Lake Manyara
National Park
Lake Manyara National Park Overview
Welcome to Lake Manyara National Park well known for the tree climbing lions, the soda ash lake that attracts thousands and pink flamingos, one of Tanzania’s biggest elephant population and breathtaking scenery! This travel guide offers you the most updated information about the attractions, Lake Manyara accommodation, getting there and so much more. Enjoy your safari in Tanzania!
BEST OF LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK
1 Day Safari
-Lake Manyara National Park
2 Day/1 Night Safari
-Lake Manyara National Park
-Ngorongoro Crater
3 Days/2 Nights
-Lake Manyara National Park
-Tarangire National Park
-Ngorongoro Crater
6 Days Safari
-Lake Manyara National Park
-Tarangire National Park
-Ngorongoro Crater
-Serengeti National Park
7 Days Safari
-Lake Manyara National Park
-Tarangire National Park
-Ngorongoro Crater
-Serengeti National Park
-Lake Ndutu
10 Days/9 Nights
-Lake Manyara National Park
-Tarangire National Park
-Serengeti National Park
-Ngorongoro Crater
-Lake Eyasi
-Lake Natron
-Arusha National Park
Attractions in Lake Manyara National Park
There are a number of fascinating tourist attractions that can be explored within Lake Manyara National Park. Located in the northern part of Tanzania, this National Park is 126 kilometers west of Arusha Town. The park is sized 330 square kilometers of which 220 sq kilometers form the lake when the water levels are high in the rainy season. Alternating to the nearest Park of Tarangire National Park through the kwakuchinja corridor the parks share world animals. They can be seen easily nearby the roads towards Lake Manyara and Serengeti National parks. Below we have highlighted the top attraction / things to see in Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara
Lake Manyara, a shallow alkaline lake nestled in the park, undergoes seasonal fluctuations in size within a vast bowl of salt deposits. Encompassing 220 sq km, it occupies two-thirds of the park’s surface area. The lake is renowned for its abundance of pink flamingos and serves as habitat for various wildlife, including hippos inhabiting its shallow waters.
Wildlife in Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara’s diverse wildlife includes elephants, wildebeests, giraffes, and buffaloes, alongside abundant zebras, impalas, warthogs, and waterbucks. On the escarpment slopes, elusive species like kirk’s dik dik and klipspringer can be spotted with keen observation. The limited road circuit for game drives, spanning 3 to 4 hours, showcases animals in constant motion, making revisits worthwhile. Morning safaris offer fewer vehicles and heightened wildlife activity, contrasting with the afternoon rush organized by most safari companies.
Tree Climbing Lions in Lake Manyara
Among the lions living in Lake Manyara is a healthy population of the unique tree climbing lions whose unique tree climbing character can only be found in just two populations across the world the other being in Ishasha Area in Queen Elizabeth National Park – Uganda. A very large number of tourists and photographers visit the park to see these exceptional animals.
The Vegetation in Lake Manyara
Set under the magnificent of the Great Rift Valley’s steep western escarpment is a long narrow park that conserves the area between the escarpment and Lake Manyara safe. Within the vicinity of the lake are wide grassy flood plains and further as you move away, are bands of mixed acacia woodlands. Leaving that aside, patches of captivating evergreen forests, that are kept going by perennial ground water springs from the base of the escarpment are next to the escarpment.
The large numbers of elephants
This national park is home to a very large number of elephants which can easily be seen within the evergreen forests as well as the acacia woodlands. the high amount of ground water as well as the verdant vegetation provide adequate ground to feed these forest giants.
The Tree-top Canopy Walk
Besides the traditional way of viewing wildlife in Lake Manyara National Park, the tree-top canopy walk offers you an opportunity to see other wildlife in yet a unique way. Walking at tree-top height you will be able to see some primates and various birds within the forest. The heart of Masaai Country houses Manyara National Park. Here is where you can visit the unforgettable appealing red-robbed pastoralists who are populous in a boma. Outside the park, undertaken can be mountain bike tours, and escarpment forest walks. When water levels are suitable, canoe safaris are also offered.
Best time to get to Lake Manyara National Park
All year through, there is a good road access to this park, however, the best time for viewing large mammals is in the dry season that comes between July to October and in January and February. The wet season that begins in November to December and March to June is characterized with rains that make the inner roads rather slippery and hard to traverse. Nonetheless, the wet season is best time for watching birds in Lake Manyara.
Lake Manyara stretches over 330 square kilometers of the Northern Rift valley floor, in the south west of Arusha, and was established in 1960. There are a number of attractions in Lake Manyara, however, its main point of focus is the Manyara Lake. In the whole of the East African Rift, Ernest Hemingway identified Lake Manyara as the most lavish place; its impressive setting that he once extolled with the documentary maker, Collin Willock. Passionate safari tourists on a Tanzania Safari visit this Lake Manyara en-route to the world famous Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater to explore its rich diversity of wildlife. Because it is the first stopover from the tourist town of Arusha, it can easily be accessed.