Kilimanjaro Expedition Dispatch

March 13, 2008 – Our Safari Begins with 4 of the "Big 5"

We started our day around 6:00 this morning. We descended down to the crater by 6:45am, and saw the first of the many spectacular species in Africa; the wildebeests. A few moments later we saw some Cape Buffalos, and then before sitting down for breakfast we saw a lion. After breakfast we moved through the other areas of the amazing NgorongoroCrater.

Throughout the day we saw hippos; black rhinos (which are lucky to see as their numbers have been reduced because of poaching); more lions and bull elephants. Seeing the male elephants on their own is common, as the females stay within their own herd. The males leave the herd as young adolescents, and then visit bachelor groups which change composition often. We finished the day by seeing cheetahs; hyena and tons of antelope; eagles; wildebeest, cape buffalo and zebras along the way.