Serengeti and Ngorogoro Crater

WOW. Is probably the only word to describe how beautiful this place is. From Arusha we drove about 3 hours for what was to be a 3 day safari. Expensive at $400, but worth every single cent.

The view from the rim of the crater was just immense, the sheer drop into what looked like a huge bowl was incredible. In the distance we could see a herd of wilderbeast making there way across the vast landscape. We drove down the steep mountains to enter the crater, but we were going to the Serengeti first. Serengeti in Swaheli (?!) means endless place and boy is that true. The flatest most nothing landscape imaginable. I was thinking how could anything survive in this place when we hit the animals. Elephant, Gazelle, Lion, Buffalo, Leopard, Baboons, Hyena, Cheeter, and so many more! We could get stupidly close to the animals, we ended up stalking a lioness with her 3 newly born cubs - the cutest thing!! The mother had killed a gazelle so they were busy munching on that! We camped in the middle of the Serengeti, with no fence around us, so was a bit dubious as to whether lions liked eating people in tents. We had our dinner cooked for us which was nice as we are cooking for ourselves every night. The next day was in the Serengeti aswell with more Safari, but we camped at the edge of the Ngorogoro at night. Freezing cold. most people were complaining that they didnt sleep for the cold. Oh how I love my Season 4 sleeping bag!!!
We were desperatly hoping to see the Black Rhino on our last day through the Ngorogoro but our truck driver Livingstone (who was BRILLIANT at knowning everything about the animals) said we would be really lucky to see one as there are only around 18 in the crater. We had luck on our side though as the previous day we had been the first group to see a leopard in the Serengeti for 3 months, so we were pretty hopeful to see a Rhino...and we did! Admitadly, it was from about a mile away, but we saw one! and through binoculars he was pretty darn impressive.

We have now driven back to Arusha and spent last night at a camp with HOT showers. The first of our trip. It was wonderful. Freds hair had been getting pretty matted so she was really grateful to be able to wash it. I was upset as I really want her to grow some dreads.

We are now on our way to Dar es Saleem and Zanzibar!! WOOOOOOP!

Loving it loving it loving it,

Miss you all muchos

Freddie and Kates
xxxxxxx