Over Christmas, we visited our Nebraska family and had a beautiful white Christmas! It was a busy week with events and family visiting. Now that we are home, here are a few pictures of the snowfall and drifts, and our family gatherings.

And after 3 days of blowing wind and flurries

But inside we celebrated! Sugar cookie decorating, an old family tradition!

Church on Christmas eve, while the snow was still just flurries

Christmas eve dinner with the Mollendor family

My estute editor reminded me I missed posting any photos of Ngorongoro Crater! So I’m inserting a post out of order!

We entered the conservation area long before we got to the Crater itself. East Africa is doing a great job now, conserving is natural resources, including animals. Our first views down into the Crater as we approached our lodge. It was overcast this day and the next, when we entered.

I posted already about the camp we stayed in on the western rim of the Crater, so you can go back to see that. In the morning when we rose early to enter the Crater, we were far up in the clouds.

Our guide in Tanzania Conrad Kessy, was just as wise and good as our Kenyan guide, Antony Njuguna! As most trucks turned right, he turned left! We saw many of the animals as the only vehicle there! There are many birds species there, on the Lake and marshes

And of course many of the same animals we have seen in other parks

We drove clockwise around Lake Magadi, under a thick cloud cover, so our day was cool. As we approached almost 360° , we took the one way brick road out and headed to our next lodge to the southeast of the Crater for an afternoon of rest! No afternoon game drive! A swim in the pool, relaxing and enjoying Acacia Farm Lodge, and great food

Our last evening at Oltukai lodge and our last afternoon drive this evening was spectacular, as usual! Antony did not disappoint us and found more Lions to say goodbye to us! One even blessed us with a couple squirts, marking his territory on our mudflap of the right front tire! We laughter so hard! Wherever Antony goes now is that lions territory!

We visited Observation Hill for the great view

The animals came out to see us off

But the big male lion walking away, in the sunset light, toward Kilimonjaro was the best end to our safari drive ever!

All this was possible because of our great guide Antony Njuguna

Being first out at 6 AM has its benefits, if you have a very good guide! Antony knew exactly where the pride had spent the night and where they would be heading at daybreak! And we were the only vehicle there to see them!

We also caught elephants traveling from the protected woods to the water

But best of all! Kilimonjaro was opening up to us!

The mountain did not disappoint us today!

We had a wonderful welcome to our first park, Samburu by an elegant reticulated Giraffe, and a goodbye from Amboseli from these 2 handsome Masai giraffes!

Are drives are much more leisurely, since we have seen the big 5, the highlights of the park, lions in every park we have visited… all the must do and must see animals! But still, each drive has new things to see!

Of course Antony knew where the hyena den was located! We found a clan, having eaten well and resting.

On our way into our lodge, we saw this family worth a very young mother and her infant

Again Antony choose a perfrct location,  as I requested,  inside the park. 

Our unit

And of course, the pool and it’s view

The monkeys play around the lodges

Our view as we went to breakfast

We left very early, 6 AM after a cup of coffee, for an early game drive. Antony again knew just where to go to see the elephants head for water after their nights rest.

On the way we spotted a lioness in the distance and some hippos sparing

Antony spotted a herd heading to the water and knew where to go to see them as they entered the Marsh! Instead of going directly toward them, he turned left and then right on a parallel road to just the right spot to see them cross the road. He put us in a perfect position to see an amazing sight! Quite a large family herd

Patience pays off

Chasing away the younger competitors and triumphantly walking on back to the water

There were other animals and water fowl too

And more elephants

Interesting elephant skull along the road. They remember and mourn their dead

Every game drive is different and every one rewards our patience

Known for its Elephant herds, marshy land and birds of every feather, our last destination is beautiful in a different way. It is in the shadow of Kilimonjaro and our lodge has a view of the elephants and other animals in the plains.

Animals and birds

We have stayed in several amazing places,  but this afternoon and night we have a respite from camping!  We are staying in the Acacia Farm Lodge,  in style! 

Dining area and yard

Our home for the night

Of course we enjoyed a tour of the grounds and the pool

We are at another Angata camp, even a more lovely setting than the last!  Surrounded by much vegetation at an altitude of 7800 feet, perched on the room of the Crater!  We see a bit of it in the distance but tomorrow we cross it, on our way to Kenya again. To have a quiet afternoon and evening,  with such lush views and cool temperatures is refreshing!  

This camp has a bucket shower!  Boiling Hot water is added to the bucket at the back of the tent,  over the shower.   So,  when it is filled, you shower quickly.

We may see and hear elephant and cape Buffalo tonight.   They escort you after dark for security, but we are very close to the main tent where the dining room and lounge are located.  

We did see a forest hog! Well, we heard him first, Buried in the brush, munching his way thru!