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Voted No.1 in 2024 and No.2 in 2025 by Travel+Leisure

Experiences

Rutting season in the Serengeti

Rutting season in the Serengeti

Rutting season in the Serengeti

What you'll do

By May, the rains have usually cleared in the Serengeti and the Great Migration is heading North through the central Seronera and Western Corridor regions. There is a buzz in the air as the rutting season (breeding season) kicks-off. Witness testosterone-fuelled fights between the bulls, rams and stallions competing for the attentions of their opposite sex. Wildlife enjoys its peak condition in a beautiful green environment. However, cloud cover has been known to affect photographic conditions.

Rutting season in the Serengeti Trips

Start with a recommended trip or create one from scratch

Gorillas, Ngorongoro & the Serengeti

Tanzania + Rwanda

Gorillas, Ngorongoro & the Serengeti

11 nights from $13K per person

Arusha Ngorongoro Crater Serengeti

Tanzania's best Great Migration safari

Tanzania's best Great Migration safari

9 nights from $8.7K per person

Arusha Lake Manyara National Park Ngorongoro Crater

Safari from the Masai Mara to the Serengeti

Kenya + Tanzania

Safari from the Masai Mara to the Serengeti

10 nights from $11.9K per person

Nairobi Masai Mara Serengeti

A Rwanda & Tanzania combination

Rwanda + Tanzania

A Rwanda & Tanzania combination

12 nights from $11.6K per person

Kigali Volcanoes National Park Serengeti

The classic Tanzanian bush & beach safari

The classic Tanzanian bush & beach safari

13 nights from $10K per person

Arusha Tarangire National Park Ngorongoro Crater

A driving expedition through northern Tanzania

A driving expedition through northern Tanzania

8 nights from $7.3K per person

Arusha Tarangire National Park Serengeti

Design a Custom Trip

Our Experts

Want to chat?

Get advice and suggestions to make this your perfect trip.

or call us on: +1 (646) 542 0667

Annie

Annie Irankunda

Africa Specialist

Meg

Meg Yash

Global Travel Specialist

Jonty

Jonty Medcalf

Africa and Antarctica Travel Specialist

Articles

Rutting season in the Serengeti in the blog

Tanzania Safari Guide

Planning Guides

Tanzania Safari Guide

Your guide to navigating Tanzania’s amazing safari circuit

Your Month-by-Month Guide to the Great Migration in Tanzania

Planning Guides

Your Month-by-Month Guide to the Great Migration in Tanzania

Plan your next Great Migration safari

The best time to visit Tanzania

Planning Guides

The best time to visit Tanzania

See some of the lesser-known regions of this incredible country.

A day on safari in East Africa

Planning Guides

A day on safari in East Africa

What happens in a typical day in Kenya and Tanzania?

Timbuktu’s Seven (Alternative) Wonders of Africa

Planning Guides

Timbuktu’s Seven (Alternative) Wonders of Africa

A new twist on an old favourite

Discover Southern Tanzania’s Safari Secrets Off the Beaten Path

Planning Guides

Discover Southern Tanzania’s Safari Secrets Off the Beaten Path

Southern Tanzania offers a wilder, less-crowded safari experience.

Reviews

Based on 902 Feefo Reviews

26 nights in Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia

They are great. Great planning with your participation! They have great folks on the ground. I have done on trip to India, leaving for Africa soon and planning a trip to South America. Both Carola and Meg are great!!!

Expert travel advisors

Expert travel advisors

19 nights in Kenya and Tanzania

This will be my third trip with Timbuktu and they are amazing! Very smart and helpful with plans and what you want to see and do. They can tailor your trip to your specifications which isn't always the case with travel agencies.

17 nights in Chile and Argentina

My Kenya and Ethiopia trip

My Kenya and Ethiopia trip

16 nights in Kenya and Ethiopia

So far Kevin has done an excellent job on everything. Communicates well and seems to be on top of all the details

Great experience - highly recommended

Great experience - highly recommended

11 nights in Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania

Wonderful experience - this is the second time I booked with Tessa for Africa safari. The first in 2024 was a great experience so I naturally came back to her this year. She is very knowledgeable (she has traveled to many of the camps herself), she listens before she suggests, and a pleasure to work with. Her communications are timely and clear / concise. I highly recommend Tessa and Timbuktu.

South Africa/Zambia/Seychelles

South Africa/Zambia/Seychelles

12 nights in South Africa, Zambia and Seychelles

We planned a multi country vacation with several flights, lots of different hotels and many activities. Timbuktu took a lot of the stress off of me by helping me Figure out exactly what I wanted to do on this trip and helping me get it all scheduled. At every stop we were well taken care of and we had exactly what we needed. We felt safe and taken care of the entire trip.

As Seen in

11 Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialists 2025

No. 1 & No. 2 Tour Operator in Travel + Leisure's Best Awards 2024 & 2025

Best Booking Platform in Women's Health Travel Awards 2025

Travel Specialist voted as Latin America A-List Travel Advisor 2025

"Timbuktu can take relatively complex and slightly amorphous travel plans and transform them into a well-organized, perfectly tailored trip."