We set off northwest today towards the fabled Serengeti, stopping along the way to visit 31-mile Olduvai George, part of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area {which itself is part of the Serengeti region}. It was here in 1959 that anthropologist Mary Leakey discovered the 1.8-million-year-old skull of Australopithecus boisei – and revolutionized the study of human evolution. Known as the “cradle of mankind,” Olduvai ranks as one of the world’s most important prehistoric archaeological sites for its rich fossils, early hominid remains, and the ongoing discovery of some of the world’s oldest stone tool technologies. The Leakey family continues to research early human development at Olduvai to this day. After our visit to Olduvai this afternoon we visit a local Maasai people village, where we see their traditional pastoral lifestyle up close. These semi-nomadic people have called this rigion home for millennia,  their deep-rooted culture dictates they live in harmony with the wildlife surrounding the – hence they rarely hunt. The Maasai raise cattle, which along with lion and wildebeest play important roles in their cultural beliefs.

We continue on {bringing with us a simple prepared lunch} to Serengeti National Park, home to lion, leopard, cheetah, zebra, wildebeest, and many more mammal and bird species. The Serengeti, the Maasai’s “endless plain,” is considered Africa’s finest park, and we begin to see why on this afternoon’s game drive. Comprising two UNESCO World Heritage sites and two Biosphere Reserves, the Serengeti has inspired such writers as Ernest Hemingway and Peter Mattheissen, as well as filmmakers, photographers, and scientists in an ecosystem that has changed little in the past million years. Following our game drive, we arrive to our lodge with time to freshen up before dinner time.