Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara National Park, with 30% of its land area locked between the Rift Valley Escarpment, is an extraordinary jewel. The park serves as a corridor for large herds of mammals migrating north and south. Manyara also has another forest: an evergreen, jungle-like environment teeming with monkeys enjoying the many, astonishingly tall trees, including the massive baobabs found throughout the Rift Wall. The beautiful sycamore fig, with its creamy yellow and brown bark, stands out the most.

When it comes to seeing animals, Lake Manyara National Park won’t let you down, despite its relatively little stretch of land. Countless bird species exist; even a novice observer can identify more than a hundred per day. The surface of the lake is dotted with flamingos and several other water birds, which are most visible towards the conclusion of the dry season. The silvery-cheeked hornbill is the most amazing sight in the forest, and Lake Manyara is the best spot to spot a palm-nut vulture.

Although lions, spotted hyenas, servals, caracals, leopards, and cheetahs are more common in other parks, keeping an eye out pays off handsomely here. Don’t forget to look up; Manyara’s amazing tree-resting lions love to play in the narrow belt of acacia woods, and the reasons for this odd behavior are still unknown.

What to do in the park:

Canoeing when the water level is sufficient, game drives, walking safaris and bird watching.

Additional Activity:

A community near Lake Manyara National Park, Mto wa mbu, offers a variety of cultural programs.

Best time to visit:

Only in dry season from Mid-June to October