Why Visit Lake Manyara?
Lake Manyara is stunningly set at the backdrop of the great east African rift valley escarpment commanding breathtaking views of the lake, the park is named after the lake and was gazetted in 1960. It’s characterized by green forests, acacia woodlands, ground water springs and grassy floodplains.
Lake park boasts a higher diversity of species of plants and animals than the renowned Serengeti national park, its renowned for its tree-climbing lions, which you mostly don’tsee anywhere else apart from Queen Elizabeth in Uganda.
Lake Manyara national park was conserved to protect its largest herds of elephants and it’s said to have the largest concentration of elephants in Africa. There are also thousands of flamingoes to be seen in the lake’s shallow alkaline waters.
Unlike other Savannah national parks lake Manyara offers a different experience; the lake is part of lake Manyara biosphere reserve that was established as part of man and biosphere reserve in 1981. The park is one of Tanzania’s smallest national parks but also one with spectacular views and scenery.
Lake Manyara national park offered very impressive views of the great rift valley falling to the lakeshores at 509 meters.
Birding
Lake Manyara is home to a variety of bird species, including waterfowl and migrants; among the birds you can see there are pink flamingos, crested guinea fowl, crowned eagles, silver-cheeked hornbills, and many more.
Wildlife
Lake Manyara National Park offers a unique wildlife experience; the park is filled with animals such as elephants, impalas, cheetahs, African wilddogs, giraffes, zebras, lions, buffaloes, waterbucks, warthogs, klipspringers, and hippopotamuses. The park can be explored in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings for wildlife watching.
The park also offers night game drives where you will be able to see nocturnal animals.
Baboons
The park is also known for having more troops of baboons than anywhere else in Tanzania and the world; additionally, tourists can spot other primates such as Sykes’ monkeys, Egyptian mongooses, short-eared galagos, and cape clawless otters, among others.
Mountain biking
One of the reasons you should visit lake Manyara national park is that you can take mountain biking tours alongside the lake, which is not a common activity in most national parks. This is usually done around the surrounding communities at the park, which has a high cliff view of the park when you are in a certain position.
Cultural experience
Lake Manyara national park was a grazing ground for the Masai warriors before they were resettled; in fact, the name “Manyara” is derived from a local Masai word meaning a plant species called “euphorbia,” which they use for fencing their homesteads. Visiting the Masai villages should be among your activities at the park; learn people’s ways of life, cultural values and customs.
The park can be reached in one and a half hours from Arusha town and in less than an hour from Tarangire National Park. It has two entrances: the northern gate, which is the most frequently used, and the southern gate, which is not open to everyone. There’s one airstrip at the top of the rift valley wall that connects the park with other domestic airstrips across the country.
The park has both Budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation, some located inside the park and others just outside the park but very close, some of the lodges and hotels where to sleep while in lake Manyara include; lake Manyara tree lodge, lake Manyara wildlife lodge, lake Manyara Serena lodge, escarpment luxury lodge, Manyara ranch tented camp, Lemala Manyara camp and Kirurumu Manyara lodge.
