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5 days - Central and Southern Serengeti, Ngorongoro

Calving season on the Serengeti and the crater

Five days from Seronera to Ndutu and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, watching the start of the Great Migration as young animals are born, with a crater morning before the flight to Zanzibar.

1 Country
3 Stops
4 Nights
Medium to Luxury Service level
  • The storyThe headline tells the journey in a few lines, one after another.
  • At a glanceThe figures beneath it are the essential facts of the trip.
  • The legsRead the images left to right: each panel is one leg, in the order you travel it, and each is set out in full below.

The journey

When to go

Calving on the southern plains
Central Serengeti game
Ngorongoro Crater
Calving on the southern plains Central Serengeti game Ngorongoro Crater Avoid
January Primary window

The herds are on the southern plains around Ndutu and the first calves arrive towards the end of the month. Warm, green and mostly dry, with the crater at its best.

Best for this trip Herds on the southern plains

The route

Central Serengeti Southern Serengeti Ngorongoro Conservation Area
01

Central Serengeti

A flight from Zanzibar to Seronera and a first game drive.

Fly from ZNZ to the Seronera airstrip, 08:00 – 11:00. Departure times vary with seat availability.

An English-speaking guide meets you on arrival and presents each guest with a bottle of champagne and fresh fruit. Your game drive begins as soon as you leave the airstrip. The Serengeti is home to lions, elephants, leopards and buffalo, and to the Great Migration, and rewards a visit in any month.

Lunch is a picnic in the shade of the acacias. You return to your lodge or camp by 18:00.

02

Southern Serengeti

Ndutu and the calving plains, with a full day among the herds and their predators.

After breakfast you travel to the Ndutu area on the border of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the heart of the calving grounds. In the calving season, from about late January to March, the plains here hold thousands of newborn wildebeest and zebra taking their first steps with the herds.

In the afternoon you return to your lodge to rest.

Today you spend the day on the plains, watching the other side of the calving season. Newborn animals are vulnerable, and lions and leopards are never far away, so there is plenty of action to see. Keep your camera ready.

03

Ngorongoro

A sunrise drive, a night in the conservation area and a half day in the crater before the flight to Zanzibar.

Wake early for a sunrise game drive, followed by breakfast and some rest at camp. You then head for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with an optional visit to a Maasai village on the way.

Once you reach the lodge, the rest of the day is yours to relax.

After breakfast you drive down into the Ngorongoro Crater for half a day on safari. Lunch is by the lake, where a family of hippos lives. The Eighth Wonder of the World, as the crater is often called, holds a wealth of resident game.

After lunch you transfer to Arusha Airport for your flight to Zanzibar, 16:45 – 18:00. Departure times vary with availability.

The detail

About this trip

Five days timed for the start of the Great Migration. From December to March the herds gather on the southern plains of the Serengeti, around Ndutu, and the calving season brings thousands of newborn wildebeest and zebra, with the predators close behind.

You fly in from Zanzibar to the central Serengeti, move south to Ndutu for two nights, then continue to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the crater before the flight back to Zanzibar from Arusha.

What is included

  • Calving season safari – watch the start of the Great Migration, with newborns joining the herds.
  • Wildlife births – young wildebeest and zebra taking their first steps.
  • Serengeti National Park – game drives in the central and southern Serengeti.
  • Ngorongoro Crater – a half-day safari in the caldera.
  • Luxury accommodation – premium lodges and camps.

What is not included

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

How do we get from Zanzibar to the calving grounds and back?
On day 1 you fly from Zanzibar to the Seronera airstrip in the central Serengeti, 08:00 to 11:00, and an English-speaking guide meets you. Day 2 is a drive to the Ndutu area on the border of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Day 4 continues to Ngorongoro, and on day 5 you drive into the crater, then transfer to Arusha for the 16:45 to 18:00 flight to Zanzibar.
When is the best time for the Serengeti calving safari?
January to March and December score highest. February is the peak of calving, with thousands of calves born on the southern plains and predators gathering to hunt them. Late January and March are good, though March is less certain as the herds move and the long rains build. April to October fall outside calving, with the herds in the north, so central Serengeti and the crater carry the trip.
What does a typical day look like on the calving safari?
Day 1 begins with the flight, a game drive from the airstrip, a picnic lunch and a return to your lodge or camp by 18:00. Day 2 is spent around Ndutu, the heart of the calving grounds, and day 3 is a full day on the plains. Day 4 starts with a sunrise game drive, and day 5 is half a day in the crater.
What is flexible on the calving safari itinerary?
The timing of calving is the key choice, so tell us your dates early and we advise how they suit the herds. On day 4 you can add a visit to a Maasai village on the way to Ngorongoro, which is optional. Flight departure times vary with seat availability, so keep onward plans flexible. Dates and lodges are confirmed in your proposal.
Can you combine more than one country in a single trip?
Yes. Many of our journeys cross borders, for example Botswana with Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, or Cape Town with a safari and the Falls. Tell us the places you have in mind through the enquiry form and we will plan the route and transfers as one itinerary.
What meals are included on safari?
Meals depend on the camp or lodge and are set out in your itinerary. On safari they are usually taken at camp, with a picnic or packed meal on some days. Tell us about any dietary needs when you enquire.
Do I need vaccinations or medication before an African safari?
Health requirements depend on where you are travelling from and where you are going, and they change. Check your country's official travel health advice or TravelHealthPro (travelhealthpro.org.uk), and see a travel clinic well before you depart. Ask about malaria prevention early.
What should I pack for an African safari?
Lightweight, breathable clothing that covers your arms and legs helps against sun and insects, in neutral colours. Bring comfortable closed shoes (boots if you will walk), a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, binoculars and a camera with spare batteries and memory cards. Your itinerary lists any luggage limits for charter flights.
How do I stay safe on safari?
Your guides brief you on how to behave around wildlife. Follow their instructions, stay in the vehicle or camp area as told, and never approach or disturb animals. Conditions differ by country and change over time, so check your government's current travel advice before you book and again before you travel.

On this trip

Photographs from the route, not stock library scenery.

Calving Season Safari: Best Time for Wildlife in Tanzania (December – March)
Lion cub snarling on a rock with other lions resting behind it
Calving Season Safari: Best Time for Wildlife in Tanzania (December – March)

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Field notes

The practical detail that decides whether a trip runs smoothly.

The calving is not a fixed date

Calving peaks in February but varies with the rains, and the herds move across the plains. We can tell you where they usually are in your week, but no sighting is guaranteed.

Predators at work

The plains around Ndutu draw lions, hyenas and cheetahs to the newborns, and what you see can be hard to watch. Your guide will explain what is happening and when it is time to move on.

Green season weather

December to March can bring showers, especially in March. Pack a light waterproof and keep a dust cover or plastic bag for your camera. Mornings are usually clear.

Back by 18:00

Game drives in the Serengeti return to the lodge or camp before 18:00. The sunrise drive on day four is followed by breakfast and a rest.

Photography on the plains

A 200 to 400mm lens suits the calving scenes, which often unfold at a distance. Bring spare batteries and cards, and a bean bag for the vehicle.

Tipping

Tips are part of the local custom for guides, drivers and camp teams. We can give you current guidance before you leave, and small notes are easier to hand over.

Plan this journey

Make this trip your own

Every journey is planned around your dates and your party. Tell us who is travelling and when, and a specialist will come back with a tailored itinerary and a quote. Payment is by invoice.

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