Blog: Game Drives: Dusk or Dawn?

When is it the ideal time to leave the campsite behind and pursue those magical, personal, and elusive Wild African sightings and experiences?

Well, there are no rules I guess, it is a personal and a logistical choice. Factors like location and nearby points of interest, live bush intelligence with respect to current live action in the vicinity, the relentless African heat, the effects of the festivities the night before, driver fatigue and available time all play a role.

From my experience and again this being my own personal preference, the Dawn Drives yield the best returns and take the win. There could be several reasons for this, and some are:

• I would be well rested from the night’s sleep and would be “bright eyed & bushytailed,” full of excitement and anticipation for the adventure that lies ahead for the day as opposed to being tired and flustered after a full day galivanting in the bush under a hot sun.
• Just before or just after sunrise, the African sun has not yet unleashed its fury, so temperatures are still cool and the likelihood of the Nocturnals still being active is good and so is the chance of spotting them feeding on the spoils of the night hunt.
• There would be no rush to get back to camp to escape darkness so any sightings worth spending proper time on or any deviations from the set route are not a problem and in fact, are welcome distractions.
• Dawn is also the time of the day when the rest of the creatures wake up and they too would be full of energy and excitement, so the bush really comes alive with magical sounds and energetic motion.
• And then there is the traditional late morning stop somewhere remote perhaps at a lookout point for a well-deserved and much anticipated brunch – pure magic.

Besides all that, and here is the kicker for me – there is nothing more amazing than being back in the campsite at dusk instead of driving around under the pressure of time and the threat of darkness. Being in camp at the time when the sun is still just above the horizon means there is no need, just yet, to bring out the torches, the head torches, and all the other camping lights. There is no rush to set up camp and no rush to cook as it is still not too dark yet. In fact, it is the time for G&T’s, to light up the campfire and to lazily prep for the braai ahead. This is where the magic of camp life really takes effect, and this is when you will still, from the comfort of your campsite, experience the most amazing sunsets and the sounds of Nocturnals coming alive.

Lastly, finishing your meal early and cleaning up and packing away early allows you to experience the very best of wild camping – to sit around the campfire with your favorite drink in hand, chatting about the day’s sightings, the days ahead and all the normal campfire banter that goes with it while listening to the sounds of the inbound night creatures. Totally organized, relaxed with not much more to do but to absorb every single moment.

So, for me, there is a win-win here – I am more alert and see more sightings on the Dawn run and then, I experience the best wild camping has to offer by being in my campsite at Dusk relaxed, unflustered and zoned-in to what is happening around me just off the fringes of the campsite, where all the LED pollution cannot reach.

Which do you prefer?

Harry Nicolaides

Wannabe Wild Camper