5 Days Tanzania Wildebeest Migration Calving Safari – Ndutu & Southern Serengeti

Pick up from your hotel at around 8:00 am and begin your private safari towards Tarangire National Park. Tarangire offers breathtaking scenery and is particularly known for its iconic baobab trees, giant figs, and mahogany trees. The park supports abundant wildlife, including elephants, giraffes, impalas, buffaloes, baboons, blue monkeys, and hippos. With luck, you may also encounter tree-climbing lions and impressive birdlife such as the ground hornbill and crested eagle. Enjoy a game drive with a break for lunch inside the park, followed by an afternoon game drive before transferring to your accommodation.

After breakfast, depart at around 8:00 am towards the Ndutu region. The journey takes you through the changing landscapes of northern Tanzania and into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. As the landscape changes from highland forests and rolling terrain to open grasslands, the scenery becomes increasingly characteristic of the southern Serengeti ecosystem. On arrival in Ndutu, enjoy an extended game drive with a convenient picnic lunch stop. Ndutu forms an important part of the annual migration route, where wildebeest, zebras, antelope, and gazelles gather during the calving season. The fertile short-grass plains can provide exceptional opportunities to observe newborn calves and the predators that follow the herds. Continue with an evening game drive before transferring to your camp for dinner and rest.

Start the day at around 7:00 am with breakfast before heading out for a morning game drive in the Ndutu region. Spend the cooler morning hours exploring the calving-season plains and looking for wildebeest, zebra, gazelles, and predators. After a half-day game drive and picnic lunch, continue towards Central Serengeti, enjoying game viewing along the route as the landscape changes from the open plains of Southern Serengeti to the wildlife-rich Seronera area. An afternoon game drive follows before reaching your lodge or camp for dinner and a well-earned rest.

Enjoy an early morning game drive in Central Serengeti, taking advantage of the cooler hours when wildlife is often active. After the morning safari, begin the journey towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, continuing with en-route wildlife viewing where conditions allow. The Ngorongoro landscape is one of Tanzania’s great natural highlights, combining dramatic highland scenery, rich wildlife habitats, and Maasai communities living within the conservation area. Arrive at your accommodation for dinner and relaxation in preparation for the following morning’s descent into the crater.

After an early breakfast, depart at around 6:30 am and descend into the Ngorongoro Crater. The crater floor offers one of Tanzania’s most concentrated wildlife experiences, with opportunities to see elephants, buffaloes, black rhinos, hippos, hyenas, cheetahs, and lions. Enjoy approximately five hours of game viewing on the crater floor, with a picnic lunch at the beautiful Hippo Pool area. After lunch, begin the steep ascent from the crater and continue the final journey towards Arusha. You will be dropped off at your preferred location in Arusha, marking the end of your safari.