Lake Natron

A soda lake located at the base of the active volcano Ol’Doinyo Lengai, the Lake Natron region is often described as having a desolate and almost lunar beauty. Lake Natron is located in the northern part of Tanzania. The nearest major cities to Lake Natron are Arusha in Tanzania and Magadi in Kenya. It is the most important breeding ground for Lesser Flamingos in the world.
East Africa has 1.5 to 2.5 million Lesser Flamingos, three quarters of the world population, and most of them are born in Lake Natron. Food is abundant, nesting sites are plentiful, and most importantly, the lake is isolated and undisturbed. The lake and its ecosystem are a source of income for local communities.
High levels of evaporation have left behind natron and trona, two minerals, and the lake’s alkalinity can reach a pH above 12.
Walks around the lake and to the streams and waterfalls along the nearby escarpment are a fantastic off-the-beaten-path adventure.
To get to Lake Natron, it is a 3-hour drive from the village of Mto wa Mbu. It is then possible to reach the Serengeti via Klein’s Gate (North-East entrance of the park), it takes 6 hours of track to Klein’s. From there, you can drive to the north (Kogatende area) in 1.5 hours, or else to the center of the Serengeti (Seronera area) in 3 hours.

Possible activities:
– Visit a Maasai village
– Visit of the waterfalls in the Rift Valley
– Walk on the shores of Lake Natron to observe the pink flamingos
– Climb Mount Ol’Doinyo Lengai