Discover the magic of night drives in the Klaserie

As the sun sinks below the horizon over the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, the bush shifts into a different rhythm. The air cools, and the colours fade from golds and greens into deep blues and inky blacks. Daytime animals settle down, and the wilderness begins to stir in ways that can only be experienced after dark. Night drives here unlock a hidden world - the nocturnal theatre of Africa’s bush, alive with sound, movement and mystery.

When you set out from Baobab Ridge for an afternoon drive, you leave in daylight but return after dark, with the last hour or so of the drive spent experiencing the bush of the Klaserie at night. This is when everything familiar transforms...

The wide-open savannahs and dense thickets of the Klaserie give way to shadows and flickering light. The quiet that settles after sunset is thick with expectation. This is a time when animals that are rarely seen in daylight come alive, when predators roam freely, and when the secrets of the bush reveal themselves only to those who are patient and watchful.

The sounds of the night are markedly different from the day. Birdsong fades into silence, replaced by the persistent chirp of crickets and the haunting calls of owls perched in the trees. Occasionally, the distant roar of a lion cuts through the night, a powerful reminder of the life pulsing through the reserve after dark. The eery wail of a hyena calling to its clan is often heard after dark. These sounds create a rich and sometimes gooseflesh-inducing soundtrack that draws you deeper into the experience.

Predators are often the highlight of any night drive. Leopards, masters of stealth, are notoriously difficult to spot in the daylight. But under the cover of darkness, their eyes catch the beam of the spotlight, glowing like amber jewels. Watching one move through the bush, silent and purposeful, is one of the most thrilling wildlife encounters imaginable. 

Lions also come into their own at night, more vocal and active as they patrol their territory or rest together in small groups. The chance to hear their deep, resonant roars and glimpse them illuminated in the night is a rare and unforgettable experience.

But it’s not just the big cats that make the night special. Smaller nocturnal creatures offer fascinating glimpses into Africa’s nighttime ecology. Civets and genets, with their spotted coats and keen senses, prowl for food. Jackals use the darkness to hunt and scavenge, moving quickly and quietly. Bush babies leap energetically from branch to branch, their large eyes reflecting the light in a way that is almost magical. 

The night sky over the Klaserie is another spectacle entirely. Freed from the light pollution of cities and towns, the stars shine with astonishing clarity. The Milky Way stretches across the sky like a silver river, and familiar constellations blaze brightly. On a clear night, it’s easy to lose yourself in the vastness of the heavens above - a humbling reminder of the scale and mystery of the wilderness both above and below.

Night drives offer an experience that daytime safaris simply can’t match. Many of the animals you’ll encounter only emerge when the sun sets, and their behaviours and interactions are fascinating to observe. The quiet patience required to spot a small predator moving through the undergrowth or to watch a group of lions settling down for the night brings a new depth to your understanding of the bush.

There is also an undeniable thrill in being immersed in the night wilderness, where the familiar sounds and sights of daytime are replaced by something ancient and primal. It’s a chance to experience Africa on its own terms, at a time when it is most alive.

Returning to Baobab Ridge after a night drive, you carry the echoes of the evening with you - the glittering eyes in the darkness, the distant roar of lions, the crackle of dry leaves underfoot, and the vast, star-filled sky overhead. This connection to the wild, felt most keenly in the hours after dark, stays with you long after your safari ends.

For anyone seeking to truly experience the bush, a night drive in the Klaserie delivers. It reveals a hidden side of Africa’s wilderness - one of quiet hunters, secretive creatures, and the endless night sky - making it an unforgettable part of the safari story.