9-Day Calving Season Safari by Road
Nine days in the northern parks during calving season, in smaller luxury camps. Tarangire first, then two nights in Ndutu, two in the central Serengeti and a night near the Ngorongoro Crater.
- 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.
This longer route starts gently, with a night in Arusha and a night in Tarangire. From there you drive to Ndutu for two nights with the herds, then two nights in the central Serengeti. You come back by way of the Ngorongoro Crater and a last night in Arusha.
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: Arrive in Arusha. You are met at Kilimanjaro International Airport and driven to Arusha, about an hour. Lunch on arrival, then the afternoon to rest. Arusha sits at around 1,400 metres below Mount Meru, so the air is mild after a long flight. A slow first day helps, and it gives you time to sort out your bags and go through the route with your guide before you head out. Overnight at Hamerkop House or similar.
- Day 2: Tarangire National Park. Drive to Tarangire, about two hours, and spend the afternoon among its baobabs and elephant herds. Baobabs are the trees to remember here: huge, grey and many centuries old, some with bark scarred by elephants looking for moisture. The park also has more than 500 recorded bird species, and it looks and feels quite different from the open Serengeti plains you will see later on this trip. Overnight at Lemala Mpingo Ridge or similar.
- Day 3: Tarangire to Ndutu. A long travel day west, about four and a half hours of driving, up over the Ngorongoro highlands and down to the plains at Ndutu. You climb the wall of the Rift Valley near Mto wa Mbu, pass the farms of Karatu, and cross cool highland forest along the crater rim. The land then falls away to the short-grass plains, and the change is sudden. You game-drive into camp, and in calving season the herds may already be around you. Overnight at Lemala Ndutu or similar.
- Day 4: A full day in Ndutu. A full day with the herds. Go out early, when the light is soft and the predators are most active, and stay as long as a sighting holds. Most wildebeest calves are born within a few weeks, usually around February, and they can stand within minutes. Cheetah do well on this open ground, where they can see a long way and have room to run. Lion and hyena are never far from the herds either. Lunch is a picnic on the plains. Overnight at Lemala Ndutu or similar.
- Day 5: Ndutu to the central Serengeti. Drive north into Serengeti National Park, about an hour and a half without stops, with game viewing along the way, so it will take much longer than that. The plains stretch out on both sides before the first trees and granite kopjes of the central Serengeti appear. The name is usually traced to a Maasai word for endless plains, and this is the stretch of road where you can see why. Overnight at Lemala Nanyukie or similar.
- Day 6: Central Serengeti. A full day around Seronera, where the rivers and kopjes hold lion and leopard all year. Your guide plans the day around recent sightings. The Seronera River is the place to start for leopard, which often lie up in the trees along its banks during the heat of the day. The kopjes make good lookouts for lion, and the hippo pools are worth a stop, with loud grunting and a strong smell included. Overnight at Lemala Nanyukie or similar.
- Day 7: Serengeti to Ngorongoro. Drive out of the Serengeti and up to the Ngorongoro area, about three and a half hours. You leave the plains behind and climb into the highlands, where the air turns cool and the grass gives way to forest. The afternoon is free, a pause after several full days on game drives. At this height the evenings are chilly, so keep a warm layer handy. Overnight at Lemala Osonjoi Lodge or similar.
- Day 8: Ngorongoro Crater. Go down into the crater early, before most vehicles arrive. Look for black rhino, lion and the flamingos on the soda lake, Lake Magadi. The crater floor is compact, about 260 square kilometres, so a lot of wildlife lives within a small area and a single morning covers very different ground: grassland, swamp and the Lerai forest. After a picnic lunch, drive back to Arusha, about three hours. Overnight at Hamerkop House or similar.
- Day 9: Departure. Breakfast in Arusha, then a transfer to Arusha Airport or Kilimanjaro International Airport for your onward flight. Arusha Airport is the usual choice for small planes going on to Zanzibar or other parks, and Kilimanjaro International takes most international flights. Your flight times decide which one you need and when you leave.
Who checked this route
- Checked by Bariki, Senior safari guide, 10 November 2026.
- Starting in Tarangire gives you a day with the elephants before the calving plains. After that it's two nights in Ndutu and two in the central Serengeti, so nothing feels rushed.