Kian Barker’s tour company ShakaBarker does a number of tours into the iSimangaliso Park, one of his most well-known is the Chameleon Night drive.
The night drive is approximately a 3 hour nocturnal safari, which takes you along the 4×4 tracks in the Eastern Shores Reserve in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park just outside the small tourism hamlet of St. Lucia in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
The advantage of these night drives are that they provide access to nocturnal species that are rarely seen during the day, such as Hippo, Bush Babies, Chameleons, Aardvarks. The ever illusive leopard are also more active after dark, so your chances of this rare sighting are much higher. You may also encounter other nocturnal residents, such as buffalo, spotted eagle, owls, nightjars, kudu, waterbuck, crocodile, side-striped jackal and sometimes even elephant. Chameleons abound on these night trips and the guides are wizards at seeing them at night under the spotlight. The endemic Sitara’s Dwarf Chameleon is a rare treat. The night drive safari is conducted in an open safari vehicle with spotlights and all ShakaBarkers guides are excellent with a deep knowledge of the bush and the animals that live in it.
Once you are all safely ensconced on the game vehicle the guide will give you a brief introduction to the Eastern Shores in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and then they will drive to the Cape Vidal gates where you will enter into the park. In reality the night drive begins before you have even entered the park because sightings of bush babies, buck and hippos to name a few are a regular occurrence in the village on the way to the park to begin your night drive.
On entering the park, and if it’s one of those crystal clear nights, the tour guide will introduce you to the Milky Way, the Southern Hemisphere constellations, and if you’re lucky, you’ll see a shooting star.
The guides are very informative, knowledgeable and are passionate about what they do. Whenever they see an animal they will stop, explain what you are seeing and why, they keep everyone engaged, interested and entertained.
And one of the best parts of the night drive… Half way through the drive, the tour guide will stop somewhere in the park, under the African night skies to give you a deliciously welcome mug of hot chocolate, tea, or coffee, some very traditional South African rusks and you might even get a mint as a treat from the tour guide.
If you would like to make a booking for this highly recommend and very popular safari you can contact ShakaBarker directly:
http://www.shakabarker.co.za
info@shakabarker.co.za
+27 (35) 590 1162
Tourism Tails 