Tour Overview
The 7 days Great Wildebeest Calving Migration will cover the Tarangire national park, Southern and Central areas of Serengeti National Park where the majority of the wildebeest are usually found. A visit to the world famous Ngorongoro Crater is part of this safari as well. The Southern Serengeti and Ndutu areas in Tanzania are the best locations for the months of January, February and March to witness thousands of wildebeest spread across the plains grazing on the rich short grass plains.
Included/Exclude
Park fees (For non-residents)
All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
A professional driver/guide
All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)
All Taxes/VAT
Roundtrip airport transfer
Meals (As specified)
Drinks (As specified in the day-by-day section)
International flights (From/to home)
Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fee
Tour Plan
In the morning you will start your safari with a drive to the Tarangire National Park. The park is roughly the size of Luxemburg and covers an area of about 2,600 km². Bush savannah, seasonal swamps and giant baobab trees make up the landscape of this nature reserve and the park is probably one of the best places in East Africa to see elephants. From the open roof of the safari vehicle you will be able to watch them and absorb the landscape. Apart from elephants, the park is also home to Masai giraffes, various gazelles, antelopes, buffaloes, lions, leopards, baboons and more than 500 types of birds. After an extensive game drive you will leave the park in the afternoon and drive to the Eileen's tree inn Lodge for your overnight stay.
After breakfast you will drive towards the fertile crater highlands where the Iraqw people grow wheat, corn and coffee. You will pass the Ngorongoro Crater before you reach the plains of the Serengeti National Park around midday. The Serengeti is the largest park in Tanzania and has a diversity of habitats and landscapes including short grass plains, savannah, thick bush, swamps, mountains and lakes. Bizarre rock formations called Kopjes dot the grassy landscape where predators are often seen. During the short rainy season in November and December the herds move from the hills in the north to the plains in the south. During the longer rainy season from April to June they return up north. This circle of life is completely dependent on the yearly rainfalls and the locations of the herds may vary from year to year but your guide will know where to find the animals and where to see them best. Overnight at At Into wild Africa tented lodge.
After breakfast, game viewing drive along the Songore River Circuit, which loops into the plains south of the Seronera River, and which is good for possible Lion, Thomson gazelle, topi, ostrich and cheetah sightings. The Visitor Centre close to the Serengeti Seronera Lodge and public campsites is well worth a visit after the morning’s game drive. In the afternoon, you will follow the Kopjes Circuit, which goes anti-clockwise around the Maasai Kopjes, which usually attract a number of lion and some formidably large cobras. Kopjes are weathered granite outcrops, scattered around the plains, most of which are miniature ecosystems, providing shade and drinking water in pools left in the rock after the rains. This makes the kopjes particularly good for spotting wildlife in the dry seasons – including lions, which like to lie in wait for animals coming to drink. Back to the same tented camp for overnight.
After breakfast we will depart to the Lake Ndutu area situated in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Part of the southern Serengeti ecosystem. There you will spend one day. Lake Ndutu is alkaline like most of the other rift lakes, however the water is still drinkable and used by a wide array of local wildlife. The majority of the wildebeest migration can normally be found on the short grass plains from December to April. The area is usually heavily populated with elephants, birds and resident game. Explore the range of different habitats that include swamps, woodland, soda lakes and the world famous Serengeti short grass plains. See great herds of wildebeest and zebra. Wildebeest calves can run minutes after they are born and within 3 days they are normally strong enough to keep up with the herd. You will do a game drive till late afternoon then slowly heading to ndutu heritage migration camp.
After our hearty breakfast we head out to enjoy a full day game drive in the Ndutu region. We endeavour to explore the range of different habitats found here that include swamps, woodland, soda lakes, and the world famous Serengeti short grass plains. We will see the awesome sight of the great thronging herds of wildebeest and zebra. During a short time frame around February, normally lasting for about 3 weeks, the majority of the wildebeest calve, 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 a variety of predators, with cheetah being particularly active, alongside simba or leo panthera, our friend the lion, hyena, and the illusive leopard. Wildebeest calves can run minutes after they are born and within 3 days they are normally strong enough to keep up with the herd. Overnight at ndutu Heritage migration tented camp.
Dawn is a good time to watch wildlife and so you will be up early to join an early morning game drive. You will return to the camp for breakfast, then after breakfast collect your picnic lunch and proceed to Ngorongoro. Game drive en-route the Serengeti/Ngorongoro plains. Visit Olduvai Gorge to get a briefing about the discovery of the fossil Homo habilis dated 1.75 million years. This were uncovered Leakey 1959. Picnic lunch at the site and thereafter, continue to Ngorongoro arriving in time for dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Rhino lodge, situated on the crater rim.
After an early breakfast you will drive down the steep and narrow road that takes you into the crater. The slopes are forested but soon the landscape changes to Savannah. Here the wildlife is just breath- taking and with a little luck you can observe the Big Five – lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard – in just a few hours. You should also see warthogs, wildebeests, zebras, hippos and some of the more than 500 bird species of the area. After a morning dedicated to game viewing and a picnic lunch, you will leave the crater in the early afternoon to drive back to Arusha for overnight or transfer to airport. Breakfast and Lunch.
