Safari. Manyara and Ngorongoro

Our first safari took us from Dar es Salaam by plane to Kilamanjaro International airport. We were met at the airport by Athumani, our guide and driver for the next three days, along with his safari vehicle - equipped with a cooler and seats for seven .

Nancy & Athumani & our transportation

We drove the first day to first night's lodging at a "tented " lodge that is nicer than our current apartment.

Inside the tent - note bathroom area through the arch.

Pretty nice view of Lake Manyara from the porch of the tent, too!

Spent the first day exploring Manyara national park - around Lake Manyara  and the adjacent Great Rift escarpment area. Beautiful conenctions between the mountains, the lakes, and the forest.  Lots of animals.

Giraffes liked the partial clearings between lake and escarpment.

Then we drove to the Ngorongoro Crater Area and Ngorongoro conservation area .  This amazing place is a huge (about 100 square miles) volcanic crater, encircled by mountains and full of wildlife.

Ngorongoro

 We felt lucky to have come in the rainy season, as it was so lush and green and peaceful.  The conservation area also encloses the Olduvai Gorge area where evidence of some of the earliest humans has been found.  It really did feel like the garden of Eden.

Sunset at the lodge overlooking Ngorogo . Rainy & cold but beautiful.

I am finding it hard to express how it was, so I will simply add a few more pictures to try and help folks get the feel of being in this gigantic crater full of animals with a rim of mountains all around.  Great experience.

Big Temba (Elephant) in the crater

Nice horns

Hippos in the pool - clouds around the rim of the crater

Hyenas are just plain nasty looking.

We saw so much and the pictures can't capture the feel.  I think I may want to get a telephoto lens ;-) I also kinda like saying the word Ngorongoro.