Actually Into the Ngorongoro Crater

The name of the last post was not correct.  Yesterday we drove from Arusha to Karatu, where the crater is located, stopping at Lake Manyaro on the way.  Today we actually went into the Ngorongoro Crater.  Some believe this is where life began as the oldest human remains were found near by.  The crater was a volcano that collapsed millions of years ago.  The walls of the crater form a sort of natural reserve.  It became a protected reserve in the 1960's but it was very easy to protect from poaching because of the steep walls.  For these reasons this is one of the few places you can still find the endangered black rhinos.

We saw a large male lion on the side of the road while driving in.  The road is very dangerous and windy so we couldn't stop safely.

The lookout.

Umbrella acacia trees.

Buffalo

If you zoom in you can see lions hunting the buffalo and ultimately getting scared away.

Many zebra.

Many crown crested cranes, Uganda's national bird.

Guinea fowls.

Vulture.

Warthog

Duck

Hyenas

Wildebeest

Jackal

Ostriche

Stopped for lunch

Hippo

Baby zebra

I think an elephant bone

Zebra like to roll in dust to get off bugs

Cory Bastard

Lions.  You can't drive off road in this park so you can't get as close.

Baby wildebeest

Elan

Thomson gazelle

Buffalo after rolling in mud

Jackal

Jen

Rhino

Hyena

Warthog baby

Adult

Flamingos

Lions on the hunt

Zebras pair like this to watch in two directions

Hippos--they are nocturnal and spend the day in the water or in this case mud

They kept rolling over

Close endangered rhinos

Wildebeest

Elephant

Ostriche

Maybe grant gazelle and thomson

Baboon

Jen and I back at the lodge

It is beautiful there.  It is called the Plantation Lodge.

The bar

Our suite/villa

Jen went on a tour of the coffee plantation.  I was feeling a bit under the weather so I skipped it.

Coffee beans

Avocados

Vegetable garden

Coffee beans are fermented in water for a few days in cement tubs

Then pealed in machine and dried on screens

They had a barbecue.  It was very pretty.

Another awesome day.