Lake Natron, Alkaline lake in northern Tanzania
Spanning 35 miles (57 kilometers) in length, the waters display deep red hues created by salt-tolerant microorganisms and accumulated mineral deposits from surrounding volcanic terrain.
Over thousands of years, ongoing evaporation combined with limited water outflow transformed this body from a freshwater system into a shallow alkaline basin within the East African Rift Valley.
The area provides habitat for Maasai communities who have maintained their traditional herding routes along the shoreline for generations and offer visitors insight into their way of life.
Access works best between June and November when dirt roads remain passable and water levels drop, revealing flamingo nesting sites along the southern shoreline near Engare Sero village.
Over one million lesser flamingos depend on these waters as their primary global breeding ground, with the extreme alkalinity deterring predators from reaching nesting areas on salt crusts.
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