Serengeti National Park Ecosystem: The Ndutu Region
The Ndutu Region is a 88 square km (40 square mile) area located within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA). It is referred to as the Southern Serengeti as it constitutes the southern part of the Serengeti ecosystem. Ndutu is the northwestern part of the NCAA, immediately adjacent to and bordering on Serengeti National Park. It is a wonderful area with such varied habitats that you can spend several days in this region and not see the same area twice (unless you want to….and you may want to). At Off the Beaten Path Safaris we love Ndutu and want you to know why, as this is an under-explored area of Serengeti National Park.
Why Ndutu?
- Ndutu is part of the Serengeti ecosystem (southern Serengeti National Park). The migration heads toward this region around December and you will see bands of wildebeest, zebra and antelope as far as the eye can see at its peak. The migration follows the rains and animals migrate to this region for the rich short fertile grasses. This is all timed perfectly with calving season which peaks from late January to early March. Watching a calving from start to finish is fast, furious and incredible. Seeing these little ones quickly learn to walk and start the lifelong voyage of the migration within minutes of birth is truly a sight to see.
- Off Road Safari: Ndutu (southern Serengeti National Park) is one of the only areas in Tanzania where it is legal to drive off road. As such, you can imagine how close you can get to the action, when not being limited by the confines of the road. This allows amazing vantage points for photography, the ability to follow and track predators in the hunt and the ability to visit remote sites far away from other safari vehicles. This is really an amazing advantage of the Ndutu region.
- Predators in action: Ndutu is home to all of the big cats: lion, leopard, cheetah as well as the smaller cats: serval, caracal, African wildcats. In addition, spotted hyena and a variety of jackals are found in abundance in Ndutu. During the migration, the density of animals makes for the perfect storm and the possibility to bear witness to the victory of a successful hunt or the prey’s success in eluding the predator.
- Night sky views: Because of the lack of outside lights from nearby cities, Ndutu is an excellent location for viewing the night sky. An amazing view of the Milky Way can be had from many locations in Ndutu on a clear night.
Be sure to ask our booking team at Off the Beaten Path Safaris about a trip to Ndutu (southern Serengeti National Park) to start off the year! Check out a favorite safari focusing on Ndutu.
