Trip to Mwanza (Part 2)

We left Karatu before breakfast and were ar the gate into the Ngorogoro Conservation Area before the wardens were there to open it. Trucks were also waiting as this was one of the routes freight was carried to the interior. Maybe even to Kenya for goods that may not pass at the Namanga border.

We were passing on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater, then going through the Serengeti and on to the Mwanza/Musoma Road - past the Souther part of Lake Victoria.

We expected to see a lot and at this time it was all a new experience for me, so I was excited. There are any amount of documetaries about the Serengeti and these days pictures of the animals are easy to come by. But this is from my point of view and my camera was just and old point and shoot thing but readers may be interested.

The gate warden had actually overslept and he was half an hour late, but we were processed and we made our way into the Conservation Area. It was rainforest with large trees and we were climbing on an unmetalled road of red soil. The Ngorogoro Crater was formed when the centre of a large volcano collapsed inwards leaving the rim - like hills and a flat bottom. We were climbing the hill towards the rim and the road skirted along part of the rim before it goes on to the Serengeti. There is a lookout when the road first reaches the rim and the view reveals the huge area that is the crater. We did not tarry though because we had a long journey ahead. I expected to a lot of animals in the early morning, but saw only one buffalo and one sneaky hyena.

There are tourist complexes along the rim and I suspected that they are expensive places to stay - but the views would be tremendous!

As we dropped off the rim, we saw some giraffe,

grazing the tops of Acacia trees and they looked at us with disinterest. Once we left the crater rim, the vegetation turned to mainly grassland which was dry and in some parts, barren.

The road was corrugated and especially on the corners, it was not possible to drive with any speed. Never the less Mags nodded off and slept through it.

There was not much feed or cover for animals, but there were a lot of Thomson's Gazelles and many Zebra. These animals always look clean and neat with smooth coats and I felt some humility that I was able to view them in this way. I still think that I have been incredibly lucky to have seen all the animals and places that I have.

I was driving at this time, so I was able to stop momentarily to have a closer look. Jo did not mind me stopping for a photo, we all knew the time restraints but it was not like a sledge hammer over our heads!

There are some large birds that I had long wanted to see and I was able to stop for a longer look at these. There was the secretary bird. This bird was on my 'to see' list an I was pleased to see some at close range. They seem to solitary birds though.

Then the beautiful Crowned Crane. Over the years we saw a lot of these birds and always they were aloof and beautiful.

It is some distance before the approach the gate 'Naabi Hills'. Yes, Big E named his bar the same name, but he said it was a pun and really meant a mixture of the names of his daughter and that of Round L's daughter.

As we neared the gate, on our right were many vultures feeding on a carcass, probably a kill from last night. When I was but a lad, I saw a movie called 'Where no Vultures Fly' - can't remember anything about the movie, except they looked to where the vultures circled to find where the lions were. I was pleased to see these birds bepite the reputation they have.

At Naabi Hills you leave one park and enter another and of course have to pay the entrance fee. It might be thought of as a money making exercise but I think it is well worth it.

These guys are used to dealing with the public and it all goes well. I have seen people having trouble - but largely they make for themselves.

We thought we were making good time and here are a few pictures that need no explanation.

Well maybe they do - the baboon is ok but those are lions under the tree and there goes a chettah.

Our next stop was the Seronera Wildlife Lodge where we had a coffee and something to eat. This is a beautifully built lodge and actually built into the natural rocks there. We needed the short rest because were were still excited about the Widebeest Migration we had seen earlier I will come back to that in my next blog, because there are enough pics here for now.