Safari – Day 2 : Serengeti to Ngorogoro (Now with Pictures)

After an early night – just after 8pm! It was up early to make the most of the day. Our morning was spent in Serengeti. No big new animals today although we were within a few metres of a hiding Cheetah at one point – unfortunately no sign. Plenty of birdlife and good sightings of Lions, Giraffe, Zebras, Buffalo, Wildebeest, Hippos, Warthogs, Elephants, Baboons, Monkeys,Ostriches and Hyenas to add to yesterday’s encounters. Still no Leopard though! On the new front Thompson’s Gazelle and Grant’s Gazelle.

Mound

Lion and Lioness

Topi

Lying Zebra

Lion Male

Sleeping Lions

Superb Starling

Zebra Pair

Lazing Hyena

Weaver Birds in Tree

Masai Giraffe

Sparrows and Starlings

Our accommodation

Masai Giraffes Feeding

Topi

Rock Mound

Watering Hole

Lion on Top

Red Billed Hornbill

Thompson’s Gazelle

Superb Starling

Elephant

Roadside View

Black Chested Snake Eagle

Watching Lions

White Headed Buffalo Weaver

Beetle

Spectacular Birds in flight

Red Billed Hornbill

Grant’s Gazelle and Zebra

Termite Mound

Weaver Bird

Hyena

Purple Tree

Zebra and Wildebeest

Lion and Lioness

Giraffe

On the Road

Black Winged Stilt

Elephant at Distance

Spectacular bird in flight

Thompson’s Gazelle

Weaver Bird

Serengeti Plain

Gazelle

Zebra Foal

Thompson’s Gazelle

By the Road

Serengeti Campsite

Serengeti Scenery

Ostrich

Dung Beetle

Wallowing Hippo

Serengeti

Rolling Zebra

Giraffe in Acacia

Lion Family

Ostrich Crossing

Dust

Egyptian Geese

Hyena

Hornbill, Sparrows and Starlings

Serengeti

Black Faced Monkey with Babe

Marabou Storks

The afternoon took us over into Ngorogoro Crater which gave us a spectacular climb (in which we saw Maasai Villages and even some Camels!) and a dramatic descent. Once inside we saw much of the same, though generally much closer quarters . On the new front we saw a Jackal, Crested Cranes, Storks, Hartebeest, Bustards, Flamingos and Pelicans. We were on the search for Rhino. It is true to say we saw two. It’s also true to say that on full magnification they were tiny. None of this took away from the spectacular landscape,
We are now back at our campsite for the night. One more day in the Serengeti tomorrow then home tomorrow night.
We remain in search of Cheetahs and Leopards. hoping.

Warthog close

Winding Ascent

Yellow Fever Trees – misnamed by early European settlers

Flowers

The Long and Winding Road

Storks

Kori Bustard

African Hoopoe

Cacti

Fruits

Steep Escarpment

Lions

Masai Boma (settlement)

Beasts Below

Crater Rim

Mt Ngorogoro

Steep Rim

Dust Devil

Mirage of Mt Ngorogoro

Sheep (tails down)

Lions

Buffalo

Sheep

Crater with Wildebeest

Zebra and Impala

Yellow Billed Stork and Wildebeest

Zebra and Topi

Zebra and Wildebeest on hill

Crater Road

Masai on the plain

Kori Bustard

Our Truck

Yellow Billed Stork

Fighting Wildebeest

Masai Welcome

Oxpecker

Hippos, Wildebeest and Zebra

Crater Scenery

Ngorogoro Camp

Giraffe on the endless plain

Ngorogoro Camp

Kori Bustard displaying

Straight Road

Crater View

Descending

Cattle

Zebra close

Hyena and Wildebeest

Buffalo with Oxpeckers

Flamingo

Pelican

Black Crowned Crane

Lions in the long grass

View Below

Monkeys

Lion Asleep

Camels in Ngorogoro!

Campfire

Wildebeest

Crater Floor

Thompsons Gazelle

Ngorogoro approaches

Thompson;s Gazelle

Descending

Warthog in pool

Skull

Black Crowned Crane and Wildebeest

Masai

Crater from the top

Rhino

Hippos

Hyena

Golden Backed Jackel

Mirage

Black Faced Monkey

Mt Ngorogoro

Climbing up

Stork in flight

Distant Rhino

Black Backed Jackel

Crested Cranes

Winding Road

Road Up

Cook and Guide

Lion at Rest

Wildebeest

The start of the ascent

Crater View

By the fire

These flowers gave off the most amazing perfume

View Below

Boma

Wildebeest