Ngorongoro Crater - Empakai Crater
While a visit to the Ngorongoro Crater is an incredible experience, it is hard sometimes to escape the crowds there. Instead, explore on foot and discover the Empakai Crater, walking down the forested slopes to the lake shore below a birder's paradise.
The hike explores the volcanic highlands of Empakaai Crater. With a dramatic crater rim and deep soda lake at the crater floor, Empakaai Crater’s beauty is one of a kind.The Empakai Crater is located within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in northern Tanzania. This day trip to the crater floor allows for an experience away from the crowds.
Drive to the rim and walk down to the crater floor. The majority of the crater floor is taken up by a beautiful lake, a great place to stop and relax with a picnic lunch. You will often see flamingo on the shallow waters of the lake, the bird life in this area is phenomenal and wildlife does move through this area so it's important that you are accompanied by your safari guide. After lunch, make your way back up the forested slopes back to the vehicle to drive home to your lodge.
Things to explore in Empakai crater include flowers, herbs, birds, buffalo, waterbuck, baboons, and leopards. Many flamingos flock to the deep soda lake inside the crater floor. The lake covers almost half of the crater floor and is around 85 meters deep.
Full day hike to Empakai is accompanied by armed ranger. Other activities around Empakai include a donkey safari accompanied by a Maasai warriors. The trail travels cross the Empakai crater rim then descends into Rift Valley to reach Lake Natron.
