Lake Natron and the sacred mountain to the Masai "Ol Doinyo Lengai"

Lake Natron is a salt lake located in northern Tanzania, in the area of ​​Arusha on the border with Kenya, and the eastern part of the African Rift Valley is embedded in the Gregory Rift, and inhabited by about 2.5 million pink flamingos crowding the its banks especially in the dry season, from June to October

The lake rises at an altitude of about 600 meters, has an area of ​​about 600 square kilometers and near its southeastern shore is the volcano 'Ol Doinyo Lengai' sacred mountain for the Maasai population, which considers it the home of the god Leng ' to. The main tributary of the lake is the Ewaso Ng'iro river which flows mainly in Kenya.

The lake that barely reaches the three meters of depth, varies its amplitude according to the filling level of its reservoir.

The tracks to reach the Natron are those that come from the Serengeti, and the one that comes from the Manyara are extremely scenic and offer the possibility of meeting with the Maasai communities that live outside the most touristic circuits; near the lake it is possible to go trekking, not particularly demanding, but you can go into the water a few inches deep, and it is therefore necessary to have non-slip shoes. A visit to Lake Natron is certainly aimed at those who wish to see something different than the classic safari itineraries given the almost absence of wildlife; Lake Natron is chosen for the peculiarity of landscapes, the possibility of a small trek and a close encounter with the Masai population.

Its characteristic color, a deep dark red with superficial whitish streaks due to the accumulation of sodium, is a peculiarity common to that type of lakes in which intense evaporation cycles occur. With the evaporation of water during the dry season, the level of salinity increases to such a point that colonies of microorganisms quickly begin to thrive. These microorganisms include cyanobacteria which contain a bright red pigment responsible for the color of Lake Natron, which nevertheless assumes tonal variations tending to orange in the parts where the water is less deep. In addition to these bacteria, the only living thing that can survive in its waters is the flamingo, thanks to a horny protective layer on its legs and beak: in fact the water of this lake is not only undrinkable, but extremely caustic even for the skin. This is due to the high content of a natural compound that is lethal for many animals: sodium hydrate carbonate, known as Natron.

On the shores of the lake the filming of the naturalistic documentary "The mystery of the pink flamingos", shot by Walt Disney Pictures, was filmed.

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