7-Day Lake Ndutu Wildebeest Calving Migration Safari

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

Transfer from Kilimanjaro Airport/Arusha Airport to the Family Run Boutique Outpost Lodge in Arusha

The Outpost Lodge is an incredibly cosy, family run boutique hotel located in a leafy residential area of Arusha, a peaceful and lush oasis of calm in Tanzania’s largest tourism hub, complete with a swimming pool and a restaurant boasting culinary creations made with only the freshest and finest ingredients, served with a side of warm hospitality.

Just a stone's throw away from the vibrant Arusha city centre, and only an hour’s drive away from Kilimanjaro Airport, the Outpost Lodge is the perfect place to rejuvenate your mind, body, and spirit amidst the harmonious blend of nature and city life after a long international flight before starting your safari in earnest the next day.

While in Arusha, you can either kick back and relax by the swimming pool or explore the bustling city full of friendly local people and vibrant sights and sounds.

Main Destination:

Arusha (City)

Accommodation:

Outpost Lodge

• Budget lodge located in Arusha (City)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinks not included

Safari to Lake Ndutu to Witness Thousands of Wildebeest Giving Birth to their Young

Depart Outpost Lodge and arrive at the entrance to the Ngorongoro Conservancy one hour later, where the tarmac road will be traded for a far more primal experience as you traverse through the highlands to arrive at Lake Ndutu a few hours later.

Thanks to the volcanic soil of Lake Ndutu, there are a great many animals residing permanently in the area, including lion, leopard, cheetah, civet, serval, wild cats and caracal.

The resident predators are territorial, often choosing to remain in the marshy areas of the lake, which provide ample drinking water all year round, an essential freshwater source that attracts ample number of herbivores.

The marshes also serve as the ideal place for cheetah and lion to hide their offspring from danger. You can enjoy sightings of all three species of jackal including the rarely seen side-striped jackal and in the late afternoons you may glimpse striped hyena at the lake shore.

Main Destination:

Ndutu (Southern Serengeti)

Accommodation:

Lake Ndutu Luxury Tented Lodge

• Luxury tented camp located inside Ndutu (Southern Serengeti)

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Full Safari at Lake Ndutu Watching the Wildebeest

November rains falling on the fertile volcanic soil at Lake Ndutu precipitates an eruption of life between December to March as the great migration of wildebeest, attracted by the promise of the salacious grassy plains, arrive to give birth to their calves.

Lake Ndutu Heritage Camp is a seasonal luxury camp that is constructed on the shores of Lake Ndutu every year, that combines comfort and style with unprecedented wildlife viewing opportunities that are bound to give goosebumps to even the most seasoned safari veteran.

This surely is one of the best times to see the migration as the abundance of animals scattered across the open short grass plains is truly mind boggling.

The wildlife interactions are second to none, which is why seeing the "greatest spectacle on earth" is on the bucket list of so many wildlife enthusiasts in the world, a seething, beautiful mass of movement unlike anything you've ever seen.

Main Destination:

Ndutu (Southern Serengeti)

Accommodation:

Lake Ndutu Luxury Tented Lodge

• Luxury tented camp located inside Ndutu (Southern Serengeti)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Full Safari at Lake Ndutu Watching the Wildebeest

As the short rains of November commence in northern Tanzania, the migration is drawn southward, proceeding down the eastern side of the Serengeti. They are heading for the southern grass plains around Lake Ndutu and the northern Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where they expect to find an abundance of fresh, green and highly nutritious grass to feast upon, and to feed the young once they are born.

The wildebeest and zebra stay in this area from December to March. At this time the wildebeest calving season begins. Approximately 8,000 wildebeest are born each day for about three weeks in mid-February. This time of year offers the impressive (and often disturbing) spectacle of predators waiting to pick off weak and confused calves, famous for their ability to run ten minutes after being born, while managing to keep up with the pace of the adults by the end of the day, an essential evolutionary trait for an animal that relies on migration as a natural part of their lifecycle.

Main Destination:

Ndutu (Southern Serengeti)

Accommodation:

Lake Ndutu Luxury Tented Lodge

• Luxury tented camp located inside Ndutu (Southern Serengeti)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Depart Lake Ndutu for the Centre of the Serengeti for another safari full of wildlife action

When many of us dream of an African Safari adventure, it’s the Serengeti our minds turn to, exotic images of megafauna roaming the African plains, left to their natural devices in fifteen thousand square kilometres of national park, an animal lover's dream come true, all thanks to the plethora of wildlife documentaries that have been filming the dynamic equilibrium of animal interactions within the park for the last century, including David Attenborough, one of the most famous wildlife naturalists in the world.

The Serengeti is truly a magical place that is an absolute must for any safari itinerary, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Africa, and for good reason. With its vast open plains, stunning wildlife, and rich cultural heritage, it's a place where you can truly experience the beauty and majesty of nature.

Main Destination:

Central Serengeti National Park

Best Time To Visit January to February and June to October (Different areas are best at different times)

High Season July to March (The Seronera area is crowded)

Best Weather June to October (Little to no rainfall)

Wildlife in Serengeti NP

ElephantCommon

LionCommon

CheetahCommon

BuffaloAbundant

ZebraAbundant

WildebeestAbundant

Show more

GiraffeCommon

HippoCommon

HyenaCommon

LeopardOccasional

Black RhinoVery Rare

Wild DogVery Rare

White RhinoNone

Accommodation:

Central Serengeti Luxury Camp

• Mid-range tented camp located inside Central Serengeti NP

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Say goodbye to the Serengeti and descend into the Ngorongoro Crater to see black rhinos and more

The Ngorongoro Crater is a veritable fishbowl filled to the brim with a diverse array of wildlife, the hollowed out remains of a shield volcano which one stood higher than Mount Kilimanjaro, the Roof of Africa, which erupted two million years ago to create the twenty one kilometre wide national park we know and love today.

The main attraction of the Ngorongoro Crater is the incredibly rare black rhino population of over fifty individuals, which are supported by the year round water supply and lush vegetation due to the volcanic soil, along with one of the densest population of predators in the world, including lion, hyena, jackals, cheetahs and the ever-elusive leopard.

Lunch will be enjoyed at a picnic site beside a hippo pool so you can eat a sandwich right next to some sleeping hippos, which is every bit as incredible as it sounds!

The Ngorongoro Crater National Park is a must for anyone who wants the chance to see all of the big five: leopard, rhino, buffalo, lion & elephant.

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:

Manyara Safari Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located on the escarpment above Lake Manyara NP

+35 Photos

+34 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Time to Return to Civilisation; Arusha, Moshi, or the Airport, the choice is yours

Relax at Manyara Safari Lodge for the whole day and enjoy the sumptuous surroundings while well trained staff cater to your every whim and wish as you wait to be transferred to the airport in time for your departure onto your next destination, hakuna matata, there is never any rush in Africa!

Or be transferred back in comfort and style to your choice of hotel in Arusha or Moshi, after enjoying a delicious morning breakfast prepared by talented chefs who cater for every palette.

The Travel Partner Team would be delighted to assist you in organising the next stage of your journey anywhere in East Africa, wherever your heart takes you next.

On behalf of the Travel Partner Team, which has twenty years of experience organising safaris in Tanzania, we wish you a pleasant journey and hope to see you again soon!

Karibu Tena!

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.