Lake Manyara National Park

With a range of landscapes, Lake Manyara National Park provides a compact safari experience that offers visitors the chance to see the whole lot from the brilliant flamingoes to the fearsome lion.
Named for the seasonal alkaline lake at its heart, Lake Manyara National Park is a incredible area for canoeing in the wet season and traditional game drives 12 months round. Described by Ernest Hemingway as “the most lovable I have seen in Africa”, Lake Manyara is an best starting or ending point for the northern circuit.
In addition to its flamingo population, Lake Manyara is possibly most well-known for the tree climbing lions who name it home. Found nowhere else in Tanzania, these agile predators reduce a striking figure as they lounge lazily in acacia trees.
Also calling the park home are Africa’s most iconic animals such as elephants, giraffes, zebra, wildebeest, and cape buffalo, as well as less well recognised however no much less interesting Kirk’s dik-dik and klipspringer.

Park’s Highlights

Size: 330 square kilometres.
Location: Northern Tanzania. Roughly ninety minutes drive from Arusha.
Best Time: July to October for game or November to June for bird-watching.
To Do: Game drives, canoeing, cultural tours, mountain biking, abseiling, and forest walks.
Known For: Elephants and flamingoes.