Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara National Park is a scenic gem, once described by Earnest Hemingway as “the loveliest I had seen in Africa”. It’s one of Tanzania’s smaller parks, with nearly two-thirds of its area covered by the lake. The compact game viewing here is a true microcosm of the Tanzanian safari experience. Lake Manyara is famous for its tree-climbing lions, the world’s largest population of baboons, 400 species of birds and the soda-ash lake with pink-hued flamingos.

Diverse habitats

Lake Manyara stretches for 50 km (31 miles) along the base of the towering golden ridges of the Rift Valley escarpment. The park features a wealth of diverse habitats. The immense soda lake where wildlife such as hippos, wildebeest, buffaloes, warthogs, giraffes and zebras gather. The rest of the Manyara ecosystem consists of open grassy areas, swamps, acacia woodland filled with enormous fig and mahogany trees and hot springs.

Birding hotspot

Lake Manyara is a real birding hotpsot with more than 400 species including raptors. Highlights include thousands of pink-hued flamingos on their everlasting migration, as well as other large waterbirds such as pelicans, cormorants and storks. Due to the vastness of the lake, this park is a real birding hotspot.

Activities

Day game drives, night game drives, canoeing (when then water level is sufficiently high), cultural tours, mountain bike tours, Treetop Walkway, abseiling and forest walks on the escarpment outside the park.

Best time to visit

Dry season (July-October) to see large mammals. Wet season (November-June) for bird watching, the waterfalls and canoeing.

Tips from Lomo expert

Tanzania’s first Treetop Walkway and one of the longest in Africa has opened last year in Lake Manyara National Park. This 370 m airwalk starts with a short board-walk that gradually rises from ground level up through the canopy of the forest. Walk among the treetops and experience untouched nature and wildlife from a unique perspective.