Adventures in Ngorongora Crater

Had an early start to the day, because Big Kawz forgot to mention that we were supposed to have breakfast at 7, not 6....So after being ready for over an hour, we set out on our hour descent down the crater. At first things weren't looking too good because clouds were blocking the view, but as we descended the sun came out and the clouds started to clear. Before we were even down in the crater, we saw a female lion in a tree. The next animals that we saw were cape buffalo, wildebeest, antelope, and zebras. In every direction you looked you could see either a zebra or a wildebeest. On our descent we also spotted two elephants which were the only two we saw all day. After about an hour into the safari we ran into some rougher road conditions and Kawzenuk's vehicle was the first to fall. Mr. Kawzenuk had a few well-chosen words to say about this. One half of the vehicle was basically submerged while the front right wheel was up in the air. People then tried to hook up a chain and pull it out. They slammed on the gas and the chain snapped in half. Eventually they got out but it wasn't too long before Birch's vehicle also got stuck. After a little encouragement, and many guys help, all vehicles were recovered from the mud. Following this exciting adventure, we celebrated with music, and a dance party on top of our safari vehicles. Some other animals we saw in the morning were Jackels (like foxes), hyena, many flamingo, many different birds, and the eyes and ears of hippo. We went to the hippo pool where we ate lunch in our vehicles because it was pouring rain. For lunch we got rice with veggies, cheese triangles, OJ, chicken, fruit, and cake. It was really pouring and it looked like some of the animals had just disappeared. Once it had cleared up, we saw the best ones. Within 30 minutes we saw 4 lions (1 male), a rhino, and many hippos. The highlight of the afternoon was witnessing the true natural beauty of lion mating. Fun fact by Birch, "lions mate for a short period of time, but frequently, this is a good reproductive strategy". Although it had only rained for about 30 minutes, on our way back, all of the roads had become flooded, making it very challenging to drive. It was a long day, with many exciting adventures, and amazing views, and definitely a memory we will never forget.

Brought to you by yours truly,

Reagan Lalande, Emily Breau, and Brendan Woodward