Safari Day 2- Ngorongoro National Park

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We woke this morning to the most spectacular sunrise over the crater rim. It was awesome! My tent sleeping, rocky as it was, was adequate enough for me to be easily aroused when the others campers starting awking a oohing-and ahhing to the view of the sky. We also looked out to find our guide with 3 other men pucking our truck which had obviously broken down AGAIN! The girls and I just sighed, went to breakfast and HOPED that our truck would be okay to take us into the crater that morning.

SAFARI LESSON #1- Safety first!!!- Sometimes you can haggle to get a low price for a trip, but realize you may be compromising and getting a less than safe vehicle for this long journey!

Luckily, by the time we finished and walked around a bit at the campsite taking pictures, our truck reappeared. This time it wasn't being pushed!

On our way into the crater we saw just memorizing views of the forest and landscape down below. Too bad the road was so rocky. we really couldn't get good pictures on the descent.

Once inside the crater, it was another story. The animals came to welcome us almost at the very entrance.

We saw herds and herds of Zebra and Wildebeest wandering and grazing. Some stopped in the road in front of us and some in back. probably thinking what a sight we were to see, hanging out the sides of the truck to get a picture of them. Down the main road and off to the 1st and 2nd side roads, were more herds and a few wild hogs scattered about. Then came the buffalo herds (the 1st of the 'big 5') and near the end of the 2nd side road....2 male lion cubs. That's 2/5 on the scoreboard now.

It's so rare to be so close to1 lion let alone 2 in the wild, that we had to park and sit for a long while to observe. The lazy lions obviously had eaten recently because the just laid in the shade of one of the touring trucks before us in no rush to move away. They even moved to the shade of our own landcruiser when the other one pulled off. And Just before getting up to amble on to another spot the 2 cubs gave us a little show by playfully pawing at each other. Cute aren't they?!!!

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Photos

Ngorongoro National Park
Sunrise over the Crater Rim- 6:15am

Ngorongoro National Park
Sunset the 1st evening- Peace in the midst of a turbulent ride up to the crater rim.

Ngorongoro National Park
The truck broke down again this morning. :-(

The way to the inside of the Crater
It was rocky, but a beautiful view going down into the crater

Inside of the Crater
As soon as you drive into the crater you encounter herds of animals. In the fields, the road, by the water.

Inside of the Crater
Across the 1st path

Inside of the Crater
More on the 1st path

Inside of the Crater
Down the 2nd path. We lucked up on a pair of lion cubs. Yeah they're cubs!

Inside of the Crater
They even put on a little show for us- Playing togther!