Lake Natron is a salt or soda lake in northern Tanzania, not far from Lake Manyara. It is in the Gregory Rift, which is part of the East African Rift and runs east to west. A volcano called Ol Doinyo Lengai is right next to the lake.

Lake Natron is not very deep—less than three meters—and its width changes based on the level of the water. The lake spans 57 km in length and 22 km in width. The area gets rain at different times of the year, mostly from December to May. Most of the time, the lake is warmer than 40 ° C.

As the lake’s fresh water disappears, water that is high in salt minerals like sodium and trona stays behind. There are times when the lake’s pH level is more than 12. Blue algae and certain bugs grow well here, making it a great place for birds to lay their eggs. Some cyanobacteria are halophilic, and they make their own food through photosynthesis, just like plants. The deep red color of the lake’s water comes from the red pigment in those cyanobacteria. In the shallow parts, the water is orange. The alkali salt crust on the lake’s surface is red or pink because of bacteria that live there and love salt.

Lake Natron is a great place for flamingos to raise their young.

Most animals don’t like living near Lake Natron because it is too acidic, too hot (up to 60°C), and too salty for them to survive. However, flamingos find it a safe place to lay their eggs. Because of this, it makes a good barrier for predators trying to get to nests on yearly evaporation islands. More than two million flamingos come here every year to lay their eggs. Between September and April, the chicks hatch. The amount of salt in the water is making more cyanobacteria grow, and the lake can hold more babies. In the Wadden Sea, bigger birds also lay their eggs.

Animals that live in Lake Natron

Some fish, like tilapia, can live in water that is a little less salty close to the shore. Some plants, invertebrates, and birds that are only found in Lake Natron also live there. Tens of thousands of other birds can be seen near the lake, which makes it a popular spot for bird fans in Africa.

National Parks close by

There are also good roads that link Lake Natron to other national parks, like Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in the south, and the Northern Serengeti National Park in the west. Most of the time, Lake Natron is seen after Lake Manyara National Park.

Trips and things to do in Lake Natron

Check out a real Maasai village.
A walk around Lake Natron
The rock Ol Doinyo Lengai has a beautiful view.
Climb Ol Doinyo Lengai (not for everyone, and at your own risk!)
You should be careful and not take everyone to the waterfall if you decide to walk there.
Watching birds (if you’re lucky, you might see a lot of flamingos)
Photography: the view of the volcano and the big escarpment
Time to Travel Lake Natron
It takes 6 hours to get from Arusha to Lake Natron.
It takes 4 hours to get from Tarangire to Lake Natron.
3 hours to get from Lake Manyara to Lake Natron.
It takes 4 hours to get from Karatu to Lake Natron.
4 and a half hours from Northern Serengeti to Lake Natron
Three hours to get from Mto Wa Mbu to Lake Natron.

How to get around Lake Natron according to our experts

My name is Bosco, and I’ve been taking people to Lake Natron for more than 20 years. Natron is a place that our guests really like. People also like it because it’s different from other game drives and gives them a chance to stretch their legs and do other things before continuing their tour. We often go from Lake Natron to the Northern Serengeti to see the river crosses starting at the end of July.

How long are you staying? At least two nights

What kind of lodging? Maasai Giraffe Eco Camp is for people on a tight budget, and Lake Natron Camp is for people who want to live the high life.

The best time to go to Lake Natron

It’s hard to say when the flamingos will be in Lake Natron because it has changed a lot in the past few years and depends on how much rain there has been. Your car is likely to get stuck in the mud at Lake Natron during the rainier months, so you should stay away from it in those times. So, the best time to drive to Lake Natron is from July to October.