Empakai is a mysterious, steep-sided crater which appears very suddenly as you ascend its deceptive slopes, the land falling away almost vertically and plunging down to a broad lake below.
Unlike the Ngorongoro Crater, there is no road access into Empakai and exploration is by foot only ... a tough morning hike, full of nervous energy.
The campground where we place our simple dome-tented bivouac is on the edge of the crater rim itself.
From here there is the option to walk down to Lake Natron via
Acacia Bivouac.