Northern Tanzania · Destination Guide
Lake Natron
A remote soda lake beneath an active volcano, and the breeding ground for East Africa's lesser flamingo.
A remote soda lake beneath an active volcano, and the breeding ground for East Africa's lesser flamingo.
Lake Natron lies in genuinely remote country close to the Kenyan border, beneath the cone of Ol Doinyo Lengai, the volcano the Maasai call the Mountain of God. The lake is intensely alkaline, and in places its surface turns deep red from the microorganisms that thrive in it.
It is the single most important breeding site for East Africa’s lesser flamingo, which gather here in vast numbers because few predators can tolerate the water. Visitors walk to the Ngare Sero waterfalls, visit the flamingo flats, or make the demanding overnight ascent of Ol Doinyo Lengai. The landscape is stark and unlike anywhere else on the northern circuit.
Photographs
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Safari Packages
Every itinerary below includes time in Lake Natron. Each is a costed starting point and can be adjusted to your dates and pace.
