Northern Tanzania
Lake Manyara National Park
The jewel beneath the Rift wall
Overview
Pressed between the Great Rift Valley escarpment and a shimmering soda lake, Manyara compresses an extraordinary variety of life into a small, lush space.
Groundwater forest alive with baboons and blue monkeys opens onto floodplains where buffalo and hippo graze, and on the lake itself, flamingos gather in their thousands when conditions are right. Manyara's lions are famous for their habit of lounging in trees.
As the natural first stop on the northern circuit, Manyara makes a perfect gentle introduction to safari — an afternoon here sets the tone for everything that follows.
The landscape
A ribbon of groundwater forest, acacia woodland and floodplain squeezed between the 600-metre Rift Valley wall and the alkaline lake.
Quick facts
- Size
- 330 km²
- Famous for
- Tree-climbing lions & flamingos
- Drive from Arusha
- ≈ 2 hours
- Ideal visit
- Half to full day
Wildlife
Who lives here
- Tree-climbing lions
- Flamingos and over 400 bird species
- Large troops of olive baboons
- Hippo, buffalo and forest elephant
Seasons
When to come
Dry seasonJune – October
Easier wildlife spotting as vegetation thins.
Wet seasonNovember – May
Waterfalls on the escarpment and peak flamingo numbers.
Experiences
Game drives · Treetop canopy walkway · Birdwatching · Cycling on the escarpment (outside the park)
In Pictures
Scenes from Lake
Journeys Here
Safaris that visit Lake Manyara National Park
Good to Know
Questions, answered
Most of our northern circuit safaris visit Manyara on day one — an afternoon game drive before overnighting in the Karatu highlands en route to Ngorongoro.
Northern
Pairs well on the northern circuit
Lake Manyara National Park is one of 9 destinations on the northern circuit. Most itineraries combine two or three.
