...This is what we came for!!!!!!!!

Sunset over Ngorongoro Crater
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As we pulled out of Tarangire, we headed toward Ngorongo Crater!!! (could hardly contain myself!!!)

On our way, we drove through beautiful mountains, making our way to Gibbs Farm Coffee Plantation, for lunch. It is an absolutely charming farm/coffee plantation/small lodge. Beautiful. and delicious!

THIS is what we came for!!!!!

The lunch was fresh (grown THERE) and delicious! (see review)

First Lion Pride!!!! Big Brother keeping lookout :)
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We pulled in, to the Ngorongo Sopa Lodge, right around cocktail hour. Not too impressed w/the lodge...but that's all in the review. This part is about the CRATER!!! So...we had cocktails, rested a bit and went to dinner. The food was average (we may have been a bit spoiled by the food at Swala), but the show performed by the hotel staff was a lot of fun!

We got a good night's sleep and were up bright and early for a quick breakfast and our journey down into the Crater!!

It was incredible!! as soon as we made it to the crater floor we saw a herd of Cape Buffalo. But before we could get too many pictures, though, Morgan hurried us off about 300 yards up the the road! We have no idea how he saw, from so far away....but at 8:49am we were, literally, surrounded! it was a pride of 11 lions!!!!  Our first lions!!!!!!!! three small (3or 4 months old) cubs, teenage males, females...but no domnant male. We spent roughly 15 minutes w/the lion family and moved on through the crater. For close to eight WONDERFUL hours!!! (with a brief stop for a picnic of curried chicken sandwiches, cheese and an apple at the Hippo Pool! By the time we made our way up and out of the crater :( , we had seen wildebeast, more elephants, zebras, gazelles(thomson and Grant), warthogs, hippos, crown cranes, superb starlings, lilacs, cori bustard, rhinos and 2 cheetah!!!!

Baby Mud-foot!
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It was, maybe the best day, EVER!!!

Before heading back to the lodge, we paid a visit to a Masai village, to learn a bit about their lives and culture! And i even danced a traditional dance with the women!

Then, it was back to the logde for a last ngorongoro sunset cocktail before dinner. Tomorrow we'd be heading to SERENGETI!!!