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Lake Manyara National Park – Tanzania Travel Guide
Lake Manyara National Park is an integral part of a safari experience in Tanzania as you visit its more celebrated neighbours such as the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti. It delivers a remarkable wilderness experience with a varied range of habitats, including the Rift Valley Soda Lake, dense woodlands, and steep mountainsides.
Although the picturesque setting of Lake Manyara National Park may be one reason for its fame, the unusual tree-climbing lions and the vast elephant herds are the resident favourites. This guide is therefore meant to help you plan an exhilarating safari experience in this remarkable park.
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Lake Manyara at a Glance
Lake Manyara National Park is located at the foot of the Great Rift Valley escarpment, down the road from the town of Arusha, an entry and exit point of Tanzania’s northern safari circuit. This strategic location makes for a relaxing, breath-taking stopover for a day or two.
Lake Manyara is the centrepiece of Lake Manyara National Park. The shallow alkaline lake and its 230 km² surface take up two-thirds of the park’s total area. The park is famous for hosting vast flocks of flamingoes, tree-climbing lions, and one of the highest concentrations of elephants in all of Tanzania.
Lake Manyara was designated a park in 1960, and one of the many surprises in store for visitors is the remarkably wide diversity of terrestrial habitats ranging from forest, wetland, floodplain, acacia woodland, and steep rocky slopes, which in turn support an equally impressive variety of wildlife.
Wildlife at Lake Manyara National Park
The prolific birdlife is the first thing you’ll notice on a Lake Manyara National Park safari. The shores of the lake, encrusted with pink flamingos, attract over 400 species, many of them waterfowl or migrants. This makes for an excellent and easily accessible introduction to the birds of East Africa.
Visitors on a Lake Manyara safari have a wide range of surprises ahead of them. The park hosts a supporting cast of large herds of buffalo, cheetah, antelope, zebra, and Masai giraffe that roam the lake shores and the forested valley slopes, as well as an ever-growing population of elephants.
The park’s lions have developed the intriguing habit of climbing trees, far more often than lions in the Serengeti or Tarangire National Parks. The leopard is a popular resident in the park although elusive, while boat cruises will reveal snorting hippo pods and basking crocodiles.
The alkaline waters of Lake Manyara are undrinkable for most animals. However, many of them are forced to drink the water to survive the dry season since most other water sources usually run completely dry.
A fascinating safari experience in Lake Manyara also features a ground-water forest, acacia tortilis woodland, hot springs called Maji Moto in the south of the park, and the Mto wa Mbu and Endabash rivers that bisect the park.
Troops of several hundred olive baboons can be seen on game drives alongside Sykes monkeys, short-eared galagos, cape clawless otters, Egyptian mongoose, and klipspringers.
Activities at Lake Manyara National Park
1. Game drives
Visitors can choose between early morning and afternoon game drives to see an abundance of wild game, including larger mammals like tree-climbing lions, elephants, buffaloes, and warthogs and smaller mammals like dik-diks and honey badgers, among others. Night drives are intended to sight nocturnal mammals like leopards in the company of expert ranger guides.
2. Bird watching
With over 400 bird species recorded in its name, Lake Manyara National Park offers excellent bird-watching opportunities for avid birders. Common bird species here include flamingos and pelicans, which can be seen on the lake shore, while egrets, yellow-billed storks, and marabou stalks can be seen on the floodplain.
3. Cultural tourism
Visitors can take a tour of a Maasai boma to experience the local culture or immerse themselves in semi-rural Tanzanian life by visiting Mto wa Mbu, a small market town that is adjacent to the park. This rural market is a melting pot of local tribes, and you can try the traditional Tanzanian cuisine, banana beer, or visit a brewery or a farm.
Apart from discovering a country, cultural tourism can have a great impact on rural communities by bringing money into a region. However, you ought to exercise caution. Some cultural tourism can perpetuate dangerous stereotypes and create a rift between travelers and the local community. We recommend going with a knowledgeable guide who will inform you about local customs and be of great help in difficult circumstances.
Best time to visit Lake Manyara National Park
Best time to visit Lake Manyara National Park: The best time to visit Lake Manyara National Park is in the dry months of December to March and from June to September. During these dry months, it’s easier to see wildlife since the vegetation is thin and animals are drawn to the few remaining water sources.
This widely contrasts with the wet months of March to May, which are associated with luscious vegetation and abundant food. Animals will have to scatter throughout the park and seeing them is quite challenging.
The short rainy season from the end of October to December is the perfect time for bird enthusiasts to visit. This is when migratory birds are arriving at the park and the breeding season for the endemic at the same time. However, these months are associated with heavy rains. That means some roads can get muddy and may be impassable, and some lodges often close during the low season.
Generally, Lake Manyara National Park delivers all-year-round game viewing opportunities to visitors no matter which time they visit.
Getting to Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara National Park is part of the popular northern safari circuit, and most travelers visiting usually start their journey from Tanzania’s safari capital and gateway town, Arusha.
Lake Manyara is 126km from Arusha by road, and it takes 1.5 hours along a new tarmac road to reach the park’s northern gate. A road trip from the Ngorongoro Crater takes about two hours of driving time to cover 80 km/50 mi.
There are flights from Arusha and the Serengeti to Lake Manyara Airstrip (LKY). The most convenient way to get there is to fly from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), which is situated about 46 km/29 mi from Arusha, and the journey takes around 40 minutes. It is also possible to fly to Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) in Dar es Salaam and then fly on to Arusha Airport (ARK) or Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO).
Accommodation at Lake Manyara
There are excellent luxury accommodations available inside and outside the park. They offer visitors the opportunity to explore the park by 4×4 safari vehicle, by canoe, motor boat, mountain bike, as well as on foot. The following are a few selections we made for you to consider:
Lake Manyara Tree Lodge
The luxury accommodation owned by &Beyond is nestled in the boughs of an ancient mahogany forest, blending with the natural beauty of its breathtaking surroundings. The lodge offers an intimate tree house experience with privacy and exclusivity in the cool, leafy surroundings, and elephant visitors can be seen passing through.
You can choose from its nine exclusive tree house suites, crafted from local timber and makuti palm fronds. The suites weave a sophisticated blend of intimacy and romance, and your private butler will ensure that you have a relaxing stay. Lake Manyara Tree Lodge is one of the few lodges that offers night safaris within the park.
Lake Manyara Serena Lodge
This tranquil retreat is set just outside of Lake Manyara National Park. It offers a choice between the luxurious Losimingori Suite and a comfortable standard room. Guests can take part in a range of exciting activities, including game drives or outdoor excursions, community lunches where they can tour one of the neighbouring villages to learn more about Maasai culture, or simply lounge by the lodge’s “vanishing horizon” pool.
Chem Chem Safari Lodge
Chem Chem Safari Lodge is a stylish, secluded, 5-star lodge located on the eastern shores of Lake Manyara. It is where the concept of Slow Safari was born and seeks to build trust and respect between humans and wildlife. This lodge is split across 3 locations, with the main site close to Lake Manyara National Park. It offers eight spacious tent-style suites that are 80 meters apart, making it the perfect place for travelers who value their own space.
Lake Manyara Ranch Conservancy
This campsite sits in a private conservancy, an exclusive wilderness area between Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara National Park. It offers eight spacious tents, each with a 7-foot bed, a wardrobe, a writing table, and wooden storage chests.
Manyara Green Camp
This Wayo Africa-owned sustainable camp is set on the banks of the Endabash River in the south of the park. It offers eight square ensuite eco tents on raised platforms, each featuring a comfortable bed and balcony, and they are designed to blend with the environment while aiming at maximizing comfort. You can choose to have communal dining in the spacious mess tent or private dining.
Combining Lake Manyara with other destinations
Lake Manyara National Park is part of Tanzania‘s northern safari circuit. A popular route in your itinerary usually starts from Arusha as you visit Lake Manyara before continuing to the more celebrated Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area and then finishing your odyssey at Arusha.
Although Lake Manyara National Park does not contain as much wildlife as the famous Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, scientists believe that it contained one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in Africa in the 1980s. Your park entry fee (US$53.10 per adult per day at the time of writing) is directed to supporting conservation work aimed at returning the park to its former glory.
Trips to inspire your planning
These safaris are meant to give you a clue as to how different destinations and experiences work together.
