It is often the small steps, not the giant leaps, that create beautiful memories. Always remember that heaven is both under your feet and over your head.
If you take small steps now and visit the glorious and pleasurable Lake Manyara National Park, located in the northern part of Tanzania, you’ll discover a place where acacia, sausage, and desert date trees provide a unique habitat for climbing lions.
These lions position themselves on tree branches as if they are watching or waiting for something. Many allegations have been made by different lion safari specialists regarding why these lions climb trees.
Some claim they do it to get a clear view of the ground level, while others say it’s to escape the scorching heat and the stinging and biting insects on the ground.
These speculations are similar to those made about the Ishasha climbing lions at Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The climbing lions move in prides, consisting of a few males and many females, along with cubs. They function as one family. To observe these incredible lions, you can:
- Join game drives during the bracing morning and late afternoon hours. They typically wake up at dawn to hunt for prey and rest during late afternoons (as they sleep for 20 hours to preserve energy for hunting). Tourists can observe a large number of lions since they move together in groups, favoring morning and night drives.
- Visit during the dry season when the park receives little or no rainfall, making it easier to spot the lions and other animal species due to the unfavorable conditions for vegetation growth.
- Observe them near waterholes, where different animal species gather for drinking water. This period offers tourists the opportunity to witness moving lions, leopards, tigers, zebras, rhinos, giraffes, cheetahs, and more.
Tourists are permitted to enter the national park after paying a fee of 53 US dollars if they are coming from foreign countries like the United States, London, Germany, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, India, Japan, to name a few.
Tourists from East African countries like Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and many others pay in Tanzanian shillings.
Accommodations in Lake Manyara National Park include:
- Roika Tarangire Tented Lodge (pay USh 1,168,826)
- Lake Manyara Wildlife Lodge (USh 1,420,854)
- Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge (USh 1,777,837)
- Octagon Lodge (USh 633,648)
- Africa Safari Glamping (USh 262,166)
- African Sunrise Lodge (USh 320,533)
- Sonofjohn Homestay (USh 52,180)
- Escarpment Luxury Lodge
- Kirurumu Manyara Lodge
- Lake Manyara Kilimanjaro Lodge
- Migunga Tented Lodge
- Many others.
The park has both southern and northern gates, allowing tourists to choose the gate that best suits their needs.
However, it is advisable to access the northern gate, as it is home to most of the spacious hotels that can properly accommodate guests and their luggage, offering amenities and luxuries like a mini-fridge with chocolates and champagne, a large TV, and king-sized beds for a comfortable night’s sleep.
Many tourists begin their journey from the bustling Arusha town, which takes about one hour and thirty minutes to reach Lake Manyara National Park. Two means of transport are commonly used:
- Road Transport: This is the most popular and cost-effective means of transport for tourists. It provides the flexibility to experience the local culture, lifestyle, and even buy souvenirs along the way. The road journey takes about 2 hours from Arusha town to Lake Manyara National Park, though it may take longer with stopovers, especially for those who include a road trip in their travel itinerary. The northern location connects to other national parks, such as Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, making it easy for visitors to explore other areas of interest.
- Air Transport: Air transport is the fastest means of transport, but it is costly for tourists on a tight budget. Most tourists fly from Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam to Arusha, where they then take a flight from Kilimanjaro International Airport to Lake Manyara National Park. This mode of transport offers the opportunity to admire the spectacular scenery of Arusha town, making your safari even more fascinating.
Lake Manyara is one of the national parks that has something for everyone. Bring your family, friends, and workmates to enjoy the adventurous activities at the park, including game drives, birdwatching, nature walks, interacting with the local people, and much more.
