Breakfast was at 7.00am, fruit, fried egg, bacon and sausage. I have never seen so white yolks in an egg, the white and the yoke were virtually indistinguishable. Breakfast over, packed lunches in their square cardboard boxes collected, we were soon in the Landcruiser.

We drove to the park gate and checked in, then up the road to the Ngorongoro Crater rim at 2,200 metres. Here we stopped at a viewing point and looked down into the crater. You can see the whole crater wall, the lake and flat crater floor at about 1,000m below. Elvis spotted some Rhino on the floor below us; this is where we headed off to. The road down to the floor of crater was narrow but paved. It would have to be paved, there would be serious issues when driving out of the crater during the rainy season. We rushed along the floor road towards the East, and South of the lake, passing the other Landcruisers, the Zebra, Antelope, and Wildebeest. Rhinos were our number one priority.

We spotted the Rhino in the distance, so no good photographs of them. They seemed to be heading towards the East at a steady trot, pausing every now and again. We followed them, stopping as we drew level to photograph them. Unfortunately, the road we were on would soon start to head away from them. I have not seen Rhino in the wild before, this for me completed the Big Five. I would also see the complete Big Five on this three-day safari. The Big Five are: Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Buffalo and Rhinoceros.

We turned around and headed back where we came from, this time pausing for the Zebra and Wildebeest. The guide spotted a Lappet-faced Vulture beside the road. One of the largest vultures. It appeared to be ineffectually gathering sticks for a nest.

We headed North along the lake where we spotted Flamingo, very pink Flamingo. Then onto the Hippo pool. One large Hippo (they are all large), pooed. It used its small stubby tail to break up the faeces in the water. Did a bad job of this because after getting out its backside was a dirty green colour.

We drove on, almost completing a circumnavigation of the take, and stopped at the Ngoitokitok Picnic Area. This is by a small pond with Hippo, who provided us with an entertaining display of ‘yawning’. Quite a few birds around waiting to be fed: – Superb Starling (that is its highly appropriate name), Fan-tailed Widowbird, Southern Masked Weaver and Helmeted Guineafowl.

Back into the Landcruiser we spotted a Hyena with a kill, being stalked by a Golden Jackel. On the way back to the exit, we were given permission by the ranger to go off road and get up close with a male lion.

The day started off dry but became wet as it progressed. Not a great day for viewing cats. We headed home to the Bougainvillea for drinks and supper. Tonight, I did manage a Negroni. I stood with the bar tender and guided him through the recipe, writing down the name of the drink and ingredients. He commented on the name Negroni, saying it as Negro-ni, not Neg-roni. I offered him a taste, but he didn’t drink alcohol. I had one Negroni, and a few bottles of the Kilimanjaro beer.

Supper was large, putting back some of the weight I had lost on the climb.

Ngorongoro Route