Lake Natron Camp, eco-camp in Northern Tanzania

Overview

This 10 tent luxury tented camp lies at the very edge of Lake Natron. Here you can experience the natural beauty of the lake, the dominating majesty of Ol Donyo lengai volcanic mountain as well as some amazing walking adventures! It is located within walking distance are the hominid footprints and Lake Natron where over 1 million flamingos come to breed.

The camp would appeal to visitors wanting to escape from the relative bustle of the ‘northern safari circuit’. You can experience authentic Maasai village life as it was for many hundreds of years. And enjoy a great sense of peace and serenity. It will also appeal to more adventurous, active visitors who are keen to walk and be out of a vehicle for a few days.

Accommodation at Lake Natron Camp

Lake Natron Camp comprises a central mess tent for relaxing and eating. The well-spaced ten spacious guest tents are cleverly disguised under camouflaged shade netting. Each tent consists of a shaded day bed area, main bedroom and en-suite bathroom with a shower and eco toilet. The main bedroom has with a comfy king-size bed, luxurious Egyptian linen and wooded furniture. Each tent can also accommodate 2 extra single beds upon request

A private path leads from each tent to their charming natural swimming pool in the spring-fed stream. Here a Bedouin tent with day beds and hammocks also offers welcoming shade in the heat of the day.

Activities at Lake Natron Camp

However part of the charm of this camp is the chance to leave the world of vehicle-bound safaris for a while. Activities include sunrise and sunset nature walks around Lake Natron when the light is at its best. The lesser flamingos feed on the red-tinged algae in soda lakes across East Africa. But they choose to breed almost exclusively at Lake Natron, especially between August and October. Then up to 2.5 million flamingos make Lake Natron their home.

Enjoy a sundowner walk overlooking Lake Natron, the Lengai and Gelai mountains and watch the sun go down over the great rift valley. Or visit the anicent hominid footprints and a variety of walks.

You can enjoy bird-watching in the area and visit the nearby hot springs, which are the life and blood of this area, where the birds love to preen. You can also visit the local Maasai village to see the local school, grab a drink at the bar or even see their new permaculture project and vegetable garden.

Lake Natron is also an excellent spot for walking. There are several walks on offer from the adventurous but relatively easy Engaresero Waterfall to more serious morning treks up the Rift valley escarpment. The camp also acts as the end point for the Great Rift valley trom Empakai to Lake Natron.

The camp has even trained some of the local Maasai women to do massages with a massage tip going straight to them.

Note: Lake Natron is hot, probably the hottest area you may visit in Tanzania. Generally the camp deals with this well with fans at your bedside. The Bedouin shade tent over the normal safari tent also helps. (see our Camp review for more info). But if you are visiting in the summer months of December to April, expect it to be hot during the day and night.

In Pictures

Lake Natron Camp on the map

Rooms

Luxury Tent

Lake Natron Camp holds ten spacious guest tents, cleverly disguised under camouflaged shade netting. Each tent is comprised of a porch area, main bedroom and en-suite bathroom with a shower and eco toilet. The main bedroom is furnished with a comfy king size bed*, luxurious Egyptian linen and furniture made from greenwood.

A private path leads from each tent to our natural swimming pool in the spring-fed stream.

*Each tent can also accommodate 2 extra single beds upon request

Review of Lake Natron camp by Kate

What a find! Lake Natron Camp is an interesting combination of both awe-inspiring serenity and wilderness, and adventure.I know that many people are under time pressure and so it may not be always possible to include this area. But if people have time, especially if they like to be active, it is well worth a visit.

What I also didn’t know is that there is a road which takes you from Lake Natron up the Rift valley escarpment and into the northern Serengeti National Park. So could be good to include especially at that time of year….

I loved this camp and its activities – but it is not for everyone.

Activities – great range of activities to suit most people. It’s best if clients were up for doing at least the waterfall walk, as well the usual walks to the lake and the footprints. Personally I think it would be great to try to fit in both the rift valley walk and the waterfall walk on day of departure if possible…

All the camp staff are local Maasai and our guide Gaudi (sic) was attentive, helpful and calm. Apparently he was hiking up Ol Donyo Lengai when it erupted back in 2004.

Camp - It is not for everyone as it is quite rustic but I felt that they did a great job of getting the mix right between rusticity and traveller comfort.

At first it looks a little like a series of army mess tents with the camouflage outer Bedouin tents. But this extra shade cover made a noticeable difference to the inner tent temperature, compared to other tents I have experienced in hot African months.

It was hot, but not unbearably so, and there are fans in the tents, right above the bed, which helped a lot.

(Apparently it is slightly cooler during the safari season (June to October) and very hot during the summer months of December to March/April. At the latter time, you would probably have to do the old safari trick of sleeping on a wet kikhoi to keep cool.)

I loved the natural swimming pool (even if I never did get used to the cichlid fish nibbling my feet). That was an inspired decision to create it and makes for a very pleasant afternoon of relaxation after a morning of walking.

The food was very good considering that fresh supplies only get there once every 1 to 2 weeks.