Calving Season in Ndutu Serengeti, Month, Lodges, Itinerary

Calving Season in Ndutu Serengeti, Month, Lodges, Itinerary, traveling to the Ndutu Serengeti in Tanzania gives you the rare opportunity to witness calving season in the Serengeti, where thousands of wildebeest are born each day.

Because there is always wildlife in many African countries, traveling there is exciting at any time of year. But there are seasonally enchanted periods. A visit to Tanzania’s Serengeti at the beginning of the year affords visitors the once-in-a-lifetime chance to see thousands of wildebeest calves being born into the world.

Ndutu Serengeti: Should Calving Season be on your Bucket List

What is Calving Season?

As many as 300,000 animals make the Serengeti their home each year for the migration. In the months of June and July, the park’s resident wildebeests traverse the Grumeti River to continue their northwestward migration. Many tourists rank this attraction as number one on their must-see lists. December marks the beginning of the herds’ journey southward to the southern Serengeti. They subsist on the verdant, short grasses found on the plains. During the months of January and February, the Serengeti is home to the wildebeest calving season, which is arguably the park’s most spectacular event. When the calving season in the Serengeti is at its height, almost 8,000 baby wildebeest are born daily. Seeing a newborn wildebeest bolt along a trail of grass is an experience like no other.

Calving Season with Kabira Safaris & Tours Africa
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The Predators of the Serengeti

Predators accompany the enormous influx of newborn calves. The Western Ngorongoro Conservation area and the Southern Serengeti have the greatest number of predators in Africa during calving season. The grasslands are patrolled by a big herd of lions, hyenas, and cheetahs. They are patiently anticipating the ideal moment to strike.

However, you can’t always count on a quick kill. As soon as a female wildebeest detects that her predator is near, she knows to make her way to the short grass plains. They encircle the mother and her unborn child in a protective barrier during the most delicate time of their lives: birth. By doing so, we can be sure that most of the young will make it.

An unforgettable, action-packed safari awaits you at the Serengeti during calving season. Natural phenomena include big cats hunting baby wildebeest. The nimble cheetahs, in particular, are known to make some spectacular kills during the brief calving season.

Tanzania: wildlife, hunting and calving in Ndutu and Serengeti

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Where to Stay to Witness Calving Season

In the southern Serengeti and Ndutu regions, you may find a number of excellent homes that put you in the heart of the action. Throughout the year, mobile migration camps track the herds and wait near the wildebeest when it’s time for them to give birth. Their wooden and canvas tents provide a unique “Out of Africa” safari experience in Tanzania, along with the guarantee of seeing amazing predator and wildlife.

Olakira Camp

Experience Olakira Camp,

Olakira Camp in the Ndutu region of the southern Serengeti, Ubuntu Camp near the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and Kimondo Camp in the heart of the Serengeti with views of a permanent waterhole are all great options for those who like mobile-tented camps. There are eight tents at each camp, all with private bathrooms, as well as a communal space where guests can eat and unwind in between game drives. As you sip your morning brew on your terrace or veranda, keep an eye out for wildlife.

Mwiba Lodge

Elephants at Mwiba Lodge

One of our favorite properties in the southern Serengeti is Mwiba Lodge, which is perfect if you’re seeking a permanent lodge in the area. Overlooking a steep valley on the Arugusinyai River, it is situated in the Mwiba Wildlife Reserve in the broader southern Serengeti. The lodge is encircled by 33 freshwater springs, lush flora, and old acacia and coral trees. Elegant linen sofas, elaborately carved wood furnishings, and neutral tones of cream, tan, charcoal, and black adorn eight double suites. The open floor plan and luxurious bathrooms with outdoor showers, deep soaking tubs, and copper fittings make it feel like a true getaway. A spacious deck offers a breathtaking view of the surrounding scenery. Excursions departing from Mwiba Lodge can venture deep into the calving area, allowing visitors to witness the occurrence firsthand. Mwiba has a lot to offer beyond only game drives. Some of these options include tours to traditional villages, hikes through the Mwiba Wildlife Reserve, and visits to rock art sites.

No matter where you end up staying in Africa, the calving season is undoubtedly a top time to see wildlife.

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Calving Season in Ndutu Serengeti

In February, you will be able to witness the most spectacular caving season at its peak in the Ndutu Area of Serengeti National Park. During this month, migratory species such as zebras and wildebeest give birth to their young, making the migration a predictable event. During the peak safari season in February, mobile camps are running at full capacity. Predators hunting their prey and animals giving birth are common sights.

There are many things to do in Serengeti National Park besides watching the migration. Drives, hot air balloon rides, intimate inspection of Olduvai Gorge, guided walks, Maasai culture immersion, and birdwatching are all on the menu. Giraffes, elephants, hyenas, and antelopes are just a few of the many creatures that need your attention. Seeing the Serengeti National Park in all its glory is an essential part of any trip to the Ndutu region.

erengeti Calving season – with Great Migration Camps

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Calving Season in Ndutu Serengeti Itineraries

10 Days Serengeti Wildebeest Migration Safari

A natural phenomenon, the Serengeti Wildebeests Migration is a two-million-strong stampede of zebras, antelope, and wildebeests that cover 450 kilometers across the plain in search of food and safety, oblivious to the dangers posed by predators like lions and cheetahs. As the herbivores make their way from Serengeti National Park into Masai Mara Game Reserve, behold the massive crocodiles that inhabit the Mara River.

On their way to Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Reserve, wildebeests cross the Mara River in August and head north, stopping at the Lobo area (just north of Central Serengeti National Park) and the Wagakuria area (far northern Serengeti National Park along the Mara River).

PLACES TO VISIT: Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire

Itinerary Highlights

Day 1: Arrival – Arusha
Day 2: Serengeti National Park (North)
Day 3: Serengeti North (Kogatende)
Day 4: Serengeti North (Kogatende)
Day 5: Serengeti National Park (Central Seronera)
Day 6: Serengeti Central (Central Seronera)
Day 7: Serengeti Central (Cental Seronera)
Day 8: Ngorongoro Crater Tour
Day 9: Tarangire National Park
Day 10: Back to Arusha

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11 Days Kenya and Tanzania Migration Safari

A safari unlike any other in Africa. Witness Beginning at Kenya’s Masai Mara National Park and continuing through Tanzania’s northern circuit, visitors can witness the Great Migration in action. Join us on this safari and see the wildebeest migration in action as it passes through Kenya and Tanzania.

PLACES TO VISIT: LAKE NAKURU, MASAI MARA, SERENGETI, NGORONGORO

Itinerary Highlights

Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi
Day 2: Nairobi – Lake Nakuru National Park
Day 3: Lake Nakuru – Masai Mara
Day 4-5: Explore Masai Mara
Day 6: Maasai Mara – Musoma
Day 7-8: Musoma – Serengeti National Park
Day 9: Serengeti –Ngorongoro Conservation Area via Olduvai Gorge
Day 10: Ngorongoro- Crater Tour
Day 11: Ngorongoro – Arusha – Nairobi

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8 Days The Great Wildebeest Calving Migration Safari with Cultural Hike

From December through April, you can join the Great Serengeti Wildebeest on their migratory journey as they give birth, a really unique safari experience. Where the majority of the wildebeests often congregate—in the southern and central parts of Serengeti National Park—and the Lake Ndutu area—are the regions that will be covered. This trip also includes a stop at the renowned Ngorongoro Crater.

In Tanzania, the Ndutu and Southern Serengeti regions are prime spots to see tens of thousands of wildebeest grazing on the short, lush grasslands throughout the winter months of January, February, and March. The adrenaline-pumping predator action is at its height, with excellent opportunities to view cheetah, lion, hyena, and leopard sightings.

PLACES TO VISIT: Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Mto Wa Mbu

Day 1: Airport pick up – Drop off at Kibo Palace Hotel
Day 2: Tarangire National Park
Day 3: Lake Manyara National Park
Day 4: Serengeti National Park (Ndutu Area)
Day 5: Serengeti National Park (Ndutu Area) – Serengeti National Park (Seronera)
Day 6: Serengeti National Park (Seronera)
Day 7: Ngorongoro Crater
Day 8: Mto Wa Mbu – Arusha

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Our most frequently asked questions about the Serengeti calving season

When Should I Book for the Calving Season

I get your point, and it is true that some preparation is required to witness the Serengeti calving season. Accommodations fill up quickly during this high season, which is to be expected given the typically dry weather and excellent game viewing. January, February, and March are the months that matter. If you have specific dates in mind, it’s best to book up to a year in advance, particularly for February, when the calving season is at its peak.

We recommend making your reservation six to eight months in advance, preferably for February, if you are not particular about the dates within the January to March calving period.

Where Should I Stay & For How Long

Camps in the Ndutu region, to the south of the Serengeti, are ideal during the calving season. You can leave your tent at one of the several semi-permanent campgrounds that are set up annually along the migratory route and get right into the action by taking one of the early morning drives. In most cases, you can expect to stay in a spacious tented suite with a private toilet, outside seats, and a big bed.

Our recommendation is to spend three nights in the Ndutu area and two more nights somewhere else to round out the migration. Maybe a camp in the Central Serengeti, where you can see fantastic resident species, or, since Ndutu is in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a resort in the neighboring Ngorongoro Crater, where you can see the Big Five more reliably than anywhere else in Africa.

What Activities will I Do

During the calving season, most people prefer to see wildlife with a knowledgeable guide while riding shotgun in an open-sided 4×4. Two drives each day are scheduled, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. You will return in the early evening, guided by a spot-light.

We recommend staying in privately-run concessions during calving season instead of the Serengeti National Park. This way, your guide can take you on walking safaris with Tanzanian Park Rangers and take advantage of off-road driving for better sightings.

One such popular activity is visiting a local community. With your guide, you may learn about Maasai traditions and culture, and you might even get to see the famed “jumping dance” performed by Maasai warriors.

While hot-air ballooning, one of the Serengeti’s most famous attractions, is unavailable in the Ndutu region, it is available in the Serengeti’s central region. The most efficient way to get there from Ndutu is to lodge in the heart of the Serengeti, but the transfer takes around 1.5 hours in the morning.

Is it only the Wildebeest Calving Season or do other Animals also have their Young at this Time

You should go at this time if you want to witness many different kinds of newborn animals. On the southern plains, you may see gazelle fawns and zebra foals running about, trying to hide from predators among the hundreds of thousands of wildebeest calves.

The dramatic increase in vegetation coincides with the mating season for many native animals; the open forests are now teeming with warthog piglets, newborn baboons, wobbly-legged giraffe, and immature elephants whose trunks they are still learning to manage.

Large carnivores in Africa time their mating season to coincide with the arrival of the migration, due to the equally abrupt availability of herbivores. Photographers go to see lions, cheetahs, and leopards around this time of year since that’s when they typically have cubs.

Where Else Should I Go during the Calving Season

Tarangire National Park in Tanzania is an excellent option if you’d like to stay close to home but still want to experience a stark difference to Ndutu and the Serengeti. In January, February, and March, you won’t find many tourists, the weather will be a bit gloomy, but the scenery will be verdant, and the animals will be quite different from what you’d see during migration.

If you’re looking for a beach vacation in Tanzania, Zanzibar is your best bet. If you’re a scuba diver or snorkeler, you won’t want to miss the warm, sunny days and crystal clear Indian Ocean that occur between January and March on Spice Island.

Trekking with a family of mountain gorillas in the equatorial jungles of Rwanda and Uganda is an experience as dramatic as witnessing a calving season. These primates are among the largest and most endangered on Earth. January through March is the best time to go gorilla trekking. Conditions in the jungle are at their easiest during these months, which are part of one of the two dry seasons in the region.

Calving Season in Ndutu Serengeti, Month, Lodges, Itinerary

What is Calving Season?

The Predators of the Serengeti

Where to Stay to Witness Calving Season

Olakira Camp

Mwiba Lodge

Calving Season in Ndutu Serengeti

Calving Season in Ndutu Serengeti Itineraries

10 Days Serengeti Wildebeest Migration Safari

Itinerary Highlights

11 Days Kenya and Tanzania Migration Safari

Itinerary Highlights

8 Days The Great Wildebeest Calving Migration Safari with Cultural Hike

Our most frequently asked questions about the Serengeti calving season

When Should I Book for the Calving Season

Where Should I Stay & For How Long

What Activities will I Do

Is it only the Wildebeest Calving Season or do other Animals also have their Young at this Time

Where Else Should I Go during the Calving Season

Tailor-made Travel Advice