The extinct Gelai Volcano, standing at 2942 m tall, is visible southeast of the lake.

In fact, the lake is home to the highest concentrations of lesser and greater flamingos in East Africa, where they feed on spirulina – a green algae with red pigments. The saline waters make the lake inhospitable for many plants and animals, yet the surrounding salt water marshes are a surprising habitat for flamingos. Despite its dark colour in this image, Lake Natron is often bright red owing to the presence of microorganisms that feed on the salts of the water. Lake Natron is around 60 km long and is fed mainly by the Ewaso Ng'iro River. This is a harsh, wild and fascinating region.The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission takes us over two saline lakes in East Africa: the larger Lake Natron in northern Tanzania and the smaller Lake Magadi, just over the border in Kenya. Young children herd goats, elders in bright red togas sit under acacias and the morani (warriors) watch guard, spears in their hands, intricate beading around their necks and ochre in their hair. The wildlife lives side by side with the Maasai and scattered throughout the surrounding plains are numerous Maasai manyattas (villages), crooked sticks and cracked clay houses arranged around cattle kraals under the hot sun. Natron is also the only known breeding ground for East Africa's millions of lesser flamingos which cover the lake between August and October. There is good game viewing and birding in this harsh landscape with dry country species such as gerenuk, lesser kudu and oryx a speciality. Lying in a beautifully scenic area below the Rift Valley escarpment, Lake Natron has such a high concentration of sodium, that the water is often viscous to the touch. Further north still is the spectacular soda lake of Natron.

There are rugged mountains where vultures soar and baboon bark, dusty gorges where the Maasai bring their cattle to drink and endless grassy plains. North of the Ngorongoro Crater, and far from the beaten track, you will find the Maasai's Mountain of God - Ol Doinyo L'Engai.Īn active carbonate volcano, it is a focal point for the Maasai, whose land stretches out for hundreds of miles from it.

Where is natron lake