Year Round Safaris at Ndutu

Year Round Safaris at Ndutu : The vast, open spaces of the southern Serengeti. Now multiply that number by hundreds, no, tens of thousands of gazelles, zebras, and wildebeests. And then there are countless tiny animals that either fall into the luscious grasses or are just beginning to walk on these plains teeming with fauna.

Here in the Ndutu area, this is the season of calving. It starts in December, when millions of grazers from the Maasai Mara make their way south in the Great Migration, drawn by the lush greenery and the rainy season. March is the last month of this childbearing season.

This scene of the drama of all this fresh life is very moving. Maybe even more so, considering that all of the large cats in the region, who are also predators, have recently given birth to their young and are eager to feed them. Thus, during this extraordinary time of year in Ndutu, this is the survival scenario that takes place.

But in a few months, all the young will be running and walking with the herd as the vast grazers travel back north, taking with them the multitudes of other species that live in this area of the Serengeti all year round as well as the predators.

The Colorful Varieties of Ndutu.

The Vibrant Varieties of Ndutu Ndutu, as the saying goes, is visually pleasing. Gradient grasslands give way to acacia forests, home to antelope, giraffes, monkeys, baboons, and elephants. Pink flamingos flutter across the alkaline lakes of the area.

There are more than 400 species of birds in this area of Tanzania, so wherever you go, you can expect to see ostriches, cuckoos, storks, pelicans, herons, ibis, hawks, eagles, owls, vultures, buzzards, and a rainbow canopy of lesser flying creatures.

Since all of the big cats live in Ndutu year-round, unlike the grazing animals that migrate, any season is a fantastic opportunity to go on a safari to see these magnificent predators. They are usually collected near the watering holes in the area during the dry season.

Numerous lion prides, as well as cheetahs, hyenas, caracals, and African wildcats, can be seen in the area. And on an evening hunt, you could be fortunate enough to find an elusive leopard, curled up on a tree branch or hiding in the underbrush.

Calving Season.

If you happen to visit during this productive period, you will witness these predators transitioning into an active hunting mode as up to 8,000 young wildebeest are born every day. Because this isn’t only the grazers’ reproductive season. Predators have mouths to feed and have given birth themselves, in one of nature’s astounding analogies.

The big cats are drawn to the birthing fields by the sights and noises of the thousands of young antelope, wildebeests, and zebras, among other animals. They have to get past the animal moms who guard their young and create a protective barrier, though, first.

A moving demonstration of survival between grazer and predator takes place next. Ironically, though, nature aids in the majority of infants’ survival during this time of widespread calving. Similar to the proverb, “There’s safety in numbers,” the predators are able to eat more than they need, protecting the majority of the baby animals that are allowed to grow and join the herd.

Come experience with us at Ndutu at any time of year to see the astounding spectacle of survival and the vast quantities of active species that make this area an essential component of the vast Serengeti.