Where the wildebeest give birth, and the predators follow
Zebras and wildebeest on the move in the Serengeti.
Every year, roughly from late January to March, the wildebeest herds gather on the short-grass plains around Ndutu to give birth. At the peak thousands of calves are born each day, and lions, cheetahs and hyenas are never far away.
This safari puts you in the middle of it for three nights, in a tented camp at Ndutu, after an afternoon on the Ngorongoro Crater floor on the way in.
Choose the mid-range option, which drives back to Arusha on the last day, or the luxury option, which flies you back from the Ndutu airstrip so you keep the whole last morning on the plains.
The calving season, one of nature's great events
Three nights right where the herds are
Lions, cheetahs and hyenas around the herds
Fly back on the luxury option
Ngorongoro Crater
We collect you from your Arusha hotel at about 08:00 and drive through the Rift Valley and the Karatu highlands to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, about three hours on tarmac. After a picnic lunch you go down to the crater floor for an afternoon among black rhino, lions, elephants, buffalo and flamingos, then climb back to the rim and on to your camp.
Ndutu Plains
After breakfast you cross the Ngorongoro highlands, past Maasai villages and cattle, and drop onto the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti ecosystem. The grass grows on rich volcanic soil, which is why the herds come here to give birth. You game drive the rest of the way and reach your tented camp at Ndutu in time for sunset.
Ndutu Plains
A full day following the herds. At the peak, usually around February, thousands of calves are born every day, and a newborn can stand and run within minutes. Lion prides, cheetahs, hyenas and jackals hunt along the edges, so your guide keeps you where things are happening. Lunch is a picnic on the plains.
Lake Ndutu
Today you explore the acacia woodland and the shores of Lake Ndutu and Lake Masek, where wildebeest come to drink, flamingos wade and giraffes browse. The woodland edge is a good place to look for leopards and for cheetahs hunting on the plains. An early balloon flight can be added at extra cost, if available.
Ndutu to Arusha
One more early drive with the herds, when the light is soft and predators are active. On the luxury option your guide then takes you to the Ndutu airstrip for a scheduled flight to Arusha. On the mid-range option you drive back over the highlands, about 5 to 6 hours with a lunch stop, arriving in the late afternoon.
The calving peak depends on the rains and can shift by a few weeks. We use the latest reports to place your camp close to the herds.
The line shows the order of the trip, not the exact road. Press ↻ to play it again.
| Option | 1 Guest | 2 Guests | 4 Guests | 6 Guests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-Range Comfort camps · drive back | On request | $2,750 | $2,400 | $2,250 |
| Luxury Premium camps · fly back | On request | $4,344 | $3,870 | $3,710 |
Private trip for your group only: the more of you share the vehicle and guide, the lower the price per person. For 7 or more people we send a quote.
How booking works: a 30% deposit confirms your trip and the balance is paid on arrival in Tanzania, before the trip starts. We reply within 3 hours. Booking terms
Late January to March, with the peak usually in February. The exact timing depends on the rains.
Mid-range camps are comfortable tented camps and you drive back to Arusha. Luxury camps are more spacious and you fly back from Ndutu, which saves 5 to 6 hours on the road.
Ndutu lies in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, on the edge of the southern Serengeti plains, in the same ecosystem the herds use.
Two nights by the Mara River in the crossing season.
The herds in the Western Corridor and the Grumeti River.
Two nights with the migration herds, plus the whole north.
Tell us your dates, where you are staying and how many of you are travelling. We reply within 3 hours.
