Northern Circuit · Lake Natron & Ol Doinyo Lengai
Lake Natron: Flamingos & the mountain of God
A raw, otherworldly soda lake beneath the active volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai: the main breeding ground of East Africa's lesser flamingos.
Natron sits at the bottom of the Rift Valley, far from the busy circuit. Walk to waterfalls in the Ngare Sero gorge, see ancient human footprints at Engare Sero and watch flamingos stain the shoreline pink.
Adventurous travellers can make a night ascent of Ol Doinyo Lengai, the sacred "Mountain of God" of the Maasai, to reach its steaming crater at sunrise.
Key facts
- Altitude: ≈600 m
- Lengai summit: 2,962 m
- Best time: Jun–Dec
- Ideal stay: 2 nights
Highlights
- Lesser flamingo colonies
- Ngare Sero waterfalls
- Engare Sero footprints
- Ol Doinyo Lengai climb
- Maasai walking safaris
Wildlife you may see
Lesser flamingo, Ostrich, Gerenuk, Fringe-eared oryx, Zebra