Nocturnal Safaris In Uganda

The nocturnals are animals characterized to being active at night and sleeping during the day. These animals have special adaptions that allow them to hunt, mate and run away from the heat during the day and their predators during night times.

Nocturnals are viewed at night through the night game drives where visitors watch the different kinds of wild animals including the nocturnals which are seen at night as they come out to look for food, mating than they are seen during the day. Most of these animals come out at night due to fear of the heat during the day, fear of the predators that may eat them.

Night game safaris in Uganda are the most exciting activities in the different National parks as the visitors get to watch the wild animals by use of the torches and other spotlights to view them while in the vehicles. Also, the nocturnals have adaptations that allow them to come out during the dark times like some animals like the wildcats have the kind of eyes that allows them to see properly at night like lions, leopards, cheetahs among others, others like bats use sound to locate where they are going.

There are many nocturnal animals in Uganda including; owls, bushbabies, leopards, cheetah, lions, bats, civet cats, mongoose, Hyenas, bush pigs, antelopes, jackals, foxes, snakes among others which are found in Murchison Falls National park, Queen Elizabeth National park, Kidepo Valley National park, Lake Mburo National park, Kibale National park and Toro Semuliki forest reserve. These nocturnal tours or Night tours are normally guided by the armed game rangers in case of any threats from the wild animals. Nocturnal tours in Uganda are done in different locations including;

Night game drive in Murchison Falls National park

Murchison Falls National park is the largest National park amongst the 10 National parks in Uganda, it offers an adventurous experience of nocturnal viewing in the savannah plains of the northern part of the park. It is situated in northeastern Uganda off Masindi road.

Murchison Falls National park is rich in wildlife with over 76 mammal species including giraffes, elephants, lions, topis, oribi, kobs, waterbucks, buffaloes, hyenas, leopards, antelopes, buffaloes among others, and also the nocturnal animals that come out to hunt.

During the night game drive, you come across the lions, leopards, wild cats, jackals, Uganda kobs, owls, and so on. Night game drives are done starting from 8 pm to around 10 – 11 pm then the visitors return to their lodges to sleep.

Night game drive in Queen Elizabeth National park

Also, Queen Elizabeth National park being the second largest National park located in western Uganda with over 98 mammals, also includes the nocturnal animals which can be most viewed around the Mweya peninsular, Kazinga channel area, and Lake Edward, animals like the lions, leopards, warthogs, bush pigs, bush babies, snakes, pythons, white-tailed mongoose and so on. Queen Elizabeth National park also has the tree climbing lions which is a unique specie of lions which is only seen here and in Lake Manyara National park in Tanzania, making it one of the best Tanzania safari destinations. These lions usually climb the trees due to too much heat on the ground and a lot of tsetse flies that bite them.

Night game drive in Kidepo Valley National park

Kidepo Valley National park located in northern Uganda in the Karamoja region is also a favorite destination for nocturnal tours due to its woodland and savannah grassland that inhabit the wild animals that are more active at night like cheetahs which are only found here not anywhere else, lions, jackals, Uganda kobs, bats, foxes among others that roam Kidepo National park.

These animals spend most of their time sleeping during the day because some of them do not see during the day and others tend to escape the heat during the day. Kidepo N.P is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Africa but only a few make it to this park due to its location and being the farthest park from Entebbe International airport. However, the government of Uganda has improved the road network to all Uganda parks including Kidepo National Park to attract both guided and self-drive safaris in Uganda.

Nocturnal tours in Lake Mburo National park

Lake Mburo National park was the only National park where nocturnal tours were done but later also other National parks and reserves also starting carrying it out. Lake Mburo National park inhabits nocturnal animals including; leopards, warthogs, bush pigs, bush babies, mongoose, hyenas, wild cats which are all spotted at night during the night game drive guided by the armed ranger guides, with the help of torches for clear viewing.

These national parks other than the night game drives, they also offer chances of morning and afternoon game drives where visitors view more of the wild animals in their natural habitats through different trails of the park in their company vehicles and boat trips for memorable game viewing experiences. Lake Mburo National park is the smallest savannah National park in Uganda but with the richest wildlife for both day and night viewing.

Nocturnal tours in Toro Semuliki game reserve

Toro Semuliki is a game reserve in western Uganda close to Semuliki National park and Budongo forest reserve also harbours wild animals such as lions, monkeys, warthogs, bush pigs, buffaloes, hippos including the nocturnals like bush babies, nightjars, mongoose among others which are seen during the night game drive when they come out to look for food.

Night forest walks in Kibale National Park

Night forest walks in Kibale forest National park or nocturnal walks in also involves walking through the forests guided by the rangers not only allows you to view the nature of the forest but also the nocturnals within the forest like amphibians like frogs, reptiles like snakes, different bird species that see move at night like bats, the pottos, owls, bushbabies, civet cats that come out for hunting.

Nocturnal tours in the other National parks is done through night game drives but nocturnal tours in Kibale forest are done through forest walk which rewards chances of unique experiences of walking through the forest to watch what they didn’t watch during the day.

All the night drives in Uganda cost 100 US dollars for foreign nonresidents and normally done from 8 pm to 11 pm, and 100,000 Ugandan shillings for citizens.

What to carry on your nocturnal Tour in Uganda

Carry spot torches and attack spotlights on the vehicles to help you view the animals clearly.

Wear dull clothes that will not destruct wild animals or even get scared and run away from their natural habitats.

Wear a warm sweater, since it is always night time and it is very cold it is advisable to carry a warm sweater.

Carry insect repellant, since at night there are always a lot of mosquitoes and other insects that bite, so it is advisable to wear insect repellant to avoid insect bites.

Cameras for taking as many pictures as you can plus videos for the nocturnals though it may not be so easy since it is always dark.