Eat some dust on your way to remote Lake Natron

Eat some dust on your way to remote Lake Natron

Eat some dust on your way to remote Lake Natron – do you like to roughen it a bit? Do you like to beat the crowds in Tanzania. Enjoy some off road driving on dusty and bumpy back roads? If the answer is yes – than 4×4 off-road-trip highly recommends a visit to Lake Natron, an out-of-space experience. Visit this area for its remoteness, spectacular scenery and the possibility to do a challenging night hike up to Oldoinyo Lengai, an active volcano.

This area lies northeast of the Ngorongoro Crater close to the border of Kenya. Lake Natron sits at the lowest point of the rift valley – 600m above sea level – and is probably the world’s most caustic body of water. The alkalinity levels of the lake can become so concentrated, that they almost approach that of straight ammonia, and the water is often viscous to touch. Yet the clear water surface misleads birds who happily dive in the water, after which their skin burns and they tragically die. Due to the high presence of natron ( a mineral salt) in the lake, these birds undergo a natural process of mummification, and you can come across stoned birds washed up along the lake shores…

Few predators can survive here, and the result is a safe breeding ground for the millions of flamingos who return here annually to nest. They feed on an algae with red pigments.

Things to do around Lake Natron

Activities in the Lake Natron area focus mainly on walks and enjoying the fascinating scenery. You can walk out across the baked mud to the shores of the great soda lake itself, in which algae and zooplankton thrive – which in turn attract the flamingos that line the lake’s shore.

You can walk up to the Engero Sero Waterfalls. This walk winds up through a shady gorge (very welcome in the heat) between steep cliffs. After a few hours, you’ll reach a beautiful natural swimming pool surrounded by steep rock walls – showered by cascades of spring water and overlooked by palm trees.

The fit and brave might like to try and climb Oldoinyo Lengai, an active volcano. This climb usually starts at midnight, to avoid the heat, and you climb for around six hours, through the night, to reach the spectacular views of the top by sunrise. Oldoinyo Lengai is not a climb to take lightly, it’s a very tough.

Best time to Eat some dust on your way to remote Lake Natron

The cooler months here (June, July and August) are hot but bearable; the rest of the year has very high temperatures. In December and January, the lake shores swarm with flamingos, as then is the time most of their eggs hatch.

Where to include Lake Natron in my Tanzania itinerary?

The most logical route is to visit the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Serengeti first, and then continue to Lake Natron. Return via Mto wa Mbu to Arusha, or via Longido to West Kilimanjaro Area which is close to JRO International Airport. Lake Natron is included in our Northern Circuit – off-the-beaten-track itinerary. 

Not everyone is aware of the driving times to and from Lake Natron. At least spend 2 nights ( but preferably 3) in the area, because it takes a travel day to get there to and from. 

To get from central Serengeti (Seronera) to Lake Natron in a day is not recommendable or feasible. The best is to camp/stay at a lodge near Kleins Gate, in the northeastern corner of the Serengeti. From Kleins Gate, it’s 4-5 hours to Lake Natron. There is a tarmac road from Klein’s gate to Wasso town. From Wasso to Sonja is an all-weather gravel road. The last 20 km before Engaresero is a rough road. 

You can take two routes back to Arusha / JRO Airport:

Either straight down south, via Engaruka to Mto wa Mbu, the gateway town of Manyara National Park. Engaresero to Mto wa Mbu takes about 3 – 4 hours.

Or via Longido to West Kilimanjaro Area ( Matadi). It’s a scenic drive on tarmac back roads and all-weather via Longido, Oldonyosambu and Engare Nanyuki. It takes about 7 hours. 

Lake Natron permits and fees

Natron lies in a Wildlife Management Area. These are countrywide conservation areas, established to benefit and help local communities throughout Tanzania. When visiting Lake Natron, a Wildlife Management Association (WMA) permit is required. 

There’s a small office in Engaresero, the gateway town to Lake Natron, where you’ll get the entrance permits, payable by credit card or cash. As the GPS system is weak in Lake Natron, we advise bringing some cash in case their payment terminal is down. 

Refer to the Tanzania Practical Information section, for an up-to-date overview of the entrance fees of all Tanzanian Parks.

Best places to stay at Lake Natron area

• Lake Natron Halisi Camp
• Lake Natron Camp (Summits Africa)
• Maasai Giraffe Eco-lodge / Maasai Giraffe Campsite