Safari Day 2: Ngorongoro National Conservatory

Leaving behind Gibbs farm we headed off for the Ngorongoro crater. It’s called a “conservatory” instead of a “park” or “reserve” because the Masai people are allowed to live and pasture their animals on the land. Ngorongoro crater is this 160 square mile crater and Hezron told us that many of the animals will just stay there year-round because the walls of the crater are so steep.

Anyway I will just start off by saying that as AMAZING as yesterday was in Manyara Park, today was even 100 times better. To get a small picture of it, try to imagine a huge crater completely COVERED with African animals roaming all around like it was the set of The Lion King.

We were a little worried because it had rained all night long (which as pretty as it sounded over our heads on the tin roofs is not exactly great for safari viewing) and when we woke up, it was hard to see out even 10 feet in front of you because of the fog, and even when we drove through the gates of the conservatory the weather still didn’t look too promising, but it was amazing how the weather happening exactly over and inside the crater was completely different than what was going on around its rim. Inside the crater was completely rain and fog free—perfect weather for the perfect day of our second day of safari.

Just about to drive down into the crater

Wildebeasts. Possibly some of the ugliest animals ever, but still there is something cool about them.
Also, Hezron says that they "are a bit stupid" (in comparison to the zebras anyway)

Thomson Gazelles

Pumba!

Cape Buffalo.
Look at the cute little baby!

Another baby buffalo.
It was cute because whenever we got near or stopped by them, if there was a baby or small one in the group, the adults would all turn and face us in the car just to say, "Hey. Don't even think about it!"

Dik Dik. SOOOO small.

Oh Hey Mr. Hyena!

Not sure of the name of these guys.

Or this one either.
But look at those legs!

When I think about African wildlife, I don't usually think about ostriches, but here they are!

Okay, so this is an example of why Hezron is like the COOLEST and SMARTEST guides ever. We were just driving around the crater looking at all of the things you see above, and then Hezron was like, "Hey. We gotta hurry and catch those elephants before they cross the road." We all look at each other, because to us, no elephants were even in sight. So he points way off in the distance at this moving line of small black dots. "They're going to get water" he says, "and we want to get on that road before they cross." So we rush off and are able to get there in time before they cross the road. Hezron turns off the truck right in the middle of the road and then the elephants seeing us stopped there, put themselves in single file and just cross along RIGHT behind us. We literally could have reached out and touched them if we had wanted to. Which wouldn't have been the best idea because even though they aren't usually looking for a fight, these African Elephant guys are HUGE and you definitely don't want to be on their bad side.

Here they come.

Putting themselves into a line.

Single file.

Their line was so straight I think they might be soldier elephants or something.

Preparing to cross the road

My favorite.

LOVE. LOVE. LOVE it!

And they're on their way to the watering hole.

This one decided to catch a quick bite just to show off.

I really wish I knew/remembered all of the names of these birds. But alas, I do not.

LIONS! guarding their kill from the previous day



4 lionesses (and 1 or 2/3 of 1 hart beast)



These two were about 20 feet off just taking a nap and relaxing in the sun.

1 brave little jakal starts creeping in to see if he can steal a bite

3 buddies join him to try a team attack

Nope. Not happening on these ladies' watch.

This lady lion decides it's just easier to lie right next to the food
instead of having to get up and down and up down chasing away the little guys.

Jakal--the African kanine.

another birdy

Pumba's relatives.

Not a clue.

SOOOOooo pretty!

Evidence of the co-habitation

We stopped here for lunch.
Just eating lunch in the middle of an African garden of Eden.
NBD.

Me and my new BFF Hezron.

Me and my old BFF Mom
("old" as in long-time BFF. Obviously.) 

Boys just chillin' out up top enjoying suckers from that place in Alpine.
(yes we brought some Utah with us)

Love this pic.

Packing it up and ready to finish the day.

A better pic of the little lake so you can see the hippos.

Hart beasts (live ones)

This is an example of one of the reasons that Hezron says that zebras are a lot smarter than wildebeasts.
The zebras stand together like this so they can be looking in all directions.
While the wildebeasts are just chowing down.

Heading back out of the beautiful crater.

Animal sightings of the day: African elephants, lion and lionesses (with dead eland) , wildebeests, zebra, hyenas, Thomson gazelles, gnu, Hartebeests, secretariats, hippopotamus, flamingos, warthogs, 2 black rhinos (from a long ways away, but close enough that we could see them and their horns with our binoculars), cape buffalos, plover, jackals (2 types. I can’t remember their names), vultures, and I think that is about it.