How to Spot Wildlife during Game Drives in Kenya? The possibility to watch wildlife in the many parks and game reserves that you visit is the most crucial component of any Kenya Self-Drive safari. It is not easy to detect wildlife on a self-drive safari in Kenya. Most safari parks and game reserves in Kenya are enormous, and if you don’t know what to look for when viewing African wildlife, you might end yourself driving about for hours without seeing any animals. Furthermore, certain animal species are elusive and require specialized knowledge to discover. Here are some ideas that we believe can assist you locate animals during your Kenya Self-Drive Safari.
Tips on how best to spot wildlife during Games Drives in Kenya.
Time/Hour of the Day
The hour of day is most likely the most influential factor in determining animal activity and behaviors. Most animals and birds are most active during dawn and dusk, when there is some light but the sun’s heat is at its minimum.
Although it is usually too hot for much activity in the middle of the day, reptiles are the most apparent, and many creatures may be seen napping in the shade of large trees.
The first fundamental rule of wildlife observation is that great sightings are rare after 10 a.m. and before 4 p.m.
The reason for this is that most national parks in Kenya become extremely hot between midday and late afternoon, leading animals to seek cover in thickets, bushes, and trees, making them more difficult to see.
Most wildlife creatures in Kenyan national parks and game reserves graze freely on open grassland in the early morning and late evening, making them easy to view, and this is the ideal time to see most species.
Hire a Park Ranger/Guide
If you want to see the finest wildlife sightings, hire a professional tour guide who is knowledgeable about wildlife and has a strong network of park guards who can advise you on the best places to go for amazing animal sightings.
A professional safari guide will already have the necessary knowledge to detect most sorts of wildlife and will be able to communicate with their national park guards/rangers to find out where some of the more exotic creatures are on that given day.
A qualified, experienced guide will have already visited the park with others. This means they are more knowledgeable with the region and will know where the best wildlife-watching opportunities are.
Do Game Drives around Lakeshores or waterholes.
Most wildlife species will drink on a regular basis if water is available, so procuring water yourself is a wise decision, particularly during the dry season. Hanging around quietly near watering holes or on sections of river or lake where animals have easy access might improve your chances of observing wildlife. Predators and large herbivores often drink at dawn or dusk, whereas antelopes use water in little amounts throughout the day. Rhinos like late-night drinking sessions lasting until around 10 p.m.
Wildlife Spotting is best done during the dry season.
The ideal time to observe wildlife on a Kenya self-drive safari is during the dry season. With fewer and fewer watering holes available during the dry season, viewing animals becomes easier as large numbers of animals cluster at the few remaining drinking holes, attracting predators hunting for easy prey.
Furthermore, when it’s dry, the grass is generally short and the trees have lost their leaves.
This allows you to locate animals without having to strain to discern shorter wildlife creatures, such as gazelles, from grass. You should bear in mind that the dry season is typically the most popular time to go on a safari, and you may have to pay more in travel expenses to take advantage of the benefits of this season.
Hire a 4×4 Safari Vehicle for your Game Drive.
It is important to understand that the sort of car you select for your Kenya Self-drive safaris will improve your ability to spot wildlife critters. At Laba Africa Expeditions, we always rent out the best 4×4 safari cars in excellent condition with an open roof top for your self-drive safari in Kenya. When embarking on a self-drive safari in Kenya, choose a vehicle with a retractable top that allows you to stand. Standing will give you a better perspective to detect animals that you might have missed if you were sat.
Search in the trees especially for tree climbing lions and the leopard.
Leopards and lions can sometimes be found in treetops. When looking for a certain type of animal, search for the vegetation in which it is most usually found. For example, if you visit the woods and hang around in regions with tall trees, you are more likely to observe a leopard.
Prior knowledge of the animals’ natural vegetation can help, but the majority of your information will come from tour guides who are more familiar with the geography of the park you are visiting.
Pack a pair of Binoculars for your Game Drives.
On a Kenya self-drive safari, you will seldom encounter animals so close to your safari vehicle. Most safari sites do not allow tourists to drive outside of permitted paths, so you will not be able to get a close-up look at the animals. Even if you can’t go too close to animals, a good pair of binoculars can help you discover them from a distance.
If you don’t have binoculars, you may still spot faraway nature species by using a camera with a good zoom lens. You’ll also be able to capture the scene and observe the animals from a distance.
Many wildlife parks do not provide a comprehensive list of species that may be viewed on a self-drive safari in Kenya. Some wildlife creatures will have bigger numbers in certain parks than in others owing to variations in ecosystems and habitats.
This means that if you visit at least two parks during your Kenya self-drive Safari, you will have a higher chance of viewing a diverse range of species. Fortunately, many tour operators include a visit to 2-4 national parks in your itinerary, so you won’t have to plan them yourself. You should inquire about the kind of wildlife you could expect to observe in each park.
Lastly, keep in mind that wildlife viewing on a Kenya self-drive safari is not the same as visiting a zoo. The animals are separated by a vast space and constantly move. This means you’ll need to be patient if you want to see the best animal sightings. Some of the best sightings are difficult to come by, so allow your tour guide plenty of time to locate the creatures before calling it a day.
