Ngorongoro Crater

Our second day took us to the Ngorongoro Crater - breathless stunning view from the rim and then - breathless stunning view while descending to the crater floor. We then drove around on red bumpy roads for four hours, animals everywhere. And wildflowers everywhere - patches of purple, yellow and white. Sand patches where zebra like to hang out. More vehicles than you can shake a stick at. The animals intermingle - zebras in with gazelles, wildebeest in with everybody.

We saw: elephants, zebras, Thompson's gazelles, wildebeest, Grant's gazelles, warthogs, flamingos, lions, cheetahs, Black Rhinos, hippos, buffalo (and birds on buffalo), Guinea fowl, Bustards, Crested cranes, hyenas, eagles, blue starlings (they will steal your food), Eland, ostrich, baboons, and a great little black bird with a long fluttering tail and a dipping flying pattern.

This was our first experience with using other vehicles to find animals. We saw several vehicles stopped on a road in the distance, and went to see what they were looking at. To our utter astonishment, it was a large male lion, sitting in a very awkward position on the side of the road. I thought something must be wrong with him – why was he alone in such a strange place? Some vehicles departed, and we edged up a few feet, and we suddenly noticed two other lions, a male and a female, sleeping right next to the other side of the road. I felt better then. The sitting lion got up and began wandering in amongst the vehicles, heading our way. Finally he came right over and settled down in the shade of our jeep. You can imagine the photo taking! I was so excited I texted his photo to my parents, at a cost of approximately half the children’s inheritance (as Nick helpfully pointed out)

We had lunch by a pond full of hippos, and enjoyed their loud bull-frog like sounds, the splash when they roll over and the sudden glimpse of their huge toothy mouths.

Other great events that day: a cheetah just sitting in a field, occasionally pacing and lying down. Another female lion, just lying sleeping a few feet from the track, (Gerry uploaded a picture of this one to Facebook, thereby disposing of the other half of the inheritance). And finally, something that amazed Thadei more than us, because it is apparently very rare, we saw ten black rhinos over the course of the day. The first was alone, the second sighting in a group of four, and the third in a group of five. They were pretty much seen in the distance, but it's very thrilling to see the classic silhouette.

On our way to the Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge, up the steep winding road, Gerry and I discovered that we preferred to stand in the vehicle, bracing ourselves against the bumps, with the wind in our face, and the spectacular view of the forest surrounding the crater. Bliss.

The Wildlife Lodge was exceptional. Every room has a crater view, and there is a long verandah where you can sit, perhaps have a cold beer or two, and watch the sun going down over the magic place (that would be the crater). The décor is wonderful, mid-century modern, beading on all the chair arms, and amazing huge stone and glass mosaics built into the walls of the lounge and the dining room. The rooms were very comfortable, the water was more or less hot, and we were delighted to be there.

Smaller area to cover - especially after being in parks like the Serengeti, but there is no need to search for wildlife! At the time of our visit, it was a bit more crowded with tourists than what we had encountered in other parks. The drive into and out of the crater is worth the visit alone! Amazing!

Best safari location with most sightings I have ever been to.

Good but not excelent.

Crater is absolutely breathtaking. The concentration of wildlife in it makes it magical.

A Must-See in Tanzania

Ngorongoro Crater was absolutely stunning. The physical nature of the crater itself makes you feel like you are truly entering a different ecosystem - one that belongs to the animals, not to man. We saw many types of animals, including hyenas, water buffalo, elephants, giraffes, birds, and lions! The scenery was gorgeous and the animals all seemed so majestic. I would suggest Ngorongoro Crater to anyone who is traveling in Tanzania.

Like being in a huge zoo without walls. The animals were fearless, so much less shy, and easy to see.

Ngorongoro Crater is an animal paradise in terms of the sheer volume of wildlife contained within a stunningly beautiful contained environment. The trip down into the crater stirs the sense of excitement and our time wandering around the crater floor was richly rewarded with numerous memories.

It's an unbelievable Park located at the bottom of the Ngorongoro Crater and surrpounded by the sides of the crater. Visitors can find any kind of animal and the Amazing scenery can't be seen anywhere in the world.

Ngorongoro is a piece of paradise on Earth. This is what nature must have been in the beginning!