Africa Classic Escapes

Tucked below the majesty of the Rift Valley wall, Lake Manyara National Park consists of a thin green band of forest, flanked by the sheer 600 m high red and brown cliffs of the escarpment on one side and by the white-hot shores of an ancient soda lake on the other.

Size: 330 sq km (127 sq miles)

Location: In Northern Tanzania. The entrance gate lies 1.5 hours (126km/80 miles) west of Arusha.

Wildlife

Acacia woodland shelters the park’s famous tree climbing lions, lying languidly among the branches in the heat of the day.  Lake Manyara safaris offers many unique views including elephant, giraffe, buffalo and wildebeest can be found grazing in unexpected clearings or heading towards the water to drink or wash, and the rivers and riverbeds provide scenic vistas for possible animal spottings. Warthog seem to thrive here, growing notably fat and tuskered, and it is a natural playground for baboons and monkeys.

Birdlife

Lake Manyara is a small but scenic national park, excellent for birdwatching. The park’s dazzling variety of birds includes thousands of red-billed quelea flitting over the water, pelicans, cormorants and the pink streaks of thousands of flamingos.

Adventure

Manyara is the perfect location for an active safari canoeing on the lake or mountain biking and abseiling outside the park’s borders. 

Best time to visit

The dry (July to October) is best for large mammals, while the wet season (November to June) is best for bird watching, waterfalls and canoeing.

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