5-Day The Calving Season Experience

• You'll be collected from the airport.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Tarangire National Park

Your journey begins with an early morning departure from Arusha to Tarangire National Park, a drive of about two to three hours through the scenic Maasai plains. Upon arrival, you’ll be greeted by the towering baobabs and the meandering Tarangire River, which serves as a vital water source and wildlife magnet. This park is famous for its large elephant herds, and during the green season, the landscape is lush and teeming with life. You'll enjoy a full day game drive, with a picnic lunch under the shade of an acacia tree, spotting zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, and possibly elusive predators like leopard or lion. As the sun begins to set, you'll head to your lodge or camp near the park for dinner and a restful evening, preparing for the adventure ahead.

Main Destination:

Tarangire National Park

Best Time To Visit July to November (Animals come to the Tarangire River)

High Season June to October (The park is full of visitors)

Best Weather June to October (Little rainfall)

Wildlife in Tarangire NP

ElephantAbundant

GiraffeCommon

LionCommon

BuffaloAbundant

ZebraAbundant

WildebeestAbundant

Show more

HippoCommon

HyenaOccasional

LeopardRare

CheetahRare

Wild DogVery Rare

White RhinoNone

Black RhinoNone

Accommodation:

Ngorongoro Oldeani Mountain Lodge

• Luxury lodge located 1-2hr drive from Tarangire NP

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Meals & Drinks:

• Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Karatu- Ngorongoro Crater

After breakfast, you’ll depart Tarangire and drive through the highlands toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. By mid-morning, you’ll descend into the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most extraordinary wildlife havens on Earth. The crater floor is a natural enclosure teeming with animals, including rhino, lion, buffalo, hippo, and a dazzling array of birdlife. With its rich volcanic soil and permanent water sources, the crater is ideal for calving season, and you may witness newborn animals under the careful watch of their mothers. After a full day exploring the crater floor, you’ll ascend in the late afternoon and continue on to your overnight accommodation on the crater rim or en route toward the Ndugu area.

Main Destination:

Ngorongoro Crater

Best Time To Visit June to October (Wildlife viewing is best)

High Season Most of the year – July to March (Expect crowds)

Best Weather June to October (Rainfall is little to none)

Wildlife in Ngorongoro Crater

Black RhinoCommon

LionCommon

BuffaloAbundant

ZebraAbundant

WildebeestAbundant

HyenaAbundant

Show more

ElephantCommon

HippoCommon

LeopardOccasional

GiraffeNone

White RhinoNone

CheetahNone

Wild DogNone

Accommodation:

Nyikani Migration Camp Ndutu

• Mid-range tented camp located inside Ndutu (Southern Serengeti NP)

+8 Photos

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Ndutu area

This morning you will have a morning game drive in Ndutu and your tonight accommodation is ideally positioned to observe the Great Migration’s calving period. The vast grasslands here, particularly around the Ndutu and Kusini areas, serve as the primary birthing grounds for thousands of wildebeest during the early months of the year. You'll settle into camp and head out for your first game drive in the afternoon. Expect intense wildlife drama: vulnerable newborn calves learning to walk, protective mothers keeping a watchful eye, and predators like hyenas, lions, and cheetahs lurking nearby. The abundance of prey during calving season makes this a prime time for predator sightings. Back at camp, you’ll enjoy a fireside dinner under the stars, accompanied by the distant sounds of the wild.

Main Destination:

Ndutu (Southern Serengeti NP)

Accommodation:

Masek Tented Lodge

• Luxury tented camp located inside Ndutu (Southern Serengeti NP)

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+15 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Ndutu

A full day in the southern Serengeti awaits, with game drives designed around the rhythms of wildlife. You'll set out early to catch the golden light and observe the plains awakening. The spectacle of life and death plays out vividly here during calving season wildebeest calves are born by the thousands each day, and within minutes, they’re up and running to keep up with the herd. Morning and afternoon drives will take you across the open plains and into woodland patches where predators may hide. In addition to wildebeest, you’ll see zebra, gazelle, and possibly even rarer creatures like serval or caracal. You may choose to break the day with a picnic lunch out in the bush or return to camp for a midday rest. The immersion in this natural event is unforgettable, and the richness of sightings during this time is unparalleled.

Main Destination:

Ndutu (Southern Serengeti NP)

Accommodation:

Masek Tented Lodge

• Luxury tented camp located inside Ndutu (Southern Serengeti NP)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Arusha

After a final morning game drive or leisurely breakfast at camp, you'll begin your journey back to Arusha. Depending on your travel plans, this may be by vehicle or a short bush flight offering aerial views of the Serengeti plains. Upon arrival in Arusha, you can visit a local cultural center or coffee estate if time allows, or simply relax before your international departure. With memory cards full and your senses imprinted with the unforgettable sights and sounds of calving season, your safari concludes but the experience will stay with you for a lifetime.

Main Destination:

Arusha (City)

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You'll be dropped off at the airport.