Safari Time! Rest Days in Arusha – the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater!

I don’t even know where to begin! 3 day Safari on our break days from Arusha… 24 hours in Serengeti, a camp on the crater edge of Ngorongoro Crater, and then a day in the crater too!

Overall it was an amazing experience, so many animals! SO MANY! 7 of us were on the 3 day tour: Birgit, Erica, Sonia, Mike J, Christian, Ross and myself. The animal viewing was cool, but the guiding was a bit off. It was set up by the lunch truck driver, Steven, someone in his family organized it for us… They forgot stuff like a table and chairs for us to eat on! And kind of smelled as we shared the small vehicle with them.. Oh well, on to the animals!!! 😀

I may add a list of all the animals we saw here later, I just don’t have time for it tonight and I want to share my most immediately favourite photos! Enjoy, people! May have a tiny blog later about the two days of riding from Nairobi to here… Mostly just pics of some riders. 🙂 Tomorrow I’m off to Zanzibar for more break while the tour continues on 7 days through muddy rainy hell. Next blog about the tour will probably be a guest blog by Leah and Birgit! 😀

Pictures!! 😀

Hillary Clinton Shop! On the way to Serengeti.. This was on Amazing Race a few times, exciting!
Hillary Clinton Shop! On the way to Serengeti.. This was on Amazing Race a few times, exciting!
Zebra! They were way cooler than I thought they'd be... Was expecting glorified horses but got some really cool animals instead. Latest research suggests the stripes are an evolutionary advantage against the tse-tse fly!
Zebra! They were way cooler than I thought they’d be… Was expecting glorified horses but got some really cool animals instead. Latest research suggests the stripes are an evolutionary advantage against the tse-tse fly!
These ones were Thompson's Gazelles... Hard to keep straight from Impala sometimes!
These ones were Thompson’s Gazelles… Hard to keep straight from Impala sometimes!
Secretarybird!
Secretarybird!
Marabou Stork! Kind of a really weird looking bird.
Marabou Stork! Kind of a really weird looking bird.
Agh, I actually don't know what kind of lizard/gecko this is!
Agh, I actually don’t know what kind of lizard/gecko this is!
Marabou Stork again, this time with a G Adventures truck, I know a few people that work(ed) there.
Marabou Stork again, this time with a G Adventures truck, I know a few people that work(ed) there.
Thompson's Gazelle upset at each other! Or playing, who knows.
Thompson’s Gazelle upset at each other! Or playing, who knows.
"Below the layers of volcanic rock and ash that form the soil of Serengeti is a thick layer of extremely old metamorphic rock."... that's these! Called Kopjes.
“Below the layers of volcanic rock and ash that form the soil of Serengeti is a thick layer of extremely old metamorphic rock.”… that’s these! Called Kopjes.
Lion cubs having a nap!
Lion cubs having a nap!
So cute!
So cute!
Lion cubs resting atop the kopjes.
Lion cubs resting atop the kopjes.
Two bull elephants!
Two bull elephants!
Oh, they're fighting again!
Oh, they’re fighting again!
The winner taking a rest. Then they started again.
The winner taking a rest. Then they started again.
Lioness! And some big kopje.
Lioness! And some big kopje.
Another one!
Another one!
Hartebeest!
Hartebeest!
A couple of hartebeest running away... Epic skies in the Serengeti!
A couple of hartebeest running away… Epic skies in the Serengeti!
We saw a leopard! Was worried it wasn't going to happen, but I even got an 'ok' picture of it... Far too dark though.
We saw a leopard! Was worried it wasn’t going to happen, but I even got an ‘ok’ picture of it… Far too dark though.
Hyena!
Hyena!
The first night of camping in the Serengeti, mud pit! But the facilities are nice!
The first night of camping in the Serengeti, mud pit! But the facilities are nice!
Baboons, I think Olive Baboons.
Baboons, I think Olive Baboons.
More elephants!!
More elephants!!
Elephant and a topi. Perhaps a hartebeest, but fairly certain it's a topi.
Elephant and a topi. Perhaps a hartebeest, but fairly certain it’s a topi.
Elephants!
Elephants!
Vervet Monkeys!
Vervet Monkeys!
This guy was sitting so cutely... haha
This guy was sitting so cutely… haha
More baboons as a safari truck passes by..
More baboons as a safari truck passes by..
Olive Baboons
Olive Baboons
Things were this close!
Things were this close!
Woodland Kingfisher!
Woodland Kingfisher!
Wildebeest! The colours these guys make were actually pretty cool!
Wildebeest! The colours these guys make were actually pretty cool!
Can see some babies better here. Sadly, the main migration was too far away to catch up to in our 24h in the Serengeti...
Can see some babies better here. Sadly, the main migration was too far away to catch up to in our 24h in the Serengeti…
Goliath Heron
Goliath Heron
Ground Hornbill I think..
Ground Hornbill I think..
I can't figure out what this one was... Anyone know?
I can’t figure out what this one was… Anyone know?
Giraffe! They're the best! Probably my favourite things I saw this safari.
Giraffe! They’re the best! Probably my favourite things I saw this safari.
Lilac-breasted Roller
Lilac-breasted Roller
More Giraffe. Love this view.
More Giraffe. Love this view.
Hippos!
Hippos!
Ahhh, one of them are doing something else!
Ahhh, one of them are doing something else!
There's a lion in the tree and a wildebeest with a young one passing behind. Sadly this did not result in a chase and kill!
There’s a lion in the tree and a wildebeest with a young one passing behind. Sadly this did not result in a chase and kill!
Some other lions had this wildebeest killed, but they're taking a break right now from eating. Lion in the background there.
Some other lions had this wildebeest killed, but they’re taking a break right now from eating. Lion in the background there.
Another lion walks around the kill..
Another lion walks around the kill..
Rock Hyrax at the visitor centre.
Rock Hyrax at the visitor centre.
Another of those lizards I didn't know..
Another of those lizards I didn’t know..
Me and my terrible March Moustache facial hair... And some Zebra.
Me and my terrible March Moustache facial hair… And some Zebra.
African White-Backed Vulture!
African White-Backed Vulture!
Lappet-faced Vulture (or Nubian Vulture)
Lappet-faced Vulture (or Nubian Vulture)
I think this is a pretty young giraffe! The colours are different!
I think this is a pretty young giraffe! The colours are different!
More Giraffe on the way out of the Serengeti
More Giraffe on the way out of the Serengeti
Giraffe again!
Giraffe again!
Peek a boo!
Peek a boo!
A massai village in the Ngorongoro conservation area..
A massai village in the Ngorongoro conservation area..
The views everywhere were pretty sweet!
The views everywhere were pretty sweet!
Like this!
Like this!
Our camp above the crater!
Our camp above the crater!
Crater lookout again!
Crater lookout again!
Look at that facial hair, agh! I've gotten rid of it now though...
Look at that facial hair, agh! I’ve gotten rid of it now though…
Lightning at camp!
Lightning at camp!
Descending into Ngorongoro Crater!
Descending into Ngorongoro Crater!
Erica as we descend...
Erica as we descend…
Cape Buffalo!
Cape Buffalo!
And another one with a broken horn...
And another one with a broken horn…
Great crested cranes, I think!
Great crested cranes, I think!
And more great crested cranes on the ground...
And more great crested cranes on the ground…
Elephant! We were so close to this old bull.
Elephant! We were so close to this old bull.
Another view.
Another view.
And then he went after the tall branches...
And then he went after the tall branches…
So many tourists decked out in all Khaki..
So many tourists decked out in all Khaki..
Vervet Monkeys!
Vervet Monkeys!
Little baby vervet monkeys...
Little baby vervet monkeys…
Elephant!
Elephant!
Jackal! It's a jackal! JACKAL! Is it a jackal?!
Jackal! It’s a jackal! JACKAL! Is it a jackal?!
We found the black rhino! Well, one of 11 in the crater..
We found the black rhino! Well, one of 11 in the crater..
Black Rhino again!
Black Rhino again!
Hyena!
Hyena!
Finally! We find a male lion!
Finally! We find a male lion!
Male lions! Two of them!
Male lions! Two of them!
It's like Aslan!
It’s like Aslan!
So pretty!
So pretty!
And one more...
And one more…
Just so many cool animals all through the crater!
Just so many cool animals all through the crater!
Flamingo!
Flamingo!
Hippos out of the water! With a BABY!
Hippos out of the water! With a BABY!
More of the same! With an Elephant in the background..
More of the same! With an Elephant in the background..
Hippos lying in the sun..
Hippos lying in the sun..
Hippos in the water!
Hippos in the water!
Me and hippos!!
Me and hippos!!
Black Kite!
Black Kite!
More views! Wow. WOW.
More views! Wow. WOW.

10 thoughts on “Safari Time! Rest Days in Arusha – the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater!”

  1. Wow, Scott, looks amazing! I saw a magpie on the way to work today. Sounds like you are making good on the rest days.

    1. That photo of the monkey is adborale. I learned while we were in Spain that monkeys/apes are much cuter from a bit of a distance having them charge you because they think you have food = not so cute!

  2. Hello Scott,

    Me and a number of cyclingfriends of Michel Hendrix are following the tour d’afrique.
    Via your weblog we enjoye the beautifull photos.
    Make my greetings to Michel

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