Sunset and Night Drives

[Richprins]

One isn’t actually permitted to take their own torches on a drive

Oh, ok!



Just as an aside...as mentioned elsewhere:

I was fortunate enough to be part of the very first experimental night drives in Kruger, using the trails bakkie stationed at a certain camp on its spare nights. (End 1980's)

It was great fun, as said, with one spotlight with flex running over the bonnet from the battery!

So sometimes you would be stuck in total darkness as the thing came loose!

Still a brilliant idea, from a very clever fellow!

[Toko]

It's all luck, sometimes you have fellow guests who spot some good stuff, sometimes you loose I don't see how this can be planned.

Ironically I had the best nocturnal sightings (not in Kruger) when the driver operated the spotlight him/herself without guests "helping"

[PJL]

I also didn't realise that your own torches weren't allowed
I had mine with me on our Satara sunset drive and it came in very handy as it is more powerful than the spotlights - even Clive the guide used it a couple of times

I can understand that with a single spotlight it could be very difficult to spot things - particularly when you're not holding it as you don't know what direction it's going to head next. But our sunset drive vehicle had 4 or 5 spotlights spread out over the vehicle, and there was a period of time when Clive was also using one up front.

As for sightings, we were very fortunate that Clive was interested in providing us with the more interesting or less-seen sightings. He explained that was because none of us had flown in to Satara, and so we had seen all the regulars already. The link you sent BC was for someone doing a sunset drive into the park from outside - so there's every possibility that some of the visitors on the vehicle could have been seeing their first zebra/impala etc after travelling in from overseas

As others have said, some of it is down to pure luck. We simply had some brilliant luck on our drive, but Clive also knew the right areas to look for things - he certainly wasn't following a pre-set route

[mposthumus]

Between a sunrise, sunset or night drive, the sunset drive is definitely my favourite You have the best of both worlds it's still fairly light when leaving base camp then for a magnificent sunset before darkness enfolds you Your chances of seeing both carnivore and herbivore is much better, and you can watch all the peeps driving back to camp when you are about to have a ball

Both drives from Skukuza very fruitful, although Lower Sabie was exceptional with a Serval, Feral Cat, Leopard, Civet, Porcupine, Rhino and lots of ellies

Enjoy irrespective of Bush Brat

[Flutterby]

These drives are totally hit and miss...with the guide and the sightings! We did a drive where the guide would not stop for diurnal animals...which I think is right...and if foreign guests are unhappy with that, then they must rather do a daytime drive.

Check out PJL’s TT for what a sunset drive should be about IMO and if one is in the Skukuza/Lower Sabie area or the Satara area one has to be rather slow or very unlucky to not find cats in the winter months (Maybe SANParks guides should join “latest sightings” )

Our Lower Sabie sunset drive was the worst we ever had. There had been lion and leopard sightings all day on the H4-1 and we told our guide this, but he decided he wanted to do the S82 towards Croc Bridge and back again...apart from a ellie and some zebra, we saw nothing!!

[RobertT]

I personally try avoid the spotlights and hope the person working them knows what they are doing. The spots attract all the insects, so the person holding the spot if the vehicle stops they get covered in insects.

[Richprins]

In summer months, Robert!

What was that feral cat, 'possie?

[Bushcraft]

Maybe I should try a few more drives as it seems a mixed bag I have only done 1 sunset drive in Kruger and it was from Lower Sabie. Guess it, also the S82 while the H4-1 was cooking.

For me it’s not about planning a drive, it’s about understanding the basics.

All can find ellies, kudu, hippo, impala, etc, etc themselves during the day in their own cars, so why pay for a sunset drive. Why does the guide then decide to “chat” for 15 minutes about a kudu. I pay for a sunset drive to find nocturnal animals and predators which are more active at night, 1 minute at the kudu was more than enough

Alternatively drives need to be customized for those who know what’s potting and those who don’t have a clue, or maybe I will pay the R1000 per drive for my clan and play roulette with the hope I score Clive

[Lisbeth]

Not my cup of tea It is too dark to see anything apart from a fleeting spotted shadow and red eyes in the darkness.

[Richprins]

Imagine going on a night drive with BC!?

"Stop! What's that! Camera, Now....No, Binocs! Forward a bit! Ag, , it's a rock!"



"What the are you stopping for now!? A zebra! Are you mad! ??? Give me that light, you amateur ! "