(Tanzania) Adventure on Ngorongoro Crater

In Ngorongoro Crater there are many kinds of wild animal living together.

The sun is rising. Today is the last day for the tour. We will go to Ngorongoro. It is supposed to leave on seven in the morning. But we start at eight. Our team was the only one who set up tent ourselves. Other team’s tents were set up by workers. We were exception. The guide is too arrogant and lazy to set up our tent.

The way to crater is too steep that we have to go very slowly.
From the second day, it has been swollen under my wrist. I ask the guide and he doesn’t care about it and answers without looking detail “I don’t know” It seems he won’t care if his customer dies, because already his customer paid everything, tour fee.
(Right now it is okay. Other tourists had told me that I might be bitten by a spider.)

It looks like ant’s line, but it is white-bearded Wildebeest herd. We arrive Ngorongoro crater around nine in the morning.

It is just so gorgeous.

White-bearded Wildebeest

It is Grey-Crowned Crane. So beautiful ever!

Zebra and flamingo

Zebra’s pattern is scientific that the black is for getting sun more in the cold day and the white is for getting sun less in the hot day.

It is not possible to close to lake that I have to look at it at the far place.

Hippo is under the water.

The left bird is Sacred Ibis. Its face is black!

Hyena. Gazelles are looking at him!!!

It is unbelievable that there is traffic in Safari. Usually it happens if there is one of big five animals.

Lions

It seems like he is stretching before hunting.

Lions were looking at warthog, and French girl said ‘oh please no pumbaa’! Lucky(?) that a pumba run when he found lion looking.

Buffalo. The horn is like a girl hair.

An elephant is smiling!
When we go to the down, there are too many cars that I feel like I come back to Seoul. People have told us that there is a rhino. But it is too far to see even with a telescope. Because of poacher, not many rhinos on the earth now; It is too stupid ever that some people believe rhinos’s horn is good for the hearth.
I am worried that the next generations can’t see ever rhinos in their life.

(Photos were taken on January this year).

This year January one of South African friends invited me to Safari. At that time I was really close to Rhinos. I didn’t know it is famous and popular animal in Safari. At that time there was no traffic, actually our car was the only one. It looked so cute.

Thomson gazelle

The female is grey, and the male is black.

Gazelles and wildebeests; Jackal is between wildebeest.

Serengeti is really big, but Ngorongoro is small. It is so interesting that every animal lives together! Even live together with a lion!

Flamingo and Grey-Crowned Crane

Buffalo

Adult male lion

It is too sad that our tour finished on 11:40 am. Only three hours!! I can’t believe how short tour is, but extraordinary expensive.

In the morning it was weird that guide said our cook, chief, will have other job that we had to say good bye. It meant we had to pay tip right that moment. But there was some problem, and I think it makes our tour badly finished.
Oh. How funny! When we go back to the camping site where we slept at the first day, there is our cook whom our guide said the morning is the last time to see. He joins again and drives together to Arusha.

I paid around 400$ for two nights and three days tour.
First day I spent all day on moving. Only one hour safari tour (Even it was just the way to camping site)
Second day Only in the morning safari tour. 5 hours
The third day on Ngorongoro, only three hours!!
How expensive tour!!!!!!!
===============================

Kili Climbers&Safari LTD

This is the bad company.
The owner is Jasper S. Mtei(Kishari)
http://uhurutreks.com/contact.html

If you walk down from Kilimanjaro backpakers to Arusha way, and five minutes to walk and turn right, there is this company.
If you choose this company, you will have horrible experience

My recommend.

never choose this schedule

1 night 2 days = Tarangire
2 nights 3 days = Tarangire, Ngorongoro
3 nights 4 days = Tarangire, Ngorongroro, Serengeti

4 days 3 parks are too much.
You are gonna spend most of time on moving

On the first day company can get more money because on the first night you are gonna in the small town that it is very cheap place to sleep. That is why they sell this schedule.

3 nights 4 days = Ngorongroro, Serengeti
This is my recommend!!!!!

You must start early in the morning at the first day.
Then you are gonna arrive before 6 pm on Serengeti
The second day you can have full day safari tour
The third day you can have half day safari tour in Serengeti
The fourth day you can have three or four hours safari tour in Ngorongoro.

Two nights Serengeti park fee + camping fee = 200$
One nights Ngorongoro park fee + camping fee = 100$~150$ (I am not sure. I though 100$, but some other tourist says 150$)

Usually cheap local companies don’t try to sell with many excuses what I told you. Make a group and do this schedule. Make sure every contract. Never give tip during trip. Say them “I don’t have money now. If I go back to the town, then I will go to bank and give you. Don’t ask me tip again during trip!!!!”

Some local Tanzania tour company is really bad that nothing makes sense
Actually the government takes too much money from a tourist.
The owner of tour company takes most of the left money.
Guide and other workers don’t get enough money, and that’s why they are aggressive about the tip to tourist and give a tourist bad service.

They have told success rate to climb Kilimanjaro is 90%.
But when I research on google, it is said around 30 % to 60%
Marangu route is harder, because the last day is too steep.
Lemosho route is difficult route, but more beautiful, less traffic, more success rate and good for acclimating high altitude.
There are three more routes. Machame is another popular route.
=======================
Another story
The most difficult thing is to give up what I want. Actually it was hard to give up climbing Kilimanjaro. When I came back from Safari tour, I had sent letters to Korean some organizations and companies and some nice Tanzanian companies which have good reviews.
I got the contact from one company and had meeting with the owner.
I sent detail information about what I can give him back.
26th August, I got answer. He said “Nope”
So, no more choice! I did my best. I will give up climbing!