7-Day Calving Season Safari
Two nights on the Ndutu calving plains, with Tarangire, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater around them
Overview
For calving season, I always prefer giving Ndutu enough time. One rushed night is not enough when the herds and predators are moving naturally across open plains.
This 7-Day Calving Season Safari is built around one of Tanzania's most dramatic wildlife periods: the Great Migration calving season in Ndutu and the southern Serengeti. It joins Tarangire, the Ndutu plains, Central Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, with a comfortable last night in Arusha.
Ndutu is the heart of it. In calving season the plains fill with wildebeest, zebras and gazelles, and lions, cheetahs, hyenas and jackals follow the herds closely. Nature is never guaranteed, but the route follows the best seasonal logic for calving-season wildlife.
It starts in Tarangire, for elephants and baobabs, then gives Ndutu two nights so you have proper time in the calving zone. From there it moves north into Central Serengeti for big-cat country, and ends at Ngorongoro Crater.
The price starts at $3,222 per person, with a private vehicle and guide and the lodges and camps below. It is focused, seasonal and strong for photography, with no beach days. We confirm dates, camps and rates before we quote.
Right for you if you are…
- Wildlife photographers
- Open plains, newborn animals and predator action.
- First-time safari travellers
- Tarangire, Ndutu, the Serengeti and the crater in a week.
- Couples
- A strong wildlife focus with comfortable camps.
- Families with older children
- The migration is an unforgettable lesson in nature.
- Migration-focused guests
- Built around the calving season, not general wildlife.
- Travellers short on time
- A focused week with no beach days.
Physical rating
Easy, level 1 of 3
Game drives in a private vehicle, with some long road days. Suitable for most travellers.
- Early starts on the Ndutu and crater days.
- Days 2, 4 and 6 include long drives, with game viewing along the way.
- Calving season brings showers; some tracks can be muddy.
Where the trip goes
A road loop in your own vehicle: Tarangire, up to the Karatu highlands, down onto the Ndutu calving plains, north into Central Serengeti, back over the Ngorongoro highlands to the crater, and home to Arusha.
ArushaDay 1 · Days 6–7
Pick-up on Day 1, and your last night at Tulia Boutique Hotel before the airport.
TarangireDay 1
Elephants and baobabs, then a night at Marera Valley Lodge near Karatu.
NdutuDays 2–4
Two nights at Sero Tented Camp on the calving plains.
Central SerengetiDays 4–5
Big-cat country and a night at Mbuni Tented Camp.
NgorongoroDays 5–6
A night at Embalakai Ngorongoro Camp, then the crater game drive.
The herds move with the rain; your guide adapts each day, and we confirm the season's camp locations before you book. Open Lake Ndutu in Google Maps
Day by day
Day 1
Arusha to Tarangire National Park
After breakfast in Arusha you meet your private driver-guide and head west to Tarangire National Park, out of the busy safari town and into open bush country.
Tarangire is loved for its elephant herds and ancient baobabs. On your game drive you may see elephants by the river, giraffes browsing the acacias, zebras, wildebeest, buffalo, impalas and many birds, and lions depending on the season.
After the game drive you climb the Rift Valley escarpment to the Karatu highlands, which sets the safari up for tomorrow's drive to Ndutu.
You spend the night at Marera Valley Lodge, where the cottages have fireplaces for the cool highland evening.
Day 2
Karatu to Ndutu
After breakfast you cross the Ngorongoro highlands and drop onto the southern plains towards Ndutu, where the Serengeti meets the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
The drive is part of the safari: the land changes from highland forest to open grass. Your guide times the route around the roads and the latest reports of where the herds are.
In the afternoon you begin exploring around Ndutu. In calving season the plains can be full of life: newborn wildebeest, protective mothers, zebra herds, gazelles and predators watching.
You spend the night at Sero Tented Camp, a seasonal camp set up for the calving months.
Day 3
A full day on the calving plains
Today belongs to Ndutu. Your guide will probably suggest an early start, when the predators are most active, the light is soft and the herds are on the move. A packed lunch lets you stay out all day.
Calving is the most emotional chapter of the migration: calves struggling to stand, herds spread to the horizon, and predators moving through the grass. It is a season of birth and survival.
The day may follow the wildebeest and zebra, cheetahs on the open plains, lions along the woodland edge, and hyenas, jackals and vultures. Everything depends on the rain and the herds, but a full day lets you understand the area properly.
Back at Sero Tented Camp in the evening, with the sounds of the plains around you.
Day 4
Ndutu to Central Serengeti
After breakfast you leave Ndutu and drive north into Central Serengeti, game-viewing along the way. Your guide picks the route by the season, the tracks and recent sightings.
Central Serengeti is a different safari from Ndutu: open plains, kopjes, river valleys and permanent water make it one of Tanzania's strongest year-round wildlife areas, known for lions, leopards and cheetahs.
This night connects the calving plains with the classic central Serengeti, adding variety and more chances with the big cats.
You spend the night at Mbuni Tented Camp, among the acacias near Seronera.
Day 5
Central Serengeti to the Ngorongoro highlands
A last Serengeti game drive this morning, exploring productive areas before you head for the park exit.
The drive from the Serengeti to Ngorongoro is one of northern Tanzania's classic journeys, from wide plains up into cool highland country. It is both a travel day and a safari day.
After several nights on the open plains, the evening is a chance to rest before one of Africa's most famous wildlife destinations.
You spend the night at Embalakai Ngorongoro Camp in the conservation area, positioned for tomorrow's crater game drive.
Day 6
Ngorongoro Crater and back to Arusha
After an early breakfast you descend into Ngorongoro Crater: grassland, swamp, forest and lake enclosed by dramatic walls, with one of Africa's highest concentrations of wildlife.
You may see lions, buffalo, zebras, wildebeest, elephants, hippos, hyenas, flamingos on the lake and, with luck, a black rhino. Your guide plans the morning carefully around the crater's timings.
After the crater you drive back to Arusha.
Your last night is at Tulia Boutique Hotel & Spa: a garden pool, a spa and a quiet evening to repack and look through your photos.
Day 7
Departure from Arusha or Kilimanjaro
After breakfast you transfer to Arusha Airport or Kilimanjaro International Airport for your flight. If it leaves later in the day, we can arrange a relaxed lunch or a short activity at extra cost.
That is the end of your 7-Day Calving Season Safari with Warriors of Africa Safari: Tarangire, Ndutu, Central Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater in one seasonal week.
Where you’ll sleep
Marera Valley Lodge
Garden cottages near Karatu with a fireplace in every room, a pool and valley views, on the way from Tarangire to the plains.
Read about Marera Valley LodgeSero Tented Camp
A seasonal camp of 14 walk-in tents, in Ndutu from December to March, with en-suite bathrooms, bush dinners and sundowners on the plains.
A seasonal camp: in Ndutu from December to March only. Outside those months we use a camp in the right area for the herds.
Read about Sero Tented CampMbuni Tented Camp
A year-round tented camp among the acacias near Seronera, with tents on wooden decks, canopied beds and a restaurant and bar facing the plains.
Read about Mbuni Tented CampEmbalakai Ngorongoro Camp
Ten guest tents in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, near the Elerai River and the Maasai bomas, positioned for the crater.
Read about Embalakai Ngorongoro CampTulia Boutique Hotel & Spa
A calm boutique hotel in Arusha with a garden pool and a spa, for a soft landing before the airport.
Camps, especially the seasonal ones, are confirmed against availability and their location for your dates before the final quote.
Read about Tulia Boutique Hotel & Spa
Prefer different camps?
The route stays the same; the camps, the price and the feel change. In Ndutu, Lake Ndutu Luxury Tented Lodge or Lake Masek Tented Lodge sit by the lakes; on the crater, Ngorongoro Serena is on the rim.
Lake Ndutu Luxury Tented Lodge
Lake Masek Tented Lodge
Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge
Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
What’s included
Usually included
- Airport transfers in Arusha
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle with a pop-up roof
- Professional English-speaking driver-guide
- Accommodation as listed in the itinerary
- Meals as stated in the itinerary
- Park and conservation fees for the listed areas
- Game drives in Tarangire, Ndutu, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater
- Bottled drinking water during game drives
- Government taxes and tourism levies
Not included
- International flights
- Tanzania visa
- Travel insurance
- Tips for your driver-guide, lodge staff and porters
- Optional activities not listed in the itinerary
- Drinks not included by the accommodation
- Laundry unless stated by the lodge or camp
- Personal expenses and any item not clearly listed as included
Final inclusions are confirmed on your quote.
Before you go
Visa and entry
Choose your passport to see the visa you need.
- Passport valid for at least six months, with at least one unused visa page.
- Show your return or onward ticket on arrival.
- One visa covers both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. Choose your first stop on the form.
- Every passport holder, including children, needs their own application.
- Online applications are processed in about 10 days. Apply only through the official portal.
- Yellow fever vaccination may be required if you arrive from or transit certain countries.
Useful tips
- Bring a long lens
- Cheetah hunts and calving happen at a distance. A 300 mm lens or longer, and a beanbag for the vehicle window, make a real difference.
- Pack for showers and cold
- December to March is the short-rains season on the plains, and the Ngorongoro highlands are cold at night. A light rain jacket and a fleece are essential.
- Book early
- Calving season is popular and the seasonal Ndutu camps are small. Six months ahead is sensible for February.
- Let the herds set the plan
- Your guide reads the plains each morning. Be ready for early starts and long days out with a packed lunch.
- Tips aren't included
- Gratuities for your driver-guide and camp staff aren't part of the price, so set a little aside for them.
- Ask your doctor about malaria
- Discuss malaria prevention with your doctor before you travel, and bring insect repellent for the evenings.
Packing list
Tick things off as you pack; your list is kept on this device. 0 of 27 packed
When to go
December to March is the calving season, when the herds usually gather around Ndutu and the southern Serengeti. Calving peaks in February.
The migration follows the rain, so no one can guarantee exactly where the herds will be. Two nights in Ndutu, plus the Serengeti and the crater, give you the best chance and wide variety.
Calving season is popular with photographers and repeat guests, so book early, especially for February.
Questions guests ask
When is the calving season?
The herds usually reach Ndutu around December and stay until about March, with calving peaking in February. Each year varies with the rain, so we track the herds as your dates approach.
Are the herds guaranteed?
No. The migration is a natural event and no one can promise where the herds or predators will be. This route gives you two nights in Ndutu plus the Serengeti and the crater for wider variety.
Why two nights in Ndutu?
One rushed night is not enough when the herds and predators are moving across open plains. A full day lets your guide follow them properly.
Can I do this outside calving season?
The route works year-round, but outside December to March the herds are elsewhere. We can reshape it around where the migration is for your month.
Is it a private safari?
Yes. You have your own vehicle and driver-guide for the whole trip.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes, for older children especially. The calving season is a wonderful wildlife lesson, and Embalakai and Mbuni have family tents.
Should I book early?
Yes. Calving season is popular with photographers and repeat guests, and the seasonal Ndutu camps are small.
Request this safari
Ready to witness Tanzania's calving season? Tell us your dates and we will match them to the herds, confirm the best available camps and plan a smooth route around the southern plains, then send a line-item quote.
From $3,222 per person
- You send the request. As shown, or with your changes.
- We check it for your dates. Lodge availability and park logistics, then a line-item quote.
- You confirm. A deposit holds the lodge and vehicle. How booking works
Prefer to talk? WhatsApp +255 758 328 750 or info@warriorsofafricasafaris.com
