9-Day Calving Season Fly-in Safari
A fly-in calving safari: three nights in Ndutu, two in the Ngorongoro highlands and three in the eastern Serengeti. Light aircraft replace the long drives.
- Length
- 9 days, 8 nights
- Comfort
- Luxury
- Price
- Price on request
Between about December and March, the wildebeest herds spread over the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti and the Ndutu area. Most calves are born within a few weeks, usually around February, and lion, cheetah and hyena stay close to the herds.
Three nights in Ndutu is the core of this trip, enough time to wait at a sighting instead of rushing to the next one. Short flights then take you to the Ngorongoro highlands for the crater, and on to the eastern Serengeti, an area known for cheetah and lion.
The lodges named on each day are options, not fixed choices. Similar camps can be used to suit your dates and budget.
Day by day
- Day 1: Fly to Ndutu. From Kilimanjaro International Airport, a light aircraft flies you straight to Ndutu, about an hour. Flying saves the long road over the highlands, and from the small plane the crater and the plains are laid out below you. Your guide meets you at the airstrip and you game-drive to camp, so the safari starts as soon as you land. Bags on these small planes are usually limited, so ask us about weight limits and soft-sided bags when you plan. Overnight at Laba Laba Migration Camp or similar.
- Day 2: Ndutu. A full day on the calving plains. Wildebeest and zebra cover the short grass, and the predators are never far away. You go out in the morning and again in the afternoon, the two times of day when animals are most active. The herds move with the rain, so your guide decides where to go each day from what happened overnight. Lunch can be in camp or out in the field. Overnight at Laba Laba Migration Camp or similar.
- Day 3: Ndutu. A slower day. With three nights here you can sit with a cheetah family or a herd at a lake edge for as long as it holds your interest. Time is what most short safaris lack, and patience is often what brings the best moments. The woodland around Lake Ndutu and Lake Masek makes a change from the open plains, with giraffe, elephant and birds at the water. The lakes are alkaline, and at times they draw flamingos. Overnight at Laba Laba Migration Camp or similar.
- Day 4: Fly to the Ngorongoro highlands. A short flight from Ndutu to the Lake Manyara airstrip, then a drive up into the Ngorongoro highlands. The airstrip sits at the foot of the Rift Valley wall, so the drive climbs quickly, from warm low country to cool forest and farmland. The rest of the day is free. After three days on the plains it is a good change of pace, and evenings at this height are cold, so keep a warm layer handy. Overnight at The Highlands or similar.
- Day 5: Ngorongoro Crater. A day in the crater. Descend early and spend the morning on the crater floor, where black rhino, lion, elephant and buffalo live all year. The steep road drops about 600 metres from the rim, and the mist often lifts as you go down. The floor holds grassland, the Lerai forest, swamps and the soda lake, Lake Magadi. Because the area is compact, you can see a lot in one morning. It is a popular park, so an early start helps you enjoy it before it gets busier. Overnight at The Highlands or similar.
- Day 6: Fly to the Serengeti. Drive back to the Lake Manyara airstrip and fly to Seronera in the Serengeti. From there you game-drive east to camp, leaving the busier centre of the park behind. The eastern Serengeti is more open and much less visited, a landscape of wide grassland broken by granite kopjes. It is a very different feel from the woodland you see around Seronera. Overnight at Namiri Plains or similar.
- Day 7: Eastern Serengeti. A full day on the eastern plains. The open grassland and rocky kopjes here are good for cheetah and lion. Cheetah hunt by day and rely on open views, and lions use the rocks for shade and as lookouts over the plains. You go out morning and afternoon, with the middle of the day to rest when the animals do too. This side of the park usually sees fewer vehicles than Seronera, though that can change with the season. Overnight at Namiri Plains or similar.
- Day 8: Eastern Serengeti. Another day in the east, or a drive west towards Seronera if the guides report good sightings there. Having a second day here gives you that choice. If you stay, it is worth going back to anything that caught your eye yesterday, like a pride with cubs or a cheetah with a favourite mound. If you go west, the Seronera River offers a good chance of leopard and hippo. Overnight at Namiri Plains or similar.
- Day 9: Fly out. After breakfast, drive to Seronera airstrip for your flight back to Kilimanjaro International Airport. Keep your camera out on the way, because animals can turn up on the road. From the air you cross the plains and highlands you have spent the week in. Light-aircraft schedules can change, so leave a good gap before any international flight.
Who checked this route
- Checked by Bariki, Senior safari guide, 10 November 2026.
- Three nights in Ndutu means we can wait at a sighting instead of driving on. The short flights replace the long road days, so more of your time goes on watching.