Travel Guide Lac Natron

The lake takes its name from natron, a mineral present in high concentration in its waters. With a pH higher than 10, the slightest contact with the water can be dangerous for humans and animals. Only the lesser flamingos seem to tolerate and appreciate this hostile ecosystem. Lake Natron is even their privileged place of reproduction. Lake Natron is one of the few salt lakes on Earth, and offers almost lunar landscapes. Almost dry during the hot season, it is more like a salty crust, slightly pink, which covers an almost infinite and perfectly flat area. Only the surrounding mountain ranges inscribe this surreal landscape in a defined space... And give you some reference points. On the track which leads to Natron, almost non-existent by places, we pass some Maasai communities, and we remain dreaming in front of the extreme conditions of life that these men and these women know... It is a landscape of total desolation and, at the same time, of an unreal beauty. On the way, we also meet hot springs where it is sometimes even possible to bathe. The surroundings of the lake are perfect for exploring on foot. It is the best way to reach the most beautiful panoramas, in particular by taking a little height on the surrounding craters. The ascents are relatively easy, so it is not necessary to be in an Olympic physical shape to enjoy these landscapes. It is however absolutely necessary to be accompanied by a guide.