Lake Natron

Often described as having a lunar beauty, Lake Natron offers something a little bit different. The lake gets its deep red colour from salt-loving organisms and algae. This algae growth has also fostered the development of Lesser Flamingo nests. Amazingly, 2.5 million flamingos make Lake Natron their home and it is considered one of their only breeding grounds, making preservation of the lake an environmental concern. Although most human settlements throughout history have formed around lakes and rivers, the barren landscape around Lake Natron tells a story of a place where survival is not easy.

Activities around Lake Natron:

Activities in the Lake Natron area focus mainly on walks. You can walk out across the baked mud to the shores of the great soda lake itself, in which algae and zooplankton thrive – which in turn attract the flamingos that line the lake’s shore. This walk is best done in the very early morning or late afternoon out of the heat of the day.

Whilst here, take the chance to walk up to the Engero Sero Waterfalls. This walk winds up through a shady gorge (very welcome in the heat) between steep cliffs. There’s a bit of gentle scrambling involved, and you’ll also cross the river a few of times. However, after a few hours you’ll reach a beautiful natural swimming pool surrounded by steep rock walls – showered by cascades of spring-water and overlooked by palm trees. We didn’t mind getting a little wet, and so loved this walk and the swim at the bottom of falls.

South of Lake Natron lies Mount Ol Doinyo Lengai (2878 metres high). It is an active volcano and can be climbed, although it is very demanding. This climb usually starts at midnight, and you climb for around six hours, through the night, to reach the spectacular views of the top by sunrise. Anyone embarking on this walk must understand that it is a very tough climb, and that as this is an active volcano, so high risks are involved.