After the memorable experiences in Kenya, the guests were excited to see what Tanzania’s revered Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti had to offer.
From Mara North, we flew to Migori near Lake Victoria, and drove across the border to the Tanzanian town of Tarime. After flying into the Manyara airfield and being greeted by our personable guides from Nomad Safaris, a scenic two-hour drive took us up from the thorny savannah plains, into the lush Afromontane forest of the Ngorongoro Highlands.
Perched on the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater rim, at an altitude of approximately 2 500 metres above sea level, the remote Entamanu Camp was an idyllic base to spend our two nights in the region. The camp is nestled in a dense forest of Acacia lahai trees and offers breath-taking views over the natural wonder that is the Ngorongoro Crater.
The crater formed approximately 2.5 million to 3 million years ago when a large volcano – possibly rivalling the size of Kilimanjaro – erupted and collapsed inwards, creating a massive, unbroken volcanic caldera. Over time, the crater floor has developed into a unique enclosed ecosystem with savannahs, swamps, rivers and woodlands, supporting a remarkably high density of wildlife that remains resident throughout the year.
One of the most striking geographic features of the crater is Lake Magadi, a saline lake that attracts large flocks of greater and lesser flamingos, with the crater walls providing a dramatic backdrop.
During our day trip into the crater, we encountered large herds of wildebeest, zebra, eland and Thompson’s and Grant’s gazelles. With high prey densities come higher concentrations of predators, and we managed to observe a solitary male lion roaming the plains, as well as a pack of hyenas feasting on a wildebeest kill. Magnificent elephant bulls roamed the plains, and we also saw a black rhino – a particularly special sighting, as the crater is one of the few remaining wild refuges in East Africa for this endangered species. We also enjoyed excellent views of the African golden jackal.
We had reached the pinnacle of our trip: three nights in the Southern Serengeti plains, in the heart of the annual calving season – one of the highlights during the Great Migration of wildebeest through the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem.
On our drive down to the plains, we stopped off at the famous Olduvai Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has yielded the fossil remains of more than 60 hominims, providing a continuous known record of human evolution over the past two million years.
We began encountering the vast herds of wildebeest as we approached Lake Ndutu – where our mobile camp was based. Although we were a little late in the season to witness any births, thousands of young calves frolicked around in the massive wildebeest congregations on the open plains, which were also dotted with pods of zebra, giraffe, impala, gazelles and elephant.
One of the highlights of the trip included a sighting of an impressively large male leopard, which, having managed to catch one of the baby wildebeest, had hauled his kill up into an acacia tree.
While lions are not known for their climbing abilities, the prides in the Ndutu region have become more adept at this skill, and we saw several resting on tree branches near camp – enjoying the cooling shade and elevation.
One morning, we decided to venture further from camp to search for cheetah, and our efforts were rewarded as we spotted a single female, who unsuccessfully stalked a herd of Thomson’s gazelle before settling down under a bush.
Just prior to this sighting, we had had the privilege of observing seven different species of raptor in a single patch of woodland, attracted by a plethora of mice scurrying through the undergrowth. Amongst the birds were black-shouldered kites, augur buzzards, tawny, long-crested and short-tailed eagles, and dark chanting and gabar goshawks.
During a bush breakfast, we also witnessed an exciting vulture sighting at the carcass of a wildebeest calf. What began with a single pair of lappet-faced vultures turned into a dramatic scene, as Rüppell’s and white-backed vultures, along with a marabou stork, arrived to fight for their share of the spoils.
Our time in the Serengeti was another powerful reminder of nature’s design – where birth, death and survival are inextricably linked to ensure the continued balance of this remarkable ecosystem. We can’t wait to return!
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