From Nainokanoka village, the track gradually ascends towards Empakaai,
often following the cattle trails. It climbs the dry western side of the
mountain where there are few trees. During the rainy season these slopes are
bright with flowers: red-hot pokers (Kniphofia), Gladiolus, delphiniums and
many kinds of everlastings (Helichrysums). Large numbers of sunbirds dart
around the clumps of tiered, orange flowered Leonotis, or “lion’s-paw”. Do stop
to watch them as you go slowly up the winding road.
When you rich the rim of the Empakaai crater, look down in the green
paradise. The caldera is about 6km wide and nearly half of its floor is
occupied by lake. The water in the lake is a mixture of fresh and soda water
and the depth of the lake is about 85m, unusually deep for soda lakes in East
Africa. The steep walls of the caldera, clothed in forest, rise in some places
to almost 300m above the floor.
The track continues around the caldera and when not obstructed or
eroded away, it circles the entire rim, a distance of 32km. the views are
spectacular at every point. All along you can enjoy the changing views of
Empakaai itself. In addition, from the northern and eastern side you can look
out to the dramatic cone of the still active volcano, Oldoinyo Lengai. If the
day is clear, you can look beyond Lengai to the Great Rift Valley and Lake
Natron. Sometimes you can even see the distant snows of Kilimanjaro far on the
eastern side of the valley.
The eastern rim of the Empakaai is a good place to establish a camp or
a base and to leave your car if you came with one. The trees there are a
mixture of Nuxia, fig and crotons. One of the most remarkable trees that grow
on the Empakaai is Hagenda absyssinica, which is seldom found below 3000m.
Hagenia trees have beautiful large primate leave and dropping clusters of
blood-red flowers. They can capture water from the fog and let it drip slowly
down onto the forest floor. Although lovely and ecologically important, we do
not recommend camping under them! A trail in the crater leads from the eastern
rim down through the forest to Empakaai floor. After about 20 or 30 minutes you
come to the shore of the lake. On the way down, take time and go quietly and
carefully; you might catch a glimpse of buffalos, bushbucks. Look up into the
trees to see blue monkeys, and birds such as sunbirds and canaries. At the
shore are often waterbucks or may even an eland. On the lake itself are usually
waterbirds, for example: cape wigeon, black-winged stilts and flamingoes. It is
joy to walk around the Shore of Empakaai Lake, experiencing the serenity and
quiet beauty of this wild spot.
Hidden among trees on the southern shore is a cabin that can be used by
arrangement with the Ngorongoro headquarter. Water for cooking and washing can
be obtained from springs but it recommended that you bring water with you. It
is about an hour’s walk to climb back to the rim (remember you are about 3300m
so it is good to go slowly). If you do not camp on the eastern side or in the
crater, you can find other sites and fresh water near the ranger post about 3km
south, off Empakaai rim track before it climbs up and westwards.
The nights at Empakaai can be very cold indeed, especially in June,
July and August. Make sure you bring enough warm clothing and bedding. Often
there are swirling mists and fog that for the mornings but clear by afternoon
as if the mountains and air are to be swept clean in preparation for the crisp
star-brilliant nights. Most days have clear periods when you will be rewarded
with magnificent views, even during the rainy season (it is really feasible to
visit during the early rains and throughout the dry season), and always,
Empakaai offers you the rare sense of pure solitude and peace, found only in
remote, pristine places.
VISIT TANZANIA,VISIT EMPAKAAI CRATER IN NGORONGORO!
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