Lake Natron is a soda lake nestled at the foothills of Mount OI Donyo Lengai which is an active volcano and this area is described as the lunar beauty. Lake Natron is found in the northern part of Tanzania near the border with Kenya near Arusha town and Lake Magadi of Kenya. The lake is famous for hosting the largest concentration of lesser flamingos in the world with over 2 million flamingos. It is located east of Ngorongoro conservation crater. Lake Natron is 56 kilometers long and 22 kilometers wide and it is drained by River Ewaso Ng’iro and there is high levels of evaporation I the lake which leaves sodium carbonate decahydrate and sodium sesquicarbonate dehydrate and this makes the lake to be highly alkaline making it one of the deadliest lakes in the entire universe. In 2021 in January the lake featured in an episode called A Perfect Planet a BBC series which was narrated by Attenborough David.
What are the things to do in Lake Natron?
Hiking Trips: Engage in the amazing hiking experience in Lake Natron with an experienced local guide. You will be closer to wildlife, visit different scenic viewpoints, waterfalls especially when you are on top of the waterfalls you will have breathtaking sceneries. You can also hike Mount OI Doinyo Lengai. OI Doinyo is a Masai dialect meaning Mountain of God. Hiking Mount OI Doinyo is always done at night to avowing day temperatures which are scorching.
Birding Expeditions in Lake Natron: Lake Natron is a home to over 350 bird species and this makes it the birder’s haven due to this high number of birds. The most common birds spotted are lesser flamingos, other bird species found in Lake Natron include; African fish eagles, pelicans, secretary birds to mention but a few.
Cultural Tours: Engage in the cultural activities with Masai people where you will learn about their ancient lifestyles. You will visit their Bomas (their homesteads), you will engage in dancing, milking of cows, making fires, take you through their ritual regalia among others. The Masai people have craft shops where you support them by buying their products to support their livelihoods.
Archeological Sites: Indulge yourself in this ancient experience which will expose you to different archeological sites which have existed for millions of years ago.
Game Drives: Get immersed in wildlife which wanders in Lake Natron national park. You can do early morning game drives to catch early risers or engage in the evening game drives for those animals which are allergic to heat. Game drives will expose you to different wildlife in the jungles of Lake Natron and this experience is just out of the world. Some of the wildlife to experience in Lake Natron includes; kudus, Oryx, zebras, gerenuks, ostriches, Alcolapia latilabris and Alcolapia ndalani and these are the major endemic fish species among others.
How to get to Lake Natron?
It is about 3hours drive from Arusha. However it is better to visit Lake Natron after visiting Ngorongoro conservation area or Serengeti national park.
What is the best time to Visit Lake Natron?
You can visit Lake Natron throughout the year however the best time should be between May and November this is when the temperatures are cooler. During December to February, the temperatures are very high. Around August to October, flamingos gather around the lake shading it a pink color and seeing such is so spectacular and so tempting. During dry season, you can exhaust most of the park’s corners since all the walkways are dry and vegetation is short, so you can easily explore everywhere. During the dry season, there is high formation of cyanobacteria which is favorite food for flamingos.
