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.

Topi

Watering Hole

Spectacular bird in flight

Zebra Pair

Black Chested Snake Eagle

Topi

Masai Giraffe

Giraffe in Acacia

Elephant

Ostrich Crossing

Masai Giraffes Feeding

Superb Starling

Wallowing Hippo

Gazelle

Sparrows and Starlings

Dung Beetle

Marabou Storks

White Headed Buffalo Weaver

Roadside View

Rock Mound

Serengeti

Giraffe

Purple Tree

Zebra and Wildebeest

Serengeti Campsite

Dust

Serengeti

Serengeti Scenery

Black Faced Monkey with Babe

Red Billed Hornbill

Red Billed Hornbill

Lion on Top

Serengeti Plain

Lion Male

Weaver Bird

Ostrich

Grant’s Gazelle and Zebra

Egyptian Geese

Hyena

Rolling Zebra

Termite Mound

Beetle

Thompson’s Gazelle

Hyena

Thompson’s Gazelle

On the Road

Our accommodation

Lazing Hyena

Thompson’s Gazelle

Superb Starling

Weaver Birds in Tree

By the Road

Lion and Lioness

Lying Zebra

Sleeping Lions

Black Winged Stilt

Spectacular Birds in flight

Mound

Zebra Foal

Elephant at Distance

Hornbill, Sparrows and Starlings

Lion and Lioness

Watching Lions

Weaver Bird

Lion Family

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.

Fruits

Warthog close

The start of the ascent

Climbing up

Giraffe on the endless plain

Pelican

Stork in flight

Masai Boma (settlement)

Ngorogoro Camp

Steep Escarpment

Thompsons Gazelle

Thompson;s Gazelle

Storks

Wildebeest

The Long and Winding Road

Hyena and Wildebeest

Crater View

Oxpecker

Steep Rim

Crater Scenery

Kori Bustard

Skull

Lion at Rest

Crater from the top

Kori Bustard displaying

Zebra and Impala

Yellow Billed Stork

Distant Rhino

Mirage

Flowers

Black Crowned Crane

View Below

Ngorogoro approaches

Lion Asleep

Dust Devil

Road Up

View Below

Golden Backed Jackel

Mt Ngorogoro

Black Faced Monkey

Lions

Winding Road

Buffalo

Cook and Guide

Black Backed Jackel

Hippos

Crater View

Crater Rim

Yellow Fever Trees – misnamed by early European settlers

Straight Road

Masai Welcome

Crested Cranes

Rhino

Winding Ascent

Yellow Billed Stork and Wildebeest

Crater with Wildebeest

Descending

Monkeys

Crater Road

Kori Bustard

Campfire

Descending

These flowers gave off the most amazing perfume

Mt Ngorogoro

Hyena

Lions

Our Truck

Black Crowned Crane and Wildebeest

Cattle

Beasts Below

Boma

By the fire

Zebra close

Flamingo

Cacti

Camels in Ngorogoro!

Ngorogoro Camp

Zebra and Wildebeest on hill

Masai on the plain

Wildebeest

Masai

African Hoopoe

Mirage of Mt Ngorogoro

Sheep

Lions in the long grass

Crater Floor

Hippos, Wildebeest and Zebra

Wildebeest

Buffalo with Oxpeckers

Zebra and Topi

Sheep (tails down)

Fighting Wildebeest

Warthog in pool