8 Days Serengeti Wildbeests Calving Season
Overview
Witness one of the most amazing spectacles on earth:Wildebeests calving safari, visiting Ndutu Plains in Southern Serengeti for the breeding and calving season of the Great Wildebeests Migration herds.
Seasonal Departure Safari – (January to March)
This safari is aimed at the calving season when the massive herds of wildebeest arrive in the Southern most point of their migration over February and March. This is without a doubt one of the best times for you to witness this extraordinary spectacle when the herds find themselves on the vast open plains of the southern Serengeti and Ndutu plains. Here over 8 000 calves are born per day. With the Calving Season Safari travel in custom designed 4×4 safari vehicles with open roofs for game viewing. This is a small group seat-in-vehicle safari with a maximum of 6 travellers per vehicle, all with window seats. Traveling for 8-days, the safari includes meals, accommodation, park entry fees and visit to Lake Manyara, Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area & Ngorongoro Crater.
Full Itinerary
Arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport, Tanzania. After clearing customs, look for your Kentau Safaris driver. He will be waiting for you, holding a sign with your name on it. Your driver will transport you to Green mountain view lodge or similar hotel on the outskirts of Arusha.
This morning drive to Lake Manyara National Park. Set against the steep escarpment of the Rift Valley, you’ll find Lake Manyara National Park with its evergreen groundwater forest and variety of ecosystems including acacia woodland, grassy plains, a swampy fan delta, and – of course – the expansive lake. This diversity attracts a wide variety of mammal, bird, and wildlife species. Manyara is also home to rare tree climbing lions. The park offers excellent game viewing with buffalo, impala, giraffe, bushbuck, waterbuck, hippos, and lots of elephants roaming near the lake. Also look out for blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, and the very active Olive baboon troops. Overnight Omega view lodge or similar hotel (with lunch, dinner & breakfast)
Head out after breakfast for the drive to Serengeti National Park. The word “Serengeti” is derived from the Maasai language, meaning “endless plain.” En-route to the Serengeti you can opt to visit as Masaai Village, a perfect place to explore Maasai culture and even participate in some tribal activities . Or visit Olduvai Gorge, known as the Cradle of Humanity; the Museum is a testament to the long journey that humanity has made from its humble roots in East Africa to its current state as the dominant species on earth Enjoy a game drive enroute to your camp. Overnight at Serengeti heritage heritage luxury tented camp (with lunch, dinner & breakfast)
Relax with a full day in the Serengeti with game drives – unequalled for its beauty and home to the Great Wildebeest Migration. The huge herds of plains game such as wildebeest, zebra and antelope dominate the park while the attendant predators such as lion and cheetah are to be found amongst the many kopjes scattered across the plain. Its landscape varies from open grass plains in the south, savanna with scattered acacia trees in the center, hilly, wooded grassland in the north, to extensive woodland and black clay plains to the west. Overnight at Serengeti heritage camp (with lunch, dinner & breakfast)
Enjoy a morning game drive in the Serengeti before your transfer to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, part of the southern Serengeti ecosystem. 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 elephant, birds and resident game. Check-in at the lodge with an afternoon game drive. Overnight Ngorongoro Wild Camp (with lunch, dinner & breakfast)
Enjoy a full day game drive in the Ndutu area. 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 zebras. During this period the majority of the wildebeest calve. This is also the time of year with the best predator action! Indeed a fantastic time to view high concentrations of wildlife. Wildebeest calves can run minutes after they are born and within 3 days they are normally strong enough to keep up with the herd. The marshes and lakes support a huge variety of bird life as well as resident lion prides. Cheetahs are abundant in the plains, and the wooded ridges are always productive. Overnight Ngorongoro Wild Camp (with lunch, dinner & breakfast)
This morning, you will descend into the Ngorongoro Crater floor for game driving and exploration. The crater is 600m deep, 16km across and 265 sq km in area. Enjoy the spectacular scenery and game viewing, in what has been described as the eighth wonder of the world. Many of Tanzania’s last remaining black rhino can be seen grazing on the open grassland of the crater floor, surrounded by some of the 20,000 large animals that occupy the crater, including lion, cheetah, eland, zebra and gazelle. Flamingo, among other bird species, can often be seen feeding at Makat Soda Lake as well. Afternoon dive to your lodge for your overnight stay. Overnight omega view lodge (with lunch, dinner & breakfast)
After breakfast, drive from Omega view lodge to Tarangire National Park takes which takes 1.5 hours. Huge herds of wildebeest, zebras, elephants, elands, and Oryx gather to stay in Tarangire until the onset of the rain. Then, in the late evening drive back to Green mountain view lodge or similar bed and breakfast.
Included
- Full board accommodation
- All game drives viewing in a custom-built 4x4 Safari Land Cruiser
- All park and entrance fees
- Professional English-speaking driver/guide
- Bottled water in safari vehicles
- Hotel Pick-up/Drop Off
- Government taxes and levies
Excluded
- Internal or International flights
- Entry Visa Fees
- Travel and health insurance
- Tips & Gratuities