Lake Manyara national Park Facts

Lake Manyara national Park Facts

Lake Manyara national Park Facts: Lake Manyara national park is a safari destination in the northern part of Tanzania, which is home to numerous wildlife species that can be seen throughout the year during Tanzania  tours.

The national park is located south of Arusha town and is about 130 kilometers away from the town. Lake Manyara national park covers about 325 square kilometers and it consists of woodlands, savannah plains and also swampy marshes.

A big part of Lake Manyara national park is covered by a shallow alkaline lake where different bird species can be seen during a safari around the national park. Flamingos are among the common bird sightings around the lake and they can be seen in big numbers.

There are a number of facts about Lake Manyara national park which make it an exciting or even must-visit destination during a Tanzania safari and they include the following:

• Tree-climbing lions

During wildlife viewing experiences around Lake Manyara national park, there are numerous wildlife species that can be seen around the destination and these include the rare tree-climbing lions, which are a major attraction around this park.

The tree-climbing lions can also be seen in a few other destinations, like Queen Elizabeth national park in Uganda. Some of the reasons that have been stated for the tree-climbing nature of the lions include avoiding insect bites, getting a good view of the surroundings in the park, spotting their prey, and relaxing in the cool breeze from up in the tree branches, among other reasons.

Lake Manyara national park also has many other wildlife species that can be seen during a safari, such as elephants, impalas, zebras, hippos, buffalos, lions, leopards, giraffes, gazelles, and waterbucks, among others.

Wildlife viewing around Lake Manyara national park can be done at any time of the year and the best time for these wildlife safaris in Tanzania is during the dry season from June to October, when wildlife species can be spotted around water points or sources.

• Diverse scenery

Lake Manyara national park is also a very scenic national park in Tanzania and during safaris at the destination, tourists get to explore the savannah plains and woodlands in search of various wildlife species.

During safaris around Lake Manyara national park, tourists can also enjoy views of the rift valley as they drive around the national park at different times of day or engage in nature walks around the destination.

• Night game drives

When visiting Tanzania, day game drives are popular among tourists. However, night game drives can also be carried out around Tanzania in destinations like Lake Manyara national park.

The night game drives around Lake Manyara national park involve searching around the diverse habitat for nocturnal wildlife species in the park like lions, hippos, genets, porcupines, civets, and aardvarks, among others.

Game drives around Lake Manyara national park are also done during the morning and afternoon times and involve searching for the wildlife in the park like lions, elephants, buffaloes, gazelles, hippos and many more.

• Canopy walks

Visit Lake Manyara national park in Tanzania for a safari and enjoy a canopy walk experience along the treetop walkway.

Lake Manyara national park also has canopy walks that are done in the forests near the northern entrance of the national park along a bridge that is about 18 meters off the ground. Different wildlife species such as blue monkeys, baboons and birds can be encountered during the canopy experience.

• Canoeing

Another activity that is carried out when visiting Lake Manyara national park is canoeing, which is done on Lake Manyara.

The canoe ride takes about 2 to 3 hours and wildlife and bird species can be seen along the lake shores. This activity in Lake Manyara national park is however carried out only when the water levels are high enough.

• Maasai tours

Engaging in cultural tours is another experience that you can take part in when visiting Lake Manyara national park in Tanzania. There are many other tribes to interact with when visiting Tanzania.

These tours involve interacting with the locals, such as the Maasai people and getting to know more about their way of life and culture, enjoying traditional dance performances, and visiting the traditional homesteads of the Maasai, among other experiences.

The Maasai tours can be done in neighboring towns near Lake Manyara national park like Mto wa mbu town which is located on the way to the national park.

• Good location

Lake Manyara national park is located a short drive from Arusha town and there are different ways to access the national park during safaris and this includes driving and also domestic flights to the destination.

The airstrip where flights land during tours to Lake Manyara national park is Manyara airstrip. Wildlife tours to the national park can also be combined with visits to other destinations around the northern part of Tanzania, like Serengeti national park, Tarangire national park and also the Ngorongoro conservation area.

During safaris to Lake Manyara national park, park entrance fee is among the requirements for visiting the destination and the park fees are as follows, excluding 18% tax:

Nonresidents visiting Lake Manyara national park are charged a park entrance fee of 50 USD in the peak season and 45 USD in the low season for those above the age of 16 years, while children aged between 5 and 15 years are charged 15 USD.

Residents or expatriates visiting Lake Manyara national park are charged a park entrance fee of 25 USD in the peak season and 22.5 USD in the low season for visitors above the age of 16 years, while children aged between 5 and 15 years are charged a park entrance fee of 7.5 USD.

East Africans or Tanzanians visiting Lake Manyara national park are charged a park entrance fee of 10,000 Tanzanian shillings for those above the age of 16 years, while children aged between 5 and 15 years are charged a park entrance fee of 2,000 Tanzanian shillings.