Note: This section contains several carousels - be sure to look below the map
Rwenzori
Livingstone's 'Mountains of the Moon' a range of snow-capped glacial mountains virtually at the equator was the next destination.
Hiking In
At first, the trail seemed easy. They followed elephant trails into the foothills.
Strenuous
At the beginning, they try to carry their packs despite the requirement to hire porters. They are soon disabused of that idea.
Otherworld-sized Plants
Bristol and Eric Thorn were fascinated by the extraordinary size of common species of plants.
Difficult Crossings
As they moved to higher altitudes, the terrain became difficult. Ther constant cloud cover made everything damp and slippery.
Erik Struggles
Determined to carry his own weight, Erik finally agrees to let the porters carry.
Mid-height Vista
Occasionally, the clouds would part to offer glimpses of the range.
Lobelia
TRhis plant is several times larger than a person.
Humour is the Best Antidote
Bob hams it up while crossing a stream.
A Cold Night
Now at several thousand feet, the Rover Boys take shelter in a damp cave for the night.
Discouraged
Crossing an upland meadow, they discover it is a mud lake with grassy hummocks. Jumping from one to the other Bob gets soaked and discouraged.
Dangerous
The climb eventually becomes near vertical on slimy rock faces. Wet and cold, all three men struggle on reluctantly.
Glaciers
Now near the summit, the tips of the glaciers appear.
Fun at the Summit
Told by the guides they are as high as it is possible to go, they are disappointed to find the view of the peaks obscured by cloud. Not to be outdone, they start a snowfight.
Ngorongoro Crater
From December 9th, 1957 to the 21st, the Rover Boys went south from Nairobi to see the famed game parks of Southern Kenya and Tanzania.
Notching up another Country
Bob paints the Tanzania pictogram during a stop.
Filming the GT
Bristol decided to film the GT approaching Ngorongoro. That sequence appears in the documentary: The Art of Adventure.
Lioness
In 1957, the charismatic megafauna such as the lion were plentiful.
Hyenas
The Rover Boys got a rare glimpse of hyenas feeding on a fresh kill.
Masaai
The Rover Boys met Masaai a number of times and became enchanted by their charm and intelligence.
Masaai & Cattle
The Masaai have traditionally been migratory herders. In 1957, their territory was already constricting yet compared to today, the Rover Boys saw them much as they had been for hundreds of years.
Masaai Women
Grizzly Torque Graphics
The Masaai were fascinated by Bateman's pictograms on the side of the GT
Camera Envy
The Masaai were curious about everything the Rover Boys were doing.
Heaven
Both men will claim Ngorogoro is their idea of heaven on earth.
Two Women
The women were more suspicious.
Contemplation
The Rover Boys had more or less free range, driving wherever they wanted.
Bushbaby
Bateman was so taken with this species that one of his earliest full wildlife paintings feature a Bushbaby called Demidov's Galago.
Catching Bats
Despite the allure of large mammals, the Rover Boys never forgot their mission to collect small mammal specimens for museums such as the Royal Ontario Museum. Bristol's favourite trick was to smoke them out.
Beautiful Sunrise
Giant Baobab Tree
Lake Manyara
Heading back to Nairobi, Bristol makes a calculated error in trying to cross an apparently dry lake bed.
How Bad was It?
Bristol inspects the hole for evidence.
Struggling Out
The Rover Boys worked all night. A passing volkswagon (light weight caused no problems) got in on the action carrying branches from the shore to put under the tires.
Rift Vallery Last View
They would return many times over the years.
Xmas in Nairobi
Put up by friends of Bristol's father, the Rover Boys enjoy a meal before Erik leaves for England (he is the blurry man of the far left).
