While many associate safari adventures with crisp morning air and golden-hour game drives, the African bush after dark holds its own unique magic.

Some of the most elusive and extraordinary nocturnal animals only stir after sundown and if you’re lucky, your journey back to camp after an afternoon game drive at Leopard Hills may offer a glimpse into this secret world.

Here are the top 5 nocturnal animals you might encounter in the Sabi Sand, along with a bonus species that’s one of the rarest sightings on any African safari.

As the namesake of our lodge and an icon of the Sabi Sand, the leopard epitomises stealth, power, and mystery. Although sightings during the day are common thanks to our expert guides, night is when leopards truly thrive.

Why Night? Leopards favour the cooler hours of night to avoid daytime heat and reduce competition with other predators.

Adaptations: With a muscular build, stealthy gait, and remarkable camouflage, leopards are near-perfect nocturnal hunters.

Spotting Tips: Watch for leopards in dry creek beds, riverine thickets, or silhouetted against the sky in the branches of marula and jackalberry trees.

Leopard Hills guests often enjoy regular sightings of these magnificent cats both near the lodge and during game drives, making our name more than just symbolic.

Often mistaken for a domestic tabby, the African Wild Cat is anything but tame. Small, solitary, and skittish, it’s a treat for any safari-goer to spot one slinking through the undergrowth.

Why Night? These elusive felines hunt small birds and rodents under the cover of darkness, using their acute senses to navigate and capture prey.

Adaptations: Tawny-grey coats with faint striping, a bushy tail with black rings, and long legs for agile movement.

Spotting Tips: Scan open grasslands and woodland clearings near termite mounds or fallen logs; prime hunting grounds for these shy predators.

Seeing one in the wild is a true badge of honour for safari enthusiasts who love ticking off rare nocturnal animals from their list.

Small, wide-eyed, and cute, the bush baby is a pint-sized primate with a powerful presence. You’re more likely to hear one before you see it – its eerie, high-pitched cry gave rise to its unusual name.

Why Night? Bush babies are highly active after dark, using their keen hearing and exceptional night vision to hunt insects and move between trees.

Adaptations: Enormous eyes for low-light vision, sensitive ears, and springy limbs that allow them to leap incredible distances.

Spotting Tips: Keep your eyes and ears tuned in wooded or riverine areas. A glowing pair of eyes caught in the spotlight could be your bush baby moment.

Hearing their calls and catching a glimpse as they leap between branches makes for an unforgettable nighttime safari experience. Guests sometimes see them leap across the road from tree to tree at twilight.

Unusual and endearing, the aardvark is one of Africa’s most peculiar and sought-after nocturnal animals. Solitary and shy, they roam the bush at night in search of their insect prey.

Why Night? Emerging after dusk, aardvarks use their strong claws and sensitive snouts to dig into termite mounds, avoiding the heat and predators of the day.

Adaptations: A pig-like snout, long rabbit-like ears, a kangaroo-esque tail – and powerful digging limbs make this creature truly one of a kind.

Spotting Tips: Look in open savannah or sandy areas with visible termite mounds. You may even find fresh diggings along your game drive route.

Spotting an aardvark is a brag-worthy moment; one of those rare encounters that keeps seasoned travellers coming back for more. Directly translated from Afrikaans, aardvark means ‘earth pig’. What do you think; an apt name?

As the largest rodent in Africa, spotting a porcupine is always an exciting moment on safari. With a body covered in more than 30 000 quills, porcupines are rarely seen, but you always know they’ve been about thanks to the quills they leave lying about. Where there are quills, there is sure to be a burrow nearby!

Why Night? Porcupines are nocturnal foragers, emerging after dark to nibble on roots, bark, and bulbs.

Adaptations: Sharp quills for defense, which they raise and rattle to ward off predators. While they can’t shoot their quills (a common myth), they do shed them easily.

Spotting Tips: Look near dense vegetation along sandy paths or even around the lodge itself – especially in quiet, shrub-covered areas.

Don’t be surprised if your guide slows down suddenly near a rustling bush – it might be a porcupine going about its business.

If there’s one nocturnal animal that sparks true safari envy, it’s the pangolin. This shy, scaly mammal is so rare that even lifelong rangers may only see a handful in their careers.

Why Night? Pangolins use the quiet and cool of night to forage for ants and termites, guided by an exceptional sense of smell.

Adaptations: Armoured in keratin scales, pangolins roll into a ball when threatened – a defense that unfortunately also makes them vulnerable to poaching.

Spotting Tips: Found in quiet, sandy areas with loose soil, often on the outskirts of more active zones in the reserve.

If you’re fortunate enough to see a pangolin during your stay, count it among the rarest and most magical experiences Africa has to offer.

The nocturnal world of the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve is as rich as it is mysterious, and you get to experience it on your way back to the lodge from a late-afternoon game drive with Leopard Hills. Whether it’s the gleam of a leopard’s eyes, the haunting cry of a bush baby, or the quivering quills of a startled porcupine, the bush after dark holds countless stories just waiting to be discovered.

At Leopard Hills, our luxury safari lodge offers you the chance to witness these wonders in style – guided by expert trackers and wrapped in comfort every step of the way.

Browse our accommodation options and book your trip online. Alternatively, get in touch with us at book@leopardhills.com and we’d be happy to help you arrange everything, from check-in to transfers.

Ready to experience Africa’s most elusive nocturnal animals for yourself?