Tanzania · Safari

4-Day Serengeti Wildebeest Migration Safari with Ndutu Calving

4 Days Round trip from Arusha Easy pace

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The journey

Trip highlights

01 Expect to be amazed by large flamingo flocks at Lake Manyara
02 Visit the Oldupai Gorge Museum to learn about the history and culture
03 Enjoy views of the savannah as carnivores, including cheetahs and lions
04 Witness wildebeest herds moving across the Ndutu calving area

Revel in one of nature's most gruelling and captivating journeys as you witness the calving season on this four-day safari. Visit Lake Manyara National Park, travel to the southern Serengeti's Ndutu area to see the wildebeest calving grounds, and finish your excursion in the beautiful Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Along the way, enjoy outstanding wildlife viewing across some of Tanzania's most celebrated safari landscapes.

Revel in one of nature's most gruelling and captivating journeys as you witness the calving season on this four-day safari.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 4 Days

Tour type Shared

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Included · Standard

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Not applicable

Cities Arusha, Moshi, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Manyara

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park

You'll leave Arusha after a late breakfast and travel to Lake Manyara National Park. The journey takes approximately two hours, passing through the market town of Mto Wa Mbu along the way. This agricultural fresh produce market is a melting pot of local cultures and a paradise for souvenir hunters.
After a brief stop at the countryside market, you'll enter Lake Manyara National Park. The park is genuinely a photographer's playground and offers some of the best game viewing in the world. You can expect to see many of Africa's most well-known animals, with the tree-climbing lions being a particular highlight. These proud predators lounge in acacia trees, practically pleading to be photographed. Bird-watchers will find Lake Manyara an absolute delight, with a wide variety of birds on display throughout the park.
Even a novice can expect to be amazed by large flamingo flocks, circling birds of prey, and the brightly coloured lilac-breasted roller. You'll then retire to your chosen accommodation for dinner and a good night's rest at a camp or lodge.

Day 02

Mto Wa Mbu to Ndutu in Southern Serengeti

We will have an early breakfast, as a big day of exploration and adventure lies ahead. We'll begin with a scenic drive toward the Ndutu area in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Along the way, we'll pass through the mist-shrouded rainforests of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where you may be lucky enough to glimpse Cape buffalo, baboons, or even elephants and leopards in the dense undergrowth. It is almost a one-and-a-half-hour drive to Ndutu, but you may choose to break up the journey with one or both of the optional activities below.
Oldupai Gorge Museum: Sometimes known as the Cradle of Mankind, the Oldupai Gorge Museum commemorates some of the oldest evidence of human habitation ever discovered. Here, you may see some of the earliest fossil evidence of human habitation in the world, learn more about human history at the museum, and take in the beautiful views of this stark, gorgeous landscape.
Maasai boma visit: Pay a visit to one of the famous Maasai bomas, where you will have the opportunity to witness - and participate in - traditional Maasai dance, tour an authentic Maasai village, and even do a little souvenir shopping at the nearby market. Both of the above activities attract an additional fee. Speak with your safari expert about adding them to your itinerary.
After a delicious lunch at the picnic area, it's time to explore the Ndutu region. Witness Africa's iconic savannah landscape and be amazed by the sheer number of animals that roam these grassy plains. You may enjoy watching the giant herds of wildebeest moving across the area.
Dinner and overnight stay will be in the heart of the area, according to the standard and type of accommodation requested from our options.

Day 03

Full-Day Game Drive in the Ndutu Area

You will be up before dawn so that we can enjoy an early morning game drive through the area. Watch the sunrise over the savannah as carnivores, including cheetahs and lions, spring into action while it is still cool enough for them to hunt. After your sunrise game drive, you will return to your lodge for breakfast before taking a picnic lunch and heading out to explore more of Ndutu. You'll enjoy a full-day game drive through the area, taking in the shores of both Lake Ndutu and Lake Masek, as well as the surrounding land where tens of thousands of young wildebeest take their first steps. After your day-long exploration of Ndutu, you'll stay overnight at a camp or lodge.

Day 04

Ngorongoro Crater Safari and Return to Arusha

After breakfast, you'll leave for Ngorongoro Crater, considered by some to be the 8th wonder of the world. When you get your first glimpse of this vast, verdant caldera from the panoramic viewpoint, you will soon understand why it has earned such a lofty reputation.
Home to over 120 species of mammal, including the fabled Big Five, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is one of the most sought-after safari destinations in the world. It is an especially good place to spot the endangered black rhinoceros grazing alone on the grass plains, as well as to see large numbers of hippopotamuses enjoying the cool water. From the comfort of your open-top vehicle, you will be able to observe and photograph several of Africa's most recognisable animals.
The crater is home to a large number of predators, including lions, leopards, cheetahs, jackals, and hyenas, as well as a huge population of wildebeest, zebras, antelope, Cape buffalo, and more. It is truly one of Africa's premier safari destinations. After the thrills and excitement of the day, you'll have a picnic lunch by the park's famous hippo pool before returning to Arusha for the night.