Lake Manyara National Park is found in Northern Tanzania, 126 km west of Arusha town deriving its name from Maasai language Emanyara (Euphorbia tirucalli).  The covers a total area of about 648.7 km² (402 sq miles).  With bi-modal rainfall pattern short rains start from November to December and long rains from February to May, dry season is from late June to October.

Located at the base of the Rift Valley escarpment, its groundwater forest offers a nice change of scenery from the more Savannah-dominated parks, varying species of vegetation, babbling streams and waterfalls spilling over the cliff. In the southern part of the Park there is, hot springs bubbling to the surface in the shadow of the escarpment and hippo wallows near the lake’s borders. As the visitor enters the park through the swanky forest, which provides home to troops of baboons and blue monkeys. Then further descends to the woodlands, grassland, swamps, and the soda lake itself which covers 390² km with over 400 species of bird including flamingo, pelican, storks, sacred ibis, cormorants and Egyptian geese. The park is famous for its tree-climbing lions, which spend most of the day spread out along the branches of acacia trees six to seven meters above ground, and tree climbing pythons. But like the Tarangire, the park’s has largest number of elephant population also there are giraffe, impala, hippo and a great variety of smaller animals.

How to get there

Its strategic location along the Makuyuni to NgoroNgoro and Serengeti National Park High way makes it easily accessible. The park is close to the ethnically diverse town of Mto wa Mbu in which a          representation of the 120 tribes of Tanzania is found.

Best time to visit
The park can be accessed throughout the year.
Available activities

GAME VIEWING

• Day Game Viewing

This activity is conducted during the day and night. For day game drive the activity is conducted from 06:30 – 18:30 hrs.
The park’s varied habitat attracts a wide variety of animals, including one of Africa’s largest concentrations of elephants,

• Manyara’s famous tree-climbing lions
• Giraffes
• Warthogs
• Large flocks of flamingos attracted by the algae in the lake.
• Rhino pool
• Night Game drive

Night game drives carried out from 19:00 – 23:00 hrs.

** For night game drive booking is recommended for arrangement of an armed park ranger**

       1. Birding
The park offers a high diversity of bird species over 390 birds species both migrants and residents include a thousand of pink-hued flamingos on their perpetual migration as well as other large water birds such as pelicans, cormorants and storks.

What are the bird watching hotspots?

– Hippo pool viewpoints, Boardwalk way at Majimoto and Ground water forest (the later for breeding species).
– Best time for bird watching- November to July is ideal time for bird watching.
– No additional fee for this activity.

2. Camping
   Special campsites
   **Pre-booking is mandatory and campers must bring with them all camping gears and food. **

• Public campsites

Best time to visit
The park can be accessed throughout the year.