It’s Worth It!

Linda Lou Burton posting from Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge, Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania– Gray. A soft, silent gray. That’s the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes. A misty fog came all the way to our balcony this morning. Unlike yesterday’s brilliant pink and orange highlighting that hundred-mile view across the Crater, today’s fog encased our balcony like a cuddle blanket. A lot of poems have been written about fog. Some complain that fog is an obstacle, blocking out what you want to see; others consider it a relief, a kind of protection from things you don’t want to deal with. For me this morning, it was the latter. I was not in the mood for another “luggage out for pickup before dawn then haul ass into the 4×4 for a 4-hour bumpy ride across a dusty plain” kind of day. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to see the Serengeti (one of the most famous National Parks in the world); it was more that I wanted, needed, to stay longer where I was. I wasn’t DONE with the Crater. Or the Lodge.

Despite the irritations of our specific tour’s missed deadlines and wanky upside down schedules that drained everyone’s strength and patience, none of that is a reflection on the facilities and services offered by the Lodge. The building is old and definitely not easy for those with walking difficulties to get around in; and its remote location makes it extremely difficult to get TO, but, I promise, it is so worth it! This is what they say about themselves:  The Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage destination referred to as the Eighth Wonder of the World, is a location unlike any other in Tanzania and perhaps the world. Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge is an enchanting river-stone lodge seemingly fastened to the Crater rim by native vines, offering breathtaking views in every direction. With a mesmerizing expanse of plains, forests and lakes extending as far as the eye can see, the Lodge is surrounded by prehistoric stillness and landscapes. Arched stone passages and timbered decks, walls adorned with cave paintings and lit by flickering torches, and an eternally lit fireplace offer an incredible backdrop for your stay in Tanzania. From English breakfasts and sundowner cocktails at the Crater’s edge to game drives across the Crater floor and evening receptions with authentic Maasai music and dance performances, your stay will be distinguished by unforgettable moments.

Is that an exaggeration? I’d have to say NO, it’s not! So I need another week to mess around here, to sit on my balcony and just breathe; to have lunch and an all-day game drive in the Crater (maybe twice); to take a slow-morning nature walk around the grounds and rim; to watch the Maasai herding their cattle down the steep Crater walls; and to study the geology of this unusual part of the world. The Olduvai Gorge for one; one of the most important paleoanthropological localities in the world. Maybe I can just hide in the fog today, and they won’t miss me?

 

Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge https://www.serenahotels.com/ngorongoro/accommodation

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