Just shy of 60 kilometers in length as it reaches out from the edge of the Serengeti to the Tanzania-Kenya border, Lake Natron rarely fails to draw a gasp from those who come to see it. It's packed with minerals and salts, which often dash it with ethereal hues of blood-red and orange, incandescent pinks and ochres. On its surface is one of the largest populations of lesser flamingoes in East Africa – more than 2.5 million of them by some estimations.

Lake Natron tour guides are at hand to help you understand the curious ecosystem that's developed on account of the strange blooms of cyanobacteria and salt marshes that dominate the region. They can take you out to the best wildlife-watching points to see the pink-tinted birds, and reveal stunning photo spots as the dusty mountains silhouette in the distance. They can point out the calcified versions of the wildlife around, caused by the high salt and soda content of the lake’s waters.

The 3,188-meter-high cone of Ol Doinyo Lengai looms high above the southern part of Lake Natron, a treat for intrepid climbers. Campgrounds on the lakeside offer a good base for the arduous trek, and qualified walking guides can help you to the summit, where you can wonder at swathes of mud-like lava flows, and even see the outline of mighty Mt Kilimanjaro to the east.