Great Migration
Calving Season (Jan–Mar)
8000 wildebeest calves a day on the short-grass plains — with lions, cheetahs and hyenas shadowing every birth. Fewer vehicles, lower rates, extraordinary photography. Stay in the Ndutu area.
Related Migration guides
Month by month · Mara crossings · Calving · Serengeti zones · Mara herds · Packages
Timed safaris
7-day Tanzania Migration · 7-day Kenya · 5-day Tanzania
Be with the herds in your month
Tell us dates — we confirm herd logic before quoting.
FAQs
How many calves daily?
Around 8,000 wildebeest calves per day at the February peak on the Ndutu short-grass plains.
Is calving good for first-timers?
Superb: constant predator action, fewer vehicles, lower rates, extraordinary light. Many guides rate it above crossings.
Where exactly?
Ndutu area straddling Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area, January to March. Mobile camps sit inside the herds.
Do we need a visa?
Most visitors need one: Tanzania offers visas on arrival for many nationalities, Kenya uses an eTA applied for online before travel, Uganda an e-visa. We confirm the current rule for your passport before you fly.
One decision per country, and they differ. Tanzania sells visas on arrival for most passports - US$50, US$100 for United States citizens - or by eVisa in advance. Kenya has issued only the eTA since 2024, at US$32.50 online at least three days before departure. Uganda runs an e-visa printed before you fly, and the US$100 East African Tourist Visa folds Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda into a single stamp. Six months of passport validity covers all three. Send us passport details at proposal stage and we confirm every rule for your nationality before you commit to flights.
Traveling solo - how do single supplements work?
All itineraries run solo. Expect a 20 to 50 percent supplement where lodges charge per room; vehicles cost the same whether one or six ride. Ask for the honest supplement math per trip.
Is a balloon flight worth adding?
Once, yes: a dawn flight over the Serengeti or Mara with a bush breakfast runs 550 to 600 dollars and minimum ages apply. Book at proposal stage - seats sell out months ahead in season.
How far ahead should we book?
Peak Migration and gorilla-permit months need 6 to 12 months. Green season often works with 2 to 4 months notice.
Is this trip suitable for children?
With a private vehicle and pools at stops, yes for most routes. Gorilla trekking has a strict minimum age of 15.
How much should we tip?
As a guideline: 15 to 25 dollars per day for your driver-guide (per group, not per person), 10 to 15 dollars per day into camp communal tip boxes, and 20 to 30 dollars for a gorilla porter. Restaurants 10 percent where service is not included.