Tanzania's Volcanic Landscape and Flamingo Lake

The Magical “Tanzania's Most Spectacular View” Art is More Than a Photo Opportunity

Tanzania's enchanting vistas and landscapes — its very epochal beauty — are celebrated in the view that inspires the phrase: "Tanzania’s Most Spectacular View". It isn’t just the kind of eye candy that exists for the Instagrammable moment. It’s a window to the soul of the country, with sights that stretch over inhospitable terrain and outsize vistas. Although the creator is unknown, the scene showcases a couple standing on a rocky cliff, overlooking a vast expanse. It’s a glimpse of spirituality as much as beauty, the same as in the flamingos flying in the sky — the kind of wonder in the face of nature that might make one whisper “He lives in you. He lives in me.”

The Lake Natron Visitor to the Landed

Tanzania’s Most Spectacular View isn’t just any vista and its importance lies in the land itself, where the specular quality of its settings draws in visitors from all over the world. “Tanzania’s Most Spectacular View” is about showcasing the area's beauty, with a couple taking in the expanse from a rocky hill, then cutting to a volcanic lake and a group of flamingos — a “must see” scene recovered from a once-dangerous crater. Flora and fauna come together to anchor the visuals. The flamingos are a striking bird that flock to Lake Natron. This lake is at the heart of the area, with its calcium carbonate bed that creates the vibrant red appearance. Flamingos feed on the crustacean algae that thrives in the highly alkaline water, turning their feathers pink.

The Volcano and Lake Natron

Volcanic in origin, Lake Natron’s spectral allure lies in its flat, elliptical bed, sitting at 600 square kilometers, and nearly rectangular at 57 km by 22 km. It forms a stark contrast to its more commonly green lakes, a sight that can almost haunt the sightseer in its mysteriousness. For flamingos, though they don’t tinge the halo of the crater with their pink plumage, they create a more mystical image: battling the sun, stalking the shore, and edging the edge of the water.** It is 90 kilometers from Kajiado (a small town in Tanzania), and got its name from the river, which is fed by the spring water from the Ngorongoro-Highland, and Lake Natron, being a soda lake, has high concentrations of sodium and magnesium, with evaporation that converts the water to the snow-cape. With 18 Landsat images from 1985 to 2015, the lake got its name due to the high concentration of soda, which is harmful to humans, but of no issue to the flamingos, which would come to drink the salty and alkaline waters a critical component to their diet, and the algae also contains a compound that would act as a preservative that would help dried flamingos, mummified enough to preserve their eyes. Despite the dryness, though, Lake Natron is host to a wealth of birds, including the flamingo, which thrives in the water, as well as the Lake Natron, the just-divided “carlsbergensis” species of the Lake Natron genus, which is endangered largely due to the decrease in salinity.

The Lake Natron Flamingos

The lake is home to the greater flamingos. These birds are large, with a length of 110 to 150 cm, and a wing span of 120 to 165 cm, and are easily recognized for their pink plumage, and, naturally, with their long legs. These birds are a staple of the Lake Natron landscape, with their red-blue appearance — “a red halo” and the pink legs — in convenient juxtaposition with the dark volcanic soil, and the light, bright reflection of the lake. The greater flamingos would only get pink feathers when eating the brinyl and blue algae that thrive in the shallow waters of the lake. The bright pink color that makes Lake Natron’s flamingos extremely photogenic actually makes the pink color distinguishable from the dark and bright browns of the lake.

The Relationship Between the Water and Wildlife

Lake Natron hosts the greater flamingos, which are one of the bird species that live in the lake. The birds feed on algae, and the diet itself makes flamingos pink due to the carotenoids they consume in the organisms. The lake also creates a habitat for the lesser flamingos or “tiny flamingo,” “dwarf flamingo”. The greater flamingo, on the other hand, is a very large bird that is known for its pink feathers, which are found in bright red and blue, and its pink body, which has a comb-like crest. The lake is also known for its lush, bright color during the day, and the glowing of the flames as the sun sets on the lake and the surrounding landscape. In addition to the flamingos, the lake is also home to the larger flamingos, with the birds flamingos in the area of Lake Natron.

The Crow and the Flamingos

The flamingos are the most iconic bird that inhabits Lake Natron. They are known for their huge crowds that were revealed during the day when they flew over the lake and surrounding terrain, and before they were disturbed by the sun, which would reveal the intense color that was the result of the sun, and the violent hue. However, it’s not flamingos that are found in fields; it's the larger flamingos. The larger flamingos are also found in huge numbers in the area, and are not only found in large groups, but are also found in huge numbers. By contrast, Lake Natron Flamingos are found in large groups. And, the flamingos are known for their stunning, intense color that was revealed during the day, and the violent hue referred to as the “red halo”. THE EPIPHANY OF THE COUPLE But the true heart of the craggy vista — and what imbues it with such wonder — is the mystical quality of the image of the couple. They stand in love and awe in front of the view, bordered by the sea of salt and the volcanic terrain. Although the meaning of the phrase “He lives in you. He lives in me.” is unknown, the mystical scene is one that repeats the phrase almost like a mantra, like “a spiritual experience.” It encapsulates how the couple mirror the natural beauty of the land. They stand in front of the lake, and the sea of salt, looking out over the distant vista, and as they stand in the scene, the sun radiates over them, and the warm light makes the scene warmer. They are a story in their own right, one of spirituality as much as an image of awe.

How to Get There

The crucial thing about the journey to the top to see the spectacle is that it starts in Arusha, Tanzania. The journey is easy to do with good preparation, usually involving a vehicle that can take you on the off-road routes that will get you to the location. Travelers should watch out for the distance from Arusha to Lake Natron, one must pass through the town of Karatu. The whole journey takes about 2 hours and is said to cost between $200 to $300 per person. The drivers usually drive a premium sedan, and the price is usually the same for two or more people. The cost of the vehicle and car covers fuel and meals, and more often than not, the drivers will help with the parking and other aspects of the trip. The route to Lake Natron is a short one, and the drivers do not usually stay at the camp overnight.