About The Area

Tanzania is certainly one of the most scientifically interesting countries in the world. While it is relatively unknown for tourism, scientists flock to Tanzania to learn about some of the unique anomalies of nature; Lake Natron.

 Lake Natron is a salt and alkaline ‘soda lake’ in the Arusha region of northern Tanzania. It sits within the Gregory Rift just south of the Lake Manyara National Park. The lake is a maximum of 57km long and 22km wide during the wet season and the water temperature is very high during the dry seasons. This is partly why Lake Natron seems to steam and evaporate.

The high levels of evaporation have left behind Natron (which is Sodium Carbonate Decahydrate) and Trona (Sodium Sesquicarbonate Dihydrate) which causes the lake to have a PH level of greater than 12. In combination with the volcanic rock surroundings and very low calicum & magnesum levels, this allowed the lake to concentrate into a caustic alkaline brine.

While this brine is not particularly harmful in small doses, it is strong enough for the Maasai to regularly treat hard skin on their feet and to calcify animals that have perished in the water. 

The area around Lake Natron is particularly volcanic, and is in close proximity to the Volcano Ol Doniyo Lengai – which is sacred to the Maasai and pours black lava. Travellers may hike the volcano if you wish to! 

The Animals at Lake Natron

The lake is made famous by its enormous population of two  Flamingo species. The flocks travel between Lake Manyara, through Lake Natron and into Kenya depending on the seasons. It is very unlikely that you do not a layer of pink across the water. 

It is also not uncommon to see Zebra, Hienas, Buffalo and Wildebeest travelling across the sandy planes of the Gregory Rift. While their abundance depends on the seasons, they are easily spotted on the horizon of the flat rift floor.