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5
Days Samburu | Sweetwaters | Lake Nakuru
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In the Ngorongoro
Conservation Area, the main rifts are north of Lake Eyasi and east of
Lakes Manyara and Lake Natron, where the nine volcanoes of Ngorongoro
highlands were formed during the past four million years. Of these, only
volcano Oldonyo Lengai is still active. The ash and dust from the
eruptions was carried by the wind to form the fertile soils of the
Serengeti plains.
Today, Ngorongoro's
caldera shelters the most beautiful wildlife haven on earth. The rich
pasture and permanent water of the Crater floor supports a resident
population of some 20,000 to 25,000 large mammals. They are not confined
by the Crater walls, and can leave freely; they stay because conditions
are favourable.
Since most of the Crater
floor is grassland, grazing animals predominate: gnu, zebra, gazelles,
buffalo, eland and kongoni (Coke's hartebeest) and warthogs. The swamp and
forest provide additional resources for hippos, some of Tanzania's last
remaining black rhinos, giant-tusked elephants, waterbucks, reedbucks and
bushbucks, baboons and vervets. The steep inner slopes provide a habitat
for dikdiks and the rare mountain reedbuck.
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4 Day Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire
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Towering
euphorbias cling to the crater walls and on the floor, Fever tree and Fig
tree forests give shade to an awe-inspiring array of creatures. All these
animals in turn support large predators such as Lion and Leopard, and
scavengers such as Hyena and Jackals.
For the best viewing and photography,
approach the animals slowly and quietly and stay on the official tracks. A
sheer dirt road descends from Malanja Depression on the crater rim to the
crater floor. At the top of the road, Maasai women and children allow you
to photograph them for a small fee. The Malanja depression is grassy and
open and is a good place to spot typical highland antelope such as
mountain reedbuck and Kirks dik-dik, and birds such as the striking auger
buzzard and Schalows wheatear.
The dominant feature of the crater
floor is Lake Magadi, a shallow soda lake that supports large flocks of
flamingo. Much of the crater floor is open grassland, making animal
spotting relatively easy: black rhino, lion, hyena, gazelle, wildebeest
and zebra are all commonly seen. The hippo pool near Mandusi Swamp is a
popular picnic spot.
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