Lake Manyara’s famous tree-climbing lions are another reason to pay this park a visit. The only kind of their species in the world, they make the ancient mahogany and elegant acacias their home during the rainy season, and are a well-known but rather rare feature of the northern park. In addition to the lions, the national park is also home to the largest concentration of baboons anywhere in the world- a fact that makes for interesting game viewing of large families of the primates.
Located beneath the cliffs of the Manyara Escarpment, on the edge of the Rift Valley, Lake Manyara National Park offers varied ecosystems, incredible bird life, and breathtaking views. Located on the way to Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. Lake Manyara National Park is well worth a stop in its own right. Its ground water forests, bush plains, baobob strewn cliffs, and algae-streaked hot springs offer incredible ecological variety in a small area, rich in wildlife and incredible numbers of birds.
The alkaline soda of Lake Manyara is home to an incredible array of bird life that thrives on its brackish waters. Pink flamingo stoop and graze by the thousands, colourful specks against the grey minerals of the lake shore. Yellow-billed storks swoop and corkscrew on thermal winds rising up from the escarpment, and herons flap their wings against the sun-drenched sky. Even reluctant bird-watchers will find something to watch and marvel at within the national park.
In his famous book "The Green Hills of Africa" Hemingway describes Lake Manyara National Park's magnificent surroundings: "Mahogany, sausage tree and croton are alive with blue monkeys and vervets. Elephants feed off fallen fruit, while bushbuck, waterbuck, baboons, aardvark, civet, the shy pangolin and leopard, as well as the black rhino, all make their home in the forest. Manyara is sanctuary to massive herds of buffalo, impressive hippo pods, giraffe, impala, zebra and famous for its tree climbing lions. The Lake itself is a magnet for birdlife and a kaleidoscope of different species can be found around its shores, including huge flocks of flamingos as well as white and pink backed pelican.
The park is ideal for a day trip. It is possible to leave the lodge or camp early in the morning and spend the day observing the distinct and different eco-systems, from ground water forest at the entrance, to the open savannah, the lake itself and the high rock cliff along the western rim of the Rift Valley - each area supporting a variety of animal and bird species.
From soaring groundwater forests and a tranquil lake, to the mountain escarpment of the Great Rift Valley, Lake Manyara National Park boasts an incredible wealth of habitats and diverse African wildlife. Guests are offered an exciting, interpretive safari experience in game-rich surrounds which include large herds of elephantand buffalo.An incredible array of bird life thrives on the alkaline soda of Lake Manyara. Pink flamingo stoop and graze by the thousands, colourful specks against the grey minerals of the lake shore. Also seen here are Yellow-billed storks and herons, all merging together to provide a spectacular show to the onlooker. Even reluctant bird-watchers will find something to watch and marvel at within the national park.
The climate never overheats at Lake Manyara, where average daytime temperatures peak at around 29°C/84°F in the Wet season (November to May). The pattern in this period is a month or two of ‘short rains’, then a dry spell, then a longer stretch of rain. It’s slightly cooler in the Dry season (June to October). The temperature plummets at night, however. Freezing conditions are rare, but they can happen.
East Africa Top Destinations, Where to go, What to do
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