Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara National Park is a protected area in Tanzania’s Arusha and Manyara Regions, situated between Lake Manyara and the Great Rift Valley. It is administered by the Tanzania National Parks Authority, and covers an area of 325 km2 including about 230 km2 lake surface the Park is located 126 km south west of Arusha and can be reached by car in an hour and a half.

Wildlife in Lake Manyara national park

Lake Manyara National Park is known for flocks of thousands flamingos that feed along the edge of the lake in the wet season. Great white pelican can also be present in large numbers. The groundwater forest to the north of the lake, and largely within the National Park, is a well-known breeding site for thousands of pink-backed pelican and yellow-billed stork along with smaller numbers of Marabou stork and grey heron.

Over 40 species of birds of prey are documented, including palm-nut vulture and Ayre’s hawk eagle. The park’s mammals include baboon, Cape buffalo, plains zebra, blue wildebeest and warthog, African bush elephant, Masai giraffe, hippopotamus, spotted hyena, banded mongoose, Defassa waterbuck, impala, Thomson’s gazelle, Grant’s gazelle, bush buck, common duiker, vervet monkey, blue monkey, rock hyrax, leopard, lion, and cheetah. Other species commonly seen are Kirk’s dik-dik and klipspringer.

Activities in Lake Manyara

Lake Manyara National Park boasts of all kinds of attractions and there’s just so much to keep you occupied, this wondrous park has something to offer irrespective of when you’re visiting. From abundant wildlife viewing, Explore tree top walkways and Tree climbing lions, these are the top things to do in Lake Manyara National Park.

Explore tree top walkways

The Treetop Walkway allows you to have a thrilling sky-high adventure straight through the forest. This 370 m air walk, lets you to walk right among the treetops, giving you a bird’s eye view of the forest. The treetop walkway starts right from the short board-walk and eventually rises in altitude leading to a series of suspension bridges with secure netting on either side

Enjoy Night Game drives

One of the few national parks with night game drives, this nocturnal experience safari shows its diverse ecosystems at its shining best through night game drives which make you feel like you’ve entered a whole new world! Big cats, with lions being seen both during the day as they sleep, and at night when they are on the prowl.

Tree-climbing lions

A good habitat for lions that are popular for their tree climbing character is made perfect by the broken forests and escarpment

Bird watching

Splendid bird-watching opportunities gives visitors the chance to see everything from the vibrant flamingoes and over 40 species of birds of prey are documented, including palm-nut vulture and Ayre’s hawk eagle.

Lake Manyara is also home to a number of giraffes and elephants all of which can be seen with a closer look as you canoe past them into the serene waters.

Breathtaking natural beauty

Within the vicinity of the lake are beautiful wide grassy flood plains, bands of mixed acacia woodlands and patches of captivating evergreen forests that are kept going by perennial ground water springs from the base of the escarpment.

Wildlife viewing

Wildlife is usually concentrated in certain pockets and they include baboon, Cape buffalo, plains zebra, blue wildebeest and warthog, African bush elephant, Masai giraffe, hippopotamus, leopard, lion, cheetah and other species commonly seen are Kirk’s dik-dik and klipspringer.