Ngorongoro, Tanzania, Africa 7/9 -- 7/17/2011 [Tanzania Gallery] [Back to Photo Page] [Slide Show]

The Ngorongoro area originally was part of the Serengeti National Park when it was established by the British in 1951. Maasai continued to live in the newly created park until 1959, when repeated conflicts with park authorities over land use led the British to evict them to the newly declared Ngorongoro Conservation Area.  The area is part of the Serengeti ecosystem, and to the north-west, it adjoins the Serengeti National Park and is contiguous with the southern Serengeti plains, these plains also extend to the north into unprotected Loliondo division and are kept open to wildlife through trans-human pastoralism practiced by Maasai. The south and west of the area are volcanic highlands, including the famous Ngorongoro Crater and the lesser known Empakai. The southern and eastern boundaries are approximately defined by the rim of the Great Rift Valley wall, which also prevents animal migration in these directions.

[Tarangire, July 9-11] [Serengeti, July 11-15] [Ngorongoro, July 15-17]

Ngorongoro Conservation Area...

July 15 ...

• Maasai Village & Olduvai Gorge
  The visit of the Maasai village was an interesting experience to see how these people live (except for the negotiation of the price of souvenirs).
  The Olduvai Gorge is a steep-sided ravine in the Great Rift Valley. It is considered the seat of humanity after the discovery of the earliest known specimens of the human genus, Homo habilis as well as early hominidae.

Ngorongoro Crater ...

July 16 ...

• The Ngorongoro crater, which formed when a giant volcano exploded and collapsed on itself some two to three million years ago, is 610 m (2,000 ft) deep and covers 260 sq km (100 sq mi).  Although thought of as "a natural enclosure" for a very wide variety of wildlife, up to 20% or more of the wildebeest and half the zebra populations vacate the Crater in the wet season.  The crater hosts almost every individual species of wildlife in East Africa, with an estimated 25,000 animals within the crater, with the exceptions of  impala, topi, oribi, giraffe, and crocodile.  Ngorongoro is one of the few places left in east Africa where one can still see the Black Rhino, a rare and extremely endangered species.

• We were lucky to see  a pair of lions who were in the process of mating.  The mating ritual in lions involves a lot of physical rubbing and presenting. Lion mating is notoriously quick, repetitive, and unsuccessful. Copulation is quick and noisy - lasting only a few seconds. After some 10 to 20 minutes, mating is repeated. This routine can continue unabated, day and night, for several days (three to seven days). Mating pairs do not show any interest in hunting or eating, and stay behind their pride during the mating period.
  When we went back to the same spot on the 2nd day, we could still see them in the same place (maybe only 10 meters from where they were the day before).

• The game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater floor is only allowed maximum 6 hours per vehicle per day, so we had to return up to the crater rim and back to our lodge for a late lunch.  We stayed in the Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge, which is strategically perched on the rim of this 'Garden of Eden', affording unbelievable views plunging down over the crater floor.  We had a relaxed afternoon to enjoy the beautiful scenery and card games on the porch right outside the restaurant.

July 17 ...

• We went down to the crater floor in the morning to have the last game drive in our safari trip. 

• Cultural tourism program, Mto wa Mbu
  After the lunch picnic, we went to Mto wa Mbu to visit the village (our car had a transmission problem on the way to Mto wa Mbu...).  It was a walking tour to see different local people and farms and plants. 
  After the tour, it was time to head to the Kilimanjaro airport to catch our our flight (at 7:40PM).  There was still about 150km drive to the airport, and our car broken down again when we passed Arusha (only ~ 10km from the airport).  Luckily with some help from locals , they pushed the car and the engine re-started, and we got to the airport without further delays.

Going Home ...

It was a long way to go back home: Tanzania to Kenya, Kenya to London, London to San Francisco, and totally it took more than 30 hours for us to get home.  Although it was a long trip for us (even longer for Linus), it was truly an once-in-a-lifetime experience: from the most civilized places in the world (Paris) to the most unspoiled land on the planet (Tanzania).  We will all treasure this precious memory forever.

[Tarangire, July 9-11] [Serengeti, July 11-15] [Ngorongoro, July 15-17]

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