What You Need to Know: This 10-day private family safari costs from US$4,900 per adult for two adults at mid-range lodges (US$3,515 budget, US$7,995 luxury). Children aged 5 and under travel free, children from 6 to 15 get 30% off, and every family booking gets an 8% family discount. It runs from January to March in 2027 and 2028, when the wildebeest herds give birth on the short-grass plains around Ndutu; February is usually the peak. Nine nights include three at Ndutu in the same camp, two in the central Serengeti, a crater game drive and Arusha National Park, with airport transfers, park fees and your own Land Cruiser and driver-guide.
Is This Family Safari Right for You?
We built this route for families who want the migration without a rushed safari. It began as a plan for three generations traveling together, with grandparents in their sixties and seventies and a 4-year-old, who asked for "nothing strenuous" and plenty to see. Three things make it gentle: a free day in Arusha after the long flights, three nights in the same Ndutu camp so nobody packs and unpacks, and a calm last night in Moshi close to the airport.
| This safari suits you if… | Consider another trip if… |
|---|---|
| You travel with young children, grandparents, or both | You have five days or fewer: see the 5-day calving safari |
| You can travel between January and March | You can only travel July to October: see the 8-day family migration safari |
| You'd rather stay put than change lodges every night | You want beach days too: add Zanzibar, or ask about our family safari and Zanzibar trips |
Why the Calving Season Is Special for Children
Each year the wildebeest and zebra herds spend the first months of the year on the short grass of the southern Serengeti and Ndutu, and most calves are born within a few weeks, usually peaking in February. For children it is the most memorable part of the migration: tiny calves wobbling to their feet beside their mothers, herds stretching to the horizon, and the lions, cheetahs and hyenas that follow them. Your guide knows that a hunt can be hard to watch for young children, and because the vehicle is yours, you simply move on when you want to.
The timing depends on the rains, so nobody can give fixed calving dates for 2027 or 2028. Our guides and the camps report where the herds are before you travel, and the three Ndutu nights give your guide room to follow them. The Great Migration by month shows where the herds are the rest of the year.
10-Day Family Calving Safari Itinerary, Day by Day
Lodges are listed for each level and confirmed for your dates in the quotation, always "or similar"; we ask for family rooms or rooms side by side.
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Day 1: Arrival at Kilimanjaro airport, transfer to Arusha
Your driver-guide meets the family at Kilimanjaro International Airport for the drive of about an hour to your hotel in Arusha. There is nothing else planned: rest, swim if the hotel has a pool, and let the children adjust to the time difference.
Stay: Parachichi House (budget), Njiro Luxury Resort (mid-range) or Arusha Coffee Lodge (luxury), or similar.
Airport pickupArushaMeals on your own -
Day 2: A first, easy safari day in Arusha National Park
Arusha National Park is only about 45 minutes from town, which makes it the gentlest possible start. Giraffes browse below Mount Meru, black-and-white colobus monkeys leap through the forest, and flamingos gather on the Momella lakes. You eat a picnic lunch in the park and are back at the hotel in the afternoon; a walk with an armed ranger or a canoe trip can be added at extra cost, subject to the park's age rules for children.
Stay: the same Arusha hotel.
Giraffes and colobus monkeysArusha National ParkBreakfast, lunch -
Day 3: The Ngorongoro Crater, then on to the central Serengeti
The longest day of the trip, so we start early. You descend to the crater floor for a game drive among lions, buffaloes, zebras and hippos, with the best chance in Tanzania of seeing a black rhino. After lunch you climb out and cross the plains to the central Serengeti, about four hours with game viewing on the way. With very young children, we can split this day with a night in Karatu, which adds a day to the trip.
Stay: Maboresho Tented Camp (budget), Mberesero Serengeti Central Lodge (mid-range) or Naisula Serengeti Camp, which takes only couples and families (luxury), or similar.
Crater game driveNgorongoro, central SerengetiBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 4: South to Ndutu and the calving herds
A morning drive in the Seronera valley, known for its lions and leopards, then south toward Ndutu, on the border of the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. As the grass gets shorter, the herds get thicker, and by the time you reach camp you are likely to be among them.
Stay: Serengeti Classic View Ndutu (budget), Ndutu Wildland Camp (mid-range) or Malaika Ndutu Luxury Camp (luxury), or similar, for three nights.
Into the herdsCentral Serengeti, NdutuBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 5: A full day among the newborn calves
Out on the plains with a picnic, following the herds wherever they have moved overnight. Your guide looks for calves being born, mothers and young sticking together, and the cheetahs and lions waiting at the edges. Come back to camp at midday whenever the children need a rest; the game is often close to camp anyway.
Calving and predatorsNdutuBreakfast, picnic lunch, dinner -
Day 6: Ndutu at your own pace
A second full day in the same place lets the family choose: an early start for the light and the cats, a lazy morning in camp, or a drive around Lake Ndutu and Lake Masek, which draw animals and birds to the water.
Flexible dayNdutuBreakfast, picnic lunch, dinner -
Day 7: Ndutu back to the central Serengeti
A last look at the calving grounds, then north to the central Serengeti, about 4 to 5 hours including game viewing, with time for an afternoon drive along the rivers where the leopards rest in the trees.
Stay: the same central Serengeti camp as Day 3.
Game drive on the wayNdutu, central SerengetiBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 8: Serengeti to Arusha
An optional sunrise balloon flight over the Serengeti, then the drive back to Arusha through the Ngorongoro highlands, about 6 to 7 hours with game viewing on the way out of the park. Families who would rather fly can take a light aircraft from the central Serengeti to Arusha instead, quoted separately.
Stay: the same Arusha hotel as Day 1.
Optional balloonSerengeti, ArushaBreakfast, lunch -
Day 9: Arusha to Moshi, a half day at the foot of Kilimanjaro
About 1.5 to 2 hours east to Moshi, the town at the foot of Kilimanjaro, with a lunch box for the road. Spend the afternoon in town and at the market, or add the Materuni waterfall and coffee tour on the mountain's slopes, where children can swim in the pool below the falls.
Stay: B&B Hotel (budget), Weru Weru River Lodge (mid-range) or Kaliwa Lodge (luxury), or similar.
Kilimanjaro viewsMoshiBreakfast, lunch box -
Day 10: Departure
Breakfast, a last look at the mountain if the clouds allow, and the drive of about an hour to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your flight home.
Airport transferMoshi, Kilimanjaro airportBreakfast
How Much Does the 10-Day Family Calving Safari Cost?
From US$4,900 per adult for two adults at mid-range lodges, US$3,515 at budget level and US$7,995 at luxury level, from Kilimanjaro airport and back. The price per adult falls as more people share the vehicle and guide:
| Adults | Budget | Mid-range | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | US$4,995 | US$6,810 | US$10,315 |
| 2 | US$3,515 | US$4,900 | US$7,995 |
| 3 | US$3,110 | US$4,455 | US$7,610 |
| 4 | US$2,920 | US$4,310 | US$7,400 |
| 5 | US$2,795 | US$4,160 | US$7,290 |
| 6 | US$2,720 | US$4,110 | US$7,205 |
Ndutu camps charge their highest rates while the herds are there, and five of the nine nights are inside the parks, where a concession fee is added to the entry fees; all of that is in the prices above. 2027 and 2028 rates are confirmed in your written quotation.
Park fees on this route
| Fee | 2026 rate (incl. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Arusha National Park | About US$59 per adult per 24 hours |
| Ngorongoro Conservation Area, including Ndutu | US$70.80 per person per 24 hours |
| Serengeti National Park | US$82.60 per person per 24 hours |
| Ngorongoro crater service fee | US$295 per vehicle per descent |
Children under 5 enter the parks free and children from 6 to 15 pay lower park fees; see Tanzania park fees.
What Children Pay on This Safari
| Traveler | Price at mid-range, 2 adults |
|---|---|
| Child 5 and under | Free |
| Child 6 to 15 | US$3,430 (30% off the adult price) |
| Family discount | 8% off the whole booking |
For example, two adults with a 10-year-old and a 3-year-old pay US$9,800 for the adults and US$3,430 for the older child, US$13,230 in all, or US$12,172 after the 8% family discount; the 3-year-old travels free. Your quotation prices your exact family, lodges and dates, with a line for each child. All our family rules are on the family safaris page.
What the Family Calving Safari Includes
- Airport pickup on Day 1 and drop-off on Day 10 at Kilimanjaro International Airport
- A private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof and your own driver-guide from Day 2 to Day 10
- Nine nights in family-friendly lodges and camps at the level you choose
- Meals as listed for each day, with a lunch box on the road days, prepared for vegetarian and other diets
- Arusha National Park, Ngorongoro and Serengeti fees, the crater service fee and concession fees
- Drinking water in the vehicle
Not included
- International flights and visas (US$100 for US citizens)
- Tanzania's mandatory inbound travel insurance (US$44 per adult) and your own travel insurance
- The optional Serengeti balloon flight (US$490 per person), the walk or canoe trip in Arusha National Park, and the Materuni tour
- Lunch on Day 1, dinner on Days 1, 2, 8 and 9, drinks, tips and personal items
How We Keep Ten Days Easy for the Family
- Only two long road days: Day 3 (crater to Serengeti) and Day 8 (Serengeti to Arusha). Every other day has a short drive or none.
- Three nights in one camp: at Ndutu you unpack once, and children can rest at camp while the herds are often still in sight.
- Your vehicle, your rules: stop for toilets, snacks or a sleeping toddler, and turn back whenever you like. Every seat is a window seat, and children can stand under the pop-up roof at sightings.
- Two nights to start, one to finish: the Arusha rest day and the Moshi night mean nobody arrives tired at a game drive or rushes to a flight.
Pack warm layers for early mornings and the crater rim, sun hats and sunscreen, and a small bag of games and snacks for the long days; our guide to a safari with kids has a full list.
10-Day Family Safari or the 5-Day Calving Safari?
Both visit Ndutu in the calving season. The 5-day calving safari, from US$2,950 per person, is the short version: two Ndutu nights and straight back to Arusha, with no rest days. This 10-day trip adds an arrival day, Arusha National Park, a third Ndutu night, a second Serengeti night and Moshi, which is what makes it work with children and older travelers. If you travel in the summer vacation instead, the 8-day family migration safari takes you to the Mara River, and all our trips are on the family safaris page.
How to Book the 2027 or 2028 Family Calving Safari
Ndutu camps fill early for February, so send us your preferred dates, the number of adults, each child's age, your lodge level and any diets as soon as you can, through the form, on WhatsApp +255 678 992 599 or at jaynevytours@gmail.com. Our team in Moshi replies with a written quotation showing every adult and child price and the family discount. A deposit of 30% holds the lodges, the balance is paid on arrival, and refunds follow our booking terms.
Common Questions About the 10-Day Family Calving Safari
Is the calving season a good time for a safari with children?
Yes. The herds stay in one area for weeks, so you see huge numbers of animals without long searches, and newborn calves are a highlight for children. It is also a green, warm season, outside the long rains of April and May.
Will my children see a predator hunt?
It is possible, because lions, cheetahs and hyenas follow the calving herds. On a private safari you decide: your guide moves on whenever you ask.
Can grandparents manage this safari?
Yes. It was first planned for a family with grandparents in their sixties and seventies: only two long drive days, three nights in one camp, and no walking needed except what you choose.
How much do children pay?
Children aged 5 and under travel free and children from 6 to 15 pay 30% less than an adult, US$3,430 at mid-range for two adults. Every family also gets 8% off the whole booking.
Can we fly instead of driving back from the Serengeti?
Yes. A light aircraft from the central Serengeti to Arusha can replace the Day 8 drive; we quote it separately with your trip.
Can children go on the balloon flight?
The balloon companies set their own minimum age, so we check it for your children when you book. The flight is optional, at US$490 per person; see our Serengeti balloon page.
Can we add Zanzibar at the end?
Yes. Instead of the Moshi night, you can fly from Kilimanjaro or Arusha to Zanzibar for a few beach days; see our Zanzibar holidays.
The Bottom Line
If your family can travel between January and March, this is the gentlest way to see the calving season with children or grandparents: ten unhurried days, three nights at Ndutu among the herds, and rest days at both ends. Children aged 5 and under travel free, children from 6 to 15 get 30% off, and every family saves 8%. Book early for February.