The Road from the Serengeti to Ngorongoro

The road is long, it is bumpy and it is straight. But is interesting, it is scenic and it is iconic. Once again we are treated to many wildlife sightings. A leopard standing on a flat rock with a complete profile from head to tail, a migrating herd of thousands of Wildebeest galloping across the road and the ever present lions, lying in wait of an injured zebra or gazelle. We are leaving the uninhabited portion of the park and entering the region where the Maasi herd their goats and cattle and continue to live a difficult life where the average life expectancy is a mere 45 years of age. Poorly clothed children look for handouts of food and money while tending the flocks but we are not encouraged to reward them even if it is for a picture. It would be a Mecca for punk rockers. There are more piercings, hallowed out ears and kinky haircuts and jewellery than one would find in any downtown western setting. The adults are more colorfully dressed and their array of decorative jewelry, dangling from their necks and ears is an attempt to get tourists to stop and engage. We do not.

The road leads to the Olduvai Gorge where the earliest skulls and bone fragments know to mankind were discovered in the early 1920s. They date back millions of years ago when paleoanthropologists Louis and Mary Leaky documented the earliest of human evolution.

Ngoronogoro Crater is the 6^th largest caldera in the world and the view from our lodge is absolutely spectacular. It is a self contained ecological feast of wildlife, birds and fauna. There is no need for any of the inhabitants to leave as Mother Nature’s buffet supplies year round a plenty for all. It has been damp and the going gets sloppy but not before witnessing the birth of a 5 minute old Wildebeest and the subsequent scavengers of the Jackal and Hyena. Water foul are aplenty and their constant ducking of their bills into the water for fish is an entertaining way to pass a few minutes. The female lion is in heat and the male wastes no time in performing his duty every 30 minutes and has been seen to offer his affections up to 300 times before the impregnation is complete.

Our 14 day safari is drawing to a close and it is time to say our goodbyes to Adam our driver and guide. He has been exceptional and we all agree his constant commentary and leading us in silly songs has been a wonderful conclusion to the second stage of touring Tanzania.

We have flown from Arusha back to Nairobi and it’s onto Cape Town, South Africa for some wine tasting and self drive touring. Jambo from Nairobi