Lake Natron

Lake Natron.  Home of 2.5 Million Lesser Flamingos and the only breeding grounds on Earth. It is a soda lake at the base of the active Oldonyo Lengai volcano; the area around Lake Natron is often described as desolate and almost lunar.

Lake Natron is located in northern Tanzania. The nearest towns to Lake Natron are Arusha in Tanzania and Magadi in Kenya.

It is the world’s most important breeding site for Lesser Flamingos.

East Africa has 1.5-2.5 million Lesser Flamingos, representing three-quarters of the global population, and most of them hatch at Lake Natron.

Food is plentiful, nesting sites abound – and above all, the lake is isolated and undisturbed.

The lake and its ecosystem provide a livelihood for local communities.

High evaporation has left behind natron (sodium carbonate decahydrate) and trona (sodium sesquicarbonate dihydrate).

The lake’s alkalinity can reach a pH greater than 12. The surrounding bedrock consists of alkaline, sodium-rich trachyte lavas deposited during the Pleistocene.

The lavas contain significant carbonate but very low calcium and magnesium. This has allowed the lake to concentrate into a caustic alkaline brine.

Colored a deep red by salt-loving organisms and algae, the lake reaches extreme temperatures and is nearly as acidic as ammonia.

Although most human settlements throughout history have formed around lakes and rivers, the barren landscape around Lake Natron tells a clear story of a place no one ever wanted to live.

Walking around the lake and to the streams and waterfalls along the nearby escarpment makes for a fantastic adventure off the beaten track.

There are several campgrounds near the lake, which is also the base for climbing Oldonyo Lengai in Tanzania.

To experience more, a visit to Lake Natron can be combined with a wildlife safari across the pristine parks on the northern circuits, including the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater.

Tanzania Travel Tips

Our team carefully researched and focused on trips that attract people with the same interests and naturally get on well with each other through their shared interests.

Once you confirm your booking on a tour you will be sent further practical information – packing tips, detailed itineraries, including advice on health, passport and visa requirements, and minimum and maximum numbers of guests on tours.

Memorable meals are a hallmark of an excellent holiday. With the support of the best cooks, the quality of food and drink service is guaranteed.

Depending on the service level or tour type you have chosen, a pre-discussion with your tour planner is a win-win for an enjoyable trip.

Our cook accompanies other tours, and other services are included with our accommodation partners, including hotels, private camps, and luxury lodges.

The answer is absolute yes! The areas where safaris are organized are safe and free of political chaos.

We conduct safaris in politically stable regions to ensure our clients’ safety and enjoyment.

Our Professional Safari Guides are well-trained about wild animal behaviors, and they have enough experience to lead our clients in the wilderness.

Our vehicles are 4×4 Toyota Land Cruisers and Land Rovers with a hatched roof to give maximum visibility of the game.

African safaris offer unlimited sightseeing; millions of animals, birds, and plant life are the defining features of the African savanna. You roam across the countryside in search of Elephants, Lions, Rhinos, Cape buffalo, and Leopards (the so-called “Big Five”).

On any given day, you will encounter Blue Wildebeests, Zebras, a large variety of antelope species, Gazelles, Giraffes, Baboons, and Hippos. The birdlife is fantastic – in some areas, up to 400 bird species have been identified!

Think of the majestic Baobab tree (some tribes believe that the tree was indeed planted upside-down!), and there are hundreds of varieties of thorn trees! You will also see the acacia-dotted landscape, endless plains, majestic mountains, and the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises imaginable! Think of a late afternoon thunderstorm, short but violent, and then the beautiful rainbow.

Tanzania’s destinations are accessible year-round, but we recommend scheduling your safari during the dry season for the best sightings, as grasses and bush are at their least dense—July to October and December through February. The green session includes March through June. Discuss with us for the best option if you have also a plan to coincide with the Wildebeest Migration in Serengeti National Park.

(We suggest you remember) insect repellent (the best way to prevent malaria and other insect-borne diseases), sunscreen, cap or hat, sunglasses, binoculars, detergent powder if you want to wash some clothes yourself, hand-wipes small flashlight, aspirin, diarrhea medicine, rain jacket, poncho, or collapsible umbrella, plastic bags (for wet clothes, swimsuit and for keeping dust away from camera equipment), Kleenex/toilet tissue a neck chain for eyeglasses if you take them off to use binoculars and cameras, any medical prescription you need, masking tape or labels for marking exposed films cans, film, extra camera batteries.

Although more than 200 languages and dialects are spoken across Africa, this is not a problem, as English is widely spoken in East and Southern Africa. In addition to English, all our professional guides are multilingual, so we have you covered.

African safaris offer unlimited sightseeing; millions of animals, birds, and plant life are the defining features of the African savanna. You roam across the countryside in search of Elephants, Lions, Rhinos, Cape buffalo, and Leopards (the so-called “Big Five”).

On any given day, you will encounter Blue Wildebeests, Zebras, a large variety of antelope species, Gazelles, Giraffes, Baboons, and Hippos. The birdlife is fantastic – in some areas, up to 400 bird species have been identified!

Think of the majestic Baobab tree (some tribes believe that the tree was indeed planted upside-down!), and there are hundreds of varieties of thorn trees! You will also see the acacia-dotted landscape, endless plains, majestic mountains, and the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises imaginable! Think of a late afternoon thunderstorm, short but violent, and then the beautiful rainbow.