THE PLACE
A shallow, caustic soda lake in the Gregory Rift, less than 3 meters deep yet stretching up to about 57 km long, set at the foot of Ol Doinyo Lengai, the only active carbonatite volcano on Earth and known locally as the "Mountain of God." It is one of East Africa's most important flamingo breeding sites and a designated Ramsar wetland of international importance since 2001. The landscape is stark and otherworldly, and water at the lake's edge can exceed 40°C.
QUICK FACTS
- DEPTH
- A shallow caustic soda lake, less than 3 meters deep
- SIZE
- Up to about 57 km long and 22 km wide, in the Gregory Rift
- FLAMINGOS
- One of East Africa's most important flamingo breeding sites
- SETTING
- At the foot of Ol Doinyo Lengai, the only active carbonatite volcano on Earth (last major eruption 2007), known locally as the Mountain of God
- PROTECTION
- A designated Ramsar wetland of international importance since 2001
- WATER TEMPERATURE
- Can exceed 40°C at the lake's edge
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