Early mornings and late afternoons are the most productive for finding and photographing wildlife, and it avoids the heat of the mid-afternoon, so that is when we are most active in days on safari. The best wildlife viewing is done from vehicles. Your daily search for wildlife usually involves an early morning start after a quick coffee or tea. It is important to be out early as the wildlife is most active at this time, and so you have the greatest chance of finding them. This is especially true of the large carnivores such as Lion, Leopard and Hyena which are essentially nocturnal.
You will then spend most of the morning hours wildlife viewing. You might return to your lodge or camp for a full breakfast, or you might take a picnic breakfast with you to enjoy in some remote location. Most wildlife then seeks shelter in the shade from the midday heat so we do likewise, resting up through the heat of the afternoon. This is a good time to catch up diaries, reading, writing or simply relaxing. A late afternoon excursion then usually keeps you out until dusk, sometimes with ‘sundowner’ cocktails enjoyed at a viewpoint. Hot showers followed by a glass of chilled wine beside the campfire and a sumptuous dinner mark the end of the days activities.
