The air was brisk that morning but Vicki cracked the window anyway. Her curls, ever ready to riot, seized upon the opportunity. They danced in the wind like the tendrils that dangle from a weaver-bird nest.
I leaned back. My window was closed.
We sat on opposite sides of the rig but within reach of the safety bar that ran behind the driver’s seat. Mr Nixon gripped the steering wheel with his right hand and ran through the gears with his left. Despite the fact that she was engineered for slow grinds, TIK growled some.
And that is how we galumphed: dancing, gripping, growling. We were a mile high in the sky already and the steepest grade was still ahead.
Outside, visibility was limited. This was due, in part, to the morning mist, but also due to the rainforest. Moss-draperies hung low, brushing the road on either side. We continued climbing.
Abruptly the corridor opened up to a paved lot. TIK slowed. We pulled off to the right and into a space between two other knobby-tyred vehicles.
The passage through Lodoare Gate.
“This might take a bit. Roll up the windows please.”
We assumed the order had to do with thieves. We didn’t realize (until later) that the serious criminals here drop out of the trees. Safari rigs are treasure boxes; baboons know what a picnic box looks like.
Mr Nixon climbed out of the driver’s side, papers in hand, and walked stiffly toward the office. A crowd of men mulled around the door. We had arrived at Lodoare (or Loduare or Lodware) Gate.
Image courtesy of Google Earth.
Lodoare Gate is the major portal to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the highlands of northern Tanzania. This protected area encompasses the Ngorongoro Crater and the Oldupai (Olduvai) Gorge. The former is famous for its concentration of wildlife, the latter for its archaeological remains.
Permits are required to pass through the gate; these carry a hefty price tag (per vehicle, per person, and per day). All of this had been acquired in advance by the company, but confirming these transactions in Byzantine style (translation: much paper and plastic) was Mr Nixon’s challenge.
There was plenty to do while we waited. Lodoare Gate is prepared for visitors. Upwards of a half-million tourists pass through this gate every year.* To accommodate the herd, reasonably clean toilets, a small trinket shop, and an interpretive center are open for business. We set ourselves on all of these.
The interpretive center highlights the ecology, ethnography and geography of the NCA. As a fanboy of the Great Rift Valley, I found the schematics and the 3-D model fascinating.
Signboards illustrate theories of landscape formation in the NCA.
Mr Nixon emerged from the office with the permissions in hand. We climbed back into TIK and rolled through Lodoare Gate. The rim of Ngorongoro Crater loomed ahead in the mist. Getting there would require another two thousand feet of galumphing.
*See statistics from 2018 here.
Christmas gifts come in many sizes and shapes. If you are looking for something unique, consider giving the gift of experience. Memories last a lifetime!
Travel with Bible Land Explorer to Europe, Southwest Asia, or Africa in the year to come. Future opportunities include archaeological tours in Israel/Palestine, a Mediterranean cruise, or an African safari. Find a list of future opportunities here or email me at markziese@gmail.com.