Tanzania · Lodge Safaris

5 Day Ndutu Calving Season Serengeti Migration Tanzania Safari

5 daysArusha • Ngorongoro Crater • Southern Serengeti (Ndutu Area)

Duration: 5 days / 4 nights
Country: Tanzania
Style: Lodge Safaris, Private Safaris, Tanzania Safaris, Wildlife Tours
Stay: Mid-range lodges & tented camps
Travel: Tailor-made

Overview

Witness one of nature’s greatest events: the wildebeest calving season on the short-grass plains of Ndutu, between about January and March. Thousands of calves are born every day, and the lions, cheetahs and hyenas are never far away.

Two full days in Ndutu, where off-road driving is allowed, put you close to the action, and the trip ends with a game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater. Private vehicle and guide throughout.

Route

1Arusha
2Ngorongoro Crater
3Southern Serengeti (Ndutu Area)

Day-by-day itinerary

Day01 Arusha – Ngorongoro highlands
Your guide collects you from your Arusha hotel and drives you west through the Rift Valley, stopping at the market town of Mto wa Mbu, a melting pot of more than a hundred Tanzanian tribes.

You climb into the cool, green Ngorongoro highlands and spend the afternoon at your lodge in Karatu, with time for a walk through the local coffee farms before dinner.
- Meals Lunch & Dinner
- Overnight Mid-range lodge in Karatu (or similar)
Day02 Karatu – Ndutu (southern Serengeti)
After breakfast you drive across the Ngorongoro highlands and down onto the short-grass plains around Lake Ndutu, on the border of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the southern Serengeti. Between about January and March the migrating herds gather here to give birth, and at the height of the season thousands of calves are born every day.

This abundance of young animals brings the predators: lions, cheetahs, hyenas and jackals hunt on the open plains, so this is one of the best times of year to see a chase. Your guide is free to drive off-road in the Ndutu area (which isn't allowed in most of the Serengeti), so you can follow the action closely.
- Meals Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Overnight Mid-range lodge in the Ndutu area (or similar)
Day03 Ndutu – calving season
A full day in the Ndutu area at the peak of the wildebeest calving season. Between about January and March the migrating herds gather here to give birth, and at the height of the season thousands of calves are born every day.

This abundance of young animals brings the predators: lions, cheetahs, hyenas and jackals hunt on the open plains, so this is one of the best times of year to see a chase. Your guide is free to drive off-road in the Ndutu area (which isn't allowed in most of the Serengeti), so you can follow the action closely.
- Meals Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Overnight Mid-range lodge in the Ndutu area (or similar)
Day04 Ndutu – Ngorongoro highlands
One more morning game drive among the herds of Ndutu before you drive back up into the Ngorongoro highlands.

You arrive at your lodge in Karatu in the afternoon, with time to relax before dinner.
- Meals Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Overnight Mid-range lodge in Karatu (or similar)
Day05 Ngorongoro Crater – Arusha
After an early breakfast you drive up to the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater and stop at the viewpoint. The view is unforgettable: a 600-metre-deep, 20-kilometre-wide volcanic caldera with lakes, swamps, forest and grassland laid out below you.

Then you descend to the crater floor for your game drive. The steep walls keep most animals inside all year, so wildlife is dense and easy to see: lions, elephants, buffalo, hyenas, zebras, wildebeest, hippos and flamingos are all regulars. The crater is also one of the best places in Tanzania to look for the endangered black rhino, which takes patience to find.

After a picnic lunch by the hippo pool you climb back out of the crater in the afternoon and drive back to Arusha, arriving in the early evening.
- Meals Breakfast & Lunch

What’s included

Included

All park entrance fees and government taxes
All meals as listed in the itinerary
Bottled drinking water (at least 3 litres per person per day) and soft drinks in the vehicle
Airport transfers on arrival and departure
Accommodation during the safari (private room)
Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof, for your group only
Vehicle inverter for charging, communications radio, cool box and filtered water
Professional English-speaking driver-guide

Not included

International and domestic flights (unless listed above)
Tanzania visa fee
Tips for your guide, driver and camp crew
Travel insurance
Alcoholic drinks and personal items
Optional activities such as a hot-air balloon flight

Gallery

3 Days Serengeti Adventure Safari – photo 4

3 Days Serengeti Adventure Safari – photo 5

7 Day Tanzania Wilderness Safari – photo 4

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time for this safari?

Northern Tanzania is good all year. The long dry season (June to October) is best for general game viewing, January to March is calving season in the southern Serengeti, and the April–May rains bring green landscapes and lower prices.

Can I change the accommodation or add days?

Yes. Every itinerary can be tailored: upgrade or change lodges, add extra nights, or combine your safari with Zanzibar or a Kilimanjaro climb. Tell us what you have in mind when you enquire.

What should I pack?

Light, neutral-coloured layers, a warm fleece for early mornings (the Ngorongoro rim gets cold), a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent, binoculars and a camera with a spare battery. Soft bags pack into safari vehicles and light aircraft more easily than hard suitcases.

Tailor-made