9 Days Serengeti Safari During Calving Season
Serengeti · Ngorongoro · Lake Manyara · Ndutu
Safari overview
9 Days Serengeti Safari During Calving Season
Be captivated by extraordinary game viewing and quintessential Tanzania landscapes on this safari through Tanzania.
This is an amazing safari that takes you to the top safari destinations in Tanzania to witness the high concentration of Wildebeest & Zebras Migration. Thousands of wildebeest give birth every day and during the calving season it attracts a lot of carnivores due to easy food. This definitive safari is all about getting more out of your time in Africa. You will get an opportunity to visit the spectacular Serengeti plains and home of the Big five of Africa {Lion, Elephants, Leopard, Buffalos & Rhinos} Let us create unforgettable experiences for your once-in-a-lifetime safari experience.
Day by day
9 Days, Planned to the Last Sunset
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Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by your guide. From there, you will be transferred to your hotel in Arusha.
Arusha, located at the base of volcanic Mt. Meru, is a vibrant city in Tanzania, serving as a gateway to renowned safari destinations and Africa’s highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro. Situated approximately 100 kilometers northeast of Arusha, Mount Kilimanjaro is a breathtaking sight to behold.
- Dinner
- 100 kilometers
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After breakfast, embark on a full-day tour of Lake Manyara National Park.
Lake Manyara National Park is renowned for its rich birdlife, with over 400 recorded species. Even first-time African visitors can expect to witness around 100 bird species daily. The park’s floodplain is home to a narrow belt of acacia woodland, where you can find the iconic tree-climbing lions and impressive elephants.
- Full board
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Start your day with breakfast before heading to Ngorongoro Crater for a morning game tour.
The Ngorongoro Crater, the largest unflooded and unbroken caldera worldwide, is a natural wonder that will leave you awestruck. The crater offers breathtaking views, spanning approximately 20 kilometers in diameter, with a depth of 600 meters, and covering 300 square kilometers. During the tour, you will visit Lake Magadi, a prominent feature of the crater known for its abundance of flamingos, hippos, and other water birds. In the afternoon, proceed to Serengeti National Park.
- Full board
- 20 kilometers
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After breakfast, collect your packed lunch and embark on a full-day game drive in Seronera, the central part of Serengeti National Park.
Serengeti National Park is famous for its diverse wildlife population, including the renowned “big five”: lions, leopards, elephants, buffalos, and rhinos. The park is believed to host the largest lion population in Africa, with over 3,000 lions residing in the ecosystem. Serengeti is also home to African leopards, with a population of around 1,000. Keep your eyes peeled for African elephants and other fascinating wildlife during your exploration.
- Full board
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After breakfast, pack your luggage and take your packed lunch as you head to the South Ndutu Area for a wildebeest migration tour. In the late afternoon, enjoy a game drive in the Ndutu area. This region is often heavily populated with elephants, various bird species, and resident game.
- Full board
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Continue your exploration of the wildebeest migration after breakfast. Return to the lodge in the afternoon for a hot lunch.
In the late afternoon, explore the diverse habitats of the area, including swamps, woodlands, soda lakes, and the renowned Serengeti short grass plains. Witness the great herds of wildebeest and zebras, especially during the calving season, which occurs around February. Wildebeest calves can run minutes after birth, and within 3 days, they are normally strong enough to keep up with the herd.
- Full board
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After breakfast, embark on a game drive en route to Arusha.
The Ndutu area offers a wide range of habitats, including swamps, woodlands, soda lakes, and the famous Serengeti short grass plains. You will have the opportunity to witness herds of wildebeest and zebras, particularly during the calving season. These open plains provide little cover, making the young wildebeest easy prey for various predators. However, they quickly develop the strength to keep up with the herd within a few days of being born.
- Full board
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After breakfast, you will have the option to take a town tour for the day. In the evening, you will be transferred to the airport for your departure flight back home or to your next destination.
- Half board
Transparent pricing
What This Safari Costs
Prices are per person sharing for a private 9-day / 8-night safari, and depend on the lodges you choose. Park fees, guide, 4×4 and meals are included in every tier.
| Season | Solo | 2 guests | 4 guests | 6+ guests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low season 1 March – 31 May The long rains. Lowest prices and the greenest landscape. | $4,830 | $3,220 | $2,840 | $2,670 |
| High season 1 November – 20 December, 6 January – 29 February Dry and green in turn, with good game viewing and easier lodge availability. | $5,080 | $3,390 | $2,990 | $2,820 |
| Peak season 1 June – 31 October, 21 December – 5 January Migration river crossings and the driest months. Book well ahead. | $5,650 | $3,770 | $3,320 | $3,120 |
All prices are per person sharing, in USD.
Final quotes depend on season, group size and lodge availability — tell us your dates and we'll confirm exact pricing free of charge.
The fine print, upfront
What's Included
Included
- All Park fees
- All activities (unless labeled as optional)
- All accommodations as stated in the itinerary
- A professional driver/guide
- All transportation (unless labeled as optional)
- All Meals (as specified in the day-by-day section)
Not included
- International flights (from/to home)
- Additional accommodation
- Tips (tipping guideline US$20.00 pp per day)
- Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
- Services not mentioned in the program
- Travel insurance and medical repatriation
- Items of a personal nature
Yiqing S
A memorable journey for a lifetime 💙
This was my first time travelling in Africa. Together with my Mum and two aunties we travelled as a family group of four. Generally it was an educative, cheering and lifetime memorable journey. All of us loved the safari. A genuine big thank to Lappet Faced Safari and our guide Frank. The trip was not only well arranged, safe and sound, but also full of luck. At the trip planning stage, the company general manager Francisco was very patient to answer all kinds of questions and made adjustments according to my demands as effective as possible. The cost breakdown was highly detailed. Before starting the trip, I had some concerns because my mum and aunties whose average age are nearly 60 and do not understand English. I expected that the trip might be a bit uneasy. But our guide Frank turned out to be an easy-going guy. He is so nice and got on well with three ladies. Even they don’t really understand each other’s language, there was no barrier at all :) And the car had been kept clean and tidy every morning before we get on. The ladies often praised “Frank你真棒！” (Frank you are so reliable!)During the safari, Frank could always discover those special animals that we never had such sharp eyes to notice🤣. We managed to spot the big five without much difficulties. Apart from those, we also spotted some rare creatures such as cheetah cubs, honey badger, serval, lappet faced eagle (safari company logo :D), steppe eagle, etc. Frank is absolutely professional. He introduced me all the animals alone the way in great details. Sometimes he would carefully double check the bird species in a beautiful birds illustration book. The safari was full of joy and surprise. We enjoyed every second in the wild nature of Tanzania so much that we even feel reluctant to back to city life🥲.P.S. I fulfilled my wish —— to make my own work of animal illustrations! Check them out 👇👇👇
Ying / Aug 2026
The guide was very experienced
It was a very enjoyable trip! We were always lucky, and our wishes always came true. We had great travel companions and a great guide, and a…
catchatter2016
Best custom Private Small Group Safari Experience by Lappet Faced Safaris
Francisco was amazing at organizing exactly the trip we wanted. He took the time to answer all our questions and custom made our trip with a great price. We chose the luxury tented lodges but the mid-priced accommodations looked good too. We saw so many animals up close, right by our Land Rovers, on our custom private 10 day safari (Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro). He also arranged a three night get away on Zanzibar at the Zuri Zanzibar resort. It was fabulous! All of the accommodations were fabulous and the food was delicious. You can trust Francisco to organize your safari and make it the trip of your lifetime! This trip exceeded our expectations and that is saying a lot for our group! Our guides, Ukadi & Alfred, were also amazing, they have a lot of experience as a safari guides and have vast knowledge on the animals, plants, trees and the culture. They spotted so many animals and birds for us, and were patient while we photographed everything. We even got to see all of the Big 5! We saw huge pools of hippos, leopards, cheetahs, lions, elephants, rhinos, Cape buffalos, zebras, wildebeest, ostriches, baboons, hyenas and much, much more! We really recommend going with Lappet Faced Safari tour company, they are the best! Thank you for sharing your beautiful world with us.
Kiki / Aug 2026
A truly unforgettable trip, the local tour guide was very responsible!
Overall, our trip to Kenya was fantastic. The itinerary was excellent, and they handled a few hotel issues very promptly and efficiently. Our…
Yixin D
Lappet Faced Safari Forever!
Francisco and his team have done a very good job. Francisco has arranged everything in Tanzania and kept an eye on our trip. Francisco's response speed is very fast. He arranged a photographer for our Safari The photographer recorded all the animals we saw and the wonderful moments. Our driver Noel is like my big brother. He has eagle eyes and finds animals at any time. He knows time management, and we have nothing to worry about with him. We saw rhinoceros and even baby rhinoceros six times in Ngorongoro, and on the third day we had seen all the Big Five and their babys.This is a Great Safari.Francisco and his team are very reliable. We paid the full amount when we were in China. Francisco completed all our hotel reservation requirements and sent us a hotel reservation form.Francisco is very honest. Their profits are not high, but they take their customers very seriously, even if their company is small.Their prices are detailed and transparent, and all details will be sent. Choosing them will make you have an unforgettable trip!弗朗西斯科和他的团队非常好，弗朗西斯科为我们安排好了一切，所有酒店没有任何更改，他安排了摄影师记录了我们的游猎时光，我们在第三天的时候已经看到了Big Five 和他们的babys.
xiang / Jul 2026
A very reliable travel agency
Driving an off-road vehicle bumpily on the vast grassland, the dust raised seems to be a filter of time, instantly pulling people back to the…
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