6 DAYS LUXURY NDUTU MIGRATION SAFARI (CALVING SEASON) DEC TO APRIL

Day 1: Arrival in Arusha

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK), you’ll be warmly welcomed by a representative from Wild Candle African Safaris. You will then be transferred to your hotel in Arusha to relax and recover from your journey as you prepare for your upcoming adventure.

• Destination: Arusha

• Accommodation: Mount Meru Hotel

• Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast

Day 2: Arusha to Tarangire National Park

Distance: Approx. 149 km | Driving Time: ~2.5 hours

After breakfast at around 8:00 AM, you’ll receive a short safari briefing before departing for Tarangire National Park. Known for its vast savannah landscapes dotted with towering baobab trees and seasonal marshes, the park is home to Tanzania’s largest population of elephants. You’ll also encounter lions, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeests, and a variety of antelopes and gazelles.

Enjoy a hot lunch at a scenic picnic site before continuing your game drive through the park. In the late afternoon, head to your lodge near the park for dinner and overnight.

• Destination: Tarangire National Park

• Accommodation: Maramboi Tented Lodge

• Meal Plan: All-Inclusive

Day 3: Karatu to Ndutu Region (Ngorongoro Conservation Area)

Driving Time: Approx. 5 hours

At 8:00 AM, depart from your hotel in Karatu and head toward the Ndutu region. Shortly after the drive begins, you’ll enter the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where the scenery transforms into sweeping plains and green grasslands. Upon arrival in Ndutu, begin your game drive with a stop for a picnic lunch.

The Ndutu region lies along the migration corridor where over two million wildebeest and thousands of zebras and gazelles pass through annually. Between December and April, these plains become calving grounds, attracting numerous predators in search of vulnerable newborns.

After an exciting game drive, continue to your lodge where dinner will be served.

• Destination: Ndutu

• Accommodation: Lake Masek Tented Lodge

• Meal Plan: All-Inclusive

Day 4: Full-Day Game Drive in Ndutu

Today offers another chance to witness the stunning wildlife drama of the Ndutu region. You may choose a relaxed morning and start your full-day game drive around 9:00 AM with a packed lunch, returning to your lodge in the late afternoon.

You’ll follow the migration depending on its current location, with high chances of witnessing predator-prey interactions, calving wildebeests, and diverse birdlife. The drive concludes around 5:00 PM, followed by a hearty dinner and relaxation at your lodge.

• Destination: Ndutu

• Accommodation: Lake Masek Tented Lodge

• Meal Plan: All-Inclusive

Day 5: Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive – Transfer to Karatu

After an early breakfast, depart for Ngorongoro Crater with a brief stop at the crater viewpoint before descending into the world’s largest unbroken volcanic caldera—spanning 265 square kilometers with walls rising 600 meters high.

Home to around 30,000 mammals, the crater offers an unmatched opportunity to spot the “Big Five”: elephants, rhinos, lions, buffaloes, and—if lucky—a leopard. It’s also a birdwatcher’s paradise with over 500 recorded species.

Enjoy a picnic lunch in the crater before ascending and heading to your lodge in Karatu for dinner and overnight.

• Destination: Ngorongoro Crater

• Accommodation: Kitela Lodge

• Meal Plan: All-Inclusive

Day 6: Lake Manyara National Park – Return to Arusha

Distance: Approx. 126 km | Driving Time: ~2 hours

After breakfast, proceed to Lake Manyara National Park—famed for its tree-climbing lions and rich birdlife. Over 500 species have been recorded here, and first-time visitors can expect to spot up to 100 species in a single day.

Explore the park’s diverse habitats, from the lakeshore to dense woodlands and grassy floodplains, which support elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, hippos, and more.

Lunch will be served inside the park before your return drive to Arusha. Guests continuing to Zanzibar will be transferred to either Arusha Airport or Kilimanjaro International Airport for their onward flight.

• Destination: Lake Manyara National Park / Arusha

• Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch