Activities around Lake Natron
Activities around Lake Natron: Lake Natron is a shallow salt lake which is located in the northern part of Tanzania at the border with Kenya and is found in the eastern arm of the Great Rift Valley.
Enormous flocks of flamingos can be seen along the shores of Lake Natron. This lake is also a breeding ground for the flamingos. Apart from the many flamingos, the Maasai can also be seen around Lake Natron and they also act as guides during safaris in the destination.
Lake Natron is fed by Ewaso Ngiro river in Kenya. During safaris to Lake Natron, there are a variety of activities which tourists can engage in and they include the following;
Climbing
Tourists also engage in climbing Ol donyo lengai which mountain is at 2962 meters during their safaris to this destination up to the edge of the crater. The hikes start early in the morning to the top of the volcano which takes about 4 to 5 hours.
Descend from the mountain takes about 4 hours and some of the recommended equipment to be used during the hike on Ol donyo lengai includes hiking sticks, good hiking shoes and a jacket among other items.
Guided walks
Guided walks around the destination include walking to the hominid footprints at Lake Natron where well preserved footprints of humans dated to about 5000 to 12000 years ago can be seen in the mud. Other walks around Lake Natron include walks to the Ngare sero gorge, walks in the forest where giraffes can be seen.
Flamingo and bird watching experience
Flamingos are among the birds which can be seen along the shores of Lake Natron during a safari experience. The flamingos feed on the algae in the soda lake which is also their breeding ground.
In the dry season, many birds migrate to the lake area annually to nest in the salty places.
Trekking
Trekking to the escarpment is one of the activities which tourists engage in as they explore attractions around Lake Natron. The activity starts early in the morning to the foothills of the mountain.
The Maasai are encountered during these treks for example at Leparakashi where the Maasai graze their livestock. The trek takes up to about 3 hours of enjoying the beautiful scenery around the destination.
Maasai cultural experience
The Maasai are part of the experience during a safari around Lake Natron. The Maasai can be seen in Engaresaro and during a cultural experience with the Maasai, the tourists engage in interactions with the locals as they discover more about their traditional way of life and culture.
There are also visits to the Maasai homes also referred to as bomas during the cultural experience. The Maasai also sing and dance for the visitors as the Maasai warriors perform their local dances
Maasai also have a unique culture and are also known for their nomadic way of life. They also depend highly on their livestock such as cows, goats and sheep for meat and the Maasai also drink the blood of their livestock.
The Maasai women also make traditional arts such as the famous beaded jewelry of the Maasai like earrings and necklaces which are also displayed for sale. In order to photograph the Maasai, some instances require permission before taking the pictures.
During a cultural experience with the Maasai, the guides take the tourist to their family of origin for an amazing cultural interaction. The tourists also participate in milking of the cows when they come back from the pastures.
Attractions
There are also different attractions which can be seen around Lake Natron and they include;
Waterfalls
The beautiful Ngare sero waterfalls can be seen during an experience around Lake Natron. There are hikes which take place through the rift valley up to the Ngare sero gorge and tourists enjoy views of the volcanic rocks and lush tropical palms.
Ol donyo lengai
Ol donyo lengai is a volcano which is also referred to as a sacred mountain. During hikes on the mountain, hikers are able to enjoy views of Lake Natron to the north and on a clear day also to see Mountain Kilimanjaro.
The mountain is also referred to as the “mountain of God” in the Maasai language and is found in the southern end of the Great Rift Valley. Over the years eruptions have occurred in Ol donyo lengai such as from 1880 to 1967.
The volcanic crater on this mountain is also another attraction which can be seen during hiking experiences on Ol donyo lengai.
Plunge pool
The natural pool at Lake Natron is a large pool of spring water where you can engage in activities such as swimming.
Rift valley
The rift valley is also an attraction during a safari experience around Ol donyo lengai and Lake Natron. There are treks which take place to the rift valley wall and also tourists climb to the Ngare sero gorge.
How to get there
Lake Natron is about 3 hours drive from Mto wa mbu town which is located near Lake Manyara national park in the northern part of Tanzania.
Visit Lake Natron and enjoy an adventure around the Mountain of God as you interact with the Maasai people.
