Lake Natron is located on the border between Kenya and Tanzania, in the heart of a volcanic moon landscape in the Great Rift Valley. The incredible colours of Lake Natron are a result of the blue algae that thrive in the saltwater of the lake and walks around the lake and to the streams and waterfalls over the nearby steeping slopes are a unique experience. Glistening mirages can sometimes be seen at the lake's northern end.
A lot of water vaporises from the lake in the dry season, which increases the salt level of the remaining water. Micro-organisms such as blue algae thrive in this environment. The pigment in the plasma layers of the algae's cells causes a deep red colour in the deeper parts of the lake and an orange colour in the shallower sections. But these are not the only colours to emblazon the water: Lake Natron is the only breeding place of the lesser flamingo. Every year some 2 million lesser flamingos alight here to lay eggs and breed. They eat a blue-green algae found in the lake called spirulina and the red pigment in this algae gives the flamingos their colour.
