Welcome to Lake Natron Camp

We hope you enjoy your stay with us and we intent to make your stay as comfortable as possible. Please ask the manager any questions or concerns you may have while you are at camp. There are a myriad of activities to partake during the day, dusk, dawn and even at night. You may walk on the soda flats beside the lake, see wildlife, trek to waterfalls at the Engare Sero River, view or even climb the volcano, Oldoinyo Lengai, and many other amazing sights on foot! Please see your activities list on the back of this note for more options and information.

This is a wild environment and a water source, so please be as quiet and discrete as possible so not to create a disturbance for animals and other guests. Thank you.

Bedu Shade Tents – The Bedu tents were designed and patented by Timothy Leach (owner & director).

They are designed to keep you cool during the day and protected from both flying insects and the sometimes fierce winds. Since the camp is exposed, camouflage is important for keeping the entire camp less visible. The camp has only eight guest Bedu tents and one dining/common area tent: “The Boma” this is where you will have all your meals and where the bar is located. It is also a great area to relax and meet other guests.

All guest tents at Lake Natron Camp are named after the surrounding mountains.

Tent #1 – Lengai (first right)

Tent #2 - Kerimassi

Tent #3 - Kitumbeini

Tent #4 - Gelai

Tent #5 - Mosonik

Tent #6 - Sambu

Tent #7 - Shompole

Tent #8 – Guide tent (first left)

Communication – Please talk to the camp manager at the Boma (dinning) tent.

Swimming – We encourage that you cool off and relax in the stream in front of your tent.

Follow your private path to the stream. Please do not take any chemicals near the stream.

Tread carefully in the water as the stream bed is rocky. There are small fish (Tilapia) in the stream which provide food for many bird species. You may take the camp chairs to the stream if you wish.

Water – bathing water is manually pumped directly out of the spring at this oasis. Although this water is clean it contains low levels of soda and is therefore not suitable to drink, but is absolutely safe for brushing teeth and bathing. Please only drink the bottled water at the wash basin, in your tent and the water served at meals.

Bathrooms – your shower, basin and toilet are located in the back of your Bedu tent. Shampoo & conditioner are supplied in the bottles in the shower tent. The water is stored in a tank above your sink. Your toilet is a composting toilet and does not flush. It is maintained by staff daily and does not pollute the environment.

Clothing – You should use a masai shuka or sarong to wrap around your shoulders and when need be over your head. This will help you keep cool during the day, it will help keep flying insects away from your skin and will shelter you from strong winds. Wetting the shuka with water and laying it or rapping it around your body will dramatically help in cooling you down. Wearing light breathable clothes will make it more comfortable.

Rubber flip flops are best for walking through water and on the soda lake flats. Soda will damage leather shoes.

Mosquitoes – Lake Natron is generally a very windy area, however, when the wind is low and in the sunset hours there are nats and occasionally mosquitoes. If you use a repellent please keep the chemical away from the spring water to avoid pollution. When flying insects become unbearable please get inside your tent for a while.

Cautionary Note – Please be aware that scorpions, spiders and snakes inhabit this environment. Snakes are not commonly seen, and seldom poisonous. Scorpions are generally under rocks but will move around mostly at night. Spiders are more commonly seen moving around the paths. Watch your step and stay clear of these creatures. Always keep your tent zip closed.

Security – For your safety please do not walk away from camp after dark unless you are with a staff member. Please carry a torch with you at night and be aware of your surroundings as we sometimes have lion prides and hyenas passing through camp. This marsh is a good habitat for smaller creatures such as the endemic red collared cobra, so tread carefully but there is no need to be anxious.

Please do not leave valuables lying out in your tent. Tanzania is a developing country and sometimes temptation can be overpowering. Lake Natron Camp will not be responsible for lost, damaged or stolen items.

Meals – All meals are planned around your arrival and departure times. Otherwise dinner is served at 7pm and lunch between 12 and 1pm. Breakfast may be taken at anytime from 7-00am or earlier by arrangement for early departures. There is no dress code at the camp.

Laundry - Please leave any laundry in the large basket located in your Bedu tent. One full day is required before your laundry will be returned to you as we hand wash and air dry. Please ask management the rates for items.

ubbish/Trash – Please be very mindful not to drop any rubbish as it will be blown away quickly. You are provided with a small rubbish/trash basket in your tent as well as at the Boma tent. Staff will empty your basket daily and the rubbish will be taken away from this environment and will be dealt with responsibly.

Gratuities - Tipping is at your discretion. The camp staff share tips so please deposit cash in the tip box at the boma (dinning) tent . Any amount of tip is appreciated.

Payment - Please be aware that we cannot accept credit cards or personal cheques. We accept cash or travellers cheques provided your address and signature are included.

The Great Rift Valley stretches from northern Ethiopia to Mozambique in the south, a distance of about 5600km. The valley is created by two tectonic plates moving apart causing the valley floor to drop down leaving intact and fragmented valley walls or escarpments. The prominent escarpment in this area lies to the west. Volcanoes and craters of different ages are scattered around the valley. Oldoinyo Lengai ( Mountain of God) is the only active volcano in Tanzania. Volcanism around the Great Rift Valley produces soda (Sodium Carbonate) which is washed down by rain and ground water. Lake Natron sits at the lowest point of the valley in East Africa at an altitude of 600m or 2000feet above sea level. Here the water evaporates leaving behind very high concentrations of soda.

Algae and zooplankton thrive in this water which in turn supports great numbers of flamingos. The combination of remoteness and the hostility of the soda mud-flats, provides the flamingos with a relatively safe area to breed and rear chicks. The lake is also surrounded by scattered springs, some of which are fresh enough to provide drinking water for many species of animals, large and small. Camp is located at one of these oases.

This part of the Great Rift Valley is populated by the Masai peoples. There are Masai bomas spread around the area, but the main central village is several kilometres away to the west at the base of the escarpment. The village is named Engare Sero (similar to our lodge at the base of Mount Meru, Ngare Sero). Engare Sero means dappled water or black and white water.

This village gets its name from the river flowing out of the escarpment through a spectacular gorge that is both arid and lush. The source of the Engare Sero River is ground water originating from the Ngorongoro highlands.

We have a concession with the Engare Sero village to use this area for tourism. In return the village receives $20 per guest per night, plus a yearly land rent fee. It has been agreed that this money be used primarily for secondary education. We are also involved in community projects that have been requested by the villagers themselves.

Our presence here helps increase the value of the environment and its wildlife for the villagers and therefore gives incentive for the village to further protect and cherish this wild area. We also apply pressure to ensure that poaching of wildlife is reduced and dealt with by law.

57,500,000 Tshs has been paid into the village bank account as land rent and bed night fees.

Most of these earnings have gone to paying secondary school fees. A smaller part of these earnings have gone toward conservation efforts by the village council, such as attending meetings in Dar-es-salaam to protest the proposed soda ash mine on Lake Natron, which is now suspended!

An environmental and social impact assessment and audit was done for this camp.

This camp system scored high on this assessment, and we continue to operate a very low impact eco-camp.

We are located in a sensitive and important wetland environment that needs protection.

We physically protect this environment from livestock overgrazing, poaching and hunting.

We physically protect this important Lake Natron water source from pollution and over use.

All activities must be with a masai guide at an official rate of $20 per group per day.

Flamingos Walks - $10pp Lake Natron flats evening or morning walks to flamingos.

Bird Watching - $10pp Lake Natron flats evening or morning walks to ponds for bird watching.

Hominid Footprints - $10pp Walk to hominid footprints within our concession area. New research has now confirmed these trackways to be 117,000 years old, making them the oldest Homo sapien trackways!

Sundowner - $50 per group: Lake Natron sundowner on nearby hill. Order drinks of choice from the bar.

Water Falls - $50 per group: Our vehicle to the Engare Sero Gorge then walk to first water falls.

Gorge Source - $50 per group: Our vehicle to the Engare Sero Gorge then longer walk to upper water falls and to the source. Wear boots, take flip flops, 2 litres of water and snacks.

Oldoinyo Lengai climb - Our vehicle to the base. Leave camp at midnight for peak at sunrise.

Or leave camp at 2pm for overnight at south crater (only if volcano is calm).

On behalf of all the staff at Lake Natron Camp we wish you a happy stay and a good safari…