Locations
Ndutu – Ngorongoro Conservation Area / Southern Serengeti
Northern Serengeti
Ndutu – Calving Season
From late December through March the Great Migration of 1.5 million wildebeest along with hundreds of thousands of zebra and gazelles resides on the short grass plains. The epicenter of this concentration is the Ndutu area just south of Serengeti National Park. It is a huge advantage that the best game viewing is outside the park boundary, as we can off road drive in this area.
The wildebeest come here to calve and give birth to 400,000 calves over a three week period, usually in February. At this time of year, we often see herds stretching to the horizon in all directions. The masses of the Migration are a magnet for predators and the area has the best cheetah concentrations in Africa, along with excellent lion and hyena viewing. The area serves as a cheetah nursery and every year we see multiple mothers with cubs.
Nowhere else in Africa do we witness more predator/prey interactions and most days we observe big cats hunting. Cheetah flat-out sprinting after gazelles and wildebeest calves is common. Lions frequently hunt wildebeest and zebra as they come to drink at the marshes. This is the time and place to experience predator action
The Northern Serengeti – River Crossing Season
From June through October, we set up camp in the most beautiful and remote area of the Serengeti — the Northern Serengeti near the Mara River. The Northern Serengeti has a spectacular mix of habitats and scenery. The Lamai Wedge is an incredible expanse of open plains. Much of the area is undulating hills with huge rock kopjes, scattered woodlands, open plains and the gorgeous Mara River. The river serves as a magnet for wildlife. The diversity of habitats supports a tremendous variety of wildlife.
Typically from mid-July through October a large portion of the Great Migration will be in this area and there are almost daily crossings of the Mara River, providing an opportunity to potentially see one of nature’s greatest dramas unfold. Depending on weather, the herds actually spend a good deal of time crossing the Mara back and forth in search of the best grazing. It’s an impressive sight to see thousands of animals plunging into fast-flowing water and braving some very large crocodiles in the process. This is definitely one of the two highlight areas to see the Migration. Wherever this moving feast occurs there is stellar predator activity. Ample food combined with the rock kopjes makes for outstanding lion and leopard habitat, and we have some of our best cheetah sightings in the Lamai Wedge.
