Day 40, 2011/06/10 Serengeti to Ngorongoro crater and Simba campsite

Day 40,  2011/06/10 Serengeti to Ngorongoro crater and Simba campsite

Day 40, 2011/06/10

We have a late morning game drive and then we pack up and drive back to Ngorongoro crater in the afternoon. I am relived that, i do not need to get up early while it is still dark. Me a early mornings are not friends. 
We decide to head back to the waterhole from last night. When we get there, we discover that, where the pride of lions were yesterday, are the two male lions of the pack to be seen. All yup see, are these big heads peering through the long grass with these huge manes. 
We drive a little further on, and find the rest of the pride, basking in the sun. While we are sitting observing them, a whole lot of Gizel arrive and make they way to the river. Unknown to them straight toward the lions. We decide to wait it out and see what unfolds. It is truly amazing how the antelope, slowly just make their way towards the water while lions sit and wait. Eventually the lions cotton onto what is coming towards them and disappear from view. Then it all happens so quickly, there is a frantic dispersion of animals in all directions and from what ewe could see one did not manage to get away. Yeah, the sight of a limb being carried away by one of the lions was a clear sign that the hunt had been successful. 
Well that was a first for me. Always been on game drives whee you see a lion on the hunt or, lions eating the hunt but, never seen it actually happen. 
After that we eventually come across a number of safari vehicles congregated at what looks like a ant heap. Well it was an ant heap however, behind it we spotted a leopard walking in the long grass. A rare site to since, they are normally nocturnal and hence seldom seen during the day. 
Then off to campsite for a quick pack up and go. Yes that lovely long, horrible road to Ngorongoro Crater and Simba campsite.
The campsite is situated on the rim of the crater, with some amazing views of the crater. It is at an altitude of 2600 m so, is reasonably chilly, and for the first time on the trip, I get to use a sleeping bag.