Manyara National Park is situated between Lake Manyara and the Great Rift Valley covering an area of 325 square kilometers. This protected area is in Arusha Tanzania around the Manyara region. This ground was known for sports hunting sine 1920 until 1957 when the reserve was established as a park.
This park is naturally designed as a narrow strip running between the Great rift valley walls to the west of lake Manyara, an alkaline lake to the east, and also includes the northwest quadrant of the lake.
Manyara National Park is a habitat for more than 350 bird species including large sizeable flocks of pink flamingos around the lake and it’s a wildlife home for zebras, elephants, hippos, monkeys, buffaloes, waterbucks, warthog, hyenas, gazelle, wildebeest, giraffes, impalas baboons, and the tree-climbing lions.
Activities
While visiting Tanzania's Lake Manyara National Park, you can enjoy any of the following activities and experiences.
1. Game Drives
Tourists carry out different drives in the park throughout the seasons and always have a stop at the alkaline lake.
Get a chance to enjoy nature around the jungle beach while watching varieties of wildlife and birds play.
2. Canoeing
Enjoy the peaceful and scenic canoeing operations with breathtaking scenery following the shorelines of the lake while viewing different wildlife and the water birds while canoeing the Crater Lake engulfed in the beautiful caldera.
4. Boat Rides
A tourist generates a mood of relaxation within beauty just around the lake. Riding through the lakes in the northern circuit of Tanzania while viewing mount Kilimanjaro, mount Meru, Lake Duluti and the Rift Valley escarpment, and the Momella lakes in Arusha thus enjoying the beauty of nature at the park.
5. Visit Natural Hot Springs
Visit the natural phenomena of the molten materials eruption. Tourists can enjoy boiling eggs from within the temperatures of the hot springs of about 60 Celsius for only 15 minutes.
6. Look For Tree Climbing Lions
This is the only little park in Tanzania where we can locate tree-climbing lions. Lions are the most fearful in the jungle and survive from other animals for food making them the king of the jungle.
Tourists get to experience watching the most fearful creatures lazily relaxing on top of the tree branches in the park.
7. Go On Night Game Drives
Manyara national park is the only park that carries out night drives. These drives are opted for because most of the animals are rarely seen during the day and are mostly enjoyed by guests who choose to stay inside the parks.
These tourists get a chance to see the large predators and nocturnal species that come out of the bush to the salty lake. These drives are exercised within comfortable open-sided jeeps so as to ensure a clear view of nature at night.
8. Mountain Biking
This activity is designed to give a tourist both wildlife and cultural experience just around the park while enjoying the view of herds of wildlife.
Riding through Mto wa mbu village paths right from the easiest to the most challenging routes, viewing local farms, schools milling machines, churches, and local bars in the community, and then to the shores of the lake and the rift valley wall while enjoying the steepness of the paths and the beauty of nature.
9. Bird Watching
The park has over 400 bird species in all seasons and in the months of November to April, some bird species fly in the park and also breed. Bird viewing is best done in the dry season of June to October.
Some of the bird species include the Great white pelican, flamingos, grey crowned crane, baglafecht weaver, African jacana, African grey hornbill, African fish eagle, and abdim’s stock.
Getting There
Manyara national park is part of the northern circuit and can be accessed through the northern and southern gates.
Fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport taking only 30 minutes to Arusha the gateway town and drive to the park.
When To Visit
Manyara national park has got good views all through the year through its peak season starts from late June to October and these are dry months.
The scenic beauty of the park can also be experienced during the wet season in the months of November to May when the sounds of the waterfalls cascading down the escarpment with its groundwater vegetation, the forests lushes and brighten up thus giving the best superior view to a tourist.
Related article: Best time to visit Tanzania for safari
Where To Stay
Lake Manyara National Park is very popular with visitors and therefore has a great selection of accommodation options to fit your budget and preference. From campsites, all the way up to big luxury names, you will have some variety to pick from.
