Manyara National Park.

Manyara National Park is one of the protected areas that are found in Arusha in the Manyara region of Tanzania. This park is found between the great east African rift valley and Lake Manyara and it is managed by the Tanzania National Park Authority, covering 325 square kilometers, with the lake occupying 230 square kilometers. The wilderness experience of Lake Manyara National Park is available in a variety of environments, including the soda lake in the Rift Valley, densely forested areas, and steep mountain sides.

 The park is renowned for its peculiar tree-climbing lions and the large elephant herds it was created to protect, in addition to its breathtaking setting. More than 400 species of birds, many of them waterfowl or migrants, are drawn to the lake’s beaches, which are covered in pink flamingos. Buffalo, cheetah, Masai giraffe, and impala herds in large numbers prowl the lakeshores and the forested valley slopes. A safari in Lake Manyara is an interesting experience because the park also has a ground-water forest, an acacia tortilis woodland, and Maji Moto hot springs. Sykes monkeys and short-eared galago troops appear with groups of several hundred olive baboons. Other park inhabitants include the hippo, klipspringer, Egyptian mongoose, and Cape clawless otter.

The park was named after the soda lake that is located there and was also named after the common spotted tree at the park. Manyara National Park was founded in 1960, making it the second oldest national park in Tanzania after Serengeti National Park. Euphorbia Turucalli, also known as Emanyara in Maasai, is a species of tree. The Maasai people rely heavily on this tree to protect their cattle from predators and robbers.

See tree climbing Lions in Manyara national park

What to see in Lake Manyara National Park

Within Lake Manyara National Park, a multitude of intriguing tourist sites can be discovered. This National Park, which is situated in northern Tanzania, is 126 kilometers west of the town of Arusha. The park is 330 square kilometers in size, of which 220 square kilometers form the lake during the rainy season when the water levels are high. Through the kwakuchinja corridor, the parks alternately swap animals with the nearby Tarangire National Park. They are visible close to the roads leading to the Serengeti and Lake Manyara National Parks.

The small lake, Lake Manyara A long, silvery bowl of salt deposits contains Manyara, an alkaline lake in the park that changes size according to the seasons. It takes over 220 sq km, or around two-thirds of the park’s overall surface area. The lake is home to a big population of pink flamingos as well as other animals like hippos, who live in the shallow section of the river.

Elephants, wildebeests, giraffes, and buffaloes are all prevalent in Lake Manyara’s game. The park is also well known for having a large population of zebras, impalas, warthogs, and waterbucks. You would have to look a little harder to find the small and fabled Shy Kirk’s dik dik and klipspringer on the escarpment’s slopes. You can witness the animals that are constantly moving along the small road circuit for wildlife drives in roughly 3 to 4 hours. If you travel by road, a safari in Tanzania typically costs around $200 per day. The cost of a luxurious safari with flights was exorbitant. So it is worthwhile to go back. The majority of safari firms plan their trips for the afternoon, but going in the morning is considerably better because there are fewer other vehicles and greater wildlife activity.

A thriving population of the rare tree-climbing lions, which are found only in two populations worldwide, the other being in Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Ishasha Area, lives among the lions at Lake Manyara. To observe these extraordinary animals, a sizable number of tourists and photographers visit the area.

In Lake Manyara National Park, there are several birds: The numerous bird species found in the Lake Manyara National Park vary depending on the area. Large flocks of pelicans and pink flamingos can frequently be seen on the lake, while egrets, stilt herons, spoonbills, stalks, and other waders can frequently be seen close to the park’s borders and in the floodplains. Due to the abundance of water around you, the woodlands will also reward you with fantastic bird-viewing opportunities. The more intriguing species, such as crowned eagles, crested guinea fowl, and silvery-cheeked hornbills, can only be seen in evergreen forests.

A long, narrow park that keeps the area between the escarpment and Lake Manyara secure is situated beneath the majestic, steep western escarpment of the Great Rift Valley. Wide, grassy floodplains surround the lake, and as you travel away, patches of mixed acacia forests appear. Leaving that aside, the escarpment is bordered by enchanting evergreen forests that are sustained by permanent groundwater springs that emerge from the base of the cliff.

The elephant population in this national park is relatively vast, and elephant sightings are common in the acacia and evergreen woods. These forest giants have enough ground to eat because of the abundant groundwater and lush vegetation.

The tree-top canopy walk gives you the chance to see various wildlife in Lake Manyara National Park in addition to the common ways of doing so. If you walk at treetop level, you can spot some primates and numerous birds in the forest. Manyara National Park is located in the center of the Masaai country. You can go here to see the enduringly alluring red-robbed pastoralists who live in bomas. Mountain bike trips and escarpment forest treks can be done outside of the park. Canoe safaris are also available when the water is adequate.

Have experience of tree top walking in Manyara national park

The best time to visit Lake Manyara National Park

Although Lake Manyara National Park is regarded as a year-round safari destination in Tanzania, the dry season, which lasts from June to October, is seen to be the ideal period for wildlife viewing. The Lake Manyara National Park is a tiny park located at the foot of the River Valley Escarpment. As opposed to parks with a greater savanna presence, its groundwater woods offer a superior change of scenery. The northern part of the park experiences heavy crowding during the main tourist season, which runs most of the year, from June to October. However, during March and April, the park experiences rain, which makes it the low tourist season.

The dry season, which the park experiences from June through October, is also known as the busiest travel period. The brief dry season occurs in January and February when a big influx of visitors causes safari tours to be more expensive because of the normally high demand for lodging. The animals congregate around the few surviving water sources at that time of year, and since the foliage is sparse, they are easy to see. It is also strongly advised to travel during this time of year because there is plenty of sunshine, a few rainstorms, and very few mosquitoes, which reduces the risk of contracting malaria. You are encouraged to pack warm clothing for the early morning game drives during this time of year because it might get chilly. It is not advisable to travel during the dry season, especially if you have a limited travel budget.

How to access Lake Manyara National Park

Both the southern and northern gates provide entry to the park. Due to the abundance of nearby lodging, the northern gate is used more frequently. A 90-minute journey will take you from Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park, a distance of 126 kilometers. In contrast to other safari locations on this circuit, Lake Manyara National Park is less well-known while being a part of Tanzania’s well-known northern safari circuit. The majority of the safaris on this route to Lake Manyara National Park depart from the town of Arusha.

Access lake Mayara National Park by Air:  Flying at Kilimanjaro International Airport is the best way to reach Lake Manyara National Park (KIA). This airport is roughly 46 kilometers from Arusha. It is also feasible to take a local flight from Dar es Salaam’s Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) to Arusha Airport (ARK). Alternately, you can fly internationally to Dar es Salaam’s Julius Nyerere International Airport and then connect there from JRO or Arusha Airport (ARK). Charter flights from the Serengeti or Arusha connect at Lake Manyara Airport (LKY). A road will take you 16.7 kilometers (11. miles) to the park gate (about 30 minutes’ drive).A domestic carrier can arrange domestic flights. Additionally, your tour operator will typically include charter flights between the parks in your safari package.

Lake Manyara National Park by road transport: The distance from Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park is 126 km (78 miles), and it is conveniently accessible by automobile. It is situated southwest of Arusha town. From Bahati, the Manyara region’s capital, you can go there in a variety of ways. Holidaymakers that travel the northern safari circuit and visit the park primarily use this mode of transportation. It just takes one and a half to two hours to drive from Arusha to the entrance gate on the newly paved road connecting the two cities. Considering that Manyara Park is located between the other parks on the northern circuit, the Serengeti National Park, and the more well-known Ngorongoro crater. If you don’t have access to private transportation, you can take a bus to Mto wa Mbu village and then rent a car to drive to the park. 37.4 kilometers separate Lake Manyara National Park from Tarangire National Park.

What to do in Lake Manyara National Park

Manyara National Park is the best place to go bird watching because it is home to some of the most valuable bird species. The park is home to over 400 bird species, with the pink flamingo being the most eye-catching of them all. Pink flamingos can be seen along the lake’s shores, which make up about two-thirds of the park’s total area, as well as Eurasian migrant birds, acacia-associated birds, raptors, and three critically endangered Tanzanian species. Many other bird species can be found in Manyara National Park. Many other bird species can be found in Manyara National Park. African fish eagles, African grey hornbills, African hawk eagles, African Jacanas, African spoonbills, Comb ducks, crowned eagles, great white pelicans, greater flamingos, silvery-cheeked hornbills, southern ground hornbills, yellow-billed storks, and many other bird species can be found in Manyara National Park. When the migratory bird species are present, which is from June to October, these birds are most frequently seen near Lake Manyara and are best watched from November to April.

Game Drives in Lake Manyara National Park: The park’s unique style of environment, including its forests, grassland vegetation, and marshlands, makes it an excellent habitat for a broad diversity of animal species. The two types of game driving in the park are morning game driving and night game driving. During morning game drives in Manyara National Park, it is possible to see a wide variety of animals, including elephants, hippos, monkeys, wildebeest, waterbuck, warthogs, gazelles, buffalo, hyenas, baboons, the tree-climbing lion, and many others. This is because morning game drives are when the animals are most active and most likely to be in large numbers in the park. Manyara National Park also offers night game drives for visitors. During these drives, visitors can view nocturnal wildlife, particularly predators waiting for prey. Other creatures can also be seen using spotlights, such as tree-climbing lions, leopards, genets, and civet cats.

Canoeing in Lake Manyara National Park: The park offers the best canoeing safaris in Tanzania because it contains the magnificent Lake Manyara, where canoeing and boat rides are offered. This canoeing gives visitors the best aquatic experience in the park while they can also see the giraffes and pink flamingos that swarm the lake’s shores.

Camping: While some camps in the park are luxurious, others are simple, and other areas are free for visitors to come with their camping equipment like tents and experience camping in the park. Manyara National Park is where tourists experience the wilderness by experiencing the outdoor environment of the park.

Hiking in Lake Manyara National Park: Hiking is healthy for tourists in terms of their fitness and health because it is done inside the park on the rift valley escarpment, which appears to be actual hills encircling the Manyara national park.

Traveling to a natural hot spring: When you visit a natural hot spring, you can participate in an activity that includes watching molten materials erupt naturally. The temperature of the hot spring is about 60 degrees Celsius, which is high enough to quickly boil an egg.

Book a double room at Lake Manyara plantation lodge

Lodges around Lake Manyara National Park

The Lake Manyara plantation lodge, Manyara tree lodge, Isoitok camp Manyara, Manyara Serena lodge, Kiruruma tented lodge, Manyara Wildlife camp, Lake Manyara hotel, Migunga Forest camp, Octagon lodge, and Lake Mana offer the most comfortable beds, services, and facilities, as well as delectable meals to the guests. These facilities are found both inside and outside the park.