We visited Lake Natron mid of October 2023 and I would like to share some of our experiences as information on the internet was either outdated or incomplete when we did our research prior to the trip:
How to get to Lake Natron
It took less than 6 hours by car from Arusha to reach lake Natron. The roads were mostly in a good condition at least for a jeep or SUV. From Lake Natron it took us 3.5 hours by car to reach Lake Manyara.
Where to stay
We stayed at one of the camps on the Southern end of the lake, near the beautiful Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano (2962 m). Fortunately, our camp (“Lake Natron Camp”) was located in walking distance from the lake and there was a small fresh water stream along the tents which attracted many types of birds (see below), but also zebras and wildebeest which we had not expected to see in very short distance (10 meter) from our tent.
What to do
Different tours are offered incl. hiking in the mountains with visit to a waterfall, but we just focused on the 1000+ meter radius around our camp. Wow came to lake Natron to see flamingos and the experience was awesome, just in walking distance from the camp. The early morning and late afternoon are perfect times for a walk to the lake as the light is very beautiful and the temperature moderate. From 11:00 to 16:00 it is better to hide in the shade as it is getting very hot. There were many thousand flamingos at this side of the lake at any time and it was possible to get close enough for good photos and videos. In the evening we also saw large swarms of flamingos flying near the camp. There are no predators or other major risks in this area and it is ok to walk to the lake without a guide, but it is recommended to engage one of the Masai guides for such tours.
A very positive surprise was the diversity of birds along the stream near the camp, see examples below. A few hundred meter from the entrance of the camp we discovered giraffes and the nest of a Tawny eagle and asked our guide if it is ok to visit this area. He confirmed and when were close, were even allowed to walk around as there are no dangerous predators near the lake. It was a wonderful experience to see giraffes from close distance during a walk.
Flamingo Experience
Like most visitors, we came to lake Natron to see lots of flamingos and the experience was fantastic. Fortunately, plans for a factory at the lake were not realized and lake Natron remains a perfect place for flamingos. October is a good time of the year to see them as they are breeding during this time and as the weather is good. Most flamingos at the lake are Lesser Flamingos, but there are also Greater Flamingos. The difference can be seen well in the photo below:
Some more flamingo impressions are covered by the slideshow below:
Other Birds In Walking Distance From The Camp
Along the stream near the camp we saw Hamada ibis, Black-headed Ibis, Marabou Storks, Blacksmith Lapwings, Egyptian Geese, Whiskered Terns, Pied Avocet, Wire-tailed Swallows, Wood Sandpiper and three types of plover birds (Kittlitz’s, Chestnut-banded, Three-banded). Some of them are covered by the slideshow below:
Ingo Moench Photography 