When is the best time to see the wildebeest calving season?
Calving runs from late January to March. The peak, when thousands of calves are born each day, usually falls in February.
The timing
Wildebeest calve over a short window of around three weeks, most of them in February. Giving birth together means predators can only take a small share of the young.
- Late January: herds settle on the southern plains, early births begin.
- February: peak calving.
- March: calves grow quickly, herds start to move as the grass dries.
What affects the timing
The short rains between November and December decide where the grass grows and where the herds settle. A late or weak rainy season can shift the herds by a few weeks or a few dozen kilometres.
Booking
Camps in the Ndutu area fill up a year or more ahead for February. If you cannot get February, late January and early March are still very good.
Combining with other areas
The Ngorongoro Crater is close, and Tarangire works well in February too. Zanzibar is hot and dry in February, which makes an easy beach extension.
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