Lake Natron is one of the beautiful places you must endeavor to visit on Earth and is found within the Arusha region of Tanzania. This Salt/or Soda Lake is one of the Alkaline Lakes in East Africa set within the Eastern branch of the East African Rift Valley, in the renowned Lake Natron Basin. Being a salt Lake, water flows in and doesn’t flow out except by evaporation which leaves behind concentrations of salt and other minerals. The Lake is about 56 kilometers (35 miles) long and 24 kilometers (15 miles) wide, with changing water levels due to evaporation.
Lake Natron is predominantly fed by the southern Ewaso Ng’iro River that flows through to Central Kenya and by the mineral-plenteous hot springs. Given the extreme alkalinity of the Lake’s water, it has deterred human or any life from settling in the area thus provided a safe breeding environment for flamingos.
History of Lake Natron
The magnificent Lake Natron basin was added to the “Ramsar List of wetlands of International Importance on 4th July 2001, due to its exceptional bird diversity.
Location of Lake Natron.
Lake Natron is found within Northern Tanzania, bordering Kenya and adjacent to the spectacular Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Serengeti National Park, that are only 135 kilometers away.
This makes the site a perfect add-on tourist site for visitors travelling to or from these two popular tourist sites. The Lake is also in close proximity with Ol Donyo Lengai that is able to be seen on the southern part.
Wildlife of Lake Natron.
Lake Natron is so much of a wildlife destination, although occasionally receives animal visitors such as the Gerenuk, zebras, Golden jackals, Gazelles, lesser and greater kudu, Fringed-eared Oryx and many others.
This salt Lake is also a renowned breeding place for three quarters of the World’s population of the colorful Rift Valley flamingos that usually make their nests within the soda flats in the months of August, September and October. Besides the flamingos, other bird species you are likely to see in/or around Lake Natron are white-bellied go-away bird, Buff-crested bustard, crested francolins, Little bee-eater, Abyssinian scimitarbill, Cattle egret, Gray-hooded gull, Pink-backed pelicans, Chestnut-bellied Sand grouse, Speckled pigeons, white-browed Coucal, Kori Bustard, Fork-tailed Drongo, Rupell’s Griffon vultures, common ostriches, Bare-faced go-away bird, Helmeted guineafowls, Gull-billed tern, Egyptian goose, Woodland kingfisher, Chestnut-banded plovers, Secretary bird, Tawny eagles, Bateleur, slender-tailed nightjar, crowned lapwing, Speckled mousebird, Nubian woodpecker, Taita fiscal, Donaldson-smith’s nightjar, Marabou storks, Mourning collared-doves, yellow-necked francolin, Coqui francolin,
Other attractions around Lake Natron.
Stunning waterfalls.
Lake Natron and its surrounding area is undeniably an area of rich natural diversity, including stunning waterfalls with jaw-dropping views and ideal for swimming. These waterfalls are characterized by wild Palms growing above the gorge.
Gelai Volcano (2942 meters above sea level).
The 2942 meters Volcano is set within the south-eastern boundary of Lake Natron, in the Crater Highlands region. The Volcano is believed to have experienced activity, less than one million years ago and is also associated to several earth quakes that happened in 2007.
For your visit at Lake Natron, make sure to visit this spectacular Volcano, beaming with rich history.
Peninj Archeological site.
This exceptional historical site is where archeologists unearthed the Peninj Mandible, the fossilized jaw of Australopithecus boisei (hominin) in 1964. This historical site is significant to the study of human evolution because besides the fossilized teeth, other fossils totaling to over 120 were discovered in the area. This thrilling site is only 80 kilometers from Olduvai Gorge, another remarkable paleoanthropological site that you can also visit during your Tanzanian safari.
Tourist activities at/around Lake Natron
Bird watching
Bird watching is the number one activity conducted around Lake Natron and it also takes pride in being the best site for spotting flamingos in Africa. Birding here guarantees over 100 species during a single birding trip. Some of the species of birds to look forward to are the Ashy cisticola, Red-throated tit, common bulbul, Pale white-eye, superb starlings, spotted morning thrush, African gray flycatcher, Little bee-eater, Abyssinian scimitarbill, Cattle egret, Gray-hooded gull, Pink-backed pelicans, Chestnut-bellied Sand grouse, Speckled pigeons, white-browed Coucal, Kori Bustard, Fork-tailed Drongo, Rupell’s Griffon vultures, common ostriches, Bare-faced go-away bird, Helmeted guineafowls, Gull-billed tern, Egyptian goose, Woodland kingfisher, Chestnut-banded plovers, Abyssinian thrush, yellow Bishop, red-billed fire finch and many others.
Cultural tours to Masai Boma.
Cultural tours around Lake Natron are mainly conducted at Engaresero Village, occupied by the Maasai communities where you will discover their rich cultural heritage. This Pastoralist community still practices its ancient lifestyle of keeping livestock as well as moving with their herds in harmony with weather patterns.
Guided nature walk/Hiking.
A guided walk around the baked mud and shores of the Soda Lake is a wonderful way of relishing the beautiful scenery of the Lake and other creatures that thrive in it. One of the popular walks is the 30-45 minutes’ Engero Sero waterfall walk, conducted under the guidance of local Masai guides and involves crossing the Ngare Sero River as well as the shady gorge. Other worthwhile walks include the Engaresero cultural tour, herding tours, flamingo’s walks, waterfall tour and the hot spring tour among others.
Swimming.
Swimming is not usually done in the alkaline waters of Lake Natron but the surrounding area. After 30 to 45 minutes’ waterfall walk, the best way to cool off from the hot temperatures is by relaxing in the waters of the beautiful natural swimming pool, at the back of the semi tunnel below the Lake Natron waterfalls.
Volcano climbing.
The brave and strong-hearted hikers visiting Lake Natron can decide to challenge themselves by hiking the nearby Ol Donyo Lengai. Hikes usually start by noon, take 6-7 hours and involve spending overnight at its peaks where magnificent views are relished.
Picnics.
Tourists interested in picnicking during Tanzanian safaris can do it near Lake Natron, with top sites being on top of Lengai after hours of hiking as well as the Rift Valley wall.
Visit to Archeological sites.
If visiting historical and archeological sites is your idea of a tour, then you should consider visiting Lake Natron area. The site is the home to the Peninj Mandible, the fossilized jaw of Australopithecus boisei and many other fossils that explain human evolution. The Salt Lake is also a stone throw from Olduvai Gorge, another wonderful Archeological site that can be explored during your wide historical tour.
Camel tours.
Few places in East Africa offer Camel tours and if you find any, count yourself lucky. There are a number of Lodges such as Lake Natron Tented Camp and Kamakea River Campsite that offer camel rides on the shoreline and other surrounding areas.
Lake Natron permits and fees.
Lake Natron is considered a Wildlife Management Area and thus a permit is required to visit the area. There are 3 gate fees (Engaruka, Longido and Ngare Sero) you have to pay at Engaresero Village that total to $35. Also obtain a permit for the Wildlife Management Area at Arusha Office costing $23.60 per person.
Best time to visit Lake Natron.
As you are planning to visit Lake Natron, you should be mindful of the weather, so as to have enough time to prepare adequately. This Lake can be visited all year round but the dry season (months of June, July, August and September) is good for walking tours.
The wet season (months of November, December, January, February, March, April and May) brings new life to the Lake Natron Area with verdant vegetation. Flamingos here lay eggs at the end of the dry season in September and early October) and hatch at the beginning of the rainy/wet season with the climax being in December. This is the most interesting time for bird watching.
Where to stay?
Travelers with plans of exploring Lake Natron as part of their long Tanzanian safaris can stay at Moivaro Lake Natron Tented Camp, Lake Natron Halisi Camp, Ngare Sero Lake Natron Camp, Maasai Giraffe Eco-lodge or Maasai Giraffe Campsite and many others. The most interesting thing about these accommodation facilities is that not only do they make your stay memorable but also offer flamingos walks on the shores of Lake Natron, cultural tours that follow the footsteps of the Maasai people and many others.
Other places near Lake Natron to include in your Tanzania Itinerary.
Giver the fact that Lake Natron is not a wildlife destination, the most logical decision is to first explore the wildlife destinations such as Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area, then proceed to Lake Natron for the flamingo walk, waterfall tours and cultural tours before returning to Arusha.
How to get there?
Lake Natron is located at approximately 112 kilometers northwest of Arusha and the most-commonly used route in accessing the area is using the route from Mto wa Mbu, a little village on the Arusha-Karatu main road, opposite Lake Manyara National Park. If you are travelling from Karatu (the most obvious gateway into Ngorongoro), the journey will take 5-6 hours but if coming from Mto wa Mbu, you will spend 3-4 hours on the road.