Northern Tanzania – February 2026
Dates: February 16 - March 6, 2026
Leader: Geoff Lockwood
E-bird
Total Species: 407 birds
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Overall Summary
VENT’s Northern Tanzanian tours are timed to coincide with the start of the rains that initiate and direct the mass movement of over one‑and‑a‑half million wildebeest, zebra, and other ungulates out of Kenya’s Mara and into Tanzania. They come in search of fresh grazing, and this year the rains were already well underway. Everywhere was incredibly lush and green. Birds were calling and displaying, and the main herd of wildebeest had settled and fanned out across the verdant landscape near Ndutu—tens of thousands of animals stretching as far as the eye could see.
Our tour started with a visit to nearby Arusha National Park. The mix of habitats offers excellent birding, and we enjoyed stunning views of Bronze Sunbirds and a pair of Tropical Boubous at the entrance. A pair of Saddle‑billed Storks and our first Lilac‑breasted Roller of the trip followed, along with our first large mammals—African Buffalo, Common Zebra, Giraffe, and Common Warthog—all feeding in an open grassy area near the gate. The forested slopes of Mount Meru produced a family of Cinnamon‑breasted Bee‑eaters, Brown Woodland Warbler, and White‑starred Robin, while the sodic lakes gave us Lesser Flamingos and Ruff, Marsh, and Wood Sandpipers. Another highlight was a Moustached Grass‑Warbler calling from scrub next to our vehicle.
After breakfast, we headed to the airport for our flight into the Serengeti and the start of our safari. Our excitement levels were high as we landed at the Seronera airstrip, where Moses, our driver and local guide, was waiting for us. We added Black‑lored Babblers, Superb and Hildebrandt’s Starlings, and Kenya Rufous Sparrow before even leaving the car park! We had brought packed lunches and headed for a picnic area where we could alight, stretch our legs, and eat. En route, we saw a large pod of Hippopotamus wallowing in a muddy pool, a flock of Collared Pratincoles, and, a while later, a pride of at least eight lions resting in a large Sausage Tree. After lunch, a lioness and her two cubs walked past our vehicle—almost within touching distance!
Kubu Kubu, our lodge for the next three nights, is perched on the side of a hill, with breathtaking views across the central Serengeti and “the best outdoor showers in the world.” We had two days to explore this area, heading off in a new direction for each game drive. Most of the large herds of game had already moved further east, but we added Topi, Kongoni, and our first elephants, as well as a steady stream of new birds.
On our second day, we went in search of leopards. There had been heavy rains, and sections of the track were muddy, but eventually we could see a large group of vehicles ahead. We pulled up next to them, and then a gorgeous spotted cat came walking right past our vehicle. She headed for a tree, and with two graceful bounds was draped over a branch. More movement followed, and her cub joined her—wow!
Our drive out of the park was on waterlogged roads and under leaden skies. We passed a wet Secretarybird hunting next to the road and then found a Spotted Eagle‑Owl, its feathers plastered to its body. The water became deeper, and all our attention was on Moses as he negotiated this new hazard—what a driver! Closer to Naabi Hills Gate, we started seeing the outliers of the great wildebeest herds, along with zebras and other antelope. The vegetation changed to acacia woodland, and we encountered a mixed flock of three whydah species feeding next to the road.
Our stay at Ndutu produced many highlights—Caspian Plovers, Greater Painted‑Snipe, Green Sandpiper, and Verreaux’s Eagle‑Owl—not to mention the mammals, with ultra‑close views of cheetah and leopard, followed by a more distant lioness, plus thousands of zebras and wildebeest.
Day-by-Day Summary
February 19: Breakfast together at Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge; day exploring the Arusha National Park and night at Ngare Sero.
February 20: Flight to Seronera Airstrip, Central Serengeti; Seronera game drives, drive to Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge
February 21: Morning and afternoon game drives from Kubu Kubu; lunch and dinner at the Lodge.
February 22: Seronera game drives (leopards); lunch at Kubu Kubu
February 23: Drive to Naabi Hills gate (deep water); drive to Ndutu Safari Lodge
February 24: Morning game drive to Ndutu marsh; lunch at the lodge; afternoon game drive to Lake Masek
February 25: Game drive to the grass plains (three cat morning) (am); afternoon game drive close to the lodge
February 26: Drive to the Oldupai Gorge Museum; lecture about the hominid and other fossil finds in the area and walk through the museum; lunch and drive to the Ngorongoro Crater, afternoon game drive in the National Park and drive out to Ngorongoro Sera Lodge.
February 27: All day game drive in the crater
February 28: Birding in the lodge grounds; drive to Karatu and Tloma; tour of artisanal coffee and wild honey farm, birding the forest edge and Tloma lodge grounds
March 1: Drive to Lake Manyara National Park; game drive and picnic lunch in the park, drive to Manyara Serena Lodge
March 2: Drive to Tarangire National Park; lunch at Tarangire Safari Lodge; drive to Tarangire Sopa Lodge
March 3: Morning game drive to Tarangire swamp; lunch at our lodge, and afternoon game drive along the river
March 4: Slow game drive through park to the exit; drive back to Ngare Sero to freshen up and pack for our flights home
Other wildlfe
MAMMALS:
Colobid Monkeys
Guereza Colobus (Colobus guereza)
Cheek-pouch Monkeys
Olive (Anubis) Baboon (Papio anubis)
Vervet Monkey (Cercopithecus pygerythrus)
Blue Monkey (Cercopithecus mitis)
Old World Fruit Bats
Wahlberg’s Epauletted Fruit Bat (Epomophorus wahlbergi)
Large-winged Bats
Yellow-winged Bat (Lavia frons)
Squirrels
Unstriped Ground Squirrel (Xerus ochraceus)
Huet’s (Ochre) Bush-Squirrel (Paraxerus ochraceus)
Cats
Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)
Serval (Felis serval)
Leopard (Panthera pardus)
Lion (Panthera leo)
Hyaenas
Spotted Hyaena (Crocuta crocuta)
Dogs and allies
Common (golden) Jackal (Canis aureus)
Black-backed Jackal (Canis mesomelas)
Mongooses
Ichneumon (Egyptian Mongoose) (Herpestes ichneumon)
Slender Mongoose (Herpestes sanguinea)
Dwarf Mongoose (Helogale parvula)
Banded Mongoose (Mungos mungo)
Genets & Civets
Common (Small Spotted) Genet (Genetta genetta)
Hyraxes
Bush (Yellow-spotted) Hyrax (Heterohyrax brucei)
Black-necked Rock Hyrax (Procavia johnstoni)
Elephants
African Elephant (Loxodonta africana)
Horses
Common (Plains/ Burchell’s) Zebra (Equus burchelli)
Rhinoceroses
Black (Hook-lipped) Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis)
White (Square-lipped) Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum)
Hippopotamuses
Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius)
Pigs
Common Warthog (Phacocoerus africanus)
Giraffes
Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)
Bovids & Horned Ungulates
Brindled Gnu (Blue Wildebeest) (Connochaetes taurinus)
African (Cape) Buffalo (Syncerus caffer)
Bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus)
Eland (Taurotragus oryx)
Kirk’s (Damara) Dikdik (Madoqua kirkii)
Harvey’s Duiker (Cephalophus harveyi)
Bohor Reedbuck (Redunca redunca)
Defassa Waterbuck (Kobus ellypsiprymnus)
Grant’s Gazelle (Gazella granti)
Red-fronted (Thomson’s) Gazelle (Gazella rufifrons thomsonii)
Impala (Aepyceros melampus)
Topi (Tsessebe) (Damaliscus lunatus)
Kongoni (Red Hartebeest) (Alcelaphus buselaphus)
REPTILES:
Leopard Tortoise (Geochelone pardalis)
Speke’s Hinged Tortoise (Kinixys spekii)
Helmeted (Marsh) Terrapin (Pelomedusa subrufa)
Tropical House Gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia)
Red-headed Rock Agama (Agama agama)
Flap-necked Chameleon (Chamaeleo dilepis)
Nile Monitor (Veranus niloticus)
Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)