A South Africa Safari - Kruger: After Dark in the Park.

If your South Africa safari is spent in a luxury lodge in the private Sabi Sands Reserve, adjacent to Kruger National Park - one of the most memorable things you can do is to experience the thrill of a night safari. No safari in South Africa would be complete without this unique opportunity to join the wildlife of the African bush as it goes about its nightly activity.

Night falls

In South Africa, a safari holiday takes on a different guise when the sun goes down, and beneath the cloak of velvet darkness the sounds of the bush are amplified to a startling level. Distant birdcalls that wouldn't even rate a mention during daylight can have you wide-eyed in surprise; and a low throaty grumble from the undergrowth will have your heart racing. During the day, the animals of the park are often sleepy and spend their time lazing under trees sheltering from the scorching heat - but after dark they come alive! The cool of the evening brings a flurry of activity as the animals make their pilgrimage to the water holes, or begin their nighttime feeding rituals.

Before you set off, it is tradition for anyone on a night safari in South Africa to partake in a 'sundowner,' (an aperitif) with your companions. As the light dies and the incredible painted sunset skies of the African bush darken and fade, you can feel the bush closing in; and if you listen closely, you will hear the silence slowly giving way to the sounds of the night.

On the road

A South Africa safari at night is always conducted by trained (and armed) park rangers from the safety of an open topped vehicle. The rangers have an expert knowledge of the animals' predatory nocturnal behavior and will give a running commentary on their hunting habits and who's eating who! The vehicles are fitted with two or three powerful spotlights, and if you're lucky, you'll be given control of one. On the call of the ranger you can swing the spot around and it's possible to suddenly be face to face with a hippo, rhino, zebra, giraffe or even a bewildered baboon!

As you trundle through the park on your night safari in South Africa, the air is filled with the calls and echoes of the myriad species of park animals heading to the waterholes. You may find the road blocked by a herd of wildebeest trooping down to the waters edge, passing you by within inches - a hundred tiny eyes reflecting spookily in the headlights - or you could even encounter the Lion King, stealthily stalking his prey and dusting off his paws for dinner!

The unique, spine-tingling experience of a night drive is not to be missed on your luxury South Africa safari holiday. The sights and sounds of the bush will echo in your senses long after you have left them behind - and a little bit of African magic will always live on in your memory.