Highlights:

Lake Natron is a salt or soda lake not far from Lake Manyara in northern Tanzania. It is located in the Gregory Rift, the eastern branch of the East African Rift. The lake lays at the foot of the Ol Doinyo Lengai, an active volcano.

Lake Natron is quite shallow, less than three meters deep, and varies in width depending on its water level. The lake is 57 kilometers long and 22 kilometers wide. The area receives irregular seasonal rainfall, mainly between December and May. The temperatures at the lake are often over 40 °C.

LAKE NATRON

Lake Natron is situated in northern Tanzania on the border with Kenya, close to the Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

The lake is in the vicinity of Ol Doinyo Lengai, which is visible in the southern part. Lake Natron covers an area 56 km (35 miles) long and 24 km (15 miles) wide, but the water level changes due to evaporation. The shallow and alkaline lake has different springs, the Ewaso Ng’iro River, and different hot springs. The surface of Lake Natron, which has high salt, magnesite, and sodium carbonate concentration, is covered with a pinkish-white soda crust.

The area around the lake offers different attractions such as many volcanic implosion craters, numerous waterfalls, and ravines with nesting places for Rüppell’s Griffon Vultures. Among the most prominent attractions of Lake Natron is the Gelai Volcano, a 2,942 m (9,652 feet) high volcano in the southeastern part, and the archeological site of Peninj, where archeologists discovered the Peninj Mandible – the fossilized teeth of Australopithecus boisei.

Some activities at Lake Natron are swimming, a visit to Maasai boma, or a simple trek to the Ngorongoro Crater Highlands with numerous craters.

The area has a beautiful wildlife
A lake is a breeding place for thousands of Rift Valley Flamingos. They build their nests using the soda flats between August and October. The flamingos of Lake Natron feed with the lake’s Spirulina algae. Because the flamingos use this area for breeding, the lake and its surrounding are under International concern for preservation. Other animals which inhabit this area are zebra, ostrich, fringed eared oryx, gazelle, gerenuk, lesser kudu, and golden jackal.

WHERE TO STAY IN LAKE NATRON

Kiwoito Africa Safari gives you insight into the type and quality of Lake Natron lodging experience in relation to the guiding standards augmented with the location, key attractions such as a lake, and water sources, wildlife, scenic highlands, logistical accessibility, and many other factors to gauge an expectation of what you should receive during your adventurous vacation in northern Tanzania. The two accommodations are Moivaro Lake Natron Tented Camp and Ngare Sero Lake Natron Camp, both are Tier 3 budget accommodations. Moivaro Lake Natron offers nine guest tents with simple furnishings, as well as four basic bands with running water, a flush toilet, a shower, and electricity. Ngare Sero Lake Natron Camp offers eight Bedo-style tents that are designed with traditional methods to keep you cool during the day. Meals at these camps satisfy your appetite and dishes are prepared with local ingredients, such as meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, and more, and special dietary needs can be accommodated during your exploratory safari

SAFARI & TOUR IN LAKE NATRON

The scenery around Lake Natron is what attracts visitors to the region during their active-adventure travels in East Africa. The dramatic landscape is dotted with many of Tanzania’s most recognizable landmarks, such as Ol Doinyo Lengai and Gelai volcano, a 9652-foot peak located at the southeast edge of the lake. To the west is the site where a perfectly preserved hominid jaw and teeth, known as the “Peninj mandible” was found. Touring Lake Natron in expedition mode with AfricanMecca encompasses a variety of activities, such as walking safaris, flamingo walks, volcano climbing, and cultural tours. At Moivaro Lake Natron Tented Camp, walking safaris allow you to follow in the footsteps of the Maasai people, following paths to some of the most interesting localities, such as hot springs, waterfalls, and much more. The camp also offers visits to a local Maasai village. In addition to these activities, the second camp — Ngare Sero Lake Natron Camp, also offers flamingo walks on the shores of the lake. You watch the splendor as these avifauna hunt for food and fill the skies with a spectacular display of pink and subtle black. While staying at this camp, you may also trek to the southern shores of the lake to see human footprints that date back 120,000 years, and the camp also offers trekking by camel, a very exciting adventure for your wilderness trip to Lake Natron.

BEST TIME TO VISIT LAKE NATRON

As you plan your Kiwoito dream safari in northern Tanzania, you should consider the weather and outdoor temperature so that you prepare properly, and also have the opportunity to relax and enjoy your activities. The weather at Lake Natron is primarily hot and mostly dry, and the coolest months are June through August, but some guests find these temperatures tropically warm as well since Tanzania is located just south of the equator. It also does get very windy at Natron. You may choose to schedule your tour of East Africa during the rainy or dry season at Lake Natron. Since this area is not a wildlife destination, the dry season does not see any concentration of wildlife – simply because the lake is highly alkaline, and terrestrial and mammalian life do not drink its waters. You only want to visit during the dry season because it is an excellent time for walking tours around the lake, and also for trekking up Ol Doinyo Lengai.