From the highlands, we drive 100 kilometers through the dramatic landscape of the East African Rift Valley to Lake Natron. The lake area is a truly unique experience in East Africa. The landscape of African savannah and forests gives way to steppe, where grasslands and solitary acacia trees reign supreme. The area is volcanic, as indicated by the black volcanic sand around us. South of the lake, Ol Doinyo Lengai (God's Mountain), the sacred mountain of the Maasai and the only active volcano in Tanzania, rises like a guardian of the valley. You can also climb the volcano. The ascent up the steep slope takes 5-6 hours, depending on your fitness level.
Lake Natron is part of a protected wetland area of global importance (a "Ramsar site"). Colonies of flamingos (Greater Flamingo and Lesser Flamingo) nest here, so the shores of the lake are more or less covered in the pink color of flamingos throughout the year. Zebras, giraffes, antelopes, impalas, hyenas, ostriches, and wildebeests roam around the lake. In the sky above us, vultures rise with the warm air in the mornings.
The charm of Natron lies in the fact that you can walk around the landscape, which is not possible in national parks. During a long morning walk to the lake, you may encounter giraffes stretching their necks towards the acacia trees. You can also visit the Ngaresero waterfall, which flows from the highlands and is full of volcanic minerals. Let the water cleanse you of your burdens and tensions. In an instant, you will forget the hours spent in a safari car.
An exceptional experience is certainly a trip to the eastern side of the lake, where you can bathe in warm thermal water, in complete silence, away from other visitors.
Lake Natron is Maasai territory. That is why you will be able to experience the Maasai culture in a completely authentic and unique way. They will welcome you into their villages, and you may even catch a celebration where you can immerse yourself in the sounds and dances of this proud and warm-hearted people.
"This area has been particularly close to our hearts from the moment we first set foot in it. The silence and pure spirit that pervades the space is similar to that of an Indian ashram, where masters teach their Truths. Here, nature itself is the master. And the mountain above the lake watches over it like a guardian of pure energy. If you surrender to the space, without expectations and in a relaxed manner, the wilderness will take away many of the tensions, anxieties, and "knots" that you brought with you from the "civilized world."
We also have many friends here – the Masai. Contact with the land, wilderness, and people will therefore be completely natural, not pre-arranged."
Aruna and Aljaž
