There's so much more to a game drive than just sitting in a vehicle.

The words ‘game drive’ will appear on almost every day of a safari itinerary, but have you ever taken the time to consider the nuances of a game drive? It is not just about clambering into your 4x4 in the morning and heading off under the care of your guide - you have options. In this notebook entry we’ll run through the variations, so you’re equipped to really maximise your safari experience.

The classic game drive schedule is the a morning and afternoon activity which, roughly speaking, take place between about 6-10am and 4-7pm, which you can learn more about in this short video, but with a little bit of extra knowledge you can really elevate your vehicle-based experience. 

Small caveat...the experiences detailed below are not available in all locations and will sometimes have to be requested in advance, or require a private vehicle to be booked. We'll help you plan accordingly!

Starting at the beginning (of the day), sunrise drives offer something magical. If you can gloss over the marginally painful wake up call, there is never anything to regret about waking up at 4am and fumbling around in the dark for your warm layers. Jump in the truck, wrap up in a blanket (sometimes with an extra hot water bottle tucked in there too) and you’ll be ready to commence your adventure.

Generally, a sunrise drive doesn’t dawdle as the intention is to get somewhere scenic before the sun creeps over the horizon, but there is every chance you’ll come across crepuscular animals, and any nocturnal stragglers making their way home after an all-night feast – porcupines, scrub hares, and hippo to name a few. Cruising along with the fresh air of an African dawn in your hair is something that too few people get to experience. An hour or so later, sitting on a rock with the sun rising in the distance, that first coffee hits different.

However, there’s no pressure to beat the larks if it really doesn’t appeal. What about an all-day game drive instead? 

Enjoy a leisurely (ish) breakfast at camp, hop into the vehicle and set off for unexplored territory. This is particularly fun to do if you’ve got a few days in one location and fancy venturing further afield to see what else the landscape holds. A sumptuous picnic lunch will have been surreptitiously packed into cooler boxes and the day is yours. Many national parks hold hidden gems; remote hot springs, ancient rock formations and bushman paintings, or different wildlife habitats that require the freedom of a full day to appreciate.

But, you also don’t have to venture that far; take advantage of being out and about for longer, with time spent sitting quietly at a waterhole to see what passes by, or pop into a photographic hide and sit back with a cold drink. An all-day game drive is about slowing the pace and giving you all the time that you need.

Combining a game drive with a nature walk is a third option, and a happy medium for those unsure about being in the bush on foot for longer periods of time. Your guide will drive you to a suitable open area, park up then wander a slow circuit for an hour or so. It’s a fabulous chance to have a leg stretch, and enjoy a safari without any background engine noise.

The last, but not least, variant of a game drive is an after-dark one. Many safari operators will operate their drives until just after sunset, as National Park rules require vehicles to be back in camp not long after darkness has fallen. However some areas, like Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pans for example, allow you to head back out again after dinner, once true darkness has fallen.

For anyone that has been on safari before, there is no sky quite like an African night sky. Many experienced guides are also astronomy gurus so can talk you through the Southern hemisphere constellations with zero light pollution to spoil the view. However, there’s more to a night drive than just the stars, this is when the nocturnal population springs to life and when predators are most active.

The use of spotlights with red light filters aids your guide in finding what can be some of the most exciting sightings of any safari. Down on the Pans, it’s a prime spot for the elusive aardvark and Brown hyena, both of which are best spotted under the cover of darkness.

So, in conclusion, while morning or afternoon drives are both superb ways of safari-ing, when you’re planning your safari keep in mind that there’s often so much more to consider.

It is worth noting that not all variations are available everywhere, but that’s where we come in to help, advise and recommend. We know the spots that can facilitate the most flexibility, or provide the widest choice, so let’s chat!