Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara Safaris Tanzania

Lake Manyara National Park is best used as a soft introduction to a thrilling safari in Tanzania, with the added bonus of a combo tour to Kenya. Experience exceptional wildlife sightings and breath-taking landscapes while staying at top of the range safari camps on the edges of pristine wilderness areas.

Explore the shores of Lake Manyara National Park is an essential addition to any Tanzania safari itinerary, often overlooked in favor of the more renowned Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. Ideally situated along Tanzania’s northern safari circuit, it is conveniently close to Arusha. Nestled at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment, the park offers an excellent one- or two-night stopover.

Covering 330 km², Lake Manyara National Park includes diverse habitats surrounding the shallow alkaline lake. It is home to nearly 400 bird species, notably large flocks of flamingos. The park also supports diverse wildlife such as zebras, giraffes, and healthy herds of buffalo, with a steadily increasing elephant population. However, Lake Manyara’s most iconic attraction is its tree-climbing lions, offering a unique spectacle for visitors.

Lake Manyara National Park is a remarkable Tanzania destination and we deliver unbeatable packages and itineraries to ensure your African holiday to Tanzania is something exceptional.One of the many lakes linked to the East African Rift, you can find Lake Manyara in the Arusha Region, the seventh-largest lake in Tanzania extending a vast 470 square km. Only one small section falls within the boundaries of the Lake Manyara National Park and is also part of the Lake Manyara Biosphere Reserve, established in 1981 by UNESCO as part of its Man and the Biosphere Programme.

The name Manyara may come from the Maasai word “emanyara”, which is the spiky, protective enclosure around a family homestead (boma) – almost like the 600 m high rift escarpment hems in the lake. Or the name could come from the Mbugwe tribe, who live in the Lake Manyara area, and their word “manyero” for a trough or place where animals drink water.

Highlights

Lake Manyara National Park is a destination on most Tanzania northern safari circuit itineraries. Stop here on your tour in Tanzania.
Go birding at the lake and be astounded by the millions of flamingos and pelicans that choose to come and feed here in the shallows while the floodplains are brimming with egrets, spoonbills, storks and stilts. Look for Crowned Eagles in the forests and silvery cheeked hornbills too.
Elephant lovers will be in their element with the amazing herds of these graceful grey mammals gracing the acacia woodlands and lush forests, drinking at the edge of the lake in their hundreds.
Lake Manyara is a shallow, alkaline lake that expands and contracts seasonally, nestled within a basin of salt deposits. It covers two-thirds of the park’s area. The park is renowned for its rare tree-climbing lions, one of only two such populations globally, with the other found in Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park Ishasha region.
Take a walk along the tree-top canopy walk from the height of a tree, way up high, feel like a bird watching over the wildlife below – see what lives in the branches around you, from the insects and lizards to the raptors and primates.
Exploring the park brings you closer to the Maasai pastoralists in their traditional red robes, wandering around cattle bomas – grab a bicycle for hire and tour the area or take a forest walk and set off in a canoe to find out more about the lake.

Did you know?

Lake Manyara National Park has established itself as a popular stop on Tanzania’s northern safari circuit. Located conveniently near Arusha, it provides a tranquil retreat from the busier Serengeti and Ngorongoro regions. This park offers visitors a chance to unwind and enjoy its serene landscapes, far removed from the madding crowd.

Lake Manyara is always worth a night or two especially if you get to see the famous amazing tree-climbing lions of Manyara.