Ngorongoro Crater

Out of Serengeti today heading to Ngorongoro crater. We zipped through all the animals grazing in the early morning but stopped for the 7 lionesses looking out at us and you could see the footprints all over the dirt road. What a glorious way to say goodbye to the National Park.

Before we reached the crater our truck broke down. There was a leak in one of the pipes, yesterday we had a punctured tyre, glad our driver is a mechanic too (he was a driver for the American special forces in Kenya prior to this job). 

While waiting for the repairs we had a couple of Masai children come to say hello. 

Eventually we had jeeps that were going to take us into the crater arrive to the spot and pick us up early. By this time the windshield of the truck had fallen down too.

We zoomed off in two jeeps to continue our tour while the truck would be repaired and meet us at the campsite. 

Our family was in one jeep and we arrived at the entrance of the crater. As we were taking photos we found out that the other jeep had broken down too!! 

So off our jeep went to pick them up but found an empty one coming back from dropping their clients to the airport so hired that one too. Hakuna Mattata.

After all the bumps along the way we got to go to the bottom of the crater. It was absolutely worth all the issues. The place was teeming with animals.

First up was a lioness we watched it stroll towards us we saw three cubs come running to her, it was the cutest scene as they all rolled around together. Then another lioness joined them her legs covered in blood, had been on a hunt but we couldn’t see her prey.

We followed them around the corner and we saw another lioness stroll through the jeeps, leisurely made its way, swishing its tail, ignoring all the people with their cameras clicking madly. It disappeared into the grass and then then mothers and cubs crossed the road, we were tracking them to the water and missed the lioness standing right near our jeep till it moved on, luckily it came back. 

Next up were ostriches, elephants, hundreds of zebras and wilderbeest, giraffes don’t live down here. Then spotted the elusive black rhino, it was across the lake so needed binoculars for a good view. Big five seen within 2 days.

As we were heading back we came across two male lions sleeping under the Caterpillar (dozer) right next to the road. They were so shaggy and definitely needed a wash but when one woke up and glared at us it was majestic! There was another male lion lazing in the sun a little further up and then a group of them near the water. There was one sedated with rangers next to it as the Vet was helping it out.

We passed a tree so laden with white birds that it looked like a white Christmas tree. On the road up we saw an elephant walking on it and it turned around suddenly charged towards to the jeep closest to it. The jeeps backed quite quickly and thankfully the tusker was just trying to get to the path next to the road. 

Smooth sailing till the campsite with our broken truck awaiting, we moved all our stuff to a new truck. Looking forward to a sleep in tomorrow.