We began the safari with a game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater. We were lucky at the hippo pool. An old bull elephant with a most impressive set of tusks was in the pool along with the hippos, which appeared to be tolerating him. Since the vehicles stop on the pool's raised banks we had a super view of this old fellow. It was late afternoon and the sun was behind us. It doesn't get any better than that.

While Will climbed Mt Makarot (also known as Lemagarut), Dale and I took my driver and old friend King to survey a hike I want to undertake from Naibartat to Ndutu early next year. The drive took us through Laetoli where Mary Leakey made the biggest scientific discovery of her career in the 70s, fossilized footprints of three hominids which revealed that early man was upright and walking far earlier than was thought. These footprints are covered to protect them and not open to the public. It was the kind of day I love most: good company, beautiful bush and the time to explore. We re-grouped late afternoon at Il Misigiyo campsite. Will had some excitement on Makarot which he will tell you about in his show.

Our hike was accompanied by Maasai guides and wranglers for the donkeys which bore our camping equipment, as well as an armed Ngorongoro Conservation Area ranger. It took three days. I felt a great sense of achievement when we enjoyed sunset on Lake Eyasi's shores and were able to look up at the escarpment and know that we came down it on foot. You cannot experience remote places like our camp sites on the rift with their spectacular views unless you make the kind of effort this hike required. There were times when we suffered, but it was worth it.

We spent three nights at Lake Eyasi. We visited the Datoga and Hadza peoples primarily, but also left time to soak up Mang'ola's vibes which included in its bar. (Eyasi's main settlement of Mang'ola is not to be confused with Mang'ula town in southern Tanzania.) It is only a two hour drive to Mang'ola from the main Ngorongoro Crater/Serengeti road (or a three day walk!), albeit on an extremely rough track, but once at the lake you realize you have entered a very different world. Our fellow campers included archeology students from the University of Dar es Salaam in the area to study the rock paintings the Hadza protect as their cultural heritage. Several of them saw their very first elephant on this trip, which had included a stop at the Ngorongoro Crater.

We dropped Will in Engaruka where he entered the "Honorary Maasai" program while Dale and I spent three days with Oreteti's Maasai cultural tourism program in Eluwai village. Dale and I also visited Tarangire National Park, using as our base Boundary Hill Lodge on the eastern fringes of the park overlooking the Maasai Steppe. Separate reports of Engaruka, Eluwai and Boundary Hill follow.