Night Safari in Australia is a thrilling way to explore the wildlife and dense forests of the region. During the night safari, visitors come across an array of not only nocturnal animals but also regional animals such as kangaroos, koalas, and even glowworms. This experience during the dark introduces things you would never experience during the day. These night tours promise a unique experience and offer insights into the rich biodiversity of the landscapes in Australia. It also adds a sense of mystery to the entire journey.
The Best Places For A Night Safari In Australia
Here is a list of the best places to experience night safari in Australia perfect for nature and adventure enthusiasts!
1. Taronga Zoo Night Safari, Sydney
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Sydney’s Taronga Zoo allows visitors to get closer to animals on the night safari tour. Apart from night safaris, this zoo offers twilight safaris too. This VIP tour will let you visit the zoo during the night, where koalas, possums, and platypus will also be at work. Accompanied by experienced spotters, the visit offers poignant observations into Australian nocturnal animals. As an added incentive, the ship also offers incredible nighttime viewing of Sydney Harbor. The twilight and night safari is available from Monday to Thursday and Friday on special and prior requests. This place promises an unforgettable overnight experience.
Major Attractions: Koalas, platypus, Sydney Harbor views
Ideal Duration: 2 hours
Nearest Airport: Sydney Airport
Location: Mosman, Sydney
Timings: 7:30 PM – 10 PM
2. Nocturnal Wildlife Tour, Kangaroo Island
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A special and popular tour is the Nocturnal Wildlife Tour at Kangaroo Island. This night safari allows tourists to spot the prolific wildlife of Kangaroo Island at night. Hire experienced tour agents that take you around regions that have kangaroos, echidnas, and wallabies. Kangaroo Island is a 155-kilometre-long island whose nocturnal wildlife is eye-catching. If time permits, visitors can also head over to the Kingscote coastline for the chance to see the adorable wild Little Penguins. Friendly sights and a great variety of fauna & flora make our tour suitable for people of all ages and orientations.
Major Attractions: Kangaroos, wallabies, and Echidnas
Best Time To Visit: October to March
Ideal Duration: 3 hours
Nearest Airport: Kingscote Airport
Location: Kangaroo Island
Timings: 7 PM – 10 PM
3. Alice Springs Desert Park Nocturnal Tour
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A night safari at the Alice Springs Desert Park lets visitors come across the nocturnal animals of the Central Australian desert. On this guided tour, one can see red kangaroos, bilbies, and desert skinks, which are well adapted to the dry environment of the park. The narrators’ explanations improve the trip as they tell several facts about the desert environment and its inhabitants. A guide takes tourists in small groups and lets them walk through the rich habitat of this Desert Park.
Major Attractions: Bilbies, red kangaroos, desert skinks
Best Time To Visit: April to October
Ideal Duration: 2 hours
Nearest Airport: Alice Springs Airport
Location: Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Timings: 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM
4. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Gold Coast
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There are two types of tours available at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary including the twilight safari and nocturnal tours. Both of them are unique in themselves and offer a unique experience. The night safari also allows visitors to feed, touch, and even take photos with Tasmanian devils. There is a Glowworm Cave at this wildlife sanctuary which is lit by glow worms during the night. These tours and safari are guided by professional experts who observe the animals feeding at night. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the most recommended tourist destinations for spotting wildlife and experiencing night safaris.
Major Attractions: Tasmanian devils, sugar gliders, glowworm cave
Best Time To Visit: November to March
Ideal Duration: 1.5 hours
Nearest Airport: Gold Coast Airport
Location: Gold Coast, Queensland
Timings: 6:30 PM – 9 PM
5. Wildlife Habitat Night Tour, Port Douglas
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Night safari at Port Douglas is basically a two hour guided tour where visitors can spot nocturnal animals like saltwater crocodiles, owls, and gliders. Red and low intensity are adopted to reduce interference during the night and see animals as they go about their natural activities. The guide takes all visitors through an open-air Savannah where they can hand feed Kangaroos. Visitors can also come across saltwater crocodiles along with gliders, pythons and frogmouth. This is indeed an immersive experience.
Major Attractions: Saltwater crocodiles, owls, gliders
Best Time To Visit: April to October
Ideal Duration: 2 hours
Nearest Airport: Cairns Airport
Location: Port Douglas, Queensland
Timings: 7 PM – 9 PM
6. Yanchep National Park, Perth
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Yanchep National Park night tour is a nature trip that focuses on exploring the species that are active during the night in western Australia. A night tour at Yanchep National Park is completely set to be wild. This national park is open 24 hours and allows visitors who want to spot several nocturnal animals. There are multiple walk trails, camping areas and adventurous trekking that allow visitors to explore the rich biodiversity of the national park and its dense forest.
Major Attractions: Western brush wallabies, native birds
Best Time To Visit: September to May
Ideal Duration: 1.5 hours
Nearest Airport: Perth Airport
Location: Yanchep, Western Australia
Timings: 7 PM – 9 PM
7. Lone Pine Sanctuary Night Tour, Brisbane
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Lone Pine Sanctuary offers an exclusive night tour which allows tourists to spot koalas and wombats during the night. Being an informative tour, our guides enlighten the visitors on the behaviour of the animals as well as the various measures being taken towards their protection. There is also a twilight tour available at Lone Pine Sanctuary. This sanctuary is open during public holidays and requires an advance booking for the night and twilight safaris.
Major Attractions: Koalas, wombats, gliders
Best Time To Visit: Year-round
Ideal Duration: 2 hours
Nearest Airport: Brisbane Airport
Location: Brisbane, Queensland
Timings: 6:30 PM – 9 PM
8. Great Otway National Park, Victoria
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Great Otway National Park is open for 24 hours. There are various types of safaris and tours available at this park where visitors have a chance to see glowworms, opossums, and native owls. A few of these tours include the Nocturnal Tour, Twilight Tours, Glow Worm Tours and Koala Viewing Tours. Visitors can also enjoy the starry night at this national park. There are several walking trails perfect for night walks and trekking.
Major Attractions: Glowworms, owls, possums
Best Time To Visit: October to April
Ideal Duration: 2 hours
Nearest Airport: Melbourne Airport
Location: Great Otway, Victoria
Timings: 24*7
9. Daintree Rainforest Night Walk, Far North Queensland
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There are local guides who take tourists through the dense Daintree Rainforest. The Daintree Rainforest Night tour offers a guided walk through the oldest rainforest in the world where they get to view tree frogs, some rare insects, and even pythons in their natural environment. This spectacular habitat comes to life at night. There are assigned trails in this forest for walking and trekking. To explore the Daintree Rainforest with a night safari, prior booking is required. This place offers a unique experience.
Major Attractions: Tree frogs, insects, pythons
Best Time To Visit: May to November
Ideal Duration: 2.5 hours
Nearest Airport: Cairns Airport
Location: Far North Queensland
Timings: 7 PM – 9:30 PM
10. Canberra Night Safari
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Canberra Night Safari is one of the safaris in Australia which allows larger group bookings. During the night safari at Canberra, visitors are allowed to spot the endangered gliders on their way. An array of nocturnal species can be seen which include microbats, wombats, tree frogs, possums and wallabies. It is believed that these animals step out of their territory during the night to hunt and feed themselves. As a result, if lucky, visitors come across hunting sessions too.
Major Attractions: Gliders, Tree frogs, microbats, wombats
Best Time To Visit: May to November
Ideal Duration: 4 hours
Nearest Airport: Canberra Airport
Location: Canberra, Australia
Timings: 7 PM onwards
Night Safari in Australia promises fun and entertainment. With a variety of animals and nocturnal species that attract visitors, the night safari is indeed a thrilling experience. There are multiple places to visit with glowworm caves and another with kangaroos and koalas. There are self-drive adventures made available to tourists. Plan a trip with TripXL now for an amazing vacation experience.
Cover Photo: Anastasiya Turner / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only