Wildebeest Calving Season in Tanzania Safari, January to March

Categories: Popular Destinations, Safaris in Africa Tag: Tanzania

A true miracle of nature can be experienced from January to March every year when many of the savanna’s most beautiful creatures give birth to the next generation. This life-affirming adventure takes you to the Serengeti, Lake Manyara, and the Ngorongoro Crater where you can see the circle of life in all its splendor.

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Seasonal Set Departure Safari – January to March.

This safari is all about experiencing the calving season when the massive herds of wildebeest arrive at the southernmost point of their migration in February and March. It is breathtaking to see the herds on the vast open plains of the southern Serengeti and Ndutu plains, as over 8 000 calves are born daily.

The Calving Season Safari offers travel in custom 4×4 safari vehicles with open tops for optimal game viewing. This is a small group seat-in-vehicle safari with a maximum of 6 travelers per vehicle, all with window seats. Traveling for 8 days, the safari includes meals, accommodation, park entry fees, and visits to Lake Manyara, Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area & Ngorongoro Crater. We recommend that you book the incredible Balloon safari add-on with this trip.

Please also check out our other safari options, like the popular Big Five Luxury Safari and our Classic Tanzania and Kenya combo safari.

Download Travel Plan As Pdf

Day 1	MOSHI \| SPRINGLANDS HOTEL Arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport, Tanzania. After clearing customs, look for your driver. They will be waiting for you, holding a sign with your name. Your driver will transport you to Springlands Hotel on the outskirts of Moshi. Overnight Springlands Hotel (with breakfast) or Similar
Day 2	LAKE MANYARA \| HIGHVIEW HOTEL Drive to Lake Manyara National Park in the morning. Set against the steep escarpment of the Rift Valley, you’ll find Lake Manyara National Park with its evergreen groundwater forest and various ecosystems, including acacia woodland, grassy plains, a swampy fan delta, and – of course – the expansive lake. This diversity attracts a wide variety of mammal, bird, and wildlife species. Manyara is also home to rare tree-climbing lions. The park offers excellent game viewing with buffalo, impala, giraffe, bushbuck, waterbuck, hippos, and many elephants roaming near the lake. You can also be on the lookout for blue monkeys, velvet monkeys, and the very active olive baboon. Overnight Highview Hotel (with lunch, dinner & breakfast) or Similar
Day 3	SERENGETI \| WILDCAMP Head out after breakfast for the drive to Serengeti National Park. The word “Serengeti” is derived from the Maasai language, meaning “endless plain.” En route to the Serengeti, you can visit a Masaai Village, a perfect place to explore the Maasai culture and even participate in some tribal activities. Why not choose to visit Olduvai Gorge, known as the Cradle of Humanity; the Museum is a testament to the long journey that humanity has made from its humble roots in East Africa to its current state as the dominant species on earth. Overnight at one of our Wild Camps* (with lunch, dinner & breakfast) * Ikoma Wild Camp, Serengeti Wild Camp or Serengeti Wildebeest Camp
Day 4	SERENGETI \| WILDCAMP Relax for a full day in the Serengeti, unequaled for its beauty and home to the Great Wildebeest Migration. The huge herds of plains game, such as wildebeest, zebra, and antelope, dominate the park, while the attendant predators, such as lion and cheetah, are to be found amongst the many kopjes scattered across the plain. Its landscape varies from open grass plains in the south, savanna with scattered acacia trees in the center, hilly, wooded grassland in the north, to extensive woodland and black clay plains to the west. Overnight at one of our Wild Camps* (with lunch, dinner & breakfast) * Ikoma Wild Camp, Serengeti Wild Camp or Serengeti Wildebeest Camp
Day 5	NGORONGORO \| NGORONGORO WILDCAMP Enjoy a morning game drive in the Serengeti before your transfer to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, part of the southern Serengeti ecosystem. Most wildebeest migration can normally be found on the short-grass plains from December to April. The area is usually heavily populated with elephants, birds, and resident game. Check-in at the lodge with an afternoon game drive. Overnight Ngorongoro Wild Camp (with lunch, dinner & breakfast)
Day 6	NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA \| NGORONGORO WILDCAMP Enjoy a full-day game drive in the Ndutu area. Explore the range of different habitats that include swamps, woodland, soda lakes, and the world-famous Serengeti short grass plains. See great herds of wildebeest and zebra roam. This time of year allows you to witness calves running minutes after birth. This is also the time of year with the best predator action! The marshes and lakes support various bird life and the resident lion prides. Cheetahs are abundant in the plains, and the wooded ridges are always worth a look. Overnight Ngorongoro Wild Camp (with lunch, dinner & breakfast) or Similar
Day 7	NGORONGORO CRATER \| SPRINGLANDS HOTEL This morning, you descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for game driving and exploration. The crater is 600m deep, 16km across, and 265 sq km in area. Enjoy the spectacular scenery and game viewing in what has been described as the world’s eighth wonder. Many of Tanzania’s last remaining black rhinos can be seen grazing on the open grassland of the crater floor, surrounded by some of the 20,000 large animals that occupy the crater, including lion, cheetah, eland, zebra, and gazelle. Flamingos, among other bird species, can often be seen feeding at Makat Soda Lake. Afternoon drive to Moshi for your overnight stay at Springlands Hotel. Overnight Springlands Hotel (with lunch, dinner & breakfast) or Similar
Day 8	KILIMANJARO AIRPORT \| DEPARTURE Enjoy a morning at leisure before your transfer to Kilimanjaro airport for your flight home. If your flight departs during the evening, why not check out our “Add on” day trip activities – speak to us to arrange this.