This is an authorized translation in English of a post in French by @terresco: De Cape Town à Mombasa, 3 mois, 8 pays, 12 500 km – La Tanzanie 4

^{As my primary language is not English, there are probably some mistakes in my translation.}

Remember that the person who speaks here is NOT me, Vincent Celier (@vcelier), but @terresco, a French guy.

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We could not leave Tanzania without visiting the Ngorongoro crater. The Ngorongoro is a volcano that could have been higher than Kilimanjaro if it had not, several million years ago, collapsed on itself during an eruption. The volcano is considered extinct since, but it is this collapse that has created the current crater. This crater has become a sanctuary for animal life, and most of Africa's big animals live there. The reserve is not wild in the sense that it is very touristy and very protected but it remains a unique place in the world and we did not want to miss it.

Before doing so, it will be necessary to survive the administration and, more interestingly, to cross part of the Maasai territory.

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A region under high protection

To go to the crater we must first go to Arusha, a small town that has developed with tourist activities. It is the administrative management center of this region of Tanzania. As soon as I hear the word administrative I start to panic, it feels the loss of time and the pleasure of infinite forms. Indeed, we must reserve, fill, justify, sign, organize, pay and it is only a big half day and some negotiations later, that authorizations in hand, we can finally take the direction of the reserve.

The Maasai people

We have to cross an entire desert area populated by the Maasai, an ethnic group popularized because they traditionally occupy territories that have become the most famous national parks in East Africa. Those that the marketing of travel agencies have charged with dreams: Amboseli, Maasai Mara, Serengueti, effectively relayed by some clichés well maintained, like lions killers or drinkers of blood (of their livestock).

The Maasai, those who speak the Maa language, a semi-nomadic people are divided between Tanzania and Kenya at the pace of the needs of their livestock. Fortunately they are not all warriors. They are mainly breeders. They do not hunt so that's why there are so many animals in these areas. They knew how to preserve them. We hear that in the rites of initiation the young adult must kill a lion, it is forbidden today, and never had to be as frequent as what the legend conveys.

Like all these peoples straddling tradition and modernity, they face difficulties. Nomadism becomes ever more complex. Traditions run up against the economic concerns of the states. Many Maasai are currently undergoing expropriation of national park areas. Paradox of modernity: we want to get rid of those who made the existence of these parks possible.

The flock, the wealth of the Maasai

The crater of Ngorongoro

You have to get away from the uninterrupted parade of 4x4, perfect and mandatory tracks, but the place is magical. We arrive at the top, almost always in the morning mist, then once on the ridge we descend into the caldera. The view is impressive, a view of the whole crater, more than 20 km in diameter. The flanks of the caldera are populated by a small forest, the interior is flat, with very little vegetation, which allows to see very far.

Classic landscape of the crater interior

The animals can not really hide, they see tourists every day and are indifferent. I sometimes wonder what they should think of us. The advantage is that they are not shy, they are easily observed. No river comes out of the crater, the rainwater accumulates in the form of a lake and two swamps. These water points are perfect for animals, especially hippos, and watchful observers as we are.

For the first time of the trip we had to abandon our car and board a vehicle dedicated to this excursion. A bit reluctantly but the budget to go with our car was too high. It was not so bad to let drive, no need to think about the dangers of the track and other annoyances, the driver takes care of it for you. Watch, photograph, dream or simply chat with other tourists, companions for the day. We lose independence but one day over three months we can handle it.

Do not go to this region if you want to discover a culture, meetings are sanitized, it's trade and it's OK, hoping that local people will benefit. Those are unique places, part of the Great Rift Valley, world heritage of humanity and protect as such. Africa is great and there is something for everyone.

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Neighbor of Ngorongoro, the Serengeti National Park sees the largest migration of wildebeest and zebras. This is an impressive event that is repeated every year, between Tanzania and Kenya, from the plains of Serengeti to those of Masai Mara, in search of greener pastures depending on the season. Millions of animals must cross a river full of danger, crocodiles must wait for this moment all year round.

On the trail of wildebeest we will migrate to the last country of our trip, Kenya. A border a little complicated but friendly and without stress which will be the last road frontier of the trip.

-- @terresco

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Africa, the long crossing
From Cape Town to Mombasa: South Africa
From Cape Town to Mombasa: Namibia
From Cape Town to Mombasa: Botswana
From Cape Town to Mombasa: Zimbabwe
From Cape Town to Mombasa: Zimbabwe, part 2, by @terresco
From Cape Town to Mombasa: Zimbabwe, part 3, by @terresco
From Cape Town to Mombasa: Zambia, by @terresco
From Cape Town to Mombasa: Malawi, by @terresco
From Cape Town to Mombasa: Tanzania #1, by @terresco
From Cape Town to Mombasa: Tanzania #2, by @terresco
From Cape Town to Mombasa: Tanzania #3, by @terresco

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All pictures are property of @terresco