Lake Manyara National Park Safaris
Lake Manyara is the smallest of the four parks that make up the Northern Circuit. With a huge proportion of the park consisting of the lake itself, its famous tree-climbing lions seem to have gained almost mythical status.
When to go to Lake Manyara National Park
Best Time to Go
Smallest of the four main Northern parks
The south of the park is especially beautiful
One of the most popular parks
Famous for its tree-climbing lions
Tanzania’s Most Scenic Park
Lake Manyara National Park is located at the bottom of the Great Rift Valley in northern Tanzania. Two thirds of the park is taken up by the Lake itself, making Manyara the smallest but also arguably the prettiest park in northern Tanzania. Lake Manyara is the first stop on the famous Northern Circuit. Located halfway between Tanzania’s safari capital, Arusha, and Ngorongoro Crater, Manyara is known for its natural beauty as well as its legendary tree-climbing lions.
Manyara is one of the busiest parks in the country as it is just off the main road to the Ngorongoro and the Serengeti, so many tourists stop off en route to the larger parks. What cannot be denied, however, is the park’s natural beauty, especially in the far south where few travellers take the time to explore. Here the Rift is at its most dramatic and the park’s famous tree-climbing lion pride takes up residence.
Activities & Wildlife
The first park west on your way out of Arusha makes for the perfect safari introduction. This is a stunningly beautiful park, with flamingos and occasional tree-climbing lion.
Wildlife
Game drives
Longer-stay activities
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The volumes of game at Lake Manyara National Park are not as high as its neighbours, so this is often a short visit – a picnic lunch and an afternoon game drive – as you make your way towards the Ngorongoro Crater. It’s a perfect safari initiation, as you come face to face with the Rift Valley for the first time! The majority of the park is made up of the lake, so it can get quite busy, especially in the north.
For those who wish to stay in the south of the park, you increase your chances of seeing the famous tree-climbing lion. There are only a couple of lodges that are located within the actual park boundary. So when the day-trippers have passed on towards the end of the day, you get the place to yourself. This can be quite magical.
This is Manyara‘s main safari activity, especially if you are doing an afternoon drive passing through. Over 400 resident pink flamingos live by the lake, with thousands more joining them in the wet season (Nov–May). It’s quite a spectacle to see the banks of the lake turn entirely pink. Other aquatic birdlife includes cormorants, pelicans, and storks. Manyara has good numbers of elephant, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, and buffalo, as well as blue monkeys and baboons living in the forests. If you’re lucky, you may spot a tree-climbing lion, who mainly dwell in the park’s southern acacia forests.
For those who decide to spend some time in Lake Manyara, staying at one of the two lodges within the park, there are plenty of extra things to do. You can go canoeing on the lake (when water levels allow), go on guided nature walks, or visit Maji Moto Hot Springs for great birdwatching. Lake Manyara is also one of the few parks that allows night driving, so you can see what emerges at night, such as civets, porcupines, and genets. There’s also the Treetop Walkway, an almost 400-metre suspended bridge giving you a ‘bird’s-eye view’ of the forest canopy. Outside the park’s boundary, you can do some mountain biking and visit local farms, villages, and markets on arranged cultural tours.
Lake Manyara is special because of its diversity of landscapes, species, and activities. It’s famous for its huge soda lake, thick forests, hot springs, and dramatic mountainous rift valley. Home to a huge diversity in species, it’s particularly great for huge herds of elephant wading in the water, large troops of monkeys causing mischief, and over 400 species of bird! You can also enjoy a number of activities, from night drives, canoeing, and tree-top canopy tours, to cycling and Tuk Tuk tours through the local village. Perfect for people who want to do a little bit more!Talk to someone who’s been there
Real expertise doesn’t come from a few trips to Africa. All our specialists have either been guides, run the camps, or grown up and lived in Africa. That’s over 600 years of genuine safari experience.Good to Know
01.What is the best way to experience Lake Manyara National Park?
The vast majority of the park is made up of the Lake, which means the game-driving areas can be quite small and it can get busy, especially in the northern sections close to the entrance. We believe Manyara offers a good short introduction to safari – ideally fitted into an afternoon on the way to Ngorongoro. Manyara’s hippo pool is a great spot for a picnic lunch. For a longer stay, however, we would always recommend spending the time in Tarangire or the Serengeti.
02.What activities are available in Lake Manaya National Park?
Lake Manyara offers day and night game drives. Short walks are also possible when staying at specific lodges.
03.When is the best time to travel to Lake Manyara National Park?
Lake Manyara’s game is fairly constant throughout the year, so it can be visited at any time. However, it is always good to see the lake full, so we would recommend traveling during the first eight months of the year. This also avoids the dust for which the park is famous later in the year!
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