Beneath the Stars: Embracing the Magic of Safari Nights

Just south of the equator, night and day hold equal sway over the Serengeti. The horizon recaptures the sun around 6pm each day and the park gates are shut, but your safari experience doesn’t disappear with the daylight. Take a moment for yourself and imagine a night on safari with Thomson.

You’ve returned to camp and the hum of the Land Rover is replaced by the decrescendo of roosting birds. Your heart is finally slowing after a day of exhilaration on the plains and you head for a shower in your Nyumba tent. You emerge to catch the dwindling twilight and join your guides and fellow adventurers around the fire.

Gin and tonics in-hand, your group relives the day’s animal encounters but gets interrupted by a booming, low frequency roar you can feel in your stomach. “Lions—about 2 miles,” Mustafa, your guide, points, “…that way.” While it’s wind down time for safari guests, some of Tanzania’s most famous residents are just waking up. Leopards, lions, and hyenas are preparing to hunt zebras and antelopes under the cover of night.

Unfamiliar and wonderful southern hemisphere constellations take shape, presiding over a surprisingly brisk evening. Just before you draw a little closer to the fire, the dinner bell rings and everyone heads into the dining tent for another incredible meal.

After polishing off some familiar western fare – as well as accepting your new taste for mbaazi nazi (pigeon peas in a rich coconut sauce) – the din of dinner drops off and all eyes are on Mustafa. He briefs the group on tomorrow’s adventure.

Wildebeest river crossings are on the agenda and he’s optimistic about your chances of catching one of the world’s most cinematic animal experiences. “And the day after tomorrow,” he continues, “we’ll do a night drive and try to see everyone we’re hearing now.” We can hardly keep our dessert spoons steady in our excitement as we turn to face the dark outside the tent.

Night drive photos below

Nights on safari aren’t a break in the action—they’re your chance to process the day and prepare for the next, all while trying to reign in your anticipation enough to fall asleep. Not to worry, though—there’s no better sleeping conditions than those offered by Thomson’s remote, exclusive camps with the cool, Serengeti breeze whistling through the acacia trees.