This 5-day safari extends the Ndutu calving season experience with an extra day on the southern plains — giving three game drive sessions in the Ndutu area before moving to the central Serengeti and concluding with the Ngorongoro Crater. From December through March, the Ndutu short-grass plains host the wildebeest calving grounds, where over two million animals congregate and predator activity reaches one of its annual peaks anywhere in Africa.
For the 4-day version of this safari, see our 4-day Ndutu migration safari. For Mara River crossings in the northern Serengeti, see our 6-day north migration safari.
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Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport your guide meets you and transfers you to your hotel in Arusha. Check in and relax. In the evening your guide provides a briefing on the safari.
Distance: Airport transfer to Arusha
Activity: Transfer and safari briefing
Accommodation: Hotel or lodge in Arusha
Meals: Full Board
Departing Arusha at 8:00 AM, the drive heads south through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area highlands to the Ndutu region. Upon arrival, a half-day game drive begins across the short-grass plains. Ndutu is a prime location for the wildebeest calving season from December to March, when over two million wildebeest and zebra converge on the southern plains, bringing with them an extraordinary density of predators.
Distance: Approximately 4 hours from Arusha to Ndutu via Ngorongoro highlands
Activity: Afternoon game drive in the Ndutu area
Accommodation: Lodge or tented camp in the Ndutu area
Meals: Full Board
A full day dedicated to the Ndutu calving grounds. After breakfast you set out on an extended game drive, observing the dynamics of the calving season at close range. Vulnerable newborn wildebeest calves attract lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, and jackals — the predator activity during this season is among the most dramatic anywhere in Africa. A picnic lunch is served in the bush, with afternoon drives continuing until the evening light fades.
Distance: Game drives within the Ndutu Conservation Area
Activity: Full-day game drives with picnic lunch in the bush
Accommodation: Lodge or tented camp in the Ndutu area
Meals: Full Board
After breakfast, the route heads north into Serengeti National Park. The central Seronera area provides year-round concentrations of the Big Five and outstanding predator activity anchored by the Seronera River. You arrive in the late afternoon to settle in before dinner.
Distance: Approximately 2 hours from Ndutu to central Serengeti
Activity: En route game drive; arrival at central Serengeti in the afternoon
Accommodation: Lodge or tented camp in central Serengeti
Meals: Full Board
After breakfast, a morning game drive in the central Serengeti gives sustained time in the Seronera area before departing for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The afternoon is spent arriving at the crater rim and enjoying the dramatic highland scenery. Dinner and overnight in preparation for tomorrow's crater descent.
Distance: Approximately 145 km from Serengeti to Ngorongoro rim
Activity: Morning Serengeti game drive; afternoon transfer to Ngorongoro
Accommodation: Lodge or tented camp on the Ngorongoro crater rim
Meals: Full Board
An early start at approximately 6:30 AM for the descent into the Ngorongoro Crater. The five-hour game drive on the crater floor gives excellent opportunities to encounter elephants, lions, buffalo, hippos, flamingos, cheetahs, hyenas, and the rare black rhino. A picnic lunch at the hippo pool is followed by the ascent and the return drive to Arusha.
Distance: Approximately 200 km from Ngorongoro to Arusha
Activity: Ngorongoro Crater game drive with picnic lunch; return to Arusha
Accommodation: N/A – return to Arusha
Meals: Half Board
For the 4-day version of this Ndutu safari, see our 4-day Ndutu migration safari. For the northern Serengeti Mara River crossings, see our 6-day north migration safari.
The wildebeest calving season at Ndutu typically runs from late December through March, peaking in January and February. During this period, thousands of calves are born on the short-grass plains of Ndutu, attracting an exceptional concentration of predators — lions, cheetahs, leopards, and hyenas — to the area.
The 5-day version adds a full second day in the Ndutu area (Day 3), giving three separate game drive sessions on the calving plains compared to two in the 4-day version. This significantly increases the probability of witnessing extended predator hunts and calving events.
Beyond the wildebeest and zebra herds, Ndutu supports lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, jackals, and a wide variety of birds. The central Serengeti adds elephants, giraffes, buffalo, and hippos. The Ngorongoro Crater offers black rhino, crater lions, and flamingos.
All park and conservancy fees, crater service fee, full-board accommodation, a professional driver-guide, 4x4 safari vehicle, all game drives, drinking water, and airport transfers.
December to March for the calving season. January and February are typically the peak months for calf births and predator activity.
Yes. The Ndutu area falls within the Ndutu Conservation Area, which requires a separate conservancy fee in addition to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area entry. Both are included in the package price.
Yes. Ndutu holds resident wildlife and can be visited year-round, though it is most famous and most rewarding during the December to March calving season.
Most nationalities require a tourist visa, available as an e-visa in advance or on arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Yes. Extra nights in Ndutu or the Serengeti can be added. Contact us to discuss options.
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