3-Day Ngorongoro Crater & Empakaai Crater Hike
A private 3-day trip from Arusha into the Ngorongoro highlands: an afternoon game drive on the Ngorongoro Crater floor, two nights on the crater rim and a full day out to Empakaai, a smaller crater with a soda lake that you walk down into with an armed ranger.
The Ngorongoro Highlands Most Visitors Miss
Almost everyone who visits Ngorongoro drives down into the main crater and leaves the same day. North of it, along rough tracks through Maasai grazing land, lies Empakaai, a steep-sided crater around 6 kilometres wide with a lake on its floor that often draws flamingos. Vehicles cannot go down, so you walk the forest path to the shore and back up with a Ngorongoro ranger.
The walk is short but steep: roughly 5 kilometres there and back, with about an hour down and longer to climb out. It suits active travellers who want a day on foot in a quiet, beautiful place, and anyone who has already done the classic safari circuit. You still get the main crater's wildlife on the first day.
Short on time? See the Ngorongoro Crater Day Trip →
Highlights
- An afternoon game drive on the Ngorongoro Crater floor
- A full day in the remote northern highlands of the conservation area
- A ranger-guided walk down to Empakaai's crater lake and back
- Two nights in a mid-range lodge on or near the crater rim
- Private vehicle and driver-guide throughout
What to bring
- Good walking shoes with grip for the steep path
- A warm jacket: nights on the rim can be close to freezing
- A daypack, water bottle and rain jacket
- Sun hat, sunglasses and sun cream
- Your passport
Read our park guides: Ngorongoro Crater
Route Map
- By road
- Day of the trip
- Arusha
Lines show the order of travel, not the exact roads.
We collect you from your hotel in Arusha in the morning and drive west past Mto wa Mbu and Karatu into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, about three hours. After a picnic lunch you descend to the crater floor for an afternoon game drive among buffalo, zebras, wildebeest, hippos and lions, then climb back up to your lodge on the rim.
Overnight: Mid-range lodge on or near the Ngorongoro Crater rim
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Walk: about 5 km there and back, steep · roughly 3–4 hours with time at the lake
An early start along the rim and north across the highlands, a slow drive on rough tracks past Maasai villages and grazing herds, with views of Olmoti Crater. At the Empakaai rim you meet your ranger and walk down a steep forest path to the lake on the crater floor, where flamingos often feed. After time at the shore and a picnic lunch, you climb back up and drive back to your lodge in the late afternoon.
Overnight: Mid-range lodge on or near the Ngorongoro Crater rim
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A relaxed breakfast with a view over the crater, then the drive back to Arusha, with an optional stop at Mto wa Mbu's market or a coffee farm near Karatu on the way (ask us). You arrive in Arusha in the early afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast
Price Per Person — Private Trip
| Group Size | Price Per Person |
|---|---|
| 1 Person | $2,135 |
| 2 People | $1,470 |
| 3 People | $1,250 |
| 4 People | $1,140 |
| 5 People | $1,070 |
| 6 People | $1,030 |
Price per person in US dollars, by the number of people sharing the vehicle, with a mid-range lodge. Groups of more than 6: price on request.
Trip Notes
- Start & end: your hotel in Arusha
- Private trip: your group only, on the dates you choose
- Moderate fitness needed for the steep crater walk
- Lodge named when we confirm availability
- Prices may change if park fees change
Includes
- Private 4x4 vehicle with a pop-up roof and a professional driver-guide
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area fees and the crater vehicle fee
- Armed Ngorongoro ranger for the Empakaai walk
- 2 nights in a mid-range lodge with dinner and breakfast
- Lunches and drinking water
- Pick-up and drop-off at your hotel in Arusha
Excludes
- International flights and visa fees
- Accommodation in Arusha
- Travel insurance
- Tanzania's compulsory inbound travel insurance for foreign visitors (44 US dollars per person, from 1 October 2026)
- Tips for your guide and ranger
- Drinks other than drinking water
- Any government increase in park fees or taxes after booking
Questions Travellers Ask
How hard is the Empakaai walk?
The path is short but steep, about 5 kilometres there and back. Going down takes about an hour; the climb out is slower. Anyone with moderate fitness and good shoes can do it at a steady pace.
Why is a ranger needed?
The crater is wild country with buffalo and other animals, so the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority requires an armed ranger to walk with visitors. We arrange this and include it in the price.
Can we drive down into Empakaai?
No. Vehicles stay on the rim; the only way to the lake is on foot.
Will we see flamingos at Empakaai?
Often, but not always. Their numbers on the crater lake change with the season and water level.
Can we add Lake Natron?
Yes. From Empakaai a track continues down the Rift Valley to Lake Natron. Ask us to extend the trip by a day or two.
