LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK

Lake Manyara National Park is located 126 km west of the Arusha region and can be reached by car in an hour and a half. The size of Lake Manyara National Park is  648.7 km2 and it is found on the way to Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park. With wonderful and diversities of ecological varieties of living species, the park is recognized as an incredible ecological zone because of its plenty of lush green vegetation consisting of tall trees of the groundwater forest, the tree-climbing lions, the soda lake inhabited with thousands of pink-hued flamingos, large water birds and the troops of baboons. The blue monkeys and the rift valley escarpment will make your safari to this area incredible and unforgettable. Lake Mayara National Park experiences bi-modal rainfall seasons with short rains starting from November to December and long rains from February to May. The remaining months of the year are the dry season.

Lake Manyara National Park can be accessed by road or air. By using the roadway, there is a distance of about 115Km from Arusha city to the park – the main gate via Makuyuni-Ngorongoro road. By Air, the park can be accessed through scheduled flights to Manyara Airstrips.

The Best Time of your safaris at Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara National Park is usually a mild and temperate area. As average temperatures are consistent throughout the year, the dry season is from June to September. The Wet seasons consist of ‘long rains’ occurring from March to May, and ‘short rains’ occurring from October to November. Having dual climatic conditions yearly, the infrastructures within and outside the park allows game safaris as well as other park activities to be executed throughout the year.

The uniqueness of Lake Manyara National Park

With abundant and incredible vegetation as well as the highest concentration of wild animals, Lake Manyara National Park is very unique because of the following ecosystems; Equatorial Primary Forest, Xerophilous forest, Savannah, and expanses of tall grasses, Lake environment, and  Hot springs of volcanic origin. In addition, the park is a remarkable attraction because of notably tree-climbing lions, Marang’ forest, hot spring, groundwater forest, diversity of bird species, and the rift valley structure. Your visits to Lake Manyara National Park will get you an exceptional experience that will quench your travel desires.

Park’s attractions

Wild Animals

Animals found in Lake Manyara National Park include the following; Elephant, Lion, Common Zebra, Buffalo, High population of Hippopotamus, Leopard, Olive Baboon, occasional Cheetah, and Giraffe. Lions found in the park are unique because of the behavior that they opt to rest up during the heat of midday in trees and this gives Lake Manyara lion’s somehow different behavior never experienced in other parks.

Birds

Lake Manyara National Park offers a high diversity of bird species. The park is estimated to have over 390 birds species both migrants and residents including 50 birds of prey, raucous forest hornbills, pink-hued flamingos, and flotillas of pelicans. The majority of birds found in the park are Lesser Flamingo, Ground Hornbill, Hadada Ibis, Silvery Cheeked Hornbill, Grey Crowned Crane, Grey Headed Kingfisher, and Yellow-billed Stork.

Hot springs

Lake Manyara National Park has a unique hot spring because of heated water emanating from volcanic activity to a temperature of 76.5 0C. The water is an important source of food for lesser flamingos and the mineral content of the water is associated with curative values.

Mixed habitats

Lake Manyara National Park has a mixed diversity of habitats including the rift valley escarpment, open grassland, woodland, and the lake that makes the area an incredible ecological area and an ideal place to visit.

 Ground Water forest

There are dense evergreen harbors, resident bushbucks, primates, and a multitude of bird species.

Marang’ Forest

This kind of forest lies above the escarpment. The area is specific for harbors elephants, buffaloes, duikers, baboons, blue monkeys, leopards, and many forest-dwelling bird species.

Activities in the Park

Lake Manyara National Park offers a range of exciting activities including daily game drives, walking safaris, night game drive, canoeing, canopy tour, bird watching, Filming and Photographing, and hot bush meals that gives someone a reason to smile.

Game Drive

Game drive along the lower slopes of the great rift valley inhabited with a variety of wildlife species like Elephants, Buffalo, Antelopes, Lions, Leopards, and Giraffe gives unforgettable sightings all day.

Night Game drive

The night game drives safari through a diverse ecosystem gives the chance to see nocturnal animals and birds makes you feel like you’ve entered a whole new world!

Walking safari

The present natural walking trails take you up and down the hills. The trails pass in areas with higher concentrations of wildlife and varied habitats providing a chance of exploring the wilderness and getting close to nature

Canoeing

This activity will expose visitors to view the steep escarpment patched with evergreen forests as well as getting close to dozens of aquatic and birds species.

 Bird Watching

Lake Manyara National Park is a birding spot. Visitors can see up to 100 different species of bird in a day.

Canopy Tree Walk

Lake Manyara National Park has one of the longest tree canopy walkways in Africa with intermittent viewing decks positioned around the trees on the walk. This canopy offers a unique view of birds, butterflies, and Monkeys.

Filming and Photographing

Lake Manyara National Park is an ideal place for filming and photographing. Visitors are welcome to perform this activity that will create a lifetime memory.

Accommodation Facilities

There is one luxury lodge within the Park, bandas, hostel, and a number of campsites. All other overnight options for Manyara are outside the Park including many on the edge of the Rift Valley with wonderful views across the valley.

KARIBU TANZANIA –  KARIBU LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK