My first visit to Africa this year took me back to Tanzania. I was in Zanzibar just over a year ago, but the focus of my trip this time was the Serengeti. While I’ve visited the Serengeti several times before, I was travelling in March and so the open plains of the far south of the park were calling and I had 10 days to explore this area in depth, taking in the Maswa Game Reserve, the Mwiba Wildlife Reserve and the western edge of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA). This part of the Serengeti ecosystem is where you want to be at this time of year if you want a chance of seeing the Great Migration – a wildlife event like no other on earth, and for which the Serengeti is world famous.
WILDEBEEST MIGRATION CALVING SEASON
Although not an exact science, late January into February is calving season for the wildebeest of the Great Migration. The onset of Tanzania’s short rains in November and December turn the Serengeti’s southern plains into a vast carpet of rich, fertile, short grass which provides the perfect setting for the start of new life. From around early December, the herds arrive to this area and can be found spread out across the whole of the Serengeti’s southern short grass plains and the northern sections of the NCA. At the peak of the calving season, approximately 8,000 young wildebeest are born every single day! The sheer number of births mean that (unsurprisingly) predator numbers go through the roof, with the whole region hosting the highest concentration of predators in Africa at this time.
As seems to be the case everywhere in the world now, weather patterns are extremely unpredictable, and the southern Serengeti had seen unseasonably heavy and prolonged rains just before I arrived. This meant that the main herds had started to slowly move northwards a little earlier than usual. Some large herds remained though, notably in the Maswa and Kusini areas, and I was able to spend a couple of very enjoyable game drives amongst them. Not all the wildebeest have their calves in January and February either – there are normally a smattering of later births in March which meant I was able to see quite a few babies, many with their umbilical cords still attached, so they were very new indeed!
EXCLUSIVITY IN THE SERENGETI
Although it was a shame to miss the full spectacle of the herds (January and February are more reliable), by travelling in March I did enjoy a much quieter safari experience in terms of other travellers, which was a real bonus. The number of vehicles in some parts of this region, at the peak of the migration, can be an issue so would not suit those seeking solitude and an exclusive game viewing experience. To balance optimal migration viewing with a more exclusive experience, a good option is to split your stay, spending a few days in a core migration area like Ndutu (in the NCA) and then moving further afield to Maswa or Mwiba reserves. This combination gives you a broader range of activities, as well as a little more exclusivity for part of your safari.
FLY-CAMPING AND CULTURE IN THE NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA
During my trip I explored both the quieter and the busier parts of this region. I started off at Alex Walker’s Serian Serengeti South camp on the north-western edge of the NCA, where it borders the Serengeti plains. This area is very much ‘away from the crowds’ and offers some amazing walking, fly camping and cultural experiences. It is possible to see the migration from here, but you will likely have to drive quite far to do so. This area works much better when you combine it with a core migration area, as mentioned above, to achieve a great balance of activities, prime wildlife viewing and exclusivity.
CULTURAL EXPERIENCES IN THE MWIBA WILDLIFE RESERVE
I then headed over to the Mwiba Wildlife Reserve for a stay at the spectacular Mwiba Lodge run by Legendary Expeditions. Being a bit of a distance from the core game viewing and migration areas, Mwiba works well when combined with another area; but the lodge is just stunning and offers a beautifully luxurious and exclusive experience and one of the highlights are the excellent cultural activities available. I spent a wonderful (and quite exhausting) morning walking with members of the Hadzabe tribe as they followed a honeyguide bird and found an impressive cache of honey as a result! In the afternoon my guide took me to a traditional Datoga village, where I got a very warm welcome and witnessed some of their traditional dancing, as well as some fascinating insights to their way of life.
MOBILE CAMPING WITH LEGENDARY EXPEDITIONS
From here I moved on to the Maswa Game Reserve which is right on the southern boundary of the Serengeti National Park. I stayed at Nyasi Migrational Camp, which is also operated by Legendary Expeditions and is, quite honestly, the smartest and most comfortable mobile camp I have ever stayed in. At the peak of the season this is fantastic base from which to view the migration, with the herds often spread out in front of the camp as far as the eye can see. This area also offers a slightly less busy experience than the Ndutu region.
WILDEBEEST MIGRATION HERDS AND BIG CATS OF THE NDUTU REGION
For the final part of my trip, I spent three nights hopping between camps in the Ndutu region, which is part of the NCA and is perhaps one of the busiest areas. It is, however, a core migration area and will offer you exceptionally good game viewing, as well as a great range of accommodation to choose from. Along with phenomenal game viewing, the scenery here is quite fantastic and varied – huge open skies and endless flat plains that sprawl as far as the eye can see! The plains are punctuated by the occasional rock kopje. There are also woodlands and marshes to explore, like those found around Lake Ndutu and Lake Masek. This area is particularly good for cats, and I had some fantastic lion and cheetah sightings, which provided the perfect finish to a really wonderful trip!
Kelly stayed at: Rivertrees Country Inn, Serian’s Serengeti South, Mwiba Lodge, Nyasi Migrational Camp, Serian’s Serengeti Mobile Kusini, Olakira Migration Camp, Nyikani Ndutu, Ndutu Wilderness Camp and Kirurumu Ndutu.
Kelly visited: Lake Duluti Lodge, Sanctuary Kichakani, Ubuntu Migration Camp, Ndutu Safari Lodge, Lemala Ndutu, &Beyond Serengeti Under Canvas, Nasikia Mobile Migration Camp, Serengeti Safari Camp and Masek Tented Lodge.
With thanks for images to: Alex Walker’s Serian, Legendary Expeditions
