Serengeti~Mahale May-June 2014 Days 5-6 May 30-31, 2014

The Ngorongoro "Crater"

After yet another relaxing breakfast at Ngare Sero, Paul and Jo brief us on the next few days' activities and we're off to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, up into the Ngorongoro Highlands, to the rim of the Ngorongoro "Crater", a misnomer since the crater is actually a Caldera, a collapsed volcano. It's the first chance for the group to experience the sights, sounds, smells of Arusha.

We usually stop for picnic lunch somewhere between Makyuni and Mtu Wa Mbu (home of Lake Manyara National Park), before heading up the Rift Valley Wall, through Mbulu Land and Karatu.

The kids are usually out in force, as curious as any kids (including us!).

Young Massai boys tend to herds of cattle and goats.

Looking back over fields of flowers toward Lake Manyara.

After a long drive some of us know exactly where to go first.

On 14 trips to TZ, Bev and I have been to the Crater probably 12 times but this year was exceptionally spectacular. We had never been in May, just after the long rains end. The air was crisp and clean, like a fall day in CT, the greens and blues, the vivid flowers everywhere. Puffy clouds flowing over the rim, hippos "hippo-ing", the Garden of Eden.

So why visit the crater every time?

Close encounters with lions and zebras. 

 Close encounters with elephants.

We saw this one from a distance and Paul estimated where he'd cross the road - spot on!

Close encounters with birds.

A Bateleur Eagle raids a Blacksmith Plover's nest...

...and gets away with it...

...while a Tawny Eagle looks on - apparently more interested in us.

And to top it off, we had the "Research Camp Site". I mentioned to Paul that "Research" suggests that it's probably and old site pretty well located, and it was. Now we're spoiled for next time. Intimate Places did a great job choosing and setting this private camp for us.

A final "groupie" behind camp with a full view of the Crater. We never had a crater view like this from the other Lemala area camps we'd stayed in. A very special treat.

Tomorrow its out through Endulen and Kusini to the Moru Kopjes.