The Ngorongoro Crater...

June, 2015

Tanzania

Somewhere between two and three million years ago, a large volcano exploded and collapsed on itself, resulting in the formation of a giant caldera; actually, the Ngorongoro Crater is the largest unflooded and intact volcanic caldera in the world. Besides being a natural geographic wonder that simply takes your breath away, it is a home to some of the most dense large mammal populations in Africa. The floor of the caldera is rich in minerals and covered in grasses, a perfect spot for herbivores like the zebra and the wildebeest. The open plains are home to buffalo, gazelle and topi and within the grasslands live the black rhino and the lion.There is a large variety of flora and fauna throughout the crater and in the swampy areas live pods of hippos. The two lakes that lie within were seen through the fog as we drove in; the mist only enhancing the esoteric quality of the rim.

There are over 25,000 large animals in the Ngorongoro Crater and no, we did not see them all, but what we saw was magical.

Maasai herding their cattle as they have done for centuries.

A First Taste Of Tanzania...

June, 2015

Tanzania

It was a long day of driving as we left Kenya and headed for Tanzania. The border crossing took some time, although the lines weren't too long and all went smoothly. The Masai women, who make lovely beaded necklaces and bracelets, many of them using the money earned for their children and to better themselves, were out in numbers with their handmade jewelry...and yes, it was a perfect time to purchase baubles and bangles. (Just an appetizer before we arrived a bit later at the Tanzanite shop where a guard ushered us in.)

Our first city, once in northern Tanzania, was Arusha, a fast-growing hub situated at the foot of Mount Meru, Africa's fifth highest mountain; for tourists, it's more an entry point for beginning safari adventures, being close to the national parks. The city is multicultural with a population of indigenous Bantu, Arab-Tanzanian, Indian-Tanzanian, plus a small European and American community. Since 1994, Arusha has hosted the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and passing by the building where the hearings have been held was sobering.

On the way...

Lake Manyara National Park

Along the base of the Rift Valley escarpment, the park, with its jungle-like forest, grassy floodplain, alkaline lake, and jagged blue volcanic peaks, was a grand welcome to our safari adventure in Tanzania.