Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Karibu eneo la hifadhi ya Ngorongoro! (I let you figure it out)

Ngorongoro Conservation Area was established in 1959 and it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. It's main feature, the famous Ngorongoro Crater, is the largest unflooded and unbroken caldera in the world. About 20 kms across and 600 meters deep, the crater is permanent home to 25 000 animals.

Crowned Cranes in the morning light:

Secretary Bird:
Ostrich:
Saddlebilled Stork:
Spoonbill:
Sacred Ibis in the rain:
Speke's Weaver:
Long Tailed Widowbird in mid jump:
Superb Starling launching:
Rufous Tailed Weaver:
Rufous Tailed Weaver and Helmeted Guinea Fowl:
Helmeted Guinea Fowl:
Black Kite:
Vervet Monkey:
The locals call it Blue Ball Monkey:
Some Lizard:
Three brothers doing what they know best:
Lioness and cub:
Hippo pool:
Grant's Gazelle:
Zebra:
NCA is unique in the whole of Africa as the only conservation area providing protection status for wildlife whilst allowing human habitation:
Maasai are permitted to graze their cattle inside the crater, but must enter and exit daily:
The pastoral tribes are fully nomadic.
They subsist almost entirely on a diet of meat, blood and milk from their livestock.
A Maasai couple:
A traditional hut is made of sticks and covered in mud and cow dung:
Some renovations are taking place:
The Maasai way of life is slowly changing to take advantage of the overwhelming amount of tourists invading this part of Africa constantly:
It was one of my oldest dreams to meet the Maasai and although my expectations were a little different, I plan to go back and spend some more time, hoping to get to know them better!

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