Day 9 - Ngorongoro Crater

26th Aug'2012 - Ngorongoro crater - We pack our bags as its our last day of the Safari, have an early breakfast and leave Rhino Lodge (one of the best places to stay) around 06:30 hrs. Its a chilly, foggy morning as we wind our way down to the crater floor.
We see a Masai congregation enroute - more like a guru-shishya session happening and Ame tell us that the youngsters are being taught about Masai culture.

Again the landscapes do not let me move ahead without a few pictures :)

As we move ahead, we come across a lot of Zebras and Wildebeests against the backdrop of the salt lake. 

A little later we spot a lioness walking along the lake side in the distance. She just keeps walking for about 10mins majestically and then finds a grassy patch before settling in.

We were hoping for a kill but no luck! She's too busy snoozing. We move on ahead and spot 2 young males sleeping in the grass - the same colour as the lions. All we can see is the mane of one of the Lions. We wait and then one of them decides to give us his blessings by lifting his head up and looking around.

As we move ahead, we spot a Kori Bustard - an amazingly different kind of bird. The earlier one I had shot was not a great pic, so was glad that I got a pretty decent one this time.

Ame was in a hurry (and I was miffed!!) but a little later we spotted a Bateleur Eagle. It swooped down and settled near the rocks on a water body. Lovely bird of prey!

Ame drives around at top speed and we're holding on for dear life (more of equipment). We do not know what's going on and he chooses to remain quiet. After a while he brings the vehicle to a stand still and points out in the distance. We focus and count - 1, 2, 3.....to 8...take a deep breath!

A pride of teenage lions led by a female lioness in the distance walking majestically towards us.

Ame asks us to get in the 4*4 quickly and takes us around to another place where this pride is taking positions to attack a Gazelle. Really excited we start shooting every movement that each Lion makes.

Unfortunately all shaky shots (our excitement got the upper hand). 

Just to give a brief, the lead lioness takes position followed by another one a little to her right. We see another one go further right behind the 2nd one. Then we see 2 taking position at the start of a hillock and suddenly realise that there's a 5th somewhere in the middle of the hillock. 2 more take position to the left of the 1st lioness. The 8th one seems to be injured as we do not see it and it was walking very slowly. A brilliant strategy to ensure the gazelle is not missed from any direction.

As the lead lioness went into the attack position, one of the vehicle driver's starts the engine and the gazelle gets alerted and spots the attackers. She makes a quick escape.

Disappointment writ large on her face the lead lioness slumps down! Then we see this amazing moment of camaraderie and affection.  The 2 lions behind the lead female come up to her and nuzzle her as if to say "It's alright. There'll be another one"! Absolutely amazing moment caught!

All the lions start walking towards the vehicles lined up...going right next to our vehicles and moving on further up the road with such grace and poise that it was difficult to comprehend they just missed their lunch (thanks to us humans!!)

We were already behind schedule, so we headed quickly towards Ngoitoktok springs for a picninc lunch we had carried with us. Just before reaching we spotted a gazelle trying to make its baby walk the first few steps. A far shot and a hazy shot but a must see!

After lunch we had some great Zebra shots which gave us a good laugh. Here are a few that I've named as - Conjoint, Siamese twins, Butt heads and Head butter respectively:D

As we rush out of the crater, I look behind and take some parting shots as we're being driven away. My favourite one is here.

Hey, the journey does not end here...but the Safari definitely does!

I hope you've had a glimpse of what I've experienced and what I've felt during the 9 days that we've travelled. We've been very lucky to see all that we saw and the people we've met has only enriched me and broadened my vision, taking me one step further towards doing things that I love to do.

Asante! (Thank you in Swahili) for your patience!

Please leave your feedback and comments on the blog about the writing and the photographs.

Copyright (photos) - Supraja & TJ

Credits - TJ, Sneh, Radhakrishnan, Isaac (Kenyan tour guide), Ame (Tanzanian tour guide), Minneh from Jocky tours (Kenyan tour operator), Emmanuel from Lilac adventures (Tanzanian tour operator) and all the unnamed Masai people who've made our stay comfortable and welcomed us with open hearts! Cannot forget the animals, birds, landscapes across Kenya - Tanzania!

Jambo! (Welcome) as we move on to our next destination - Zanzibar! in a little while:)

Day 7 - 8 - Serengeti - Ngorongoro

25th Aug'2012 - Serengeti - Ngorongoro - We check out of the resort around 07:00 hrs in the morning and set off on a very very long drive across the vast grass lands of the never ending plains of Serengeti.

We spot a Tawny Eagle and a Wild boar

On the way we shoot a few Impalas - extremely romantic poses!

I also manage to get a good clear shot of a Marabou stork on top of a tree and a Vulture as also an orange breasted black bird (unable to figure out what the actual bird is called).

We have given strict instructions to Ame that we do not want to stop for any more Elephants, Giraffes etc but only for big cats especially a Leopard.
Ame seems to be very keen on taking us to Ngorongoro as soon as possible but suddenly he takes a left turn and we see a horde of vehicles gathering on the road to our right.
We stop along side and realise there is a Leopard sleeping on a branch. Its got this absolutely drained stance with its hind legs hanging on either side of the branch. Blessed! we are!

Somewhere in the middle of  Serengeti, we reach a place called Naabi hill where we stop to eat our picnic lunches.
We are advised to trek up the hill to get a bird's eye view of the absolute vastness of the Savannah's.

With all our desires fulfilled (except the Mara river crossing - which we did not get to see) we are happy to continue towards Ngorongoro.
Winding, dirt roads, back breaking drive later we get off at a spot from where we can see a huge white patch with smoke rising from it.

We are told that it is the alkaline water evaporating from the Lake below in the Ngorongoro crater.

The crater's name has a unique story. An Englishman who came into the crater, asked a Masai herding his cows as to what the place was called. The Masai thought he was being asked about the sound of bells tinkling from the cows' neck and he said "Ngolon" "Ngolon" which over a period of time became Ngorongoro:)

We spot the Pied crow here (the one that I mentioned about on Day 1 - enroute to Amboseli). It seems to be bigger than a Raven!

As we reach Rhino lodge, our resort for the night, its chilly and drizzling. Absolutely beautiful weather, steaming hot cups of Africafe (African Instant Coffee), we settle down and start shooting the sunset.

Looking forward to our last day of Safari at the crater.

Day 6 - 7 - Serengeti

23rd Aug'12 - Masai Mara to Serengeti - What started off as a dreaded journey to Serengeti turned out to be a thrill of a lifetime. That story is without pictures and so will be told another time.

We reach Lobo Wildlife resort around 21:00 hrs and they've kept the dining open (usually closes at 21:00 hrs) as we were reaching almost 4 hrs behind schedule.
The lodge is like a palace with rich decor and opulence personified in the middle of nowhere.

24th Aug'12 - Serengeti - We start our morning game drive around 09:00 hrs and its extremely hot. We're being driven around without spotting any major game and also being bothered by Tse Tse flies. These flies cause the dreaded disease Trypanosomiasis or Sleeping sickness.
After shooting a few birds - Superb Starling, Splendid Glossy Starling, Unidentified Eagle (?), Von der Deckens Hornbill - the flies and the weather gets to us and we decide to get back earlier than usual.

On our way back, we spot a Dik-Dik (the smallest antelope in the world) and a few Cliff Springers

Its kind of lackadaisical and after lunch, I decide to set off on the evening game drive on my own since TJ and the others decide to laze around after the morning fiasco.

I spot quite a few different birds and keep asking Ame to stop, ask their names and shoot pictures. Shoot! The flies are back again.
I shoot a Pygmy Falcon, a White - Headed Buffalo Weaver, a Crowned Plover, a Secretary bird on top of its nest on a tree, "Go - Away" birds. I keep shooing away Tse Tse flies in between.

As we are returning, Ame takes a different route and from the distance shows me a Pride of Lions. The male is feasting and I notice 2 cubs joining their father. There are probably 3 of them. To the left of the lion there is a lioness and to the right there are 3 more lionesses waiting for their turn to eat.

We are not allowed to wander off track in Serengeti like the way we did in Masai Mara and so not many good pictures.

I also see a herd of Eland (the largest Antelopes in the World) which are very shy Antelopes scared of any non-animal noise. They resemble a cow and you will see why!

The Masai people believe that the Eland are cows that have run away into the wild a long, long time back. They were hunted a lot for their meat and the milk as also their skin and so are very scared of humans.

As I near the resort, we suddenly stop to see a couple of "Topi" locking horns. The winner literally chased the loser. It was an entirely different experience to watch the fight.

And then its sunset time. I photograph one of my most memorable sunsets - a setting behind the trees! The sky's fiery!

As I reach the resort am bursting to tell the others about my sightings and boy! they will be jealous.

We also manage to catch the setting sun from the top of the hotel.

The hope of sighting a Leopard still continues....