After having spent the night at the Rhino Lodge on the crater rim, we descended into the crater arriving around 7 o'clock in the morning. Making it the first day of the safari to reach main game area relatively early in the morning. In other words, a good day to look for active cats. And sure enough, soon we found the trip's first major lion kill. Next to the Lerai Forest, a pride of lions was feeding on a buffalo carcass. The adults had finished eating, while some of the youngsters were still having their share. Waiting next by were four Black-Backed Jackals and two Golden Jackals. No vultures were around this early in the morning. Later that days we saw many lions, including two lionesses sitting next to the road waiting for a car. As soon as we stopped, they walked over and laid down in the shadow of the vehicle. It absolutely looked deliberate, and I think they were used to actively approach safari cars for shadow. To be honest, when I leaned out of the car and looked down on them, it felt way too close for comfort. These are massive creatures.

Actively eating hyenas and jackals were also seen during the day, making it an excellent day for predator photography. Birding is also good in the crater, especially around the hippo pool and at the picnic area. The picnic area, where tourists are allowed to leave their vehicles, is situated next the Ngoitokitok Spring, one of the major water sources near the eastern crater wall. Here I did a mistake. I knew about the aggressive Yellow-Billed Kites in the area from my last visit. They are used to steal food from tourists. When we arrived, I saw some kites dive-bombing trying to snatch a snack from some tourists having lunch under the tree. My mistake was having my lunch a bit away from the tree. I was holding a roll in my fingers just 25 cm from my mouth, when a kite dive-bombed and snatched it from my hand in full speed. I imagine the damage it would have done to my hand or face had it miscalculated only slightly. Overcoming the shock, I went on to eating a small banana. Only to experience the kite to steal also this treat. The rest of the lunch I had in the car ... Kind of strange, really. To experience raptors like kites eating bread and banana. Well, I saw them finishing off the bread, but they did not come back for the banana.

Lake Magadi was almost empty, with no water this time of year. And with less than 100 flamingos. Even if it was raining heavily just north-west of the crater when we arrived from Serengeti the day before, the crater floor, except for the north-eastern corner, was yellow with no signs of green grass. So the dry season was still ongoing. But since there is a lot of animals in the crater, Ngorongoro is probably one of the best places for wildlife photography in Northern Tanzania. In Serengeti there is also a lot of animals, but the area is vast, and it takes a lot of time driving around to find them.