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Lake Manyara National Park is among the leading tourist destinations in Tanzania. Known for its unique tree-climbing lions, breathtaking landscapes, flamingos, and prolific wildlife, Lake Manyara Game Park remains as a spectacular gem and a favorite wildlife safari park by most tourists on Tanzania tour.
Where is Lake Manyara National Park located?
Lake Manyara National Park is lying in the Northern tourist circuit in Tanzania. The park extends about 330 sq. km with over 200 sq. km of it mainly consisting of the scenic Lake. Access to Lake Manyara Game Park from Arusha takes about 2 hours’ drive from the heart of Arusha.
Lake Manyara National Park derives its name from the soda Lake –Lake Manyara. The lake also derives its name from the Emanyara tree also known as Euphorbia Tirucalli. The Emanyara tree is of great cultural value in the Maasai community. It is used by the Maasai to protect their cattle from the thieves and predators.
Officially, the present Lake Manyara Game Park was gazetted in 1960 and is Tanzania’s 2nd oldest park. Not only does the park boast for its profusion of wildlife but also bird species which make it an outstanding destination to visit for a vacation in Tanzania.
Wildlife to see in Lake Manyara Park
The wealth of wildlife in Lake Manyara National Park comprise of the zebras, elephants, leopards, impalas, giraffes, tree-climbing lions, and baboons. The park also features vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, African wild cats, bat-eared foxes, klipspringers, hippos, black-backed jackals, and honey badgers, bushbucks, spotted hyenas, African golden cat, cheetahs, serval cats, and warthogs. The different wildlife can be spotted in the diverse habitats which include the woodlands, acacia forests, floodplains, and groundwater forests.
Bird species
Over 400 species of birds have been recorded in Lake Manyara National Park alone making it an ideal bird-watching destinations. The numerous bird species to expect to explore in this protected area include Ayre’s hawk eagle, crowned eagle, palm-nut vultures, flamingos, white-browed coucal, silvery-cheeked hornbill, purple rollers, Von der Decken’s hornbill, African jacanas, emerald cuckoos, Narina trogon, Schawlow’s turacos, black-winged lapwing, Greater painted snipe, blacksmith lapwing, long-toed lapwing, African wattle lapwing, spur-winged lapwing, Senegal lapwing, little stint, pectoral sandpiper, curlew sandpiper, African skimmers, gray-hooded gull, slender-billed gull, gull-billed tern, lesser black-backed gull, collared pratincole, bat hawk, martial eagle, white-headed vulture, and black-chested snake eagle.
Additional birds in Lake Manyara include African hawk eagle, eastern imperial eagle, Gabar Goshawk, lizard buzzard, Eastern chanting goshawks, African goshawk, Montagu’s harriers, western marsh harriers, Eurasian buzzard, African barred owlet, pearl-spotted owlet, common barn owl, red-billed hornbill, common hoopoe, eastern yellow-billed hornbill, lilac-breasted rollers, broadbill rollers, African pygmy kingfishers, Fischer’s lovebird, grey cuckoo shrike, red-fronted parrot, red-bellied parrot, rufous-tailed weavers, red-billed quelea, yellow-crowned bishops, speckle-fronted weavers, and African golden weaver bird.
The Great Rift valley Escarpment
Lake Manyara Park lies in the Great Rift Valley area and incredibly, expect to enjoy the breathtaking views of the rift valley escarpment. The rift valley escarpment is set at an altitude of 1600 meters and is a perfect spot to enjoy incredible views of wildlife and scenic surrounding areas.
Hot springs
Visitors can also explore the magnificent hot springs –the unique features at the base of the Great Rift Valley. They are among the unique volcanic features to explore on a safari in Lake Manyara National Park. They have a boiling rate of 60 degrees Celsius.
Lake Manyara
Lake Manyara is a distinct site of its own. The lake serves as a primary source of water for most wildlife. Aquatic species of wildlife reside in Lake Manyara including hippos and crocodiles plus some bird species.
Activities to do in Lake Manyara Park
Game drives
Game drives in Lake Manyara National Park take you on the day and night session. Each season offers you a great chance to explore different wildlife. The possible wildlife sightings on a game drive in Lake Manyara Park include lions, buffaloes, elephants, cheetahs, and birds.
Bird watching
A total of 400 species of birds dwell in the different habitats in Lake Manyara Park making it an ideal birding destination. A guided birding tour in this park allows you enjoy sights of birds such as woodpeckers, flamingos, Taveta weaver, spectacled weaver bird, white-winged widowbird, lesser masked weavers, little weaver bird, African golden weaver bird, Speke’s weaver, red-billed fire finch, chestnut weaver bird, village weaver bird, vitelline masked weaver bird, crimson rumped waxbill, cut-throat finch, yellow-bellied waxbill, black-faced waxbill, blue-capped cordon-bleu, house sparrow, village indigo bird, Northern grey-headed sparrow.
Keen birders can also encounter birds such as chestnut sparrow, dusky indigo bird, straw-tailed whydah, long-billed pipit, Richard’s pipit, tree pipit, rosy-breasted long claw, white wagtail, Southern citril, yellow-fronted canary, mountain wagtail, red-throated tit, white-bellied tit, cinnamon-breasted bunting, golden-breasted bunting, white-tailed lark, short-tailed lark, Northern crombec, and more.
Canoeing
Canoe rides are best done on the shores of Lake Manyara. On a canoe ride, expect to enjoy sights of different animals including waterbucks, elephants, hippos, and birds such as bee-eaters, fish eagles, pink flamingoes, and hornbills.
Tree-top canopy walk
Visitors also have a chance to be part of the tree-top canopy walk experience. This is the first of its kind experience in Tanzania and the walk comes with great sights of monkeys and birds.
Cultural/community tours
Guests also have an option of visiting the nearby villages, especially Mto wa Mbu village. A cultural visit at Mto wa Mbu village comes with a chance for you to have a close interaction with residents. You also get to learn various traditions and cultures of the people, etc.
When to visit Lake Manyara National Park Tanzania
Lake Manyara National Park is an all year round destination thanks to the favorable weather and climatic conditions in the area. But the ideal time to get there to experience game viewing is during the dry months which occur from June to October. In case of birding excursions, you may consider traveling anytime from November to April when you can catch up with migratory birds.
Accommodation options
Key accommodation options to consider for overnight stays in and around Manyara National Park range from budget to luxury. They include Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge, Lake Manyara Wildlife Lodge, AndBeyond Lake Manyara Tree Lodge, Octagon Lodge, African Sunrise Lodge & Campsite.
How to get to the park
Lake Manyara National Park can be reached from Arusha about 2-3 hours’ drive. The park is 126 km away from Arusha town. Even if you are from Serengeti or Ngorongoro, it is possible to connect up to Lake Manyara National Park for a holiday. The two major gates to Lake Manyara National Park include the northern and southern gates. By air, tourists can connect by flight from Arusha to Lake Manyara Airstrip.
