Southern Serengeti 2025

The start of a new year always means one thing to me: wildebeest. February is my favourite time to be in East Africa, when the Great Migration gathers on the sweeping plains of the southern Serengeti and thousands of calves are born.

Since 2016, I’ve been hosting photo safaris in the Ndutu region of Tanzania during this extraordinary season. I often say that if the safari gods told me I could only choose one safari for the rest of my life, this would be the one.

The 2025 Southern Serengeti safari was a special one. We had eight fresh-faced Honey Badgers, first-time visitors to Tanzania and six of them were brand new to Bobby-Jo Safaris. It’s always such a joy to share this incredible place with newcomers and witness their joy as they experience the magic of the Southern Serengeti for the first time.

We began our safari in the lush surroundings of Rivertrees Country Inn, near Arusha, a perfect place to start an adventure. The gardens are bursting with tropical plants, creating a peaceful, green haven. It’s also a great spot for wildlife viewing, with three species of primates regularly seen on the grounds: Black-and-white Colobus monkeys, Blue monkeys, and Vervet monkeys. Bird lovers are in for a treat too, with the chance to spot striking species like the Silvery-cheeked Hornbill and the Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill.

Our first day on safari begins with a scenic drive to the Ngorongoro Highlands. As we pass through the towering, Jurassic Park-style gates of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, there’s a sense of adventure ahead. This marks the end of sealed roads and of civilisationas we know it for the next nine days.

After passing through the Ngorongoro gates, we stopped for a delicious lunch overlooking the iconic Ngorongoro Crater, an unforgettable way to take in our first views of this remarkable landscape.

After lunch, we continued along the Endulen Road, winding through lush green plains and vibrant Maasai communities. The vivid colours of the Maasai clothing against the emerald grasslands were breathtaking. It’s always powerful to witness how wildlife and people coexist here, zebra and cattle grazing side by side.

As we drove past Twin Hills and into Ndutu, we encountered our first large herds of wildebeest. Many of the females already had their calves at foot, and the plains were alive with new life.

After a fantastic game drive en route to our camp, we arrived in the early evening. This was my first time staying at this particular mobile camp, and I was thoroughly impressed, so much so that I’ve already booked it for the 2026 Southern Serengeti safari!

The tents were spacious, comfortable, and well-appointed, complete with hot showers, flushing toilets, and even Wi-Fi luxuries you don’t always expect in the middle of the bush.

But the best part of staying at this mobile camp was its unbeatable location. We were perched just above Lake Masek, and for all five nights, the Twin Hills lion pride remained in the bushes and trees directly below our camp. Their roaring echoed through the night, loud and close. It was pure magic.

For our first morning game drive, we headed out to the Twin Hills area of Ndutu. We were treated to a wonderful sighting of a tower of giraffes moving gracefully across the open plains. It was a fantastic photographic opportunity, clean backgrounds, beautiful light, and the chance to capture striking low-angle shots of these elegant animals.

We spent quality time photographing Black-backed Jackals and vultures scrapping over a carcass, a raw and fascinating scene. The plains were teeming with birds of prey, all playing their role as nature’s ultimate clean-up crew. During calving season, many of them feast on afterbirth, with wildebeest placentas providing an abundant and nutrient-rich food source.

The following days in Ndutu were nothing short of spectacular. Each morning, we enjoyed our breakfast surrounded by thousands of wildebeest, a truly unforgettable way to start the day. One of the highlights was our visit to a special spot known as Hidden Valley, tucked away on the border of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Serengeti National Park.

There, we spent hours immersed in the heart of the migration, among an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 wildebeest and zebra. The sheer scale and energy of the herds was breathtaking.

Most mornings, we drive along the shores of Lake Ndutu, hoping for a chance to photograph both Lesser and Greater Flamingos at sunrise. The photographic opportunities here are truly special, elegant silhouettes, soft morning light, and stunning colour compositions reflected in the still water. It’s a peaceful and visually rich way to begin the day, and always a guest favourite.

One of the biggest highlights of our safari was witnessing a newborn elephant calf take his very first steps. We arrived not long after he was born, you could still see the afterbirth and placenta on the ground beside him, and there was blood on the mother’s back legs, clear evidence of the recent birth.

We spent hours watching this wobbly little male calf try to find his feet. We were completely invested, ike a group of nervous aunties watching over him. But no one was more emotionally involved than the elephant aunty. It was clear this was the older sister’s first experience with a birth. She hovered around the newborn like a helicopter parent, while the actual mother remained calm and composed, this certainly wasn’t her first rodeo.

One particular special behaviour we observed and a first for me in the wild, though familiar from my zookeeping days, was an elephant kneeling down to make direct eye contact with the calf. It was such an intimate and tender gesture, a clear display of connection and care. Seeing that level of emotional intelligence in the wild was deeply moving and a reminder of just how complex and social these animals truly are.

I once witnessed this with a zoo Asian elephant named Pak Boon when she gave birth to her female calf, Tukta. I was helping the newborn get to its feet and supporting her when Pak Boon lowered herself onto her knees beside me and locked eyes with her calf. At first, I was nervous and unsure of what was happening, but my manager and mentor, Gary, explained that this “big whale’s eye” gesture was a way for the mother to connect deeply with her newborn. It was one of the most incredible moments of my career. To now witness this same behaviour in the wild was incredible!

One afternoon we spent time with a coalition of three cheetah brothers near the Big Marsh in Ndutu. At one point, one of the brothers walked directly toward our vehicle, clearly contemplating a jump onto the car. Thanks to my past experiences with cheetahs on vehicles, I was able to quickly instruct our guide to move before it had the chance.

When I first started in the safari industry, I had an unforgettable encounter with a cheetah that climbed up and sat on our vehicle. At the time, it felt like a once-in-a-lifetime moment, one that helped ignite my passion for safaris. But over the years, I’ve come to understand the risks involved for both the animal and the guests. While these moments may seem exciting, they can lead to dangerous habituation and unnecessary stress for wildlife. It’s not a behaviour I encourage, and I now do everything I can to prevent it, for the safety and wellbeing of both cheetahs and people.

While exploring near the Big Marsh in Ndutu, we came across a lone lioness resting in a tree. Curious to identify her, I wondered if she might be part of the well-known Marsh Pride. I reached out to the KopeLion team, who cross-referenced her whisker spot pattern with their ID database. It turned out she was a mystery female, one they had only ever documented once before!

The team was thrilled to receive another confirmed sighting of her and generously offered us the opportunity to name her for their database. Given the Aussie spirit of our guests, we affectionately named her Sheila. It was such a special moment to contribute to ongoing conservation efforts and connect with the broader story of lion monitoring in the area.

Another major highlight of our time in Ndutu was spending the afternoon with a cheetah and her two cubs on the open plains behind the Ndutu Airstrip. While the cubs played nearby, their mother kept a close watch on her surroundings, no doubt scanning for a potential meal, but also alert for any signs of danger.

Firoz and I had a strong feeling she was going to hunt, so we told our guests that we were going to wait it out, even after all the other vehicles headed back to camp. We waited… and waited… until the very last car pulled away. And then we waited some more.

Just as the sun began to dip below the horizon, she suddenly sprang into action, targeting a big male Thomson’s gazelle. What followed was an adrenaline-fueled chase, and right as the sun was setting, she brought it down. Watching her run was absolutely mind-blowing, it’s like just when you think she can’t go any faster, she hits the nitrous button like Vin Diesel in a Fast & Furious movie!

After an action-packed five days in Ndutu, it was time to head toward the stunning Central Serengeti. We chose to take the scenic route through Kusini and the Moru Kopjes, an excellent decision, as large concentrations of the migrating wildebeest were moving through these areas.

Along the way, we were treated to a special moment with a gorgeous leopardess resting in a tree. Remarkably, we had the sighting entirely to ourselves, a rare and treasured experience.

We arrived at our permanent tented camp in the late afternoon, ready to settle in and embrace the next chapter of our Serengeti adventure.

Our main focus while in the Central Serengeti was to spend quality time with hippos. We visited two different hippo pools and spent hours photographing these fascinating animals. We worked on sharpening our reflexes and setting fast shutter speeds in hopes of capturing the perfect hippo yawning shot, a classic and always satisfying challenge for wildlife photographers.

This visit was particularly special as there were so many hippo calves, and we had the joy of watching them interact playfully with one another, even venturing out of the water.

After two memorable days exploring the Central Serengeti, we began our journey back to the Ngorongoro Highlands. Along the way, we always offer our guests the opportunity to visit a Maasai boma, a cultural experience that adds a meaningful layer to the safari.

This particular boma is one we’ve been visiting for years, and over time, we’ve built a genuine friendship with the family who lives there. They always welcome us with open arms, making it a warm, authentic experience that our guests truly value. It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn about Maasai traditions, daily life, and community spirit, though the only part guests find tricky is the art of haggling over handmade trinkets!

Our final day of the safari was spent in the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater, one of the most iconic wildlife destinations on the planet. As we descended into the crater, we were immediately greeted with excitement. Our first sighting was of the lionesses from the Seneto Pride, who were actively harassing a buffalo. It was as if they were toying with him, teasing and testing, rather than launching a full attack. The buffalo was not having it and charged the lioness.

One of the absolute highlights of our final day and a personal milestone for me, was my first-ever caracal sighting in the Ngorongoro Crater. I’ve visited the crater over 30 times, and despite all those visits, this was the very first time I laid eyes on this elusive and spectacular cat in this landscape. .

The true highlight of our day in the Ngorongoro Crater was observing several endangered black rhinoceros, an increasingly rare and powerful sight in the wild. Even more special, we were fortunate enough to see a female with her calf.

Overall, the Southern Serengeti delivered once again, wildlife, landscapes, and unforgettable moments that exceeded all expectations. It’s a place that continues to surprise, inspire, and steal hearts year after year. I already can’t wait to return in 2026 with a new group of adventurous Honey Badgers and share the magic all over again.