Lake Manyara Adventures
Lake Manyara adventures take you to explore the beautiful Lake Manyara National Park, located in northern Tanzania and part of the northern circuit that attracts many travelers every year. Manyara is renowned for its tree-climbing lions and a varied array of bird species.
Things to Do in Lake Manyara National Park
Wondering what you could do while on your safari in this park? Below are activities you can enjoy, some of which are unique to the park alone.
Game Drives
Despite the park’s small size, unlike the vast, endless plains of Serengeti National Park, game drives in Lake Manyara National Park are still possible. A game drive here allows you to see the park’s animals, including the famous tree-climbing lions, elephants, buffalo, and many others. Enjoy the scenic views of the park as well during the game drives.
Bird Watching
With well over 400 bird species recorded, travelers on Lake Manyara adventures can enjoy bird watching as one of the activities in this park. Apart from the pink flamingos on Lake Manyara, other birds to look out for include pelicans and storks, among others.
Guided Nature Walks
Not many Tanzanian national parks allow walking safaris, and as such, guided nature walks in Lake Manyara National Park are a unique way to explore the beauty of the park. You get to follow animal tracks in the company of armed rangers, come up close with the animals, and marvel at being just feet from them. Animals you can spot on your guided walking safari include zebras, antelopes, gazelles, and giraffes, among others.
Canoeing
Canoeing is done on Lake Manyara, allowing you a chance to glide through the waters with flamingos and animals like elephants at the shoreline, taking a drink.
Canopy Walk
A canopy walk over a suspended walkway in Lake Manyara National Park is a unique activity that travelers on Lake Manyara adventures can enjoy. A canopy walk allows you a chance to have a bird’s-eye view of the park, seeing quite a lot from above, especially the scenic views.
Where to Stay while on Lake Manyara Adventures
There are several accommodations in Lake Manyara National Park that you can choose from for your stay. Accommodations range from budget to mid-range, all around the park area and in the town nearest to Lake Manyara National Park, Mto wa Mbu. Irrespective of the level of comfort you choose for your stay while on a Lake Manyara National Park safari, be sure that you shall be rewarded with amazing views of the surrounding landscape.
Accommodations in Lake Manyara National Park include Lake Manyara Kilimamoja Lodge, Lake Manyara Wildlife Lodge, Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge, Heritage Manyara Safari Lodge, Twiga Safari Lodge and Campsite, among others.
How to Get There
Lake Manyara National Park can be accessed by both air and road. By air, travelers can fly into Lake Manyara Airport from anywhere in Tanzania, say Arusha Airport, ZNZ, and the like. By road, travelers drive 126 km from Arusha town, passing through local communities. Given its proximity to Arusha, Lake Manyara National Park is an easy add-on to your longer Tanzanian safari destination, say Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater Tanzania.
Best Time To Visit Lake Manyara National Park
The best time to visit Lake Manyara for adventures is during the dry season, which typically runs from June to October and late December to March. During the dry season, the weather is quite agreeable, and wildlife viewing is easy given the short grass and ease of park access. Kindly note that the dry season is also the peak season of travel, and so crowds should be expected, as well as high costs, say for accommodation in Lake Manyara National Park.
The wet season, so considered by many as not the best time to embark on Lake Manyara adventures, is the best time to visit for bird watching. The wet season falls in November and April to May and is the best time to spot various birds in Lake Manyara National Park, for that is when migratory birds are abundant.
Lake Manyara adventures are worthwhile, even when many think otherwise, given the rise in water levels of Lake Manyara covering more area of the park and limiting game drives. Apart from game drives, following animal tracks on guided walking tours or walking the canopy walk are worthwhile, giving you unique Tanzanian wildlife safari experiences, away from the usual. Adding Lake Manyara National Park to your Tanzanian safari tour is a great way to do other activities aside the generic game drives. Reach out to your trusted Tanzanian safari operator to plan for you an amazing Tanzanian safari tour for you, including the different Lake Manyara adventures. e Manyara adventures.

