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Lake Manyara National Park

Welcome to Manyara National Park

 

Lake Manyara National Park is one of the best national parks in Tanzania, situated in the Rift Valley region. The park is known to have amazing tree-climbing lions similar to the ones in Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park. 

Lake Manyara National Park is a wildlife viewing destination that is located in the northern part of Tanzania in the southwestern direction from Arusha. This national park is known for having amazing views of the Rift Valley escarpment, which can be seen during the different activities that tourists engage in as they explore Lake Manyara National Park. It is also known that about two-thirds of the national park is covered by water, which makes Lake Manyara a major attraction. The lake is a shallow alkaline water body that attracts different wildlife and bird species along its shores.  The park makes what can only be termed as a perfect Lake Manyara Park safari or simply Lake Manyara Park tours.

The most famous spectacle in the park is the tree-climbing lions, which are occasionally seen along branches of acacia trees. Other animals found in the park include buffalo, elephants, leopards, baboons, impala, giraffes, zebra, wildebeest, ostrich, and hippos. Popularly referred to as an ornithologist’s paradise, Lake Manyara National Park contains over 400 bird species found in most savanna and river habitats in East Africa. Common water birds to be seen here are pelicans, spoonbills, Egyptian geese, hammerkops, and the migratory flamingoes, which arrive in hundreds of thousands, creating one of Africa’s great natural sights over the soda lake.

 

Lake Manyara National Park is a popular safari destination in Tanzania. The jungly forests offer a nice change compared to the dry, stretched-out savannah that makes up the majority of the national parks.

Lake Manyara is often used as a pit-stop park for tourists that embark on a longer safari to Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater, but it’s surely worth a visit on its own! 

Lake Manyara Hippo Pool

Just 10 minutes into Lake Manyara National Park, you might encounter large groups of hippos feasting off the nutritious swamps. The hippo pool is one of Lake Manyara’s highlights and a reason the national park is on many people’s bucket lists.

The hippos usually stay in their pools from dusk till dawn, so if you’d love to see some hippos, visiting Lake Manyara National Park is a solid choice. During the daytime, when it’s too hot for the hippos to come out, you may find them rolling around, snapping their huge mouths at each other, and doing other typical hippo stuff.

The Flamingos and the Alkaline Lake Manyara

Lake Manyara is famous for its numerous pink flamingoes that feast here during the wet seasons (November-December and March-May), when the normally shallow lake is at its highest.

During this season, the lake’s high alkaline waters attract a variety of migratory waterbirds, including huge flocks of pink flamingos as well as pelicans, storks, and cormorants. At this time, the lake can cover up to 60% of the park’s total area. During the dry seasons, however, the lake can dry up considerably, decreasing in size.

Activities in Lake Manyara National Park

There are loads of amazing excursions and activities to choose from when paying a visit to Lake Manyara National Park. Cultural experiences, like visiting the nearby town of Mto wa Mbu or beautiful cycling around the green surroundings of Lake Manyara, are certainly some of the most popular ones. 

For example:

  • Canopy Walk
  • Mto wa Mby Cultural Tour
  • Mountain bike tour
  • Canoeing on Lake Manyara
  • Visit the Maasai Tribe
  • Visit the Hadzabe Tribe
  • Night game drive
  • Enjoy a day of cooking with the local mamas.

Climate & Seasons

Lake Manyara National Park’s climate is mild and temperate, like most parks in the northern regions. Average temperatures are consistent throughout the year. Temperatures during the day are pleasantly hot, and the evenings are nice and cool. Taking warm clothing along on early morning game drives is recommended.

Wildlife of Lake Manyara National Park

A short list of the ‘most wanted’ animals in Lake Manyara National Park and the chances of spotting them. Some animals are (almost) unique to each park or only appear in certain areas. It’s important to let us know your wildlife preferences so we can give you the best chance of spotting your favorite animal. 

The percentages are an estimation of how often we’ve seen these animals ourselves based on our visits. Some animals we’ve seen 100% of the time we’ve visited. However, it’s not a zoo, so there’s always a chance you miss an animal.

Lake Manyara National Park: Best time to visit

Lake Manyara National Park is considered to be a year-round safari destination. The best time for you to visit depends on if you’re more into game viewing or birdwatching.

The pink flamingoes and other migratory waterbirds are one of the highlights of Lake Manyara National Park but aren’t present year-round. The best time to experience the birds will be in the wet seasons (November-December and March-May). This is when the migratory birds arrive.

However, if you prefer to spot game, the best time to visit would be in the dry season, between June and October. This is the driest period of the year, making them significantly easier to spot in the normally thick, jungly forests.

Lake Manyara Accommodation

Here are a few in/near Lake Manyara National Park. Stay in Lake Manyara, Karatu, or the little town of Mto Wa Mbu.

We have strong relationships with the listed accommodations, but we also maintain excellent connections with many others across Tanzania. We can arrange stays at any lodge in the country, so feel free to request options that aren’t listed here.

To make sure they meet all of our requirements, all lodges are tested personally by us. This way we can guarantee the best possible safari experience. We check the lodges on the efficiency of the location, ‘wildlife experience,’ quality of the rooms and service, and of course the safari factor! There’s a perfect lodge for every budget and every type of traveler

Where Diverse Wildlife Meets Stunning Scenery

The first thing you’ll notice on a Lake Manyara safari is the birdlife: nearly 400 species have been recorded here, and it’s an excellent and easily accessible introduction to the birds of East Africa. Feathered highlights include large flocks of flamingos and many birds of prey.

More surprises lie ahead for the visitor. Besides a supporting cast of buffalo, antelope, zebra, and giraffe, Lake Manyara is home to a growing elephant population, while the park’s lions have developed the intriguing habit of climbing trees. The ever-elusive leopard occurs in the park, while boat cruises will take you in search of snorting hippo pods and basking crocodiles.