A Tanzanian Safari in Ngorongoro Crater

Our safari trip began the day before with a visit to Tarangire National Park, home of Ngorongoro Crater. As our safari guide informed us, “crater” is actually a misnomer as there are living creatures residing in the area, which is an active volcano. After a unique breakfast, we started exploring the park.

Part of our breakfast during safari: a hotdog atop an egg omelet, atop a crepe, atop bread. I ended up separating the hotdog and the bread and eating them together. We also had a boiled egg, cookies, tropical fruit juice and fried chicken. The egg was mostly white with very little yolk. Zak told us that they were made from 4-week eggs. Or chickens genetically modified by the Chinese to grow faster. We dined just yards away from the stomping rhinos to our right and a couple of awake lions to our left. Thankfully, park security had their eyes on the lions. The lions are conditioned enough to know not to do anything shady with the guards around.

Our jeep for the safari

The real Angry Birds: I made the mistake of feeding these birds (I know, I know, don’t feed the animals), and they were relentless in harassing me for more food. The look on their faces says “Bitch, feed us!”

The crater is pretty impressive. There are tens of thousands of animals living there along with Maasai who reside in huts and tend to their cattle and other animals.

A wildebeest

Zebras and wildebeests mingling in Ngorongoro Crater

Monkeys outside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area entrance

All weekend, we’d been hoping to see a lion in action. Even I, the animal lover, joked impatiently,

Is it too much to ask that I see a murder while I’m here? I don’t think these lions understand just how far I’ve traveled to see them. Work with me here!

After a few hours in the park, we spotted a line of safari trucks pulled over on the side of the road: almost always a sign that there’s something to see nearby. Sure enough, our guide slowly pointed out one, then two, then four, then seven(!) camouflaged lions. Their target: a poor lone gazelle. Once I realized what might actually transpire, I knew I didn’t want to see the gazelle lose the fight between prey and predator.

We all watched intently, eyes darting between the lion and the gazelle, and spoke in hushed tones. Well, almost all of us. G_ said loudly, with his Southern drawl, “Hey lion. Come to papa!” and laughed heartily. We all shushed him, including the party in the safari van next to us. No one wanted to spook the lions. We are not interested in being lion chow!

It seemed the lions enjoyed torturing their prey with fear; the gazelle seemed to be weighing its options. Finally, the gazelle made a decision and we watched as it hightailed it away from the lions, followed hilariously by two tubby warthogs. The strategically positioned lions, did not give chase. Instead, they rose slowly en masse and ambled toward the safari trucks.

Eek!

We watched as they hulkingly rumbled toward us. In the truck, J___ teased me, “You wanted to see some action. Your window’s open, one of those lions could reach in here.” I quickly closed my window and soon after, a lion strolled right by my window, less than 5-feet away from me. This is one of the coolest moments I’ve ever experienced.

After the exciting safari, we returned to the lodge to eat. During lunch at the lodge, our Maasai guide, Zak, and our driver, Grayson, discussed the differences between their two tribes. In Maasai culture, it is okay to have more than one wife, who are sometimes paid for with cows and/or goats. Maasai men can “share” their wives with other Maasai men. This is not the custom is Grayson’s tribe, which practices monogamy.

Zak asked us what happens in the US if a man has more than one wife. He was beside himself with shock when we informed him that it’s call “bigamy” and it’s illegal. Same for Finland, M_ added. Additionally, prior to getting married, Maasai men must endure public circumcision during which they are not allowed to show pain, otherwise they are considered weak and unmanly. Their debate about tribal rituals was amusing. After digesting our last meal, we headed back “home” to begin another week of volunteering.

Related articles

• Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
• Wildlife at Safaris – The Wildebeest
• Scientists have a new theory to explain why zebras have stripes