Ngorongoro
Early start today. It doesn't really matter, since the jetlag never really set in.

To get back from the Ikoma Camp to Ngorongoro Park, we have to cross the Serengeti again. We made good time, stopping only once or twice for an interesting shot. The real destination was to return to the wildlife-rich Ngorongoro crater.

It took a long time getting there over really rough roads. It's quite amazing how much of a beating the Land Cruiser can take. The descent into the crater itself was spectacular. We found it a little harder than in the Serengeti to come across animals. The crater was full of zebras, water buffalo, gnus, elephants, and rhinos, but they tended to be hundreds of metres from the road. Where the wildlife was tricky, the panoramic vista of the crater walls made for a beautiful setting. It seemed as though every imaginable ecosystem was present within the crater. The salty lake plumed up a cloud salt dust on one side, another was very green and rich, the middle was dry grass, and other parts were just scorched clay. It is definitely the most scenic of parks.

Lunchtime was spent at a lake toward the brim of the crater. It was almost like an oasis of green in the otherwise surrounding dry area. We had to be careful about eating inside the truck, as overhead hawks were preying on those with food.

We drove out of the crater at the other end and headed back to the Highview Hotel from a few nights back. It was early enough that the pool was still open.