7 Day Calving Season Safari in Ndutu
Witness the wildebeest calving season with three nights at Ndutu in the southern Serengeti, plus Tarangire, the central Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater.
- Duration
- 7 days
- Route
- Arusha – Tarangire – Ndutu (southern Serengeti) – Central Serengeti – Karatu – Ngorongoro Crater – Arusha
- Start / end
- Starts and ends in Arusha (pick-up from your hotel or Kilimanjaro Airport)
- Best time
- Designed for January to March, when calving typically peaks around February; exact timing depends on the rains.
- Trip style
- Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with driver-guide for your group only. Comfortable mid-range lodges and tented camps with full board.
Tour overview
Each year, usually between late January and March, the Great Migration herds gather on the short-grass plains around Ndutu and the southern Serengeti to give birth. Hundreds of thousands of wildebeest calves are born within a few weeks, and the abundance of young animals draws lions, cheetahs, hyenas and jackals into some of the most dramatic predator action in Africa.
This seven-day safari puts you right in the middle of it, with three nights at Ndutu, where game drives can go off-road within the conservation area to follow sightings. You also visit Tarangire, spend a night in the central Serengeti and finish with the Ngorongoro Crater.
It is a superb choice for photographers, wildlife enthusiasts and anyone traveling in the first quarter of the year, when the green plains are at their most beautiful.
Highlights
- Three nights at Ndutu during the wildebeest calving season
- Exceptional cheetah, lion and hyena sightings
- Off-road driving permitted in the Ndutu area of the conservation area
- Night in the central Serengeti near Seronera
- Ngorongoro Crater game drive on the final day
- Green-season landscapes and migratory birds
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1Arusha to Tarangire National Park
Your guide picks you up from your Arusha hotel or Kilimanjaro Airport for the drive of about 2 hours to Tarangire National Park. In the green season the park is lush and full of birdlife, and elephants, giraffes, zebras and buffalo are spread through the baobab woodland. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the park and an afternoon game drive, looking for lions, leopards and the colorful birds that make Tarangire a favorite with birders. In the evening you check in at your lodge inside the park.
Day 2Tarangire to Ndutu
After breakfast you head west through Mto wa Mbu and Karatu, up into the Ngorongoro highlands with a stop at a crater viewpoint, then down onto the southern plains. The drive to Ndutu takes about 4 to 5 hours, and as you near the lakes you may start to see the migration herds stretching to the horizon. Arrive at your lodge for lunch, then head out on an afternoon game drive around Lake Ndutu and Lake Masek, where predators are often found close to the herds.
Day 3Calving Season Game Drives at Ndutu
Set out early to catch the plains at their most active. In the calving season, wildebeest give birth in the early morning, and calves are on their feet within minutes, ready to run with the herd. This bounty attracts lions, cheetahs, hyenas and jackals, so hunts are frequent. Unlike most parks, game drives in the Ndutu area may go off-road, allowing your guide to follow sightings closely and respectfully. Picnic lunch in the field and return to the lodge in the late afternoon.
Day 4Exploring the Southern Serengeti
Today you explore further across the southern plains, following the herds wherever the fresh grass has drawn them, sometimes into the southern Serengeti National Park itself. Look for cheetah mothers with cubs, lion prides hunting in the long grass along the marshes, and huge clans of hyenas. The woodlands around Lake Ndutu also hold giraffes, elephants and many bird species. Spend the whole day out with a picnic lunch, then enjoy a final evening at Ndutu around the campfire.
Day 5Ndutu to the Central Serengeti
After an early game drive and breakfast, drive north into the Serengeti National Park toward Seronera, about 3 hours with game viewing along the way. Depending on herd movements, you may pass large concentrations of wildebeest and zebra on the plains near the Gol Kopjes or Naabi Hill. In the afternoon, explore the Seronera River valley, renowned for resident leopards and lion prides. Arrive at your tented lodge in the evening, where dinner is served under canvas.
Day 6Central Serengeti to Karatu
Enjoy a final morning game drive in the central Serengeti, looking for any big cats you may still be hoping to see. After lunch you drive back across the plains and up into the Ngorongoro highlands, then down to Karatu on the slopes below the crater, a journey of about 4 to 5 hours. Your lodge is set on a working coffee farm with lovely gardens. Relax by the pool or take a short walk through the plantation before dinner.
Day 7Ngorongoro Crater and Return to Arusha
Leave Karatu early and descend into the Ngorongoro Crater soon after the gates open. Spend about 6 hours exploring the crater floor, home to black rhino, lions, elephants, buffalo, hyenas and hippos, with flamingos on Lake Magadi. After a picnic lunch by a hippo pool, ascend the crater wall and drive about 3.5 hours back to Arusha. Your guide drops you at your hotel or Kilimanjaro Airport, marking the end of your calving season safari.
What is included
- Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof and professional English-speaking driver-guide
- All park entry and conservation fees, including the Ngorongoro Crater service fee
- Accommodation in mid-range lodges and tented camps as listed
- All meals as listed, with picnic lunches on game-drive days
- Unlimited bottled drinking water in the vehicle
- Binoculars and in-vehicle charging
- Pick-up and drop-off at your Arusha hotel or Kilimanjaro Airport
- Government taxes and fuel
Not included
- International flights and Tanzania visa
- Travel and medical insurance
- Tips for your guide and lodge staff
- Drinks at lodges and camps
- Optional hot-air balloon flight
- Laundry and personal items
Good to know
- Calving timing depends on rainfall and can shift by a few weeks; February is usually the most reliable month.
- Short rains can make some tracks around Ndutu muddy, and your guide may adjust routes accordingly.
- Off-road driving is only permitted in the Ndutu area of the conservation area, not inside the Serengeti National Park.
- Lodges near Ndutu fill early for February, so we recommend booking well in advance.
Frequently asked questions
Is the calving season a good time for big cats?
Yes. It is one of the best times of year for predator sightings. The concentration of young wildebeest attracts lions, cheetahs and hyenas, and hunts are often seen in the open.
Is Ndutu part of the Serengeti?
Ndutu lies in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, right on the border of the Serengeti National Park. The two areas form one ecosystem, and the herds move freely across the boundary during the calving season.
Can I take this safari outside January to March?
We can run this itinerary at other times, but the herds will not be at Ndutu. For other months, we recommend our Mara River crossing or year-round migration safaris instead.
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