8-Day Wildebeest Calving Season Safari Itinerary

A Private 8-Day Wildebeest Calving Season Safari. This 8-day Tanzania safari, best from January to March, focuses on the Southern Serengeti/Ndutu plains to witness the wildebeest calving, where ~8,000 calves are born daily. It offers high-predator action, including lions and cheetahs, combined with cultural visits, such as the Maasai, and iconic stops like the Ngorongoro Crater.

During the months of December through April, you can join an 8-day safari that follows the Great Serengeti Wildebeest as they calve. The places that will be visited include the Lake Ndutu area, the Southern and Central areas of Serengeti National Park, and any other spots where wildebeests tend to congregate. On this 8-Day Wildebeest Calving Season Safari, you will also see the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater.

In Tanzania, the Ndutu and Southern Serengeti regions are prime spots to see tens of thousands of wildebeest grazing on the short, lush grasslands throughout the winter months of January, February, and March. The adrenaline-pumping predator action is at its height, with excellent opportunities to view cheetah, lion, hyena, and leopard sightings.

Best time to visit: Mid-January-March

8-Day Wildebeest Calving Season Safari Highlights

  • Kilimanjaro International Airport – Arusha
  • Tarangire National Park
  • Lake Manyara National Park
  • Serengeti National Park (Ndutu Area)
  • Serengeti National Park (Ndutu Area) – Serengeti National Park (Seronera)
  • Serengeti National Park (Seronera)
  • Ngorongoro Crater
  • Mto Wa Mbu – Arusha

A Detailed 8-Day Wildebeest Calving Season Safari

Day 1 – Airport pick up – Drop off at Kibo Palace Hotel

Kilimanjaro International Airport is where you will be picked up. During your forthcoming safari, our experts will give you a briefing and answer any questions you may have. After that, a representative from the Kibo Palace Hotel will bring you to your room.

Inclusion Meals: B
Accommodation: Kibo Palace Hotel

Day 2 – Tarangire National Park

It is our intention to get you from the Kibo Palace Hotel after breakfast and drive you to Tarangire National Park. Huge herds of elephants, tree-climbing lions, and the amazing baobab trees—also known as the Tree of Life—are the hallmarks of this Tanzanian national park, one of the biggest in the country. The park is situated in the Manyara region. During the dry seasons, the Tarangire River—which flows continuously through the park—is the sole source of water for the wild creatures that live there.

Inclusion Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Serian Tarangire Camp

Day 3 – Lake Manyara National Park

Our journey to Lake Manyara National Park will begin after breakfast. Ernest Hemingway once called this lake “the loveliest I had seen in Africa” because of its beauty. Considered one of the country’s most diversified reserves, it offers a compact-game viewing circuit. Half of the park is occupied by Lake Manyara, with the Great Rift Valley escarpment serving as a backdrop.

Among Manyara’s more than 400 bird species are the migrating pink-hued flamingos, pelicans, cormorants, and storks, among many other huge waterbirds.

Inclusion Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Acacia Farm Lodge

Day 4 – Serengeti National Park (Ndutu Area)

We will depart for the Ndutu area, which is part of the southern Serengeti eco-system and is located in the Ngorongoro conservation area, after breakfast. Lake Ndutu is alkaline like other rift lakes, yet it’s nonetheless drinkable and home to a diverse assortment of native animals.

We have plans to go on a game drive around the Ndutu area in the afternoon. From December to April, the short-grass plains typically host the bulk of the migrating wildebeest. Elephants, birds, and resident animals make up a large portion of the area’s population.

Inclusion Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Enkutoto Migration Camp

Day 5 – Serengeti National Park (Ndutu Area) – Serengeti National Park (Seronera)

A full day of game driving in the Ndutu area awaits you after breakfast. Along the way, you’ll stop at swamps, woodlands, soda lakes, and the renowned Serengeti short grass plains, among many other habitats. The best time to see herds of wildebeest and zebras is during the short period beginning in February and continuing for approximately three weeks, when the bulk of the wildebeest give birth.

There isn’t much shelter in the sea of grass, and many predators find the young to be an easy meal. by minutes of birth, wildebeest calves are able to run, and by three days, they typically reach a strength where they can follow the herd.

Our journey to Serengeti National Park will begin in the late afternoon.

Inclusion Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Olkarien Eco Safari Camp

Day 6 – Serengeti National Park (Seronera)

We will spend the entire day in the wilderness going on game drives after breakfast, following the pathways left by the Great Migration. This world-famous event catapulted Tanzania to the position of premier African safari destination, and our knowledgeable driver-tour guide will fill you in on all the details.

Around 300,000 Thomson’s gazelle and 200,000 zebras accompany the wildebeests in their quest for new grass in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Serengeti. Get a taste of the fascinating sounds of the African bush as you picture them with the clomp of six million hooves across the Serengeti grasslands.

The price of a hot air balloon ride for one person is $546 (not included in the total fee mentioned above).

Inclusion Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Olkarien Eco Safari Camp

Day 7 – Ngorongoro Crater

After an early breakfast, we will go to the world-renowned Ngorongoro Conservation area. From here, we’ll go 600 meters into the crater to see all sorts of animals.

Ngorongoro National Park is home to a wide array of wildlife, including large herds of buffalo, zebras, eland, warthogs, hippos, and enormous African elephants, thanks to its abundant food and water sources throughout the year.

Lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs, and the elusive leopard—which can only be seen with a skilled eye—are some of the predators that make this attraction famous. One of the most prominent features of the crater, the enormous but shallow alkaline Lake Magadi, is located in the southwestern corner, and we will be visiting it as well. It is not uncommon to see flamingos, hippos, and other aquatic birds in this lake.

Inclusion Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Ngorongoro Farm House Lodge

Day 8 – Mto Wa Mbu – Arusha

Our morning cultural trip and walking safari will take place in Wa Mbu, so we’ll be driving there after breakfast. As we enjoy a delicious lunch from the area, we can take in the breathtaking scenery. For an additional fee, you can arrange to go mountain riding.

After lunch, we’ll either return to Arusha or get you to the airport to catch your flight home.

Inclusion Meals: B,L

End of the 8-Day Wildebeest Calving Season Safari

Inclusions

  • Park fees
  • All activities (unless labeled as optional)
  • All accommodation as stated in the itinerary
  • A professional driver/guide
  • All transportation (unless labeled as optional)
  • All Taxes/VAT
  • Roundtrip airport transfer
  • All Meals (as specified in the day-by-day section)
  • Camping Equipment
  • Porterage

Exclusions

  • International flights (from/to home)
  • Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
  • Tips (tipping guideline US$20.00 pp per day)
  • Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
  • Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
  • Alcoholic drinks
  • Services not mentioned in the program
  • Travel insurance and medical repatriation
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Rescue Fee
  • Climbing Gear
  • Sleeping Bag