Lake Manyara National Park is located in Manyara and Arusha regions of Tanzania at the backdrop of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. The park derives its name from a Great Rift valley lake named Manyara found within the park. Lake Manyara National Park covers an area of 648 square kilometers of panoramic landscapes dotted with wildlife and dominated by Lake Manyara.
Lake Manyara National Park is one of the most beautiful national parks you can visit in the country. The area of Lake Manyara National Park was used as a hunting area in the 1920s. It was gazetted as a game reserve in 1957 and designated as a Man and Biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1981. It was gazetted as a national park in 1960, and about 550 hectares of land were added to the southern part of the park.
One of the unique things about Lake Manyara is the tree-climbing lions, only found in this part of the world and Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. Lake Manyara is also known for its elephant population and pink flamingos, alongside other birds.
Lake Manyara National Park is characterized by over 600 flowering plants and fern species, woodlands, swamps, rivers, lakes, baobabs, and savannah grasslands. Lake Manyara National Park is home to an endangered fish species endemic to Tanzania.
Wildlife Watching
Wildlife watching is the main activity in Lake Manyara National Park, and the best time for game drives is early morning and late afternoon when animals concentrate on water points in the park. You can also have a chance of spotting nocturnal animals during this time. Lake Manyara National Park is renowned for its elephant populations and their impressive tusks. Other animals that you can easily spot on a game drive include wildebeests, impala, zebras, gazelles, dik-diks, warthogs, klipspringers, waterbucks, leopards, lions, olive baboons, buffalos, bushbucks, and many more.
Boat Cruise and Canoeing in Lake Manyara
One of the exciting activities to do while at the park is taking a boat cruise or a local canoe to explore the splendid Lake Manyara. This is one of the best ways to enjoy a beautiful sunset, watch water birds, hippos, and also enjoy watching other wildlife at the shores. Although canoeing and boat cruises at Lake Manyara can’t be done sometimes when the lake is completely dry.
Birding in Lake Manyara
Lake Manyara National Park is one of the top birding destinations in Tanzania, boasting over 400 species of birds recorded. Some of the examples of birds you will see include grey-crowned crane, rufous-tailed weaver, black-faced sandgrouse, lilac-breasted roller, southern ground hornbill, greater flamingo, greater white pelican, yellow-billed stork, pink-backed pelican, grey heron, marabou stork, Ayres hawk-eagle, palm nut vulture, Fischer’s sparrow lark, rufous-tailed weaver, two-banded courser, African fish eagle, African jacana, comb duck, Von Der Decken’s hornbill, spur-winged goose, sacred ibis, silvery-cheeked hornbill, saddle-billed stork, pied avocet, little stint, grey-crowned crane, hammerkop, lesser flamingo, hottentot teal, crowned eagle, and many more. The best time to go birding at Lake Manyara National Park is from November to April when migratory birds from North Africa and Europe are present in the park.
Nature Guided Walks
There are designated areas at Lake Manyara National Park where tourists can explore the beautiful park on foot. Each established trail leads to a beautiful destination, and you will be guided by an armed ranger during the nature walk as you enjoy and explore the Manyara ecosystem on foot.
Lake Manyara
The beautiful Lake Manyara is found within the park and is known for scenic sunsets and sunrises. It has an altitude of 960 meters and is an alkaline shallow lake with a depth of 3 meters when full, covering almost two-thirds of the national park. Lake Manyara is fed by underground springs and has no outflow. During extreme dry seasons, Lake Manyara’s water evaporates and dries up completely.
Hippopotamus Pool and Hot Springs
The northern side of Lake Manyara has a beautiful hippopotamus pool and scenic Majambo hot springs found in between Lake Manyara’s western shores and the Rift Valley escarpment, which attract birds and other wildlife.
Community Visits
Tourists visiting Lake Manyara National Park can also visit the surrounding villages and communities. Get to know the locals’ way of life and get immersed in African traditional music and dance performances in the villages. You can also support the local communities by buying local handmade crafts for remembrance or take as gifts to your loved ones.
Tree-Top Canopy Walk
Apart from wildlife watching by game drives and guided nature walks, you can view wildlife from the 370-meter canopy walkway. This is also one of the unique ways of seeing different species of birds and the park’s beautiful flora and fauna.
Night Game Drives
Night game drives are allowed at Lake Manyara National Park, giving tourists a chance to see nocturnal animals like hyenas, leopards, and hippos hunting and grazing. Night game drives also give visitors a chance to spot some nocturnal birds like owls.
Groundwater Forest
At the northern end of Lake Manyara National Park is a beautiful underground water forest, fed by underground rivers. The forest is home to several species of monkeys and birds.
Getting There
Tourists can reach Lake Manyara National Park by road or air. The park is located 126 kilometers from Arusha town. You can fly directly to Kilimanjaro International Airport, which is about 50 kilometers from Arusha Town, or fly to Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam and then drive to Arusha. Alternatively, you can fly to Kilimanjaro Airport from Julius Nyerere International Airport. Tourists in Serengeti National Park can also fly to Manyara airstrip.
Best Time to Visit
Lake Manyara National Park can be visited all year round, but the best time of the year to visit is during the dry seasons of June to September and December to February when the weather conditions are favorable for wildlife viewing. During this time, the roads in the park are in good condition, the animals are concentrated at water points, and the vegetation is not too thick, making it easier to spot wildlife.
Where to Sleep
There are various accommodation options to choose from while at Lake Manyara National Park, depending on tourists’ budgets. Some of the lodges and hotels you can stay at include Lake Manyara Sopa Lodge, Twiga Lodge, Lake Manyara Tree Lodge, Acacia Farm Lodge, Lake Manyara Serena Lodge, Lake Manyara Kilimanjaro Lodge, Manyara Wildlife Safari Camp, Migunga Tented Lodge, Kirurumu Tented Lodge, Manyara Tortilis Camp, Nsya Lodge, and Eco Boma Camp, to mention a few.
Tourists who want to spend more days in Tanzania can also visit other national parks close to Lake Manyara National Park, as listed below:
Tarangire National Park
Tarangire National Park is also located in the Manyara region of Tanzania and can be visited along with Lake Manyara National Park. The park covers an area of 2,850 square kilometers and was established in 1970. Tarangire National Park, just like Manyara, is famous for its elephant populations and baobab trees. The park receives an annual migration of animals that congregate at the Tarangire River during the dry season.
Some of the common animals found in Tarangire National Park include elephants, cheetahs, caracals, honey badgers, dik-diks, giraffes, impalas, banded mongooses, olive baboons, velvet monkeys, African wild dogs, lions, elands, wildebeests, cape buffalos, zebras, and many more.
Tarangire National Park is a birder’s paradise with over 500 species of birds recorded. Some examples of birds in the park include vulturine guinea fowl, northern pied warbler, mouse-coloured penduline tit, Donaldson’s Smith’s nightjar, African grey flycatcher, bare-faced go-away bird, ashy starling, great white pelican, northern white-crowned shrike, ostrich, pink-breasted lark, slate-coloured boubou, yellow-collared lovebird, rufous-tailed weaver, knob-billed duck, white-backed duck, pallid harrier, mountain buzzard, olive-headed weaver, Fischer’s lovebird, black-necked grebe, little grebe, and kori bustard, to mention a few.
Arusha National Park
Arusha National Park is one of Tanzania’s spectacular national parks found in the Arusha region. You can combine your visit to Lake Manyara National Park with Arusha National Park. The park was established in 1960 and covers an area of 137 square kilometers. It is home to Mount Meru, the second-highest mountain in Tanzania, used by most travelers as a warm-up for climbing Africa’s highest mountain. The park is also home to the beautiful Momella Lakes.
Although Arusha National Park is small compared to other savannah national parks in Tanzania, the park still provides visitors with a rewarding wildlife experience. Some of the animals found in the park include elephants, blue monkeys, zebras, giraffes, bushbucks, leopards, cape buffalos, black and white colobus monkeys, waterbucks, warthogs, and many others.
While at Arusha National Park, you can engage in activities like mountain climbing and hiking, boat cruises at Momella Lakes, birding, nature-guided walks, cultural visits, and many other activities.
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