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Famous for its redish-pink color and being the birthplace and breeding grounds for over 70% of lesser flamingos in the world and their only breeding ground in East Africa. Lake Natron sits on the border of Tanzania and Kenya just north of Ol Doinyo Lengai and Ngorongoro Crater. Lake Natron is a salt or alkalinke lake and is nearly uninhabitable due to its high pH levels. The lake is fed from the Southern Ewaso Ng'iro River flowing from Kenya and mineral-rich hot springs that frequent the region. Temperatures at the lake are frequently above 40 °C (104 °F). These high tempreatures cause mass evaporation of the lake water which not only makes the lake shallow, 3 meters or 10 feet deep, it changes its chemistry. The rapid evaporation leave behind natron, hence the name. The surrounding bedrock is made up of alkaline, sodium-dominated trachyte lavas from ancient volcanic eruptions. This lava hae high amounts of carbonate but are low in calcium and magnesium which combined with the water and heat creates an a caustic alkaline brine with a pH level greater than 12. Any living thing that dies in the lake becomes calcified. The high evaporation rate also causes the lake to have its distinct color. As the water evaporates, salinity levels increase to a point that salt-loving microorganism begin to thrive. These microorganisms create their own food through photosynthesis and through this process turn red, orange, or pink depending on the species. Most animals find Lake Natron inhospitable other than some endimic algae, invertebrates, a couple of fish species, and select birds, which makes it an ideal breeding and nesting grounds for lesser flamingos who also get their color from this lake. But since this is the only lake like this in East Africa, the lesser flamingo is considered near threatened due to their dependence on it for survival.
Lake Natron National Park Day Trip
$365 for 1 person
$210/each for 2 people
$160/each for 3 people
$135/each for 4 people
$120/each for 5 people
$110/each for 6+ people