6 Days Ndutu Migration Calving Safari

Arusha is known for its colorful markets, coffee shops, and mountain views. It also happens to be the safari capital of the entire country! From here, you can easily access all of the parks that comprise Tanzania’s famous Northern Safari Circuit. When you arrive in town, your guide from Chalema Tanzania Safaris will meet you at the Kilimanjaro International Airport to bring you to the first stop on our Northern Circuit migration Tour: the Karama Lodge and Spa, right here in Arusha. Once you’ve checked into your cabin-style suite, you can relax by the pool, stroll through the hotel gardens, or even venture into town for a tasty local meal.

Today we’ll be showcasing the often-overlooked Tarangire National Park, which we’ll reach by traveling west from Arusha for about two hours. The park is a nature lover’s dream, especially in the green season when its tremendous baobab trees are resplendent with emerald leaves. And if you’re visiting during the dry season, you can expect to see truly enormous herds of buffalo, wildebeest, and zebra—often numbering in the thousands. But no matter when you visit, Tarangire is perhaps best distinguished by its resident elephant population. These massive animals can always be relied upon to deliver a first-rate encounter in Tarangire. After finishing our all-day game drive and picnic lunch, we’ll settle in at the Burunge Tented Lodge just outside the park to spend our first night in the bush.

After enjoying our morning coffee or tea, we’ll head out for the far-reaching plains of the Serengeti. We’ll be traveling for approximately four hours today, but much of that time will be spent in the wildlife-rich environment of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. When we reach Serengeti National Park, we’ll concentrate our game drives in the Ndutu region of the southern plains, famous for its year-round population of predators. The Ndutu area also happens to host the stunning wildebeest and zebra migration each year from December to March. This means that you’ll have the rare opportunity to see newborn wildebeest take their first steps, only minutes after they’re born. Later this evening, we’ll get settled in at the Ndutu Bush Camp, where we’ll spend the next two nights.

The spectacle of the Great Migration is the star of the show in the Serengeti, and the wildebeest here synchronize their births during the months between December and March so that there are too many calves for predators to catch all at once. Thousands of the antelopes are born every day at this time of year, and this sudden influx of easy prey tends to attract the big cats of the Serengeti: lions, leopards, and cheetahs. We’ll spend the entire day in the park, stopping for a picnic lunch within sight of the herds. Tonight, we’ll return to the Ndutu Bush Camp to enjoy dinner before comparing notes with other travelers around the campfire.

After treating ourselves to breakfast while watching the splendid Serengeti sunrise, we’ll enjoy one more game drive as we make our way out of the park en route to Ngorongoro Crater. This short trip takes only about two hours to cross the scenic Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The crater itself was formed millions of years ago by an erupting volcano—today, it’s a natural haven for all sorts of wildlife, including Africa’s Big Five. There’s no better reserve in Tanzania to find the lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and black rhinoceros all in one place. But there are also many other animals to see here, such as spotted hyenas, cheetahs, jackals, and more than 500 different kinds of bird. After leaving the crater tonight, we’ll check in at the stylish Eileen’s Tree Inn nearby Karatu.

This morning we’ll be visiting the lively village of Mto wa Mbu, where you’ll get to experience many unique facets of Tanzanian culture. The village is a genuine melting pot of many different ethnicities—in fact, all of Tanzania’s 120 tribes are represented here in one place! From hard-working farmers cultivating three dozen varieties of bananas to gifted artisans crafting one-of-a-kind products in colorful workshops, Mto wa Mbu is a feast for the senses. We’ll explore the markets, churches, and schools in town before enjoying a fascinating tour of a local rice plantation. Here we’ll enjoy a traditional lunch before departing to the airport. We only have two hours on the road today to return to Arusha, when we’ll bring you back to the Kilimanjaro International Airport for your departure flight. We’re proud that you’ve chosen Chalema Tanzania Safaris to be your guide to the Northern Circuit, and we hope you’ll be in touch when you’re ready for another unforgettable African safari.