things to do at ngorongoro crater OTHER than game drive IN crater?
Jan 6th, 2010, 08:01 PM
#21
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<i>yes, i will most definitely be confirming that the sopa road is both descent AND ascent. </i>
It is! We went in and out on that road in August.
<i>otherwise, no point in staying all the way over there.</i>
Actually, the biggest advantage of staying at that (Sopa) end of the crater is that there are far fewer vehicles/people at that end of the crater first thing in the morning - a huge advantage! As I mentioned earlier, we had that end of the crater (and the huge pride of lions that hung out at the river) to ourselves for over an hour on both mornings.
<i>why everyone (including the tour companies) just suggests one drive.</i>
I would assume it is because the US$200 fee (per visit) is cutting into their profit.
<i>it's just way too busy and touristy.</i>
In fact, we didn't find it busy at all. We were self-driving, so we could choose where we were - we intentionally avoided other vehicles - but this didn't lessen the game-viewing. We saw an incredibly amount. Make certain that your driver understands that you don't want to follow other vehicles.
<i>we'll be there in january. not sure how that compares to april and august in terms of the crowds.</i>
I don't know the answer to this - perhaps August is a slow period and that is why we didn't find it busy - although I would be surprised if it is (a slow period) given the migration.
<i>i assume both of you took a packed lunch for the full</i>day?
Lemala Camp (which I would highly recommend) packed both a breakfast (including a big thermos of coffee and a second of hot chocolate) and lunch for us so that we could leave the camp at 6:00am and be in the crater by 6:15am. The first hour or two were always incredible - it is when we saw all the lions - and there were no other vehicles. Lemala is actually inside the gate, so there were no delays when we left camp - we could be in the crater within minutes.
<i>is this really the best thing to do, rather than head back to the lodge for lunch,</i>
Absolutely! Take a lunch and go to the Tok Tok picnic site, which is lovely - you can get out of your vehicle and have a walkabout. There was a cheetah on a kill not far from the picnic site on our first day.
Robin
It is! We went in and out on that road in August.
<i>otherwise, no point in staying all the way over there.</i>
Actually, the biggest advantage of staying at that (Sopa) end of the crater is that there are far fewer vehicles/people at that end of the crater first thing in the morning - a huge advantage! As I mentioned earlier, we had that end of the crater (and the huge pride of lions that hung out at the river) to ourselves for over an hour on both mornings.
<i>why everyone (including the tour companies) just suggests one drive.</i>
I would assume it is because the US$200 fee (per visit) is cutting into their profit.
<i>it's just way too busy and touristy.</i>
In fact, we didn't find it busy at all. We were self-driving, so we could choose where we were - we intentionally avoided other vehicles - but this didn't lessen the game-viewing. We saw an incredibly amount. Make certain that your driver understands that you don't want to follow other vehicles.
<i>we'll be there in january. not sure how that compares to april and august in terms of the crowds.</i>
I don't know the answer to this - perhaps August is a slow period and that is why we didn't find it busy - although I would be surprised if it is (a slow period) given the migration.
<i>i assume both of you took a packed lunch for the full</i>day?
Lemala Camp (which I would highly recommend) packed both a breakfast (including a big thermos of coffee and a second of hot chocolate) and lunch for us so that we could leave the camp at 6:00am and be in the crater by 6:15am. The first hour or two were always incredible - it is when we saw all the lions - and there were no other vehicles. Lemala is actually inside the gate, so there were no delays when we left camp - we could be in the crater within minutes.
<i>is this really the best thing to do, rather than head back to the lodge for lunch,</i>
Absolutely! Take a lunch and go to the Tok Tok picnic site, which is lovely - you can get out of your vehicle and have a walkabout. There was a cheetah on a kill not far from the picnic site on our first day.
Robin
Jan 6th, 2010, 08:17 PM
#22
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wow! thanks so much! ok, i'm convinced---full day, packed breakfast & lunch, plus the afternoon drive the day before. and yes, i suppose the earlier you get in there, the better,as far as seeing the lions (active at night,right?). how did you like lemala? i'm thinking it's definitely more expensive than sopa. plus, to be honest, i'm still a little scared of "camping out". i know it's lux camping, but i'm still a little wary of the "plumbing" situation. how were the toilets, showers, etc.? thanks again1
Jan 7th, 2010, 12:02 PM
#23
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Tents at Lemala were lovely - spacious and clean, big and comfy bed, hot showers (they fill the bag when you want a shower - the water was very hot - heated over a fire!! and there was plenty of it) and flush toilets, heater to keep you warm at night (it was blessed cold at night - you turn the heater off when you go to bed). Great food - all the guests eat dinner together around a communal table, which I always enjoy! The breakfast and lunches were huge and very good - and nicely packed in a wicker basket with a Masai shukka/blanket to use as a tablecloth. We loved Lemala!
I like tents because you can hear the bush sounds at night - although by the end of our trips, I am always rather sleep deprived from lying awake at night listening to all of the delightful sounds.
Each morning at dawn, we found lions along the Munge River near the Sopa entrance, which we had all to ourselves for over an hour (before vehicles from the other end of the crater arrived - the Sopa vehicles didn't seem to be out first thing - the guests must have breakfast before leaving) - a pride of 13 and then a lioness with two cubs on our first morning. Robin
I like tents because you can hear the bush sounds at night - although by the end of our trips, I am always rather sleep deprived from lying awake at night listening to all of the delightful sounds.
Each morning at dawn, we found lions along the Munge River near the Sopa entrance, which we had all to ourselves for over an hour (before vehicles from the other end of the crater arrived - the Sopa vehicles didn't seem to be out first thing - the guests must have breakfast before leaving) - a pride of 13 and then a lioness with two cubs on our first morning. Robin
Jan 8th, 2010, 09:49 AM
#24
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Hi canadian-robin,
I wonder if the lioness with the two clubs was the same one we so enjoyed. As I said earlier we were over near the Sopa access road, up on the side of the crater along the Munge River when we saw them. The clubs were very small the second week in April...one looked "femanine" the other one had a bigger squared off head and was a little bigger too..reminded me of a brother and sister, just a guess of course. The clubs were just delightful to watch: playing with each other and with their mother's tail.
That area along the Munge and toward the access road is really nice...we spent most of the early afternoon exploring there and had most of our best sightings there..close up with no one else around...it was great. I am surprised that we didn't see anyone else though, since it was later in the day and there were people down near the Lake and over where the main descent road is.
The other interesting thing that day was since it was a local holiday weekend there were lots of regular small passenager cars filled with mom, dad and several kids...definitely locals. The picnic areas were busy. It was great seeing the Tanzanians enjoy their country's great treasure!
I wonder if the lioness with the two clubs was the same one we so enjoyed. As I said earlier we were over near the Sopa access road, up on the side of the crater along the Munge River when we saw them. The clubs were very small the second week in April...one looked "femanine" the other one had a bigger squared off head and was a little bigger too..reminded me of a brother and sister, just a guess of course. The clubs were just delightful to watch: playing with each other and with their mother's tail.
That area along the Munge and toward the access road is really nice...we spent most of the early afternoon exploring there and had most of our best sightings there..close up with no one else around...it was great. I am surprised that we didn't see anyone else though, since it was later in the day and there were people down near the Lake and over where the main descent road is.
The other interesting thing that day was since it was a local holiday weekend there were lots of regular small passenager cars filled with mom, dad and several kids...definitely locals. The picnic areas were busy. It was great seeing the Tanzanians enjoy their country's great treasure!
Jan 9th, 2010, 04:44 AM
#25
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I had a quick glance at all posts (am at work), so I hope I understood correctly that the OP is staying at Sopa?
In that case; there's PLENTY of stuff to do "around the crater". Sopa is best positioned of all lodges. All other lodges are on the other side of the rim (where the road from Manyara to Serengeti passes close by). So while those other lodges look better positioned to minimize driving time, the Sopa lodge has numerous other advantages up it's sleeve. For example;
- There's only two access roads down to the crater floor. In the south (where all lodges are) there's often traffic jams at the gate. The "golden hour" with perfect morning light passes by fast, while you're just sitting there in the jeep. In the north, at the "Sopa gate" (lodge and gate are very close), there's hardly any queue. So you'll be at the bottom way before most people are.
- Sopa is also best positioned to visit other craters nearby. The best option is Empakai crater. you can hike to the bottom of the crater and back up the rim. It's a very welcome break; most other safari days are spent sitting in the jeep...
- Idem with visits to Maasai Boma. There's plenty of them on the plains to the north of Sopa. Just let your guide pick one. You'll see; the experience will be the real thing. Huts made of cow dung, faded clothing, extreme poverty, lots of flies, etc... quite far from the fake bomas that are to be found en route to Serengeti. No dancing here. No "fake classroom buildings in urgent need of supplies" either. And no selling of trinkets after the visit. They don't HAVE anything to sell. But at least it's reality. You can help them, but always keep in mind not to disrupt their equilibrium with nature and with other bomas nearby. Our most precious gift seemed to be a football; the kids just went ballistic! Overall the visit will be a humbling experience. For optimal "effect" choose a boma away from the main dirt track to Empakai, ic a boma that rarely sees any foreigners at all.
You can combine Empakai with a boma visit, it'll be a full day. And after your last night at Sopa, just descend into Ngorongoro crater again, and leave via the southern road. If I'm not mistaking you need to get to Ndutu? Then expect about three hours of driving after having left the crater floor. The last part is spent on a very flat gravel road where most jeeps can go 80km/h and kind of "skid" over the road. Fun to experience, not as dangerous as it sounds.
So that day will be again a full day. No way you can add Olduvai gorge to that. Too much. You need more time for that. I'd do Olduvai on my way out (unless you're flying out of Serengeti?). Nothe that it's a different road from Ndutu to Naabi gate (Serengeti entrance) than the normal road from Ngorongoro to Naabi. Oldupai is on the latter.
Hope this helps,
J.
In that case; there's PLENTY of stuff to do "around the crater". Sopa is best positioned of all lodges. All other lodges are on the other side of the rim (where the road from Manyara to Serengeti passes close by). So while those other lodges look better positioned to minimize driving time, the Sopa lodge has numerous other advantages up it's sleeve. For example;
- There's only two access roads down to the crater floor. In the south (where all lodges are) there's often traffic jams at the gate. The "golden hour" with perfect morning light passes by fast, while you're just sitting there in the jeep. In the north, at the "Sopa gate" (lodge and gate are very close), there's hardly any queue. So you'll be at the bottom way before most people are.
- Sopa is also best positioned to visit other craters nearby. The best option is Empakai crater. you can hike to the bottom of the crater and back up the rim. It's a very welcome break; most other safari days are spent sitting in the jeep...
- Idem with visits to Maasai Boma. There's plenty of them on the plains to the north of Sopa. Just let your guide pick one. You'll see; the experience will be the real thing. Huts made of cow dung, faded clothing, extreme poverty, lots of flies, etc... quite far from the fake bomas that are to be found en route to Serengeti. No dancing here. No "fake classroom buildings in urgent need of supplies" either. And no selling of trinkets after the visit. They don't HAVE anything to sell. But at least it's reality. You can help them, but always keep in mind not to disrupt their equilibrium with nature and with other bomas nearby. Our most precious gift seemed to be a football; the kids just went ballistic! Overall the visit will be a humbling experience. For optimal "effect" choose a boma away from the main dirt track to Empakai, ic a boma that rarely sees any foreigners at all.
You can combine Empakai with a boma visit, it'll be a full day. And after your last night at Sopa, just descend into Ngorongoro crater again, and leave via the southern road. If I'm not mistaking you need to get to Ndutu? Then expect about three hours of driving after having left the crater floor. The last part is spent on a very flat gravel road where most jeeps can go 80km/h and kind of "skid" over the road. Fun to experience, not as dangerous as it sounds.
So that day will be again a full day. No way you can add Olduvai gorge to that. Too much. You need more time for that. I'd do Olduvai on my way out (unless you're flying out of Serengeti?). Nothe that it's a different road from Ndutu to Naabi gate (Serengeti entrance) than the normal road from Ngorongoro to Naabi. Oldupai is on the latter.
Hope this helps,
J.
Jan 9th, 2010, 08:10 AM
#26
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thanks so much, pixel! what is your opinion as far as spending as much time as possible in the crater? the folks on here (who have been of SO much help---thanks guys!) really advocate the crater as being a highlight of the trip. so we're looking at spending a full day, plus an afternoon there. thoughts? we're actually doing olduvai on the way from manyara to serengeti. then serengeti direct to crater. thanks again!
Jan 9th, 2010, 10:03 AM
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Remember, every one looks at things differently...we loved the crater...some don't. Keep your options open! That is the beauty of the private safari, you make the final plans for the day's activities as you go. You can easily change the day's activity
Go into the Crater twice, once the first afternoon, you have to drive that way to get to the Sopa and the Crater floor is alot more interesting with all the animals than to rim road. Then the next moring, go down at first light...it will be a different experience. If you get tired of it, head out and do one of the options listed above. Above all be flexible, every day in the Serengeti and the Crater is different. Enjoy the difference.
Have a great trip!
Go into the Crater twice, once the first afternoon, you have to drive that way to get to the Sopa and the Crater floor is alot more interesting with all the animals than to rim road. Then the next moring, go down at first light...it will be a different experience. If you get tired of it, head out and do one of the options listed above. Above all be flexible, every day in the Serengeti and the Crater is different. Enjoy the difference.
Have a great trip!
Jan 9th, 2010, 10:44 AM
#28
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ok, that's a plan! thanks, cwn. you've been such a great help to us! right now i've sent out my perfect "dream" itinerary to 3 different companies, and waiting to see what they each come up w/price-wise. (we're combining tanzania w/a tour of egypt first). i'll run their itineraries/prices by you when i hear back. thanks again!
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