7 DAYS NDUTU MIGRATION CALVING SEASON AND PHOTOGRAPHY
Ndutu Area is without a doubt, one of the best places in Africa to photograph lions and cheetahs and is a rewarding place for any serious wildlife photographer. Each year thousands of Wildebeest give birth to their young in one of nature’s biggest events the Ndutu Serengeti Wildebeest Calving season.
In our beautiful tour we will cover the most popular destinations in northern Tanzania – Ndutu Area in northern Ngorongoro and Southern Serengeti (4 night), Central Serengeti (2 night) and in a total of 7 days safari. This program is very suitable for photography during this calving season in Ndutu Area .This Tour with signature safari starts and ends at Arusha town. With our experienced staffs and driver guides, it will be a trip of a lifetime experience for you!
Basing to the recent few years pattern, the possibility of sighting the calving season migration is in the Ndutu region (both in Serengeti and Ngorongoro Area) from December to March or April depend on climate condition. Hence, this tour is recommended for the tour date between last week of November or early December to early April.
Important Details
Details : Accommodation in Ndutu 4 Nights
Days : 7 Days
Season :Calving Season
Area : Northern Ngorongoro , Central & Southern Serengeti
Accommodation : Luxury ,Mid -Range ,Budget
Option : Baloon Safari and Olduvai Gorge on your request
SAFARI ITINERARY
Day 0: Arriving in Tanzania, Hotel Relaxation
Our Safari starts the Moment you land in Arusha town, you will be met by our staff from Signature Safari at the Airport and transferred to Arusha Town in the peaceful surrounds of our comfortable accommodation in Lodge .Basing on your arrival time complimentary town tour will be arranged and you will be taken to the most important places in Arusha town such as Arusha museum, clock tower and Maasai market. Later on you will be taken to the accommodation back for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 1: Arusha to Ndutu Area, Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Our safari will begin by early in the morning with a pick up from your hotel at Arusha and heading towards the Ndutu region in Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The drive to Ndutu is about 6 hours covering a distance of about 260 Kms. 2 hours commencing the drive, you will enter the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) where you will notice the landscape changing from hilly forests to plain and green grasslands. Once you reach Ndutu you will begin a half day game drive with a convenient stop for your picnic lunch. Sweeping grasslands cover the region which gradually fade into the Serengeti. Ndutu forms a part of the route for the annual migration of more than 2 million wildebeests and thousands of zebra, antelope and gazelle. During game drives at the right season between December and April, you will be able to see the fertile plains turn into calving grounds and nursery for the great migration. This season attracts hordes of predators prying on vulnerable young wildebeest. Crested with Ndutu Lake and Lake Masek, these waterholes offer plenty of wildlife game during the dry season. The Ndutu is also the home ground for 6 species of big cats such as leopard, lion, cheetah, caracal, serval and wildcat. The action-packed game drive will end late in the evening with amazing view of sun-set. You will now head towards your accommodation at Ndutu Area, where a freshly prepared dinner awaits you. Ensure you get some good rest and recharge yourself for another eventful day.
Day 2: Ndutu Area, Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Arise early in the morning for a game drive with a very beautiful sunrise at Ndutu Area morning game drive is beautiful. Morning game drives typically start around 06.00 – 6.30 am when the sun slowly starts to rise. After a cup of coffee and a pre-breakfast snack, it’s time to leave for a morning game drive. It can be cold in the morning, so it’s good to put on warm layered clothes. At this time you can get amazing photo scenes such as animals hunting, easy to spot big 5 animals at this area and amazing view of sunrise. You can go back to the camp for lunch or we can come with lunch at the park and lunch will be provided at the best picnic site available in the area when we will be having game at the time.
If you go for lunch at the camp then you can have a relaxation then in the evening, you’ll go to another game drive in Ndutu Area with a good sun set which brings on a good horizon and background of your photos, a thorough explanation about this great world event that Tanzania is proud of will be provided. And in the evening, as the sun goes down you will be taken back to the accommodation for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Ndutu Area
A more energetic day might begin with an early morning bush breakfast during a game drive in one of many distinct landscape areas within the Ndutu Conservation Area: marshlands, acacia woodlands, soda lakes of Ndutu and Masek or the vast expanse of the Serengeti plains are all within easy reach – each with its own distinct wildlife populations and seasonal visitors. The marsh areas for example are favored by big cats to bring up their young, whereas the short grass plains are where Wildebeest babies are born during the Great Migration.
As the sun lowers, watch the sunset spread across the plains and the moon rise above the acacia trees. Or raise a glass or two around the bar to share stories and make new friends. As you return to your accommodation full of good food and vivid memories from the day, listen for the haunting call of a hyena echoing through the woodlands before the velvet night brings a restful sleep. Another night to be spent at Ndutu Area.
Day 4: Ndutu Area
Early morning after breakfast you’ll be picked up by your guide and proceed straight to a full day game drive in Ndutu viewing migration and amazing sunrise. This day you will be little bit relaxed. Lake Ndutu area, situated in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, part of the southern Serengeti Eco-system. Lake Ndutu is alkaline, like most of the other Rift lakes, however the water is still drinkable and used by a wide array of local wildlife. The majority of the wildebeest migration can normally be found on the short-grass plains from December to April. The area is usually heavily populated with elephant, birds and resident game. It’s the best place for photographers to be too.Returning to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Ndutu Area – Central Serengeti National Park
This day Serengeti photographic tour will proceed early in the morning after your breakfast around 06:30 am. You will have a game drive at Ndutu area while going to the central Serengeti with en routing game drive where you will big five (elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard) along with other most beautiful African animals like impala, zebras, cheetahs etc.
You will observes the Serengeti “kopjes” which are massive boulders of granite standing in plains. They are useful for hunting spot of carnivores, shelters of animals, birth bed, and shadows for cooling. During the game drive, you will have a short break for lunch. The day will end between 6-7 pm when you will head to your accommodation for the dinner and a night rest at Central Serengeti National Park.
Day 6: Central Serengeti National Park
Start your day with an unforgettable sunrise game drive across the Central Serengeti. See the sun rise fire to the savannah as predators such as leopards and lions hunt for their morning meal .We do an after breakfast game viewing drive along the Sogore River Circuit, which loops into the plains south of the Seronera River, and which is good for possible Lion, Thomson gazelle, topi, ostrich and cheetah sightings. The Visitor Centre close to the Serengeti Seronera Lodge and public campsites, is well worth a visit after the morning’s game drive. This nicely designed center offers some interesting wildlife displays as well as a gift shop selling information leaflets and maps of the area. The center also has a shop where cold drinks and snacks can be purchased, as well as a picnic area and information trail up and around a nearby kopje. We will enjoy a relaxed picnic lunch at the Centre in the shade of the giant acacia trees.
In the afternoon we might follow the Kopjes Circuit or we can discuss with our driver guide for best place to go, which goes anti-clockwise around the Maasai Kopjes, which usually attract a number of lion and some formidably large cobras. Kopjes are weathered granite outcrops, scattered around the plains, most of which are miniature ecosystems, providing shade and drinking water in pools left in the rock after the rains. This makes the kopjes particularly good for spotting wildlife in the dry seasons – including lions, which like to lie in wait for animals coming to drink .Gamedrive till late evening till around 7 pm so that you can witness the bets sunset at central Serengeti National Park.
Day 7: Central Serengeti National Park –Ngorongoro Conservation Area – Arusha Town
On this day you will pack all your things in our vehicles, departure from the accommodation around 6am after the breakfast. You will have early morning game drive in Central Serengeti taking some pictures while enrouting with a game drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area (You can have an optional tour at Olduvai Gorge where the earliest human remains where found late 1950’s.Proceeding with enrouting game drive out of Ngorongoro Conservation Area. You will be taken to Mto wa Mbu area. Before arriving at Mto WA Mbu area our driver will stop at Lake Manyara National Park View Point, at this rim you can view the lake from distance and take some pictures, you can see the east Africa rift valley too. Then proceed to Mto WA Mbu area where you will be taken to Masai boma for cultural experience, we can spend 1-2 hours before departing to Arusha for dinner and overnight for hotel relaxation , dinner and overnight treat at Karibu Heritage House in Arusha town.
Day 8: Departure Day
Airport drop off depend on the flight schedule. You will be picked up from you hotel to the Airport ready to catch your flight to your next destination.
END OF OUR TOUR.
PRICE INCLUDE:-
-Park Entrance Fees
-Transit Fee
– Unlimited Drinking Water
-Meals 3 times per day
-Government Taxes (VAT)
-All Accommodation during Safari Days
-Safari Land Cruiser with top up roof
-Airport Transfer on Arrival and After Safari
-Accommodation in Arusha on Arrival
-Accommodation in Arusha after Safari
-Professional Fluent English Speaking Driver Guide
-Soft Drinks and Alcohol
PRICE EXCLUDE:-
-Tips
-International Flight
-Local Flight
-Olduvai Gorge (Optional)
Contacts,
Signature Safari
Arusha, Tanzania
P.o. box 13002-Arusha Tanzania
info@signaturesafari.com
signaturesafari@gmail.com
WhatsApp +255 755 880 881