than 350 bird species, including the ancient shoebill stork, can all be found in Lake Mburo National Park.
With spotlight torches and an armed UWA ranger guide, night game drives in Lake Mburo National Park begin at approximately 7:00 p.m. and will assist you in spotting nocturnal creatures such as leopards, hyenas, bush pigs, white-tailed mongoose, side-stripped jackals, aardvarks, black galagos, honey badgers, porcupines, genet cats, and view hippos, among others. Horseback riding, sport fishing, bird viewing, boat cruising, guided nature walks, and day game drives are just a few of the exciting activities that visitors can partake in while on safari at Lake Mburo National Park.
The price of Uganda’s nighttime game safaris
It costs $30 USD per person for foreign non-residents, $20 USD per person for foreign residents, and 50,000 UGX per person for East African citizens to go on a night game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park in a private vehicle. Only vehicles that have been pre-registered are allowed to go on night game drives, and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) must be used.
It costs 40 USD per person for foreign non-residents, 35 USD per person for foreign residents, and 40,000 UGX per person for East African citizens to go on a night game drive in Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabeth, and Murchison Falls national parks in a Uganda Wildlife Authority vehicle.
The best time to go on a game drive in Uganda at night
While night game drives are possible throughout the year in Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park, the best time to go is during the dry season, which is June, July, August, September, December, January, and February. This is because there is less rainfall in the park during this time, which results in shorter vegetation, which allows you to get a clear view of the nocturnal animals. Game drive tracks will be dry and passable throughout the dry season, making nighttime game hunts simple.
What to bring on a Ugandan nighttime game drive?
Spotlight torches, insect repellent, long-sleeved shirts and pants, a warm sweater, a camera, and additional batteries are some of the things you should bring for your nighttime game drive in Uganda.
