6-Day Ndutu Calving Season Serengeti Migration Safari
Tour Description
6 Days – Follow the Great Migration During Calving Season
This 6-day safari is designed to place you at the heart of one of nature’s most extraordinary events – the Great Migration calving season. From December to April, the migrating herds of wildebeest and zebra gather around Lake Ndutu in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, part of the greater Serengeti ecosystem. From January onwards, the short-grass plains become the stage for an awe-inspiring spectacle as over half a million wildebeest calves are born within a few weeks. Predators – lions, cheetahs, leopards, and hyenas – are ever-present, waiting for their opportunity. Your journey also includes Tarangire, the Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Manyara. This is crafted safari is designed for travelers seeking to witness one of nature’s most incredible events – the Great Migration calving season. From December to April, the migration herds gather in the Ndutu area and Southern Serengeti, where over 500,000 wildebeest calves are born within a few weeks. This synchronized birthing attracts intense predator activity, creating some of the most dramatic wildlife encounters in Africa.
Your journey begins in Tarangire National Park, home to massive elephant herds and ancient baobab trees. You will then journey into the Southern Serengeti and Ndutu area, where the migration is concentrated during this season. You will descend into the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site teeming with wildlife. And you will explore Lake Manyara, known for its flamingos and tree-climbing lions.
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Arusha
Welcome to Tanzania! Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by a representative from Serengeti Wildlife Safari. You will be transferred to your accommodation in Arusha, where you can relax and prepare for the adventure ahead.
Meals: At your own expense | Drinking water included
Day 2: Arusha to Tarangire National Park
After breakfast, your personal safari guide will collect you from your accommodation. You will set out for Tarangire National Park on a good tarmac road across gently rolling Maasai plains with scattered acacia trees. Along the way, you will pass many Maasai in their colourful traditional dress, walking on the roadside, riding bicycles, herding cattle, and driving donkey carts.
Tarangire is famous for its large elephant herds and is also host to a multitude of other creatures. From the open roof of your safari vehicle, you will experience the seasonal swamps, savannah, and life-giving Tarangire River. You will encounter zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, elephant, and giraffe, to name a few. It is possible you will glimpse lions stalking prey or leopards watching, relaxing in the trees above.
After a full day of exploration, you will drive to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Drinking water included
Day 3: Southern Serengeti (Ndutu)
After breakfast, you will head to the Lake Ndutu region, situated in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area – a sublime landscape within the southern Serengeti ecosystem. The drive takes approximately 3 hours, taking you across the beautiful landscape of the Rift Valley. Lake Ndutu, alkaline like most other Rift Valley lakes, is frequently inhabited by a wide array of wildlife.
Upon arrival, you will undertake a game drive in the Ndutu region. The majority of the wildebeest migration can normally be found on the short-grass plains from December to April. After a late afternoon game drive, you will drive to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Drinking water included
Day 4: Southern Serengeti (Ndutu) – Full Day Game Drive
After breakfast, you will head out to enjoy a full day game drive in the Ndutu region. You will explore the range of different habitats found here – including swamps, woodland, soda lakes, and the world-famous Serengeti short-grass plains.
You will see the awesome sight of the great thronging herds of wildebeest and zebra. During a short time frame around January, normally lasting for about 3 weeks, the majority of the wildebeest give birth – dropping in the region of half a million young in this awesome act of synchronized birthing. The sea of grass provides little cover, and the young are easy pickings for predators. Wildebeest calves can run minutes after they are born, and within 3 days they are normally strong enough to keep up with the herd.
After a full day of adventure upon the endless plains, you will return to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Drinking water included
Day 5: Ndutu to Ngorongoro Crater
After breakfast, you will drive from the Southern Serengeti (Ndutu) to the Ngorongoro Crater.
When you first see Ngorongoro Crater, it looks like a forgotten world. Concealed by the steep volcanic walls is a pristine wilderness – including sweeping savannah, pockets of acacia woodland, and glistening lakes and swamps. The crater was created when a large volcano exploded and collapsed in on itself two to three million years ago.
The drive down into the crater is an adventure in itself. When you reach the crater floor, you will quickly find yourself amongst large numbers of wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, and more than 500 bird species. The crater provides you with the best chance of seeing the endangered black rhino, which can sometimes be spotted in the open grasslands.
After a full afternoon inside the crater, you will head to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight stay in Karatu.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Drinking water included
Day 6: Lake Manyara National Park – Return to Arusha
After breakfast, you will drive to your final destination on this epic safari Lake Manyara National Park. This relatively small but diverse park, 120 kilometres west of Arusha, is named for the shallow salt lake that covers some seventy percent of its surface area. The lake floods and dries with the seasons and is home to thousands of flamingos and over 500 other bird species.
On your exploration of the park, you will see monkey, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, elephant, and, with some luck, lions lounging in the trees. The park is known for its diverse landscapes – not only open grassy plains but also primate-filled woodlands and baobab-dotted cliffs.
After lunch, you will head back to Arusha, arriving in the late afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch | Drinking water included
End of Safari
Inclusions
Airport transfers (Kilimanjaro International Airport – Arusha – Kilimanjaro International Airport)
All national park entry fees and conservation fees
Ngorongoro Crater service fees
All game drives as described in the itinerary
Private 4×4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof for optimal game viewing
Professional English-speaking driver-guide
All meals as indicated (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Bottled drinking water during game drives
Exclusions
International flights
Tanzania visa fees
Travel and medical insurance
Alcoholic and soft drinks
Tips and gratuities for driver-guide and lodge staff (suggested $15 per person per day)
Personal expenses (souvenirs, laundry, phone calls, etc.)
Optional safari activities
