TANZANIA // CALVING SEASON
7 Days Wildebeest Calving Safari in Tanzania
The southern Serengeti and Ndutu plains in calving season, when hundreds of thousands of wildebeest are born in a few weeks, plus Ngorongoro and Tarangire.
7 Days / 6 Nights
DURATION
$2,920
FROM, PER PERSON
Serengeti, Ndutu, Ngorongoro, Tarangire
DESTINATIONS
2 to 6
GROUP SIZE
ABOUT THIS SAFARI
About This 7 Day Wildebeest Calving Safari
This wildebeest calving safari is built for January to March, when the herds gather on the short grass plains of the southern Serengeti National Park and the Ndutu area to give birth. It continues a Masai Mara safari into Tanzania: you cross at Isebania, spend two nights in the central Serengeti and two at Ndutu, then visit the Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire before returning to Kenya at Namanga.
Calving season brings thousands of newborn calves a day at its peak in February, and with them lion, cheetah and hyena hunting on open ground. It is one of the most intense wildlife spectacles in Africa and far less crowded than the river crossings.
You travel with a Tanzanian driver guide in a private 4×4 Land Cruiser, with full board and all park, conservation and crater fees included. Pair it with the 3 Days Masai Mara Safari for a complete Kenya and Tanzania trip.
AT A GLANCE
Trip Summary
| Detail | This safari |
|---|---|
| Price from | USD 2,920 per person |
| Duration | 7 days / 6 nights |
| Safari style | Migration and Wildlife |
| Countries | Tanzania, from Kenya |
| Parks visited | The Serengeti, the Ndutu plains, the Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire |
| Starts | Isebania border (from the Masai Mara) |
| Ends | Namanga border (to Nairobi) |
| Group size | Private departure. Typically 2 to 6 guests per vehicle |
| Best time to go | Jan to Mar, peak calving in Feb |
| Difficulty | Easy |
ITINERARY AT A GLANCE
Your Route, Day By Day
| Day | Route | Overnight | Meals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isebania Border to the Central Serengeti | Tented camp, central Serengeti | L, D |
| 2 | Full Day in the Serengeti | Tented camp, central Serengeti | B, L, D |
| 3 | Serengeti to the Ndutu Plains | Tented camp, Ndutu | B, L, D |
| 4 | Full Day on the Ndutu Plains | Tented camp, Ndutu | B, L, D |
| 5 | Ngorongoro Crater to Karatu | Lodge, Karatu | B, L, D |
| 6 | Tarangire to Arusha | Lodge, Arusha | B, L, D |
| 7 | Arusha to the Namanga Border | Departure | B, L |
B breakfast, L lunch, D dinner. Accommodation is shown by type and area. We confirm the exact camp or lodge in writing with your quote.
DAY BY DAY
The Full Itinerary
After immigration formalities at the Isebania and Sirari border post, your Tanzanian guide meets you with the safari vehicle.
You drive through Tarime and Mugumu and enter the Serengeti National Park from the west, with a game drive on the way to your camp in the central Serengeti.
Activities: Border meet and assist, drive into the Serengeti with a game drive
Meals: Lunch and dinner · Overnight: Tented camp, central Serengeti
A full day in the central Serengeti with a picnic lunch. The Seronera valley is known for leopard and cheetah, and lion prides rest on the granite kopjes.
Your guide plans the day around the season and your interests.
Activities: Full day game drive with picnic lunch in the central Serengeti
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner · Overnight: Tented camp, central Serengeti
You head south with a packed lunch, game viewing all the way, to the Ndutu area on the border of the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where the herds gather to calve.
You arrive at your camp in the late afternoon.
Activities: Game drive south to the Ndutu plains with packed lunch
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner · Overnight: Tented camp, Ndutu
A full day among the calving herds on the short grass plains. Newborn calves can stand within minutes, and lion, cheetah and hyena follow the herds closely.
Off road driving is allowed in parts of the Ndutu area, so your guide can get close to the action.
Activities: Full day game drive among the calving herds
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner · Overnight: Tented camp, Ndutu
An early start to the Ngorongoro Crater, where you descend to the crater floor for a game drive with a picnic lunch and a good chance of black rhino.
In the afternoon you climb out and continue to your lodge in Karatu.
Activities: Crater floor game drive with picnic lunch, drive to Karatu
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner · Overnight: Lodge, Karatu
A game drive in Tarangire among the baobabs and elephant herds.
In the afternoon you drive on to your lodge in Arusha, about two to three hours.
Activities: Game drive in Tarangire, drive to Arusha
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner · Overnight: Lodge, Arusha
After breakfast you drive to the Namanga border, about one and a half to two hours, with a packed lunch for the road.
After the border formalities, your Kenyan driver meets you for the drive to Nairobi, about three hours (included when booked with a Kenya safari), or you can fly home from Kilimanjaro instead.
Activities: Drive to the Namanga border, onward journey to Nairobi
Meals: Breakfast and lunch · Overnight: Departure
THE ROUTE
Where This Safari Takes You
Isebania border → Serengeti → Ndutu → Ngorongoro Crater → Tarangire → Arusha → Namanga border. Roughly 950 km of driving in total.
How To Get There
This safari starts at the Isebania and Sirari border, usually after a Masai Mara safari, and ends at the Namanga border on the Nairobi road. If you are not coming from the Mara, it can start in Arusha instead, with the Serengeti days in the same order.
The border transfers from the Mara and onward to Nairobi are included when you book a Kenya safari with us. You change vehicle and guide at each border, as Kenyan and Tanzanian safari vehicles cannot cross into each other’s parks. The total in Tanzania is roughly 950 km.
You need a Tanzania e-visa and a yellow fever certificate for entry from Kenya, and a valid Kenya eTA to return. From 1 October 2026 Tanzania also requires its own inbound travel insurance, $44 per adult and $22 per child, best bought online before you travel. Your own travel insurance does not replace it. See our visa requirements page or ask in your free quote.
WHAT IS COVERED
Included and Not Included
Included
- All park and conservation fees
- Ngorongoro crater descent fee
- Professional English speaking driver guide
- 4×4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof
- Full board accommodation as specified
- Border meet and assist at Isebania
- Bottled drinking water throughout
Not included
- Kenya to Isebania transfer (included if booked with a Mara safari)
- Tanzania visa
- Travel insurance
- Soft and alcoholic drinks
- Balloon flight
- Tips and gratuities
GOOD TO KNOW
Wildebeest Calving Safari FAQs
From late January to March, with the peak usually in February, on the short grass plains of the southern Serengeti and the Ndutu area. Dates move a little with the rains each year.
Ndutu sits right on the calving grounds, so you spend your days among the herds instead of driving to reach them. Off road driving is allowed in parts of the area.
It starts at the Isebania border, after a Masai Mara safari, and ends at Namanga for Nairobi. It can also start in Arusha if you fly into Kilimanjaro.
A Tanzania e-visa applied for online before travel and the original yellow fever certificate, which Tanzania asks for when you arrive from Kenya. The East Africa Tourist Visa does not cover Tanzania.
This safari starts from $2,920 per person. The price depends on the season, the camps and your group size. Request a free quote for your dates.
Not in calving season. The river crossings happen from July to October in the Mara and northern Serengeti. See the 7 Days Wildebeest Migration Safari for those months.
NO OBLIGATION
Enquire About This Safari
Send us your dates and we will confirm availability and a firm price within 24 hours.
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