Canoe safaris in Lake Manyara National Park

Canoe safaris in Lake Manyara National Park are among the safari activities that are done in Lake Manyara, and visitors who go to visit the lake are always anxious to explore the lake as they take their canoe boat safaris. Visitors who wish to visit Lake Manyara National Park must begin their safari in Arusha town because the park is located in the southwestern part of the city. Many bird species can be seen along the Lake Manyara National Park. Lake Manyara is the depression lake, and it covers about two-thirds of the park. It is an alkaline lake, and it is fed by underground hot springs since it has no outlet.

Canoe safaris are conducted on this lake, and the areas where this activity is conducted on the lake are densely forested with marshes, saline flats, and grassy floodplains. In the park, there is the presence of the hippo pool, which is on the southern shore of Lake Manyara, and the hot springs on the western side of the lake. The hippo pool acts as a good tourist attraction, and the visitors can be seen taking photos while they are on the canoe riding safari on Lake Manyara. Even though Lake Manyara National Park is the smallest of all the lakes that are found within the northern section of Tanzania, it provides visitors with the best moments for relaxation, game drives, and nature walks, which are the best safari activities.

Once you have made up your mind to visit Lake Manyara National Park, you will need to make some of the payments. These include the canoeing fees and the park entrance fees. The prices, especially the park entrance fees, differ depending on the origin of the visitors. For the park entrance fees when it is the peak season, you will pay $70 and $60 during the high and low seasons, respectively. For East African citizens, you will be able to pay the money in Tanzanian shillings.

Canoe rides and safaris are held on Lake Manyara when the water levels are suitable for the activity. This is owing to the alkaline composition of the lake, as well as a variety of other causes, which cause the water levels to fluctuate throughout time. The cost of canoeing is $23.6 for adults and $11.8 for youngsters interested in participating in this activity at this location. This charge is not the same as the park entrance fee.

The canoe safaris in Lake Manyara National Park provide the best scenic views of the tourist activity. The park is made up of the acacia woodlands, the savannah plains, and the evergreen forests. The canoe riding safaris in Lake Manyara National Park take place in the company of the safari guide, and this will provide you with the best safari information about the mammals that can be seen, especially the giraffes, antelopes, elephants, zebras, among others.

The best activities that can be done during the canoeing safari include birding while you are on the canoe. Birding watching is another activity that is done during canoe rides and safaris on Lake Manyara because this area is great for seeing different bird species along the shores, including flamingos, dark-delegated cranes, delegated falcons, yellow-charged storks, turacos, rufous-followed weavers, ashy starlings, delegated plovers, fisher’s sparrow warblers, and dark-confronted sand grouse, among others.

Various aquatic species can also be viewed during canoe journeys on Lake Manyara, which last approximately 2 to 3 hours and can be done in the morning or afternoon with a capacity of two people per canoe. Lake Manyara National Park is a fantastic wildlife viewing site for all seasons of the year. However, the best time to go on a canoe ride along the lake is from June to October, when the weather is pleasant and wildlife may be observed readily.

Other activities to do after canoeing safaris

Game drives The game drives in the park enable you to see all of the tourist attractions, and they can be seen in the morning, evening, and afternoon game drives. You will need to get up early in the morning to participate in game drives and catch up with the animals, especially while they are still active and easily spotted in the wild. The game drives in Lake Manyara National Park will allow you to see a variety of animals, including cheetahs, warthogs, buffaloes, zebras, baboons, hippos, klipspringers, and monkeys, which can also be spotted, especially in the forested vegetation areas of the national park.

Masai cultural visits: Maasai encounters are a type of cultural exchange that takes place at Mto wa Mbu, a settlement on the way to Lake Manyara National Park. Tourists participate in a variety of activities during these interactions, including visiting traditional Maasai homesteads known as “manyattas,” traditional Maasai dance performances, making beaded jewelry such as necklaces, bracelets, and anklets, listening to folk songs and stories, visiting kraals, and learning more about the Maasai people’s nomadic way of life. The Maasai, with their distinctive culture and manner of life, are also a draw.

Nature walks: The nature walks in Lake Manyara National Park will happen when you are led by the ranger guide. As you do the nature walks, this safari may as well include the treetop walkway and the famous Majimoto walkways. The nature walks provide the visitors with a feeling of close interaction with nature and allow them to experience the wildness around them as they encounter some of the species, such as the key species, while on their nature walk safaris.

Bird watching activities within the park Lake Manyara National Park provides the best location for visitors to see all of the bird species, including woodland species, water birds, and forest birds, among others. The flamingo birds can as well be seen on the shores of Lake Manyara in conjunction with other bird species, which, among others, include the black-faced sand grouse, the grey-crowned crane, pelicans, storks, and cormorants, among other bird species. Birding in Lake Manyara National Park becomes so much fun when you see both the migratory and endemic birds that you will encounter during your visit to the park.

Community visits in Mto wa Mbu, a town on the way to the park. Tourists meet with Maasai people and learn more about their way of life during this activity. Traditional dance performances by Maasai warriors, who can be seen bouncing up and down to the rhythm of the traditional melodies being shouted, are among the activities that take place while tourists interact with the Maasai people.

How to access the Lake Manyara National Park

Tourists can reach the Lake Manyara National Park to participate in a canoe riding excursion along Lake Manyara by using many modes of transportation, including air and road transport. By road, the public park may be reached by driving from Arusha to Mto wa Mbu town and then continuing to the Lake Manyara National Park’s entry gates. Bookings and contractual flights to the airfield in Lake Manyara National Park are available by air, and these flights are offered by a variety of carriers, including Coastal Avionics, Regional Air, and Air Dominance, among others.