Empakai Crater

Empakai Crater is smaller than Ngorongoro Crater. Vehicles are not allowed into the crater; the only way to get to the floor of the crater is to hike, accompanied by a ranger. On our hike to the crater floor, we were accompanied by an armed ranger named Mansuit. We ate lunch on the floor of the crater, where we saw lots of pink flamingos. The flamingos are the main attraction in Empakai Crater; we didn't see any of the large mammals that are common in Ngorongoro Crater. Another nice thing about Empakai Crater is that it is not crowded with tourists. While the floor of Ngorongoro Crater had lots of jeeps carrying tourists, during our hike in Empakai Crater we didn't see anyone except the ranger who was guiding us and a Massai boy who was herding cattle. (The name of the crater is sometimes spelled Empakaai Crater.)

Empakai Crater	Maasai boy and his cattle on the floor of the crater	Flamingos
Flamingos	Flamingos	Flamingos
Flamingos	Mark and Mansuit	Flamingos in the crater
Three mountains	Maasai women building a house	Melinda and two recently married Massai girls
Mark and Melinda and two recently married Massai girls

Return to main Tanzania page