Lake Natron is located 135 kilometres north of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and a similar distance from the Serengeti National Park. The lake is largely inhospitable to most life forms, thus providing 2.5 million flamingos protection from greedy predators eyeing their eggs. The lake has great ecological importance as it is the only place in East Africa where the flamingos breed, in a safe environment where the water’s alkaline nature deters much other life from settling in the surrounding area. Fed by mineral-rich springs and the Ewaso Ng’iro River, the lake is part of the East Rift Valley and lies north of the Ngorongoro Crater.
The salmon-pink birds can be seen gingerly picking their way through the soda lake and nesting on ash-coloured mud mounds.
The fierce colours of Lake Natron melt from burnt oranges to fuchsias and maroons, while once a year a colour clash of magnificent proportions occurs as East Africa’s largest flock of lesser flamingos swarm to the lake to breed.
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