Ngorogoro Crater Safari

If you've got the opportunity to extend your stay in Tanzania for a day or so, why not consider going to the Ngorongoro crater for a safari.  I went with Ashante tours, the same company that had guided us so fantastically up Kilimanjaro.  http://www.ahsantetours.com/ 

It's about 4.5 hours (230km) from Moshi, but an amazing spot, with a wide selection of animals.  The crater is a caldera, formed after the collapse of the land following a volcanic explosion.  It's 30km across, so I found myself wondering about the scale of the volcano that must have created this? 

The Masai are allowed to occupy areas of the conservation area.  On the road to Ngorongoro they were a common site, with children, some probably as young as 4 or 5 tending the cattle along the route.  It was a really fabulous drive.

The Ngorogoro crater is well supplied with water, and there are huge herds of Zebra, and Wildebeast here. 

Pumba, and his family.  These are just amazingly cute when they are little.

I'd never done a safari before, but I was so lucky.  I had the land cruiser to myself, with just the driver and my Ashante interpreter who were amazingly knowledgeable, and entertaining.   When we stopped for lunch by a lake there were African Kite flying all around, seemed like 20 or 30 of them, dive bombing the jeeps, and land cruisers.   I'm guessing this must be quite a feeding ground for them, as one swooped down and stole my lunch right out of my hand as I stood up in the land cruiser, through the hatched roof.