LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK
Located beneath the cliffs of the Manyara Escarpment, on the edge of the Rift Valley, Lake Manyara National Park offers varied ecosystems, incredible bird life, and breathtaking views.
Located on the way to Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, Lake Manyara National Park is worth a stop in its own right. Its ground water forests, bush plains, baobab strewn cliffs, and algae-streaked hot springs offer incredible ecological variety in a small area, rich in wildlife and incredible numbers of birds.
Stretching for 50km along the base of the rusty-gold 600-metre high Rift Valley escarpment, Lake Manyara is a scenic gem, with a setting extolled by Ernest Hemingway as “the loveliest I had seen in Africa”.
The compact game-viewing circuit through Manyara offers a virtual microcosm of the Tanzanian safari experience.
The gem is famous for tree-climbing lions, which is one of the main reasons for visitors to pay a visit to the park. In addition to the lions, the national park is also home to the largest concentration of baboons anywhere in the world — a fact that accounts for interesting game viewing of large families of the primates. Buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, olive baboon, blue monkey, klipspringer, lions, elephant, hippos are also seen here.
The alkaline soda of Lake Manyara attracts an incredible array of birdlife that thrives on its brackish waters. More than 400 species have been recorded. Highlights include thousands of pink-hued flamingos on their perpetual migration, as well as other large water birds such as pelicans, cormorants and storks.
The Park has remarkable attractions most notably the tree climbing lions, Marang’ forest, hot spring, ground water forest, diversity of bird species and the rift valley. Plan your trip by visiting Lake Manyara National Park were you will get exceptional experience that quenches your travel thirst.
Best time to visit Lake Manyara National Park
The best time to visit Lake Manyara National Park is during the dry season, from June to October, when wildlife gathers around the shrinking water sources, making it easier to spot animals like elephants, giraffes, and the famous tree-climbing lions. The dry season also offers pleasant weather and excellent conditions for game drives. The wet season, from November to May, brings lush landscapes, fewer tourists, and is the best time for birdwatching, as migratory birds flock to the park. However, wildlife may be more dispersed during this time due to the abundance of water.