Ndutu Guide: the Great Migration Calving Season on the Southern Serengeti Plains

Where the Migration Gives Birth

Ndutu is the south-eastern corner of the Serengeti ecosystem, where the national park meets the north-western edge of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. It is named for Lake Ndutu, one of two shallow soda lakes, with Lake Masek, ringed by acacia woodland on the edge of vast short-grass plains.

Those plains grow on volcanic soils that turn rich and green after the short rains. From around December the Great Migration settles here, and between January and March, peaking in February, hundreds of thousands of wildebeest calves are born within a few weeks.

Warriors of Africa Safari plans Ndutu around the calving season, with at least two nights so you can follow the herds and the predators at their own pace. Nature never runs to a timetable, so we confirm where the herds are as your dates approach.

Why Calving Season Is Unlike Any Other Safari

In the north the migration is about river crossings. Here it is about birth: calves standing within minutes, mothers forming nurseries, zebra and gazelle mixed through the herds, and the open grass stretching to the horizon.

Where there are newborns there are predators. Lions, spotted hyenas and jackals follow the herds, and Ndutu is one of the best places in Tanzania to see cheetahs hunting across the open plains. Vultures and eagles complete the picture.

KEY FEATURES

The herds, the predators and new life: what you come to Ndutu for.

THE HERDS

Wildebeest and zebra in their hundreds of thousands

CHEETAHS

The open plains suit the fastest hunter on earth

LIONS

Prides that follow the calving herds

NEW LIFE

Calves on their feet within minutes of birth

How to Reach Ndutu

Most guests come by road from Arusha, through Karatu and over the Ngorongoro highlands, a long but spectacular day that drops from the crater rim onto the plains. Light aircraft also fly to the airstrip at Ndutu, which saves the drive on a shorter trip.

Calving season is also the short-rains season, so some tracks can be muddy. Your guide plans each day around the weather and where the herds have moved overnight.

Camps and Lodges in Ndutu

Ndutu has a few permanent lodges around the lakes and several seasonal camps that open only for the calving months. These are the ones we use, each with its own gallery and facts.

Sero Tented Camp

Seasonal migration camp

14 walk-in tents that move with the migration: Ndutu from December to March, then Kogatende in the north.

Lake Ndutu Luxury Tented Lodge

Luxury tented lodge

A classic tented lodge near the lakeshore, in the woodland at the heart of the Ndutu area.

Lake Masek Tented Lodge

Luxury tented lodge

Tented suites above the second soda lake, a short drive from the plains.

See our 7-Day Calving Season Safari for a full itinerary with two nights in Ndutu.

Best Time to Visit Ndutu

December to March is the season. The herds usually arrive with the short rains in December, calving peaks in February, and the young are on the move by March. Every year differs with the rain, so we track the herds as your dates approach.

From April the long rains set in and the migration moves north-west. For the rest of the year Ndutu is quiet, with resident wildlife only, and is better combined with the northern Serengeti.

Combining Ndutu with Other Tanzania Destinations

Ndutu sits between the Ngorongoro highlands and the Serengeti, so it joins naturally with both, and with Tarangire on the way in from Arusha. Many guests finish on Zanzibar.

Ndutu Gallery Collection

Drag and explore pictures of the herds and predators of the southern plains

Zebras and wildebeest

Zebras and wildebeest grazing together on the short grass

Wildebeest herd

A wildebeest herd resting among the acacias

Cheetah

A cheetah resting low in the grass

Zebra herd

A zebra herd standing close together

Lioness

A lioness watching from the golden grass

Sundowners

Sundowners under an acacia at the end of a game drive

Wildebeest and oxpeckers

Oxpeckers riding on a wildebeest's back

Calving Season, Done Respectfully

Newborn calves and hunting predators are easily disturbed. Travelling well here means patience, distance and letting the animals set the pace.