The stunning Lake Manyara National Park is situated in Tanzania’s Arusha and Manyara regions. The closest city is Babati, Arusha. The park spans 325 square kilometres and includes 230 square kilometres of land covered by Lake Manyara and the Great Rift Valley.
Lake Manyara National Park, located in Tanzania’s northern safari circuit, is a part of the larger Lake Manyara Biosphere Reserve, established in 1981 by UNESCO as part of its Man and the Biosphere Programme. It is situated along the route that leads to both the Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
The Euphorbia tirucalli plant, also referred to as Emanyara in the local Masai language, is the source of the park’s historical name. The Masai people planted these trees in the area to protect their cattle from lions, leopards, and petty thieves. Although Lake Manyara National Park was first created as a reserve in 1957, it was previously used as a Masai settlement and a venue for sporting events.
Tourist attractions in Lake Manyara national park
Lake Manyara
A key component of Lake Manyara National Park, the shallow alkaline lake has a surface area of 230 square kilometres and a depth of 3.7 meters. It is a popular attraction inside the park. With a surface elevation of 1,045 meters above sea level, Lake Manyara is the seventh largest lake in Tanzania and a fantastic birdwatching destination. Thousands of flamingos inhabit the lake, giving its edges the colour of pink. A fantastic location for bird watching and canoeing adventure is Lake Manyara.
Animals
Numerous wildlife species can be found in the marshlands, acacia woodlands, savannah grasslands, and forest galleries of Lake Manyara National Park. The park is well-known for its tree-climbing trees, large population of elephants, and the largest troop of baboons in Africa, which numbers over 100 individuals. Lake Manyara National Park is home to hippos, antelopes, zebras, Thomson and Grant’s gazelles, wildebeests, waterbucks, impalas, warthogs, giraffes, cape buffalo, and many other animals. Lake Manyara National Park is home to numerous predators such as lions, leopards, African wild cats, spotted hyenas, bat-eared foxes, genets, honey badgers, and servals. Cheetahs and African golden cats are also infrequently sighted there.
Wildlife Birds
The majority of the bird species in Lake Manyara National Park reside on its shores and in its centre, with some also inhabiting the savannah forests. The park is home to several remarkable bird species. More than 400 bird species may be seen in Lake Manyara National Park, including raptors, migratory species from Eurasian regions, and rare and endangered species like black-collared lovebirds, Rufous tailed weaver, and Ashy starlings. This park is home to an expansive variety of bird species, such as Schalow’s turaco, emerald cuckoo, crowned plover, black-faced sun grouse, pelicans, crested guinea fowl, slivery checked hornbills, egrets, stilts, herons, spoonbills, stalks, wanders, Narina trogon, and pangani long claw.
Maji Moto springs
Maji Moto Springs, a stunning feature in the park’s southern section, get their name from a Swahili word that means “hot water.” Maji Moto Springs is a miniature paradise in the middle of the park, encircled by palm and fig trees. The springs heat up to roughly 60 degrees Celsius, and the water creates a swimming pool for park visitors.
Tourist activities to do in Lake Manyara national park
Game viewing
The Lake Manyara National Park is a magnificent location for a thrilling game viewing experience. This trip gives you the chance to explore the park and go on a game drive through different areas of the park with a safari guide. Before you drive through marshlands, woodlands, and acacia-dominated terrain, you will witness animals such as tree-climbing lions, elephants, hippos, antelopes, zebras, Thomson gazelles and Grant’s gazelles, wildebeests, waterbuck, impalas, warthogs, giraffes, cape buffalo, and many more. This experience culminates at the magnificent Lake Manyara, where you can witness thousands of animals as they drink water and birds.
At Lake Manyara National Park, both day and night game viewing are available, with night game viewing being an extremely thrilling safari experience that opens up new perspectives on the park. This experience an opportunity for spotting nocturnal animals and predators living in Lake Manyara national park, with a help of a spotlight you will spot lions who are more active at night, leopards, African wild cat, spotted hyena, bat-eared fox, genet, honey badger, serval and occasional cheetah.
Birding
One of Tanzania’s greatest protected locations for birdwatching is Lake Manyara National Park, which is home to approximately 400 different bird species that live in and around the lake, savannah grasslands, and scattered woodland galleries. Lake Manyara National Park boasts thousands of pink-hued flamingos swimming in its waters and on its shores. Flocks of pelicans, the rare pangani long claw, silvery-checked hornbill, crowned eagles, crested guinea fowl, slivery checked hornbills, egrets, stilts, herons, spoonbills, stalks, wanders, Narina trogon, crowned hornbills, Schalow’s turaco, emerald cuckoo, crowned plover, two-banded courser, black-faced sun grouse, and many more can be spotted while birdwatching in Lake Manyara National Park.
Lake Manyara, home to hundreds of pelicans and pink flamingos, is the greatest place to go birdwatching in Lake Manyara National area. With such large bird populations, the area is a birder’s heaven.
Canoeing
One of the few protected sites in Tanzania that offers a paddling safari experience is the Lake Manyara National Park. paddling in the park offers a means to travel the stunning lake. A canoeing excursion brings visitors up close to Lake Manyara’s aquatic life, where they may see thousands of flamingos, pelicans, and other creatures that visit the lake for water.
Masai community visit
Situated within the borders of Lake Manyara National Park, the Masai local community provides visitors a cultural and traditional tour of the park. Historically, the Masai people were its first inhabitants. The Masai culture is home to many aspects of indigenous cultural history, including round huts/bomas built of mud and straws, traditional dances and songs, the custom of wearing stripped shukas, local cuisine created locally, and much more.
Accommodation in Lake Manyara National Park
A variety of lodges and camps, including the Lake Manyara hotel, Lake Manyara bush camp, andbeyond Lake Manyara tree lodge, Africa safari glamping, Lake Manyara kilimamoja lodge, Lake Manyara wildlife lodge, Migunga tented camp, Lake Manyara serene safari lodge, Lake Manyara Tortilis camp, and many more, provide lodging for visitors to the Lake Manyara national park throughout the year.
How to get to Lake Manyara national park
The majority of safari journeys to Lake Manyara National Park begin in Arusha, which is located roughly 126 kilometres to the southwest of the park. From Arusha, visitors can reach the park via plane and road transportation. There are well-maintained roads that take one to two hours to get to the park by car, and domestic flights are available from Arusha airport to Lake Manyara airport, which serves the Manyara region and Lake Manyara national park.
Climate in Lake Manyara national park
There are two distinct rain seasons in Lake Manyara National Park, along with one dry season. The park experiences both brief and long rainstorms. November through December has short rains, and March through May sees long rains. April sees the most rainfall in Lake Manyara National Park, with 161 mm. July, August, and September are the months that experience the dry season; September is the driest month with the lowest average rainfall.
The warmest months of Lake Manyara National Park, with average high temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius, are January, February, and March. June and July have the lowest average high temperatures, with average high temperatures of 25 degrees Celsius.
